Ocala native Chester Weber is donating a carriage ride to the live auction at the Ocala Symphony Orchestra’s Symphony Ball, Friday, April 8th at the Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club. (Photo courtesy of Live Oak Combined Driving)
Ocala, FL (March 24, 2011) – Ocala residents love their native son Chester Weber, the eight-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Combined Driving Champion, whose home base is Live Oak Stud in Ocala. Weber is known for his involvement in education and the arts in his hometown community and will be donating a carriage ride, pulled by his world-class combined driving team, to the live auction of the Ocala Symphony Orchestra’s Symphony Ball, Friday, April 8th at the Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club.
“Chester’s generosity in donating this carriage ride is sincerely appreciated by the Ocala Orchestra Board of Directors and Membership. The carriage ride will be presented during our Live Auction program segment and is expected to bring some of the highest bidding of the evening,” said Cindy Van Heyde, Vice President of the Ocala Symphony Orchestra.
Van Heyde said she expects fierce competition as bidders battle to win the carriage ride with Weber, a local celebrity as well as the United States’ leading combined driver. “Many of the people who will be attending the Symphony Ball are familiar with the annual driving event that Chester hosts at Live Oak Stud every March, and they appreciate the beauty of the farm and the sport of combined driving. I fully expect a very competitive bidding environment,” she said.
Lauren Barwick dominated the Grade II division at the 2011 Dressage Affaire at the Del Mar Horsepark during the CPED13* Para-Equestrian Dressage competition on her two horses Off to Paris (shown here) and Ferdonia 2 (below). (Photos courtesy of Lindsay Y McCall)
Parelli Natural Horsemanship Student Excels
Del Mar, CA (March 23, 2011) – Canadian Para-Equestrian Team member Lauren Barwick dominated the Grade II division at the 2011 Dressage Affaire at the Del Mar Horsepark during the CPED13* Para-Equestrian Dressage competition, riding away with the blue ribbon on Off To Paris and the red on Ferdonia 2 in the Individual Test. Barwick also took home top honors in the Freestyle, riding Ferdonia 2 to first place with a high score of 75.167% and earning second on Off To Paris with a 73.333.
Barwick’s success in the Para-Dressage spotlight has been aided by mentor and coach Pat Parelli, founder of Parelli Natural Horsemanship, Inc. Barwick is a Senior Protégé and mentor in the Parelli Natural Horsemanship’s Mastery Program.
“Lauren is an outstanding horsewoman and has the ability to easily connect with her horses,” Parelli said. “At the Dressage Affaire in Del Mar, Lauren had only been riding Off to Paris and Ferdonia for 10 days so it was quite an accomplishment to win first and second in both classes. Lauren knows that building a relationship and developing a great partnership with each horse is paramount, and she is dedicated to putting the horse’s needs first which shows each time she rides.”
OCALA, FL (March 22, 2011) — Sunday’s $100,000 DeLuca Toyota Tundra Grand Prix, presented by Great American Insurance Group, was not only the season finale to the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit, but also the 36th Grand Prix of the 2011 HITS Show Season, which marked the virtual mid-way point for the qualifying period for this year’s Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix. Kent Farrington felt the need for speed, when he and Iron Horse Farm’s Top Gun captured the win, to conclude the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit.
“Yesterday was an extraordinary finish to the Ocala Winter Circuit,” said Tom Struzzieri, HITS President and CEO. “Similar to our shows in Thermal, we’ve been blessed with some incredible weather in Ocala this season, which always adds to the enjoyment of the show. I’m very pleased that we had the opportunity to welcome so many new faces this year, which helped contribute to some really exciting competition. I was particularly impressed by the number of exhibitors that participated in, and the number of spectators that came out to watch, our Parade of Champions ceremony. Those riders should be proud of their accomplishments, and it was very nice to see the community from both within and outside the horse show acknowledge their efforts.”
Caroline Roffman has been invited to compete in the Under 25 competition at the World Equestrian Festival CHIO in Aachen, Germany. (Photo courtesy of Sharon Packer)
Wellington, FL (March 21, 2011) – Dressage rider Caroline Roffman, who at 22 years old has already tasted her fair share of success in the dressage world, is floating on cloud nine following an invitation to compete at the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany. Roffman has been invited to compete in the Under 25 competition at the 2011 CHIO Aachen in Germany, July 8-17.
“They held the Under 25 competition for the first time last year and it was successful so they have decided to offer it again,” Roffman said. “I have always wanted to see Aachen, and now to be able to show there for the first time is just amazing.”
While Roffman isn’t certain which horse she will take to Aachen, she is hoping her new ride, Beemer, a 13-year-old, 17.2 hand bay Holsteiner owned in part by her trainer Lars Petersen, will be able to make the trip. “Beemer is a sale horse so I might not have the option of showing him by July, but I am hopeful that he won’t sell until after Aachen and I will get the opportunity of a lifetime to take him to Germany,” Roffman said.
Lausanne (SUI), 22 March 2011 – The FEI has launched the bidding process for the 2015 FEI European Championships for Seniors in Jumping, Dressage and Eventing. The process will run from 15 March 2011 until April 2012. Its objective is to raise the profile of these major FEI events by selecting a candidate able to meet the FEI’s requirements and deliver a sporting event of the highest quality.
The application process will consist of two phases. During Phase I, or Applicant Phase, which will run from 15 March to 31 July 2011, applicants will be required to indicate which one or more of the European Championships they would be interested in staging and provide information relating to their ability to meet minimum Championship requirements. The responses will then be assessed by the FEI and selected candidates will progress to Phase II.
Phase II, or Candidate Phase, will begin on 1 September 2011 and end in April 2012 when the successful candidate will be announced. During this period, candidates will be required to confirm in detail their ability to meet the FEI’s commercial, service and infrastructure requirements.
Detailed information has been sent to National Federations, who are invited to contact FEI Legal Counsel Francisco P. Lima (francisco.lima@fei.org) by 8 April 2011 in order to receive the initial Applicant Questionnaire and for any enquiries relating to the bid process.
HERDA – Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia – Buyer Beware! Check the bloodline of any AQHA, APHA, ApHC and cross-bred horses of these breeds before you buy! Check your horses’ bloodlines before you breed, too! This is a heart-wrenching story from a woman whose mare was diagnosed with HERDA.
By Tara Flanagan and Robin Davison, March 2011: From across the paddock, Penelope (registered name, Quality Sensation) is a striking four year-old paint mare who has nothing but potential. Her athletic build, to-die-for lope and easy disposition indicate that she inherited all the right things.
Robin's horse, Quality Sensation. Click on image for larger view.
But get a little closer and you’ll notice the discoloration on her back from saddle sores. The skin around her withers feels corrugated. It’s easily manipulated and doesn’t snap back into place –almost as if the horse is severely dehydrated.
I bought my mare in November 2009 and had her hauled from Florida to Colorado. Penelope had an injury on her right hind leg from the trip that required a vet’s attention, and which was unusually slow to heal. Mostly, I was filled with the excitement that came with getting the horse I had dreamed about – Penelope and I were going to show at the National Western Stock Show someday.
Typical of many horses who are afflicted by HERDA, or hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia, Penelope started to show signs of the disorder when she developed saddle sores that did not heal in March 2010, about two months after she was started under saddle. A DNA test from UC-Davis revealed that Penelope is HRD/HRD – affected – meaning that she has two copies of the HERDA gene.
Robin's horse, Quality Sensation, showing the skin not popping back into place. Click on image for larger view.
Affected horses develop severe lacerations, hematomas, and seromas from minor trauma, frequently resulting in disfiguring scars. Due to their persistent wounds, most horses cannot be ridden or shown competitively and are humanely euthanized. Many horses affected with HERDA are often not diagnosed until they are 1-2 years of age, but severely affected horses may develop signs shortly after birth. Symptoms include stretchy skin that feels “mushy” or “doughy” to the touch. Penelope’s mane, for example, has that doughy feel. Contrary to what the name implies, the disease affects tissues throughout the horse’s body. The proportion of carrier horses is high in certain Quarter Horse disciplines such as cutting, where 28.3% of elite cutting horses are carriers. Therefore, cutting horses that carry HERDA are more prevalent than halter horses that carry HYPP. In fact, 14 of the top 100 cutting sires are carriers whose offspring have earnings in excess of 116 million dollars. The performance traits of these select carriers bloodlines are highly desired, likely increasing the prevalence of HERDA. Although cutting horses have been the subject of most of the study and press about HERDA, the incidence of HERDA in pleasure and reining horses is on the rise. (information provided by Dr. Ann Rashmir)
HERDA is found in some descendants of the AQHA sire Poco Bueno. Researchers have named four deceased Quarter Horse stallions that were carriers and produced at least one affected HERDA foal. They are: Dry Doc, Doc O’Lena, Great Pine, and Zippo Pine Bar. These stallions all trace to Poco Bueno through his son and daughter, Poco Pine and Poco Lena. Other breeds affected are the American Paint Horse (APHA), the Appaloosa (ApHC) and any other breed registry that allows out-crossing to AQHA horses. (this information found on http://www.angelfire.com/pa5/ment2befarms/herda.html).
As far as the odds go, if you breed a carrier to another carrier you have a 25 percent chance of producing an affected horse (HRD/HRD), 50 percent chance of producing another carrier (N/HRD) and a 25 percent chance of producing a normal horse (N/N). When a normal horse (N/N) is crossed with a carrier (N/HRD), 50 percent of the offspring may be carriers (N/HRD) and 50 percent may be normal (N/N); none of the offspring will be affected (HRD/HRD).
I now board Penelope at a local farm, where she enjoys a shady enclosure. It’s too risky to turn Penelope out with most horses, but we have found a few equine companions for occasional turnout. For now, Penelope is doing well. I have learned that these horses can live many comfortable years with the disorder – provided they aren’t ridden and are kept in a very safe environment.
From the HERDA document from Dr. Ann Rashmir showing an affected horse. Click on image for larger view.
So, what can you do? If you plan to buy a quarter horse, paint or appaloosa 4 years old or younger that has several crosses to Poco Bueno, it’s wise to get him/her tested. Require a HERDA test as part of a pre-purchase exam if the horse has Poco Bueno as far back as seven or eight generations. Just looking at the pedigree on registration papers might not be adequate to determine if the horse is at risk. The test only costs $40 (here is the link: http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/horse.php). And it stands to reason that you can’t produce a HERDA affected horse if you don’t breed two carriers.
For more information please contact Dr. Ann Rashmir at the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University G209 Veterinary Medical Center, East Lansing, MI 48824-1314, Office (517) 355-1866.
A few quick facts:
HERDA/hyperelastosis cutis was first reported by Lerner and McCracken in 1978. The DNA test at UC-Davis has been available for 4 years.
2% of all Quarter Horses are carriers of the HERDA gene. (August 1, 2010 issue of Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association)
AQHA has a ruling on HERDA currently up for review:
I got this HERDA information from a colleague, Lisa Kemp, who is a multi-award winning writer and marketing consultant for the equine industry. She blogs about equestrian business marketing at http://NoBizLikeHorseBiz.com. She has included HorsesintheSouth.com in many of her articles, one of which was the award winning article about Gabrielle Boiselle that was a featured calendar promotion on my blog. We have more Gabrielle articles on my blog, too – she has her own category http://horsesinthesouth.com/blog/?cat=872. Lisa wrote a 3-part article for TheHorse.com for this HERDA issue. You will need a login to TheHorse.com to read these articles (it’s free; you will just have to sign up). Here is the first article: http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=17175
Country Music Legend Covers Stones Classic to Help Animal Welfare Institute Protect America’s Horses
March 22, 2011 (Washington, D.C.) – The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) is honored to announce the exclusive release of the Rolling Stones’ classic “Wild Horses” – performed and produced by the legendary Willie Nelson and his family members. Willie & The Nelson Family are donating the proceeds from the sale of the song to AWI’s campaigns on behalf of wild and domestic horses. Willie and the entire Nelson family are long-time supporters of AWI and its efforts to end horse slaughter and preserve the right of wild horses to roam free.
“The BLM has been rounding them up at an alarming rate, supposedly for their own good. Sadly, there are more wild horses in holding pens than in the wild. Something is wrong with that, so we must act now before the BLM has managed these magnificent animals into extinction,” said Willie Nelson. “It’s time for the cowboys to stand up for the horses.”
The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act was enacted in 1971 to halt the disappearance of these iconic animals from public lands in the American West. Since then, however, over 20 million acres of land set aside by Congress for wild horses have been removed from their range, even as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) — the very agency charged with their protection — claims there is not enough land to support existing herds. The BLM is unnecessarily removing horses based on spurious claims of damage to range and other adverse impacts. The BLM’s mismanagement of America’s wild horses is largely designed to benefit a livestock industry that has for decades, exploited western public lands while profiting from massive subsidies funded by taxpayer dollars. Willie & The Nelson Family and AWI are calling on the BLM and the Obama administration to immediately halt all wild horse round-ups, restore the land provided by law to wild horses and to stop warehousing horses on private lands at even greater expense to the taxpayer.
Pasmore Wins Final Round; Kessler, Jacobs and Arcand Top the Standings to Compete at the EY Cup Finals in Leipzig, Germany
Wellington, FL – March 20, 2011 – Week 10 of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) concluded with two great events at The Stadium, the grass field venue at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Nick Skelton (GBR) and Big Star, owned by Beverly and Gary Widdowson, notched another big win this circuit by taking the top prize in the $78,000 Pennfield Feeds Grand Prix, CSI 2*.
The FTI Winter Equestrian Festival’s feature event, the $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI 5* will be next week on Saturday, March 26. The 2011 WEF will continue through April 3 and awards more than $6 million in prize money.
Michel Vaillancourt of Aiken, SC, was the designer for the classes at The Stadium today. There were 43 entries in the grand prix, and seven of those went clear to advance to the jump-off. The first entry in the class and the first to return was Hector Florentino (DOM) on Stransky’s Mission Farm’s Ultimo. They had a rail at 8b, the oxer out of the double combination, for four faults in 46.50 seconds. They finished in seventh place.
17 March 2011 – The Rolex One to Watch for February 2011 is the Azerbaijani rider, Jamal Rahimov. Based in Belgium, the 23-year-old jumped from number 469 to 198 during February – a move up the Rolex Rankings of 271 places.
The Rolex One to Watch is a new initiative which identifies the rider who has made the biggest jump within or into the Top 250 of the Rolex Rankings the previous month.
Having represented his country at Junior and Young Rider Championships, Rahimov went on to ride at the 2008 Olympic Games. Late in 2009 he won the Grand Prix at the CSI2* event in Paris. 2010 witnessed solid performances by the young Azerbaijani at Arezzo (ITA), Offenburg (GER) and Nantes (FRA). Recent victories include the 2011 CSI2*-W Baku (AZE) Embawood Cup, part of the “Winter Cup” Tournament, which he won with the gelding TOPIC V.V.
For details online featuring the Rolex Rankings please visit: The Rolex Rankings and for a more detailed biography of Jamal Rahimov, please visit the FEI website.
LONG RUN became the youngest horse to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup for nearly 50 years in a truly enthralling race. The showpiece of the festival lived up to its name when the Nicky Henderson trained horse powered to a seven length victory ridden by amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen. Kauto Star and Denman, the previous Gold Cup winners ( 2007, 2008, 2009 ) trained by Paul Nicholls, put up an immensely brave challenge together with last year’s victor, Imperial Commander but eventually bowed down to the strength of the young contender. The 6 year old French bred gelding, owned by the father of the jockey went off as 7-2 favourite giving his Berkshire based trainer the elusive victory that he has sought for 33 years.
Denman ran a terrific race in defeat to finish runner up for the second year and stable mate Kauto Star held on to third place. Thirteen horses went to post for the 3m 2½ furlong Steeple Chase which was first run in 1924 and now boasts £500,000 in prize money.
