Category Archives: *Featured/Spotlights

Special features, spotlights, headlines

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group

Louise Serio and Castle Rock Sweep Performance Working Hunters at WEF I

Leave a comment
Louise Serio and Castle Rock Swept the Performance Working 3'6" Hunter division at WEF I. Photo By: SportFot

Wellington, FL – January 14, 2012 – The prestigious Winter Equestrian Festival got underway with its first week of competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. Derbydown owner and trainer Louise Serio started off right, claiming the Performance Working 3’6″ Hunter Championship after sweeping the division aboard Bryan Baldwin’s Castle Rock. Serio also took home the reserve championship honors in the Pre-Green Level 2 Hunters with Aate’, owned by Bright Star 158, LLC.

Over the years, Serio and Castle Rock have won many coveted titles, including WEF’s 2011 WCHR Pro Hunter Classic and 2010 USHJA International Hunter Derby. This week they returned the arena and were unstoppable. The duo claimed the first place prize in all of the Performance Working 3’6″ Hunter classes, and were eventually honored with the championship tricolor.

Continue reading Louise Serio and Castle Rock Sweep Performance Working Hunters at WEF I →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Events, Phelps Media Group

European Champion Carl Hester to Compete at World Dressage Masters Palm Beach

Leave a comment
Carl Hester and Uthopia. Photo by Leslie Bliss

Wellington, FL – January 13, 2012 – Organizers of the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach received confirmation on Thursday that Great Britain’s Carl Hester has accepted an invitation to compete at the 2012 WDM Palm Beach, which takes place from January 26th to 28th, 2012. Hester led the British Dressage Team to a historic gold medal at the 2011 European Dressage Championships, and went on to win individual silver riding the nine year old stallion Uthopia. Hester’s exclusive appearance at the WDM Palm Beach will be his first time competing on American soil since he was a member of the British Dressage Team that won a silver medal at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

“We are thrilled that Carl has accepted our invitation to attend the 2012 WDM Palm Beach,” says Noreen O’Sullivan of Wellington Classic Dressage. “We already have an impressive group of world class horses and riders, and the addition of Carl’s name to that list is exciting news for the WDM’s presenting sponsors, for the organizers, and of course for the spectators.”

Continue reading European Champion Carl Hester to Compete at World Dressage Masters Palm Beach →

*Featured/Spotlights, Awards, Breeds, Community/Charity, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, Show Jumping, USEF

Neville Bardos and Sjoerd Named 2011 Horses of the Year by the USEF

Leave a comment
Horse of the Year Neville Bardos (Photo Courtesy of USEA)

Cincinnati, OH – For the first time ever, the USEF crowned two horses with its highest honor, one from an International Discipline and one from a National Discipline. Neville Bardos and Sjoerd were named 2011 Horses of the Year at tonight’s USEF annual Horse of the Year celebration. Honored for their accomplishments in 2011 their roads through the last 12 months, while both exceptional, have been very different.

Videos of all of the Horses of Honor are available here: http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/USEFAnnualMeeting2012.

Neville Bardos – Eventing

He shouldn’t have lived. But he did. He shouldn’t have returned to his life as an event horse. But he returned better than ever. Trapped in a burning barn for 45 minutes, Neville Bardos made a miraculous recovery from injuries sustained in a fire that claimed the lives of six other horses at his rider Boyd Martin’s barn in West Grove, PA. The now 13-year-old Australian Thoroughbred gelding won the USEF National CCI3* championship in 2009 and was 10th at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games – leading the U.S. effort. But his life changed dramatically in the early hours of Memorial Day in 2011. Martin pulled him out of the burning barn to safety. Neville Bardos was left with horrific injuries due to massive amounts of smoke inhalation and the subsequent damage to his throat.

Continue reading Neville Bardos and Sjoerd Named 2011 Horses of the Year by the USEF →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Round 1 of $30,000 WEF Challenge Cup Series Goes to McLain Ward and Oh’ D Eole at WEF

Leave a comment

Castle Rock and Louise Serio Sweep CWD Performance Working Hunter 3’6″ Championship

McLain Ward with Oh D'Eole. Photos © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – January 12, 2012 – Olympic gold medalist McLain Ward (USA) was able to beat a field of 39 competitors to take the first round victory in the $30,000 WEF Challenge Cup Series at the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. He and Oh’ D Eole triumphed in the jump-off over Charlie Jayne (USA) on Chill R Z and Darragh Kerins (IRL) with Hot Wheels. Today’s grand prix marked the start of an exciting show jumping season, where riders will compete over 12 weeks to win bonus money in the $100,000 FTI Consulting Rider Challenge.

The first week of the FTI WEF runs through Sunday, January 15, and is sponsored by Surpass. The 2012 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of competition that conclude on April 1, 2012, and they will be awarding more than $6 million in prize money through the circuit. The highlight jumper class in week one is the $30,000 Surpass Grand Prix on Saturday, January 14, at 7 p.m.

Continue reading Round 1 of $30,000 WEF Challenge Cup Series Goes to McLain Ward and Oh’ D Eole at WEF →

*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, Diana de Rosa, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping, Washington Int'l Horse Show

Sophie & Katherine Make Horse Jump Out of Cupcakes and Bake One Ton Creation

Leave a comment

DC CUPCAKES: ONE TON CUPCAKE Premieres Monday, January 16 at 10 PM (ET/PT) on TLC

Sophie and Katherine build the Cupcake Jump at the Washington International Horse Show. Shawn McMillen Photography

Sophie and Katherine, the sisters who own Georgetown Cupcake, have a huge order from the Washington International Horse Show to make a full-sized horse jump out of cupcakes. Horses jumping over cupcakes? Why yes! The country’s leading indoor metropolitan horse show is just a few blocks away from Sophie and Katherine’s Georgetown Cupcake shop. A special jump made from the now famous sweets was a surprise addition to an exciting evening of world-class show jumping competition. Tune in to see if any of the horses, riders or fans got to eat one!

At the same time, the sisters attempt to break the world record for largest cupcake. With the help of Mommy and Sophie’s nuclear engineer husband Steve, they set out to bake a one ton cupcake, first finding an oven huge enough for all 2000 pounds of homemade batter, and then baking it to perfection.

Continue reading Sophie & Katherine Make Horse Jump Out of Cupcakes and Bake One Ton Creation →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival Hosts Opening Press Conference

Leave a comment
The panel of Michael Stone, Mark Bellissimo, Louise Serio, Christine McCrea, Rodrigo Pessoa and Hunter Harrison spoke about the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival at the opening press conference. Photos © ManciniPhotos.

Wellington, FL – January 10, 2012 – The 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) hosted its opening press conference on Tuesday afternoon at the White Horse Tavern in Wellington, FL. A large crowd of local, national, and international media were in attendance to hear the latest news on the 12-week competition, which begins tomorrow. The FTI WEF will host thousands of the world’s best horses and riders on January 11 – April 1 at the beautiful Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in what has become the world’s largest and longest running horse show.

This afternoon’s press conference was hosted by Equestrian Sport Productions’ (ESP) CEO Mark Bellissimo and President Michael Stone, with additional commentary from top hunter rider and trainer Louise Serio, Pan American Games Show Jumping Individual and U.S. Team Gold Medalist Christine McCrea, Wellington Equestrian Partner Hunter Harrison, and Olympic Show Jumping Gold Medalist Rodrigo Pessoa.

Continue reading 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival Hosts Opening Press Conference →

*Featured/Spotlights, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping, Training/Clinics, USEF

2012 George H. Morris Horsemastership Training Session Concludes after Five Informative Days

Leave a comment
Jacob Pope jumps Anthony D'Ambriosio's course. Photo from Amy Serridge/USEF Archive

Wellington, FL – The sixth annual George H. Morris Horsemastership Training Session presented by the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) and Adequan concluded Saturday at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. Held January 3-7, participants honed their riding skills and learned valuable lessons in overall horsemanship.

Learn more about the riders

Due to a severe cold, Morris, the legendary horseman and U.S. Show Jumping Chef d’Equipe, was unable to teach the training session sponsored by The Dutta Corporation, Farnam, Practical Horseman, and Equestrian Sport Productions. However, Morris’ protégés Anne Kursinski, Kent Farrington, McLain Ward and Beezie Madden stepped in to conduct the morning mounted sessions.

Continue reading 2012 George H. Morris Horsemastership Training Session Concludes after Five Informative Days →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Events, Phelps Media Group

World Dressage Masters Palm Beach Announces Change to Line-Up

1 Comment
Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro. Photo courtesy of British Dressage

Wellington, FL – January 6, 2012 – Organizers of the World Dressage Masters presented by Axel Johnson Group have been informed that the stallion Totilas and his rider Matthias Rath of Germany will be unable to attend the WDM Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach, which is set to take place January 26th to 28th.

“I received a call this morning from Paul Schockemöhle, one of the owners of Totilas,” said WDM Palm Beach organizer Noreen O’Sullivan of Wellington Classic Dressage. “I am very sorry to announce that Totilas will not be able to compete in this year’s World Dressage Masters Palm Beach. The owners feel the horse has just returned to light work after an injury and would not be ready for this event. We have already invited Totilas and Matthias to our 2013 WDM event. The owners and Matthias were very disappointed they would not be able to attend this year’s WDM Palm Beach but also said they look forward to accepting our invitation for next year if the horse is going well.”

Continue reading World Dressage Masters Palm Beach Announces Change to Line-Up →

*Featured/Spotlights, Contributors/Press, FEI, Show Jumping

Rolf-Göran Bengtsson in Historic Rolex Rankings Lead

Leave a comment
Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE) becomes first Swede to lead the Rolex Rankings.

Lausanne (SUI), 6 January 2012 – Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE) is celebrating after securing the world number one slot in the Rolex Rankings for the first time in his career.

The Hong Kong individual silver medallist has also made history by becoming the first Swedish world number in an Olympic discipline.

In the latest Rolex Rankings, published today, Bengtsson is 81 points ahead of Eric Lamaze (CAN), the reigning Olympic champion who had topped the Rolex Rankings since 1 June 2011.

Bengtsson, who turns 50 this year, will be celebrating his promotion to world number one at the Swedish National Federation’s annual awards ceremony in Stockholm this weekend, when the Swedes will be looking back on a successful 2011 season.

Continue reading Rolf-Göran Bengtsson in Historic Rolex Rankings Lead →

*Featured/Spotlights, Contributors/Press

Owner of HERDA-Affected Show Prospect Horse Finds New Purpose

Leave a comment

Almost two years after discovering her western pleasure show prospect has the devastating genetic defect HERDA, owner finds a new purpose.

There was so much to look forward to for Robin Davison.  She had just purchased a wonderful western pleasure show prospect in November of 2009 and was going to chase her dream of showing at the National Western Stock Show. Unfortunately a few months after a local trainer started the filly under saddle, she developed saddle sores that never healed.  In May 2010, A DNA test at the University of California, Davis confirmed that “Penelope” (registered name Quality Sensation) is affected with HERDA, or Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia.  Her riding days were over and Robin’s dream was shattered.  After many months of research and digesting this horrible reality, Robin decided to find as many things to do with Penelope as her condition would permit.  They have attended local clinics, participating from the ground, and showed at some local shows in showmanship.  Penelope was even a 4-h project horse, placing reserve grand champion in showmanship at the local county fair.  Along the way, Robin found herself educating fellow horse owners about Penelope’s condition which resulted in a website, http://herdahorse.com/. Their story was covered in the December issue of EQUUS and due to such positive reader response a shorter version of this story is on their website.

Check out this great information that we all need to be aware of. This disease is on the rise.

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/case-report-hereditary-equine-regional
-dermal-asthenia-herda/