Contributors/Press, Equine Assisted Therapy, Publications/Media

Can Equine Therapy Improve Sports Performance? by Claire Dorotik

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While equine therapy has many fans and many purported benefits, is it possible that this alternative form of therapy can be used to improve sports performance?

Looking to a “head guy” to help with the much sought after perfect golf shot, basketball game, or even ski run is nothing new; these mental specialists have only recently donned their breeches and boots and strode into the equine competition arena. As they have, psych strategies that have long been popular in other sports have made their way onto the back of a horse. Stress reduction strategies such as progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and cognitive rehearsal have been among these. Now, even popular riders, such as Jane Savoie (www.janesavoie.com), employ the use of visualization techniques to cement the perfect ride.

Yet with the emergence of sports psychology in the horse world, can our horses actually help us to improve our performance, and possibly ride them better?

Continue reading Can Equine Therapy Improve Sports Performance? by Claire Dorotik →

Jane Savoie, Training/Clinics

Motivation from Moshi 81, by Jane Savoie

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There’s a whole lot that goes on in this world that we never hear about. Some of it is bad, but a lot of it is good. If you could measure the bad against the good, you’d find that the good stuff far outweighs the bad stuff. How do I know? As a horse, I’m very connected to the energy of the planet. I can feel what’s going on because I am totally present. I spend little or no time in the past or future, I’m just NOW. And I can feel the positive pulse of the earth. Well-being abounds!

What if well-being isn’t showing up in YOUR life as much as you like? Then I’d ask, what are you thinking about? Where are you putting your mental energy? Are you looking for the things that are WRONG in your world, or are you looking for the things that are RIGHT? Which is it? You get MORE of whatever you put your energy into. So if things are bad, well… Think about that! Just for today, look for something that is great about you or your most pressing situation. Then spend some time feeling the wonderful feelings that thought brings to you.

Continue reading Motivation from Moshi 81, by Jane Savoie →

Community/Charity, Dressage, FEI

In Memoriam: Wolfgang Niggli (SUI)

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Wolfgang Niggli, one of the most eminent figures in international Dressage, is remembered for his services to the international equestrian community © Elisabeth Weiland

Lausanne (SUI), 8 November 2011 – Wolfgang Niggli (SUI), one of the most eminent figures in international Dressage, passed away on Sunday 30 October at the age of 89.

Wolfgang Niggli won his first junior Dressage competition in 1937. He went on to compete in Jumping as a teenager and rode in Steeplechases before studying engineering at the Zurich Technological Institute and becoming a part-time riding officer in the Swiss cavalry.

In 1947, he took the opportunity of being based close to France’s prestigious military equestrian school in Fontainebleau to perfect his riding and competed in many Jumping and Dressage competitions, as well as Steeplechasing.

After working in the USA for several years as an engineer, Wolfgang Niggli returned to Switzerland where he became Vice President (Construction) of the North Eastern Swiss Power Company, but still found time to indulge his passion for equestrian sport.

Continue reading In Memoriam: Wolfgang Niggli (SUI) →

Dressage, Events, Olympic Games, Training/Clinics, USEF

USEF and USET Foundation Set to Host Six Olympic Games Preparation Dressage Clinics

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Anne Gribbons at a 2011 Training Session (Photo: USEF Archives)

Lexington, KY – Beginning in December, the USEF and USET Foundation will host six Olympic Games Preparation Dressage training sessions/clinics. Riders will have the unique opportunity to work with USEF Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons and U.S. Olympic, World Equestrian Games and Pan American Games medalist Steffen Peters. These clinics will focus on preparing potential team riders for the 2012 Olympic Games Selection Trials and Olympic Games.

The clinics are by invitation only, based on criteria set forth by the USEF High Performance Dressage Committee and concentrating on athlete/horse combinations with international competition experience and the prospect of contributing to a Team or Individual medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. For more information please see the USEF website. Clinics will take place December 2011 – April 2012 with three being held in California and three in Florida.

Continue reading USEF and USET Foundation Set to Host Six Olympic Games Preparation Dressage Clinics →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Maclay, National Horse Show, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Sarah Milliren Garners 2011 ASPCA Maclay National Championship Title at Alltech NHS

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Sarah Milliren of Sapula, OK, won the 2011 ASPCA Maclay National Championships. Photo Credit: Rebecca Walton/PMG

Lexington, KY – November 6, 2011 – Today marked the final day of competition at the Alltech National Horse Show, 128th Edition. The highlight event at the Alltech Arena in Lexington, KY, was the 2011 Maclay National Championship for the ASCPA Alfred B. Maclay Horsemanship Classes – Presented by Hadfield’s Saddlery. Riders worked all year to qualify for this event and after three phases of competition and a final test it was 17-year-old Sarah Milliren of Sapula, OK, leading the victory gallop and taking home the championship honors.

In the first round of competition, 198 riders were tested on a course designed by the judges, Cynthia Hankins and Kip Rosenthal in cooperation with course designer Richard Jeffery. The fences included bending lines with inside options, as well as a vertical-oxer or oxer-vertical double combination option followed by an oxer-oxer combination. The end of the course included a snaking line of obstacles with the ASPCA fence and a technical vertical-vertical fan bounce. While some riders had difficulties during the first round, the course was very inviting overall and gave each rider many opportunities to show off their horsemanship.

Continue reading Sarah Milliren Garners 2011 ASPCA Maclay National Championship Title at Alltech NHS →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Driving, Events, USEF

Scott Monroe Holds On to Lead after Cones to Win USEF National Single Horse Championship at Katydid

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Scott Monroe and Bethesda After Dark ("Shadow"). PicsofYou.com

Lexington, KY – Scott Monroe (Sharon, CT) and his black Morgan gelding Bethesda After Dark (“Shadow”) held onto their marathon lead and after Sunday’s cone phase won the USEF National Single Horse Championship at Katydid, with a score of 132.39.

Kim Stover and Laughlin – fifth after the marathon – surged ahead and took second on a score of 141.25.

In third was Sara Schmitt (Bedminster, NJ) who finished on a score of 142.58. Schmitt, driving Kaboom, was fourth after the first two phases.

Seventeen-year-old Jan Jan Hamilton (Alva, FL), driving JAO Desperado (“Desi”), was the only advanced driver that went double clear in cones.

A fairly new event in the growing driving community of Aiken, this marks the first USEF National Championship held at Katydid.

Complete results, as well as photographs and articles, are available on USEFNetwork.com at: http://usefnetwork.com/featured/2011DrivingNatlChamps/.

For more information on combined driving programs please contact Elizabeth Staller at estaller@usef.org.

Rescue/Protection Sources

Good Clean Fun According to Sue Wallis

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November 6, 2011 – Preferring to deal in facts, we prefer not to editorialize about personalities. However, sometimes a public figure will say something so revealing about their motives and ethical beliefs that it suddenly shines a light into motives that had never seen light.

We are, of course, referring to the heretofore enigma that was Sue Wallis, WY state representative and self-appointed scientist, veterinarian, medical doctor and omnipotent master of all aspects of horses and their welfare.

In recent years, Sue Wallis has effectively galvanized the pro-horse slaughter movement and become its undisputed leader. As she has accomplished this, she has become ever more vitriolic in her attacks against those she sees as “animal rights extremists”, blaming them for all manner problems facing the horse industry, and immediately proclaiming that any evidence emerging to the contrary is a lie.

Continue reading Good Clean Fun According to Sue Wallis →

*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, FEI, Show Jumping

Death of Equine Superstar Hickstead

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Sensational Jumping stallion Hickstead collapsed and died in Verona (ITA) today. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

Lausanne (SUI), 6 November 2011 – The fourth leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2011/2012 series at Verona, Italy was stopped today following the sudden death of the stallion Hickstead, ridden by reigning Olympic champion and world number one Eric Lamaze (CAN).

Drawn 22nd of the 39 on the startlist, the Canadian partnership had just completed Rolf Ludi’s 13-fence track with a single rail down in the middle of the combination when Hickstead collapsed and died.

The competition was stopped at the request of the riders, and Lamaze’s fellow-competitors gathered in the Verona arena to pay their respects to one of the greatest horses of all time, and to support their colleague in his moment of loss with a minute’s silence.

HRH Princess Haya, FEI President, added her condolences to those that have poured in since news of the horse’s death. “Hickstead really was a horse in a million and my heart goes out to Eric and everyone connected with this wonderful horse. This is a terrible loss, but Hickstead truly will never be forgotten. We were very lucky to have known him.”

FEI Jumping Director, John Roche, said, “Shortly after finishing his round of jumping Hickstead collapsed in the arena and died.  As yet the cause of death is unknown, but our deepest sympathies go out to the owners, to Eric and to all the connections of one of the greatest Jumping horses of all time. Hickstead’s presence on the circuit will be very sadly missed.”

At FEI
Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
Email: grania.willis@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 142

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Media Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33

Championships, Competitions, Driving, Events, USEF

Scott Monroe Takes the Lead after Marathon at USEF National Single Horse Championship at Katydid

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Lexington, KY – Scott Monroe (Sharon, CT) took the lead on Saturday during the marathon in Aiken, SC, at the USEF National Single Horse Championship at Katydid, with a score of 123.39.

Monroe was nearly 7 points in front of Olof Larsson (Ocala, FL) as they head into Sunday’s cones phase. In third place was Sterling Graburn (Georgetown, KY) who on Friday had led after the dressage competition phase. He finished the day Saturday with a combined score 133.46.

Saturday’s marathon course was designed by Barry Hunter, FEI course designer who also designed the courses in Conty, France, for the FEI World Pair Championship this summer.

The drivers will now turn their focus to Sunday’s cones phase – scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. ET. – and the conclusion of their quest to earn the title of National Champion.

Continue reading Scott Monroe Takes the Lead after Marathon at USEF National Single Horse Championship at Katydid →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, National Horse Show, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Richard Spooner and Cristallo Capture Alltech NHS $250,000 Grand Prix CSI-W Victory

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Richard Spooner and Cristallo won the Alltech National Horse Show $250,000 Grand Prix CSI-W. Photo By: Shawn McMillen

Lexington, KY – November 5, 2011 – The Open Jumper action at the Alltech National Horse Show, 128th Edition, wrapped up tonight with a fast-paced jump-off during the Alltech National Horse Show $250,000 Grand Prix CSI-W. Richard Spooner and Cristallo set the pace with tidy inside turns and a clear effort, beating Great Britain’s Nick Skelton aboard Carlo 273 by just three-tenths of a second. Jessica Springsteen and Cincinatti Le Silla rounded out the three as the fastest four-fault combination during the short course.

Richard Jeffery set a large, technical track for tonight’s first round to challenge the horse and rider combinations. It included a triple bar, an oxer-oxer double combination, and a challenging vertical-oxer-vertical triple combination going towards the gate. Only five riders managed to complete the course with all fences in place and return for the short course. They began over an oxer-vertical double combination before making a very sharp inside turn to a second oxer. Riders then had a long gallop to a single vertical before making another sharp turn to the wall. Finally, they made a right turn to a vertical-oxer double combination before galloping home over the last wide oxer.

Continue reading Richard Spooner and Cristallo Capture Alltech NHS $250,000 Grand Prix CSI-W Victory →

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