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

G&C Farms Pablo Barrios Posts Victory at Global Champions Tour in Chantilly, France

Leave a comment
Pablo Barrios and G&C Quick Star won the Prix France Galop 1.50m speed class at the Global Champions Tour event in Chantilly, France. Photo © Cealy Tetley

Wellington, FL – July 26, 2011 – G&C Farm and rider Pablo Barrios have continued their summer tour with victory and strong performances at major CSI five star competitions across Europe, including a win at the Global Champions Tour event in Chantilly, France. G&C Farm is based in Wellington, FL, and owned by Gustavo and Carolina Mirabal of Venezuela. Barrios, who competes for Venezuela, is also based in Wellington.

Barrios piloted G&C Quick Star 11 to the win in the Prix France Galop 1.50m speed class in Chantilly. The pair posted a time of 66.34 seconds for the win over Alvaro de Miranda (BRA) on AD Wilbert Z and Leopold van Asten (NED) with VDL Groep Amelie.

This was the second win for the pair on the Global Champions Tour circuit this summer. G&C Quick Star 11 is a 13-year-old KWPN mare by Quick Star x Grannus. “Quick Star has been so solid and consistent this year,” Barrios said. “We are very happy with her and want to keep her strong and ready for the Pan American Games this fall.”

Barrios was very pleased to have posted another win at a five star show. “Winning never gets old,” he said with a smile. “Just being at these shows gives me a lot of knowledge and experience. I hope we can continue our success.”

Continue reading G&C Farms Pablo Barrios Posts Victory at Global Champions Tour in Chantilly, France →

Community/Charity, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping, USEF

Hampton Classic Horse Show to Hold a Food Drive in Support of Local Food Pantry

Leave a comment

Bridgehampton, NY – The 36th Annual Hampton Classic Horse Show, which returns to Bridgehampton, NY, August 28 – September 4, is sponsoring a food drive in support of the Sag Harbor Food Pantry. The online personal shopping service, mygofer.com, is lending its support as sponsor of the Drive.

Spectators who present three or more nonperishable items at the entrance gate on Tuesday, August 30 or Wednesday, August 31 will be granted free admission to the show that day courtesy of mygofer.com. All of the items collected will be donated to the local Sag Harbor Food Pantry and shared with other area food pantries, depending on the amount of food collected.

www.mygofer.com is an innovative one-stop shopping experience that offers a range of groceries, prescriptions, and various other products with same day delivery service to the customer. It is available within hours for pickup at local participating Kmart stores, and in some locations, is available for home delivery.

“mygofer.com makes life easier for our customers and gives them more time in their day to focus on what’s important to them. It allows them to shop online for groceries, prescriptions, health and beauty products, electronics and more and have them delivered that same day to their home or to a local participating Kmart store where it is available for pickup,” said Rob Roy, director and general manager of mygofer.com. “Given mygofer.com’s presence in the Bridgehampton community, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to team up with the Hampton Classic Horse Show in support of the local food pantry.”

Continue reading Hampton Classic Horse Show to Hold a Food Drive in Support of Local Food Pantry →

Associations/Breeds, Championships, Competitions, Events, USEF, Western/Reining

Gentile Wins NRHA Intercollegiate Reining Championship

Leave a comment

Oklahoma City, OK – Twelve college-age riders competed in the 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Collegiate Reining Championship during the recent NRHA Derby Show in Oklahoma City, OK. Jesse Gentile of The Ohio State University won the championship title and NRHA Lawson trophy with a score of 218.

When asked what advice he would give young reiners, Gentile who rode Out Dun the Son from Gary Sanders of Steele, MO, said, “Have fun, and even though it’s (reining) is a lot of work, it is worth it.” Paige Monfore of Auburn University, who rode Dunit Pistol Pete from Katheen Ray of Aubrey, TX, and Mckenzie Lantz of the University of Georgia who rode Playgun Chic Olena from Teresa Wynn of Benton, KY, tied for reserve with scores of 215.5.

NRHA selected four riders from a pool of collegiate NRHA members to participate in the championship. The individuals who competed on behalf of NRHA are Jenna Blumer, Oklahoma State University; Jesse Gentile, The Ohio State University; McKenzie Lantz, University of Georgia; and Austin Griffith, The Ohio State University.

Four individuals were selected to represent NCAA Varsity Equestrian competitors in the class. The riders selected to compete on behalf of Varsity Equestrian were: Page Monfore, Auburn University; Rachel Houchin, Oklahoma State University; Kristen Hansen, Auburn University; Becca Haaland, University of Georgia.

Continue reading Gentile Wins NRHA Intercollegiate Reining Championship →

Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, USEA, USEF

Another Adequan USEA Gold Cup Victory for Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin N’Juice

1 Comment
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin N'Juice (Photo: USEA)

Kalispell, MO – After a rollercoaster day of extreme highs and lows, the 10th anniversary of the Event at Rebecca Farm in beautiful Kalispell, Montana wrapped up today with a nail-biting climax in the CIC3*, part of the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series.

Though Allison Springer and her longtime partner Arthur had a ten-point lead heading into today’s show jumping, victory wasn’t yet in their grasp, and because the Irish gelding is notoriously spooky, Springer knew she had her work cut out for her. A life-size horse statue in the middle of the ring would prove to be their nemesis, and Arthur took a serious dislike to the sculpture, though Springer fought to keep his mind on the task ahead. As the rails clattered down, the pair dropped further and further down in the standings — a heartbreaking end to such a promising weekend. Seven rails and a time fault left them with a disappointing 11th place finish.

Even though some horses were a bit on edge because of the course decorations and ringside crowds, many riders had fantastic trips over Richard Jeffery’s challenging course, and when the dust settled at the end of the day, it was long-time Rebecca Farm supporter Hawley Bennett-Awad and Linda Paine’s Gin N’ Juice who led the victory gallop. After picking up just a single rail in the triple combination, ‘Ginny’ reveled in the electric energy from the crowds and jumped her heart out, much to Bennett-Awad’s delight.

“It was awesome,” said Bennett-Awad. “She actually wanted to get a little excited as she passed that horse statue in the ring, but she kept her cool and I was really proud of her.”

Continue reading Another Adequan USEA Gold Cup Victory for Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin N’Juice →

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Maclay, National Horse Show, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Prize List Now Available Online as Alltech National Horse Show Debuts New Website

Leave a comment
The Prize List for the 2011 Alltech National Horse Show, 128th Edition, is now available online. Photo: ©ANHS.

Lexington, Kentucky – July 25, 2011 – The Alltech National Horse Show, 128th edition, announced today that the show’s official new website is up and running at: http://www.nhs2011.org.

The site will be a one-stop source for all of the news and vital up-to-date information relating to this year’s exciting debut in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Alltech National Horse Show will be held from November 2-6, 2011, at the beautiful, new Alltech Indoor Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

The prize list for this year’s show is also now available at http://www.nhs2011.org.

Additionally, the prize list also on at the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows website at: http://kentuckyhorseshows.com.

The new website features important exhibitor information, including all of the details regarding the ASPCA Maclay National Finals. Also, look for essential information regarding vendors, table sales, program advertising and much more.

Also, scheduling details, directions to and from the ANHS Horse Show, hotel lists, sponsorship and sponsor links, press releases, who’s who at the ANHS and links to what you need to know about the venue at the Kentucky Horse Park are all available at http://www.nhs2011.org.

Continue reading Prize List Now Available Online as Alltech National Horse Show Debuts New Website →

*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, Competitions, Driving, Events, FEI, JRPR

Weber Wins Fahrderby at Riesenbeck, Moves into No. 1 Spot for FEI World Cup Standings

Leave a comment
Chester Weber with Kainzi the rabbit and Para, a KWPN gelding from Weber’s team. Kainzi and Para became stable mates at Altenfelden as the black rabbit’s presence keeps Para calm at competitions. (Photo courtesy of J. Schwarzl)

Riesenbeck, Germany (July 26, 2011) – If you are superstitious you might credit combined driving champion Chester Weber’s fourth winning weekend in Europe to his team’s “four lucky rabbit’s feet.”  Team Weber’s companion mascot, a hefty black rabbit named Kainzi, joined them earlier this summer at Altenfelden as a stable mate to Para to help keep the KWPN gelding calm at competitions.  It was love at first sniff for Para and Kainzi and word is that the rabbit may have “four lucky feet.”

But it takes more than luck to pull off the clean sweep in the dressage and the safe marathon round that made Team Weber impossible to beat last weekend at the Riesenbeck CAI.  It does however seem a bit lucky that for the third time in his career Weber won the prestigious German Fahrderby. And as luck would have it, the win at Riesenbeck catapulted Weber into the number one ranked position for the FEI World Cup standings.

Weber, who seems generally fond of the rabbit, is more likely to credit the support of Jane Clark and chef d’equipe Ed Young for Team Weber’s success. “The additional support of Jane Clark is playing an important role in our success,” said Weber. The Fahrderby win at Riesenbeck is a sweet victory for team Weber. “The derby is an old traditional competition with a history going back over 50 years.  There are two additional pair competitions: a pairs show ring class and a pairs dressage test.  It is a very thorough test of the quality of the horses’ training,” Weber explained after his record-breaking score of 24 penalty points for an impressive average score of 8.5.  Weber added, “It was great to be back in the heat of it in Riesenbeck. I feel that I gained added insight and was thrilled to have the opportunity to drive a course in the same venue as next year’s World Championships that was also designed by the same course designer.”

Continue reading Weber Wins Fahrderby at Riesenbeck, Moves into No. 1 Spot for FEI World Cup Standings →

Contributors/Press, Equine Assisted Therapy, Publications/Media

Equine Therapy: NAHRA No More, Now PATH, by Claire Dorotik

Leave a comment

The North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, also known as NARHA, originally formed in 1969, is now the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.).

The association tagline is “Ensuring excellence and changing lives through equine-assisted activities and therapies,” and is designed to reconstruct the now outdated NARHA model. Because equine therapy is such an evolving modality, there are now a myriad of ways in which horses can be helpful in the therapeutic realm. Yet NAHRA focuses mainly on programs that are designed for handicapped riders.

However, NARHA is the oldest organization for any form of equine therapy, and therefore creates guidelines for all other equine therapy activities, including those produced solely for mental health benefit. Recognizing the obvious constriction of this setup, the NARHA Board of Directors voted for the name change for several reasons.

Primarily, PATH is a much broader based organization, allowing for regulation of many types of equine therapy, including equine assisted psychotherapy, and learning.

Secondly, the term “handicapped” is no longer considered correct, and those who are restricted to a wheelchair prefer to be referred to as “wheelchair bound.”

Continue reading Equine Therapy: NAHRA No More, Now PATH, by Claire Dorotik →

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Publications/Media

NO SECRET SO CLOSE excerpt #29, by Claire Dorotik

Leave a comment

NO SECRET SO CLOSE is the story of a the most unthinkable betrayal humanly possible — at only 24 years old, Claire Dorotik’s father has been murdered, her mother arrested, and now, in a sinister twist of fate, Claire’s mother points the finger at Claire, accusing her of killing her own father. Battling the feelings of loss, abandonment, terror, and dissociation, and also learning about them, Claire struggles to stay in her master’s program for psychotherapy. However, when Claire’s brothers also betray her and side with her mother, Claire is left all alone to care for the 18 horses she and her mother owned. As the story unfolds, what is revealed is the horses’ amazing capacity for empathy in the face of human trauma, and the almost psychic ability to provide the author with what had been taken from her. Arising from these horrifying circumstances, the most unthinkable heroes — the horses — show Claire that life is still worth living.

Excerpt #29 from NO SECRET SO CLOSE:

In the end, it was she who made the first move. Stepping up to the car, she handed me a piece of paper. “Claire, your dad’s not back from his run,” she said, her voice trembling. “You need to call the police sergeant right away. OK? He wants to know Bob’s running routes.” On the paper, she had scribbled the name, Sergeant Brady, and a phone number.

I had run with my dad enough to know there could only be one reason he hadn’t returned. He’d been hurt. My body went numb with the thought of what, or who, might have overtaken him. I had felt that strangeness in the area any number of times while running, and knew he had too. We’d never exactly spoken about our fears. But we had all kinds of names for the strange types we’d see while running.

It could have been me, was all I could think. Why him and not me? I would have been an easier target, certainly.

Continue reading NO SECRET SO CLOSE excerpt #29, by Claire Dorotik →

Disciplines, Dressage, Jane Savoie, Training/Clinics

Motivation from Moshi 72, by Jane Savoie

Leave a comment

Words have power. They have energy. They create a state of being in our minds. Horses don’t use words, but we understand the energy behind what you say.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” I say, the wounds from a stick or stone will probably heal, but the damage caused by the negative words we hear may sting for life.

Never underestimate how your words affect those around you, as well as how they reflect back and affect YOU. If your self-talk is negative, your experience is going to be negative. If you speak positively, your experience will reflect the same. If you bark and growl at your horse without careful thought to the attitude you’re projecting, your horse is going to feel insecure and you’re going to maintain a negative vibration. If you’re snapping at the people around you, the energy you’re projecting can be just as damaging as a pointed stick jabbing into someone’s heart.

Have you ever asked yourself, is it better to be right, or is it better to be kind? It’s a very pertinent question. Sometimes you have to stand your ground and be firm in what you consider “right.” Sometimes being right is just not that important. Choosing which applies in each situation is one of the things you have to decide on your own. Observing the results of your choices, right or wrong, is where wisdom is born.

Continue reading Motivation from Moshi 72, by Jane Savoie →

Awards, Community/Charity, Events, FEI

Six Days Left to Nominate Equestrian Heroes for FEI Awards 2011

Leave a comment

Lausanne (SUI), 25 July 2011 – The equestrian community has only six more days to nominate its heroes for the five categories of the FEI Awards 2011.

Nominations for Best Athlete, HSBC Rising Star, Against All Odds, Development and Best Groom have so far arrived from France, Great Britain, Australia, The Netherlands, Canada, Africa, Italy, Mexico, Germany, the USA, South Africa, Cambodia, Norway, Malaysia, Thailand, Sweden, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, Belgium and Ireland.

FEI Secretary General and CEO Ingmar De Vos said: “Anyone who loves horse sport is welcome to send nominations, but I very much hope that the 133 National Federations affiliated to the FEI will, over the next few days, seize this rare opportunity to shine a spotlight on their athletes and grooms, as well as on people and organisations that are working to take the pleasure of equestrianism to others.”

The winners of the FEI Awards will receive their awards in November at a gala evening at the Copacabana Palace Hotel in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Nominations are open until 31 July at www.feiawards.org.

Media contact:
Olivia Robinson
Publications Manager
FEI Corporate Communications
Tel: +41 (0) 21 310 47 23
Email: olivia.robinson@fei.org

Your Southern Source for Everything Horse

Share via
Facebook
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Mix
Email
Print
Copy Link
Copy link
CopyCopied