Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Sweat N’ Swat Show Series

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Dates: June 17, 2011; July 22, 2011; August 19, 2011
Location: Longfield Stables at Palmetto Bluff
Organizers: Lauren Marcinkoski, Swamp Fox Farms; Gini Quade, Longfield Stables
Judge: TBA

Longfield Stables and Swamp Fox Farms are pleased to present the 2011 Sweat N’ Swat Show Series, hosted by Longfield Stables at Palmetto Bluff, on June 17, July 22 and August 19. The Sweat N’ Swat Show Series is a casual, fun horse show series designed for riders of all ages and levels. Show attire is NOT required; breeches and polo shirts are just fine. Show will start Friday afternoons at 4 p.m.!

Interested in sponsoring a division for the Series? Sponsors will receive access to a hospitality beverage tent, and receive a piece of Longfield Stables merchandise. We will announce your name as division sponsor and you can enjoy being a vital and integral part of our show series. Sponsorship opportunities are $500 for the series.

Additional information and entry forms are available on our website. We look forward to seeing you!

Longfield Stables at Palmetto Bluff
24 Healey Road, Bluffton, SC 29910
www.longfieldstables.com
Email: gquade@palmettobluffresort.com
Call: 843.706.9559 with any questions.

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Rescue/Protection Sources

Horse Slaughter Group Targets Wrong Industry with Propaganda

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June 22, 2011 – Chicago (EWA) – In an effort to appear credible, the United Organizations of the Horse (UOH) has created what it calls communication tools to “to help the horse industry counter hysterical anti-slaughter claims with sound science and common sense.”

The simple marketing rule of “know your audience” has eluded UOH which offers it “tools” to the horse industry that overwhelming opposes horse slaughter. A recent poll on Popvox, a barometer for Congress to assess support on legislation, indicates 76% support the legislation (S 1176) to ban horse slaughter.

One of the most egregious of Wallis’ “communication tools” is the total disregard of FDA and European Union food safety regulations. Wallis has actually written her own regulations on Phenylbutazone (bute), a medication routinely given to U.S. horses that is banned in horses intended for food. She doesn’t think it’s a problem for people to eat horsemeat that contains a known carcinogenic and which can cause other deadly diseases.

The “science and common sense” has already been determined and it is up to Wallis to follow the law, not rewrite it.

Food safety laws aren’t “hysterical anti-slaughter claims”. Wallis’ refusal to follow food safety laws by creating her own rules should be a red flag to Congress about the misinformation offered to support horse slaughter.

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Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, FEI

Yurkevich and Buikevich Sweep Double-Gold for Kazakhstan

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Lausanne (SUI), 22 June 2011 – The host nation of Kazakhstan clinched gold in both the FEI Intermediate 1 and FEI Freestyle Intermediate 1 classes at the FEI Central Asian Dressage Championships 2011 staged in Almaty over the weekend.  In a pitched battle between two seasoned riders during which good fortune swung in both directions, Sergey Buikevich claimed the Intermediate 1 title with Ispovednik while Natalyja Yurkevich squeezed ahead of Buikevich to take the FEI Freestyle Test with Don Petro.

It was a particularly satisfying result for the versatile and multiple medal-winning Buikevich, who is Vice President and Secretary General of the Equestrian Federation of Kazakhstan, Head Coach of the National Equestrian Team, an FEI Bureau Member and Chairman of FEI Group III as well as an International Jumping Judge.

The event took place in Almaty which is the former capital, and remains the largest city, in Kazakhstan.  Located on the Silk Road – the legendary network of trade routes that stretch across Asia linking East to West – the city continues to be a major centre of commerce and a meeting place for visitors from all around the world.  It has successfully staged a number of important equestrian events in recent years.

PERFECT START
In 2009 these Championships were pitched at CDI 3-Star Big-Tour level, but this time around the standard was lowered and the competitions included a preliminary FEI Prix St Georges in which Buikevich got off to the perfect start last Friday.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, Driving, JRPR, Media/Radio/TV Sources

HRTV Re-Airs the Show “Holding the Reins” Showcasing Chester Weber and Combined Driving Following Weber’s Four-In-Hand Victory in Hungary

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Chester Weber is featured in an episode on HRTV called “Holding the Reins.” HRTV will re-air the show in June and July, with added commentary from Weber about his win in Hungary. (Photo courtesy of Altenfelden Hippoevent)

Ocala, FL (June 22, 2011) – Fans of USEF National Four-In-Hand Combined Driver Chester Weber have been lining up to congratulate the American driver following his victory at the CAIO Vecses, an international combined driving competition held recently in Vecses, Hungary. Weber won the Four-In-Hand division against a highly competitive field of international drivers.

HRTV, The Network for Horse Sports, recently aired a show on Weber called “Holding the Reins,” and they also congratulated Weber on his recent victory. HRTV said they will re-air “Holding the Reins” in June and July with an added interview in which Weber discusses his victory in Hungary. The show is a 24-minute look at the exciting world of combined driving – which is considered one of the fastest growing sports in the industry – and features the story of how Weber grew up on a Thoroughbred racehorse farm to become one of our country’s leading drivers.

Weber has had great success both internationally and nationally and is currently the USEF National Four-In-Hand Champion, a championship he has won a record eight years in a row. The goal-oriented Weber has his sights set on being the best in the world and during the HRTV show the United States Driving Chef d’Equipe, Ed Young, discussed Weber’s ambitions. “I think we will see Chester become the World Champion,” Young said.

“Holding the Reins” not only highlights Weber’s success, but also brings to light the intriguing and challenging sport of combined driving. The sport features speed, power, agility, grace, beauty and teamwork. “There are three phases in combined driving — dressage, the cross-country marathon and the cones. The cross-country is the real showstopper. You don’t have to like horses to appreciate the marathon,” Weber said.

Continue reading HRTV Re-Airs the Show “Holding the Reins” Showcasing Chester Weber and Combined Driving Following Weber’s Four-In-Hand Victory in Hungary →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Driving, Events, JRPR

Chester Weber Goes Two-for-Two with Four-In-Hand Win at CAI-Altenfelden

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Chester Weber won the Four-In-Hand competition at the 20th annual CAI-Altenfelden in Austria. Weber is now two-for-two in his European tour. (Photo courtesy of Marie de Ronde-Oudemans)

Altenfelden, Austria (June 22, 2011) – Combined Driver Chester Weber is now two-for-two in his European tour, winning the Four-In-Hand competition at the 20th annual CAI-Altenfelden in Austria. Weber’s win had the foreign press praising the American driver, referring to Weber as “remarkable,” “special guest,” “the American driving sport super star” and the “dressage specialist.”

Weber proved he was the “dressage specialist” in the four-in-hand, which the Europeans call the king discipline, by decidedly winning the dressage by 12 points. “I won the dressage, was fourth in the marathon and second in the cones,” Weber said. In combined driving the winner is the driver with the lowest cumulative score, and in the end the stars and stripes were flying as Weber captured the overall win.

While Weber and his team proved they were capable of winning the entire four-in-hand class with an 8-point lead, all eyes were on the American driver during his dressage test. European news sources reported that Weber was an “American driving sport super star who was in a class of his own” following his dressage test. “I work very hard with my team on the dressage, so I am flattered to hear so many great remarks about our test,” Weber said, adding that he is pleased with the two new horses on his team, Uniek and Splash owned by Jane Forbes Clark, as they have added depth and talent to his string.

Weber, who is the eight-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Combined Driving Champion, described the Altenfelden driving competition as a great atmosphere. “I had a chance to meet and compete against drivers from the Eastern part of Europe,” he said. “I usually don’t have a chance to go up against these drivers so it was a great experience for me.”

Continue reading Chester Weber Goes Two-for-Two with Four-In-Hand Win at CAI-Altenfelden →

Community/Charity, Dressage, JRPR, Media/Radio/TV Sources, Publications/Media

Celebrity Horse Lover and Bestselling Author Tami Hoag Shares Inspirational Tale on the Equesse Radio Show

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Tami Hoag, pictured with her Grand Prix horse Bacchus de Light, recently appeared on the Equesse Radio Show. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)

Wellington, FL (June 22, 2011) – Dressage rider and New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag recently shared her insights on achieving personal and professional success on the Equesse Radio Show with Cynthia Royal and Leah Juarez. Equesse Radio, considered Horsepower for the Soul, captures the listener’s yearning to connect with horses through the stories of those who have. With interviews from a herd of horse-inspired celebrity authors, athletes, singers, entrepreneurs and artists, Equesse Radio gives a weekly gift of insight and inspiration.

“As a Number 1 New York Times Best Selling author with over 35 million books in print and as a competition-level athlete, Tami Hoag is just the type of horse-inspired celebrity the Equesse Radio audience craves,” said Cynthia Royal. “With achievements in both arenas of literature and the Olympic horse sport of dressage, Tami has insight on achieving personal and professional success that exemplifies the ‘Horsepower for the Soul’ theme on which Equesse Radio is built.”

Royal added, “In the show, Tami shares just how horses have influenced the character we publically know as ‘Tami Hoag’, as well as their impact on the characters she’s crafted in her books. But it’s her insight on the meditative balance horses provide to offset her career and life demands, plus her belief in allowing, even nurturing, the contribution of all beings – even those of her horse – that will resonate with listeners attempting to balance pursuit of their own life dreams,” Royal said.

Hoag, who lives in Wellington and competes her horses on the Grand Prix dressage circuit, said she enjoyed being on the show. “The theme of the day was Character and we talked about the characters of my horses and how they connect or translate in any way to my work as a writer. It was really an interesting and fun discussion,” Hoag said.

Continue reading Celebrity Horse Lover and Bestselling Author Tami Hoag Shares Inspirational Tale on the Equesse Radio Show →

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press

Texting Abbreviations for Horse Owners, by Claire Dorotik

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OOH — Out Of Hay

LAS — Lost A Shoe

FOMHL — Fell Off My Horse Laughing

FTC — Forgot The Carrots

MIHA — Mare’s In Heat, Again

IPTI — I’ll Pick up Tennis Instead

LWW — Lesson Went Well

MSMBO — Mud Sucked My Boot Off

HSIH — Horse Snot In Hair

HAO — Hay All Over

HIMB — Hay In My Bra

PIHH — Poop Induced Half Halt

UD — Unplanned Dismount

PTTDG — Prayed To The Dirt God

MMM — Master Manure Mucker

OOM — Out Of Money

MHTS — More Horses Than Sense

BAHHFDP — Bought Another Horse, Husband Filed Divorce Papers

Continue reading Texting Abbreviations for Horse Owners, by Claire Dorotik →

Contributors/Press, Equine Assisted Therapy, Publications/Media

Why Horses Do Get Ulcers, by Claire Dorotik

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Thanks to the seminal work of Robert Sapolsky, in “Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers,” we know have a much better understanding of the disparity between the way animals in their natural environment handle stress and the way humans do. As a result of this intensive study, we can also ascertain that both the value of identifying and responding to, the physiological triggers of alarm. And with all that being said, one would not be stretching too far to hypothesize that horses also do not get ulcers. However, nothing could be farther from the truth.

Horses, like zebras, do live in a natural environment. That is, roaming wild and fending for themselves. Yet, on the other hand, a vast number of horses do not enjoy this lifestyle. And here, we have a very interesting study. The truth is, not one case of ulcers in wild horses has been found. On the other side of the equation, racehorses, whose lifestyle is extremely demanding, exhibit ulcers in 1 out of every 5 horses at the track. Looking at the difference between the life of a wild horse, which is relatively serene, with healthy social group dynamics, and allows for freedom of response, and that of a racehorse, which is intensely demanding both physically and mentally, is lived in near complete isolation, and restricts freedom of movement, it is not hard to understand why these numbers would be so far apart. It is, indeed, a bit like comparing life in rural Colorado to downtown New York City.

But why then, do some racehorses get ulcers, and some do not? Well this phenomenon is best explained by the same principle that explains why some people suffer mental illness and others do not, when raised in similar environments. Called the “diathesis stress model,” this theory states that some people have a genetic predisposition for certain mental illnesses, and with enough environmental stress, these conditions will develop. Therefore, in turn, we can say that some horses are predisposed to develop ulcers, but require the right situational conditions to do so.

Continue reading Why Horses Do Get Ulcers, by Claire Dorotik →

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Publications/Media

NO SECRET SO CLOSE excerpt #24, by Claire Dorotik

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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 #24 from NO SECRET SO CLOSE:

Just then, the comforting sound of horses rustling in their stalls was broken by Alex’s voice. “Claire what are you doing up here?”

I didn’t bother to turn my head. “Feeding the horses.” I pulled the first pieces off of the bale and tossed them in the cart.

“Well, we need you to help make fliers.” He positioned himself between me and the hay cart, more or less blocking me as I tried to work.

“I can’t, Alex. I’m sorry.” I tossed another flake of hay into the cart.

“Why?” He moved in closer. He had a piece of paper in his hand with a photo of my father’s face copied onto it.

“I just can’t, Alex,” I said, my eyes catching the photo.

“I don’t get it. Why not?” He crossed his arms over his chest, the photo faced outward.

Continue reading NO SECRET SO CLOSE excerpt #24, by Claire Dorotik →

Competitions, Contributors/Press, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Great Cash, Prizes and Fun during Summer in the Rockies II

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Bjorn Ikast Wins Second Consecutive Grand Prix

Bjorn Ikast & Omar Shariff. Photo credit: Flying Horse Photography

Parker, CO — The second week of the Colorado Summer Circuit finished Sunday with great style. Summer in the Rockies II awarded cash and prizes to riders in all divisions, from the Adult Amateur Hunters to the Open Jumpers. Competitors and sponsors were treated to a range of hospitality. Among the social highlights — Friday Afternoon Club at A Bit of Tack with margaritas and munchies, a fabulous tented party complete with a band in Central Park, and a wonderful VIP party during the $25,000 Grand Prix Presented by Littleton Equine Medical Center and Platinum Performance. Sunday brunch on Father’s Day rounded out the fun.

“Our goal with the expanded circuit was to create a destination,” said CHP Vice President Brian Curry. “We have people that are staying in Colorado for the summer, so we wanted them to feel at home and help them have wonderful memories from their trip.”

Many riders that have attended shows at the Park for almost 20 years are saying that the facility never looked better. Not only are there many beautiful new flower beds, rings full of new jumps, including elegant water features in the hunter rings, there’s also the new permanent coffee shop, Stable Grounds, offering lattes, cappuccinos and pastries.

Of course, all of the new amenities are a wonderful backdrop to the real draw — the horse show. While this week’s $25,000 Grand Prix Presented by Littleton Equine Medical Center and Platinum Performance found the same three riders claiming the top three spots, they had to run for their placings in the jump-off, a real thrill for the spectators.

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