Tis’ the Season… An Invitation for a Christmas Gathering

For the gathering of friends and family, to enjoy conversation and fellowship, share a cup of hot chocolate and cookies, to renew old friends and make new ones.

Please join us on Friday, December 18th and Saturday, December 19th for a gathering to celebrate this joyous season, share a cup of hot chocolate and share the happenings of this year and share our goals for the New Year at the ‘The Gift Horse’ located at 716 North Orange Street in Green Cove Springs, FL.

Jumps Made by Dale Dunn, Ravenwood Farm

We will have a display of the Ravenwood Farm Jumps and Susan and Jaimee have an awesome display of the most unique gifts for that special equine or equine lover. 

We look forward to sharing in a celebration of this beautiful Holiday Season with all of you.

Dale & Chris Dunn
Ravenwood Farm http://ravenwoodfarm.vpweb.com/
904-626-1990

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Tags: Florida, Green Cove Springs, Holidays, Hot chocolate, New Year, Ravenwood Farm Jumps, Shopping, The Gift Horse

Caroline Roffman Wins Prix St. Georges at Wellington Classic Holiday Challenge

Caroline Roffman (left) won the FEI Prix St. Georges class at the Wellington Classic Holiday Challenge.

Gift Horse Wins at Holiday Challenge

West Palm Beach, FL (December 15, 2009) – Caroline Roffman found herself in the holiday spirit at the Wellington Classic Holiday Challenge, winning the FEI Prix St. Georges class with a score of 69.737. Roffman won the class sponsored by Draper Equine Therapy, makers of therapeutic horse and rider products featuring the innovative “smart fiber” Celliant/Holofiber, on Accent Aigu FRH, a horse given to her earlier in the year by Carrie Schopf.

Schopf gave the 14-year-old Hanoverian Grand Prix horse to Roffman because she felt she had taken the horse as far as she could. Roffman, who trains with Danish Olympian Lars Petersen, was told Accent was an angel at home but a devil in the show ring. Fortunately for Roffman, the two have connected and she has been competing the “hot” horse successfully.

“Caroline rode really well,” Petersen said about her ride at the Wellington Classic Holiday Challenge. “Accent is a hot horse and Caroline had to be conservative in some places, but she figured that out.” Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=9282

Tags: dressage, equestrian competitions, equestrian disciplines, FEI Prix St. Georges, Wellington Classic Holiday Challenge

Cheltenham Races, England

12th December, 2009 – Khyber Kim produced a shock win in the Boylesports.com International Hurdle at Cheltenham this weekend, beating last year’s Champion Hurdle winner ‘Punjabi’ and odds-on-favourite ‘Celestial Halo’. This eagerly contested Champion Hurdle trial now puts ‘Khyber Kim’ into the reckoning to follow up and win the big race at the Festival in March next year.

Reputedly a quirky character, the seven year old who also won last month’s Greatwood Hurdle, gave jockey Paddy Brennan his third win of the day. Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies now aims to give his athletic charge one more run to keep him sweet before the big day. Despite their defeat, trainers Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson remained upbeat about the performances of Celestial Halo and Punjabi who was having his first run of the season.

‘Poquelin’ stormed to victory with an impressive seven length win in the Boylesports.com Gold Cup after finishing second in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last month. Owned by leading jumps enthusiast Andy Stewart, whose black, red and white racing colours are a familiar sight, Poquelin is now second favourite to win the Ryanair Chase at the Festival. This win comes hot on the heels of recent successes for the formidable trainer/jockey duo Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh with stable stars Denman, Kauto Star and Twist Magic. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=9279

Tags: Boylesports.com International Hurdle, equestrian competitions, Horse Racing

Bank of America Racing Challenge Enrollment Holds Steady, Program Changes Proposed

The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, December 14, 2009 – Bank of America Racing Challenge enrollment numbers have remained strong in 2009, despite a downturn in the racing industry and the overall U.S. economy. With slightly more than two weeks remaining in 2009, owners have enrolled 2,476 horses, down only 240 from 2008.

“We are extremely pleased that the Challenge enrollments for 2009 are comparable to the final 2008 numbers,” said Darrell Hare, director of AQHA’s Racing Challenge. “In view of the current economy, the uncertainty of the future for racing at some tracks that have traditionally hosted Challenge races, plus the current discussions taking place about proposed changes for the Challenge program, Challenge supporters have demonstrated their continued belief in the program by enrolling their horses.”

Horse owners have until December 31 to lock in prices for weanlings and yearlings; fees are higher for 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=9277

Tags: AQHA, Bank of America Racing Challenge, Equestrian, equestrian community, Horse Racing

Lope Departures, by Leonard Berryhill

How to get your horse to do correct lope departures with minimal cues.

December 15, 2009 – In horsemanship or equitation, a good lope or canter departure will lead to a better execution of your maneuver. A good lope departure is when a horse responds to a minimal cue from the rider with willingness and collection.

It’s important in every AQHA event. In western riding, it’s scored. In western pleasure, a lope departure sets up your lope. It’s much easier for a horse to carry himself after he has departed correctly than it is to have a bad departure and try to correct it as you go down the pen.

As a judge, when I see a horse depart to a lope from a jog, I consider it a bad departure if a horse increases his cadence of step at the jog and trots into the lope. But it is all right for that horse to take a step, collect himself and then depart. Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=9274

Tags: AQHA, Canter, Equestrian, Equestrianism, equitation, Horse, Horse Training, horse-back riding, Sports, Western, Western riding