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

Expanded Colorado Summer Circuit Debuts with Nearly $1,000,000 in Cash and Prizes

Leave a comment

Bjorn Ikast Finishes with Top Two Placings in $10,000 Open Welcome Stake

Bjorn Ikast and Amore Claim 1st Place in the $10,000 Open Welcome at Summer in the Rockies 1. Photo credit: Flying Horse Photography

Parker, CO — A thrilling summer at The Colorado Horse Park debuted this week with nearly $1,000,000 in cash and prizes during the inaugural edition of the expanded Colorado Summer Circuit, June 8 – July 24, 2011. For 20 years this circuit has attracted some of the continent’s best hunter and jumper competitors, and this year it expands from four to six weeks. With big prize money every day, the circuit is expected to attract riders from around the country.

“The Colorado Horse Park is excited to launch this new circuit,” said Helen Krieble, founder and president of CHP. “We have worked hard to improve the facility and offer our competitors a fun summer to remember.”

This year competitors will find a new show manager at the helm. Pat Boyle and Showplace Productions are bringing their exhibitor-friendly management style to Colorado. In anticipation of the expansion, CHP has been upgrading many amenities, including brand new footing in the Grand Prix ring and Grand Prix warm-up; new jumps; new gardens; the Horse Connection Paddock Club Lounge; Stable Grounds, a permanent coffee shop; tented exhibitor party zone and more.

Continue reading Expanded Colorado Summer Circuit Debuts with Nearly $1,000,000 in Cash and Prizes →

Awards, Community/Charity, FEI

Fashion Designer Reem Acra Encourages Equestrian Community to Celebrate Its Stars

Leave a comment

10 June 2011 – International fashion designer Reem Acra, sponsor of the prestigious FEI World Cup Dressage series, is supporting the Best Athlete category of the FEI Awards for the second consecutive year.

The Beirut-born designer, whose clientele includes celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry, Beyonce Knowles, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Eva Longoria, built her successful design business with the same drive and determination that takes equestrian athletes to the summit of the sport. Commenting on the FEI Awards, which were launched by the governing body of international horse sport in 2009 to reward talent in and out of the arena, Reem Acra said:

“I am delighted to support the Best Athlete Award again this year. I have seen equestrian sport at its best and I know from my experience in the fashion world how tough it is to succeed when there is so much talent to compete with. This FEI Award will go to an athlete who has combined focused ambition with fair play, to a horse whose outstanding character and performances have endeared it to the public or to a really remarkable human and equine partnership. I hope the entire equestrian community will seize this opportunity to nominate their heroes, as it is a way of thanking them for the pleasure their inspirational performances have given us.”

Last year’s Reem Acra Best Athlete Award went to a combination – the superstar Dutch duo Edward Gal and Totilas – for their memorable contribution to equestrian sport. Gal, whose partnership with the much-loved black stallion ended in style in 2010 with, notably, three gold medals at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, said that receiving the award had been “the icing on the cake”.

This year’s winners will receive their awards in November at a gala evening in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the FEI General Assembly is taking place.

Nominations for the five-category FEI Awards (Reem Acra Best Athlete, HSBC Rising Star, Against All Odds, Development and Best Groom) are open until 31 July at www.feiawards.org.

Media contact:
Marianne Burkhardt
Publications Coordinator
FEI Corporate Communications
Marianne.Burkhardt@fei.org
Tel. +41 21 310 84 71
Mobile: +41 79 789 90 25

Community/Charity, Equine Assisted Therapy, Sydney Masters-Durieux

Daniela Stransky Launches Step Forward Therapeutic Riding Plan Accepted by Pepsi Refresh

Leave a comment

Daniela Stransky’s ‘Step Forward’ Plan for Pepsi Refresh Project to Bring Horses to Disadvantaged & Disabled Children in Florida & Beyond

Vote & Help Create Jobs & Offer New Skills to Community in Need

Stransky's Mission Farm staff working with a Step Forward child on a pony

Junior Jumper champion Daniela Stransky of Miami Beach, Florida believes horses are the key to helping disadvantaged and disabled children realize a fuller and happier life.  To help jump-start the therapy riding program at Stransky’s Mission Farm at Le Club Wellington, the 15-year-old came up with the “Step Forward” campaign and sent her idea to the Pepsi Refresh Project.  The program will start by assisting the Miami Dade County and Palm Beach communities, with the ambitious goal of expanding to serve other communities in the U.S and around the world.  To vote for ‘Step Forward,’ go to http://www.refresheverything.com/stepforward.

For the second year, Pepsi has asked people from across the United States to submit bold ideas that have the power to move communities forward, focusing on Education, Communities and Arts & Music. “I came up with this ‘Step Forward’ because I ride horses and they are a constant inspiration in my life,” explained the Miami Country Day High School student.  “I love horses, assisting others, and helping others help themselves. My ‘Step Forward’ equestrian therapy program will help kids experience horses and learn from them, feel empowered, make new friends, and dream new dreams.  I know personally, horses can become your best friend, and this program will allow kids who need a best friend to have one.”

Continue reading Daniela Stransky Launches Step Forward Therapeutic Riding Plan Accepted by Pepsi Refresh →

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Jennifer Wood, Show Jumping

Fieldstone Welcomes Equestrians to Plymouth Rock Hunter Jumper Classic

Leave a comment
The beautiful show grounds at Fieldstone Equestrian feature the grass derby field. Photo courtesy Fieldstone Equestrian.

Halifax, MA – June 8, 2011 – Fieldstone Equestrian would like to welcome equestrians to their Plymouth Rock Hunter Jumper Classic, which will be held on June 21-25, 2011, at the Fieldstone Equestrian facility in Halifax, Massachusetts. The “AA” rated show will host exciting competitions for hunters and jumpers.

Highlights of the Plymouth Rock Hunter Jumper Classic include the $25,000 Grand Prix, $10,000 Open 3’3” Hunter Derby, $7,500 Open Welcome Stake, $7,500 Open Speed Stake, $5,000 Junior/A-O Jumper Classic for two heights, $2,500 2’9” Hunter Derby, and $2,500 Pony Derby Classic.

Activities outside of competition will give exhibitors and spectators a chance to mingle and get to know each other. Fieldstone will host the Kingsway Farm Cookout, Grill 58 Barbecue with a “Sit-A-Twenty Challenge,” and a Chicken and Ribs Barbecue with a Canine Puissance class.

Continue reading Fieldstone Welcomes Equestrians to Plymouth Rock Hunter Jumper Classic →

Competitions, Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping, USEF

USEF Names Jumping Teams for CSIO5* Falsterbo and CSIO5* Aachen

Leave a comment

Lexington, KY – The USEF has named the following horse/rider combinations to represent the U.S. at the next two shows of the FEI Nations Cup Series.

The following horse/rider combinations will compete in Sweden at CSIO5* Falsterbo July 7-10, 2011.

Charlie Jayne (Elgin, IL) will ride The London Group’s Athena
Athena is an 11-year-old Belgian mare

Christine McCrea (Windsor, CT) will ride Romantovich Take One
Romantovich Take One is an 11-year-old KWPN gelding

Lucy Davis (Los Angeles, CA) will ride Old Oak Farm’s Nemo 119
Nemo 119 is a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding

Saer Coulter (San Francisco, CA) will ride Copernicus Stables’ Springtime
Springtime is a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding

Schuyler Riley (Wellington, FL) will ride South Beach Stables’ Lapacco
Lapacco is a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding

Continue reading USEF Names Jumping Teams for CSIO5* Falsterbo and CSIO5* Aachen →

Competitions, Dressage, Driving, Events, FEI, JRPR

Champion Driver Suzy Stafford Is All Smiles after Competing at the Elk Creek CDE

Leave a comment
Suzy Stafford competed Miss Josephine and Peace of Mind at the Elk Creek CDE in Maryland. Stafford is shown here with Peace of Mind during their winning dressage test. (Photo courtesy of Vicki Long)

Chester County, PA (June 10, 2011) – Believing in the motto “practice makes perfect,” Gold Medalist Combined Driver Suzy Stafford competed at the Elk Creek CDE, held at Fair Hill in Maryland, with the hopes of perfecting the training and skills of two of her talented ponies. Stafford drove away all smiles following the event, saying she was pleased with the progress of each of her equine partners including her registered half-Arabian mare, Miss Josephine, who is long-listed for the 2011 FEI World Pony Driving Championships in Europe.

“I wanted to use Elk Creek as a schooling event to prepare Josephine for her European debut at the World Pony Championships, which will be held in Slovenia in September,” Stafford said. “I was just schooling Josie so I didn’t finish the marathon, but she won the best dressage and cones in the advanced division. Josie is in a good place right now in her training program and we are improving our dressage score every time out.”

Stafford said her goal is to not have Josie peak too early, as she wants the pony’s ultimate performance to be in September. While Josephine will make her debut at the World Pony Driving Championships, Stafford is a veteran of the championships and in 2005 won an Individual Gold Medal with Cefnoakpark Bouncer, a Team Bronze with Bouncer in 2007 and an Individual Bronze with Courage To Lead in 2009. “My goal for the 2011 World Pony Driving Championships is to win medals and represent the United States to the best of our ability,” Stafford said.

Continue reading Champion Driver Suzy Stafford Is All Smiles after Competing at the Elk Creek CDE →

Championships, Competitions, Endurance Riding, Events, FEI

Al Reef Endurance Festival Live Feed Follows Australasian Endurance Forum (AUS)

Leave a comment

Lausanne (SUI), 10 June 2011 – The 150-plus delegates representing nine different nationalities at the Australasian FEI Endurance Conference and Forum have now moved onto the Al Reef Endurance Festival, which takes place in Toorbul, Queensland (AUS) 11-14 June.

All the action from the Australasian Championship, which follows the highly successful conference, can be viewed on a live feed from http://iequine.com/events/al-reef-endurance-festival.

Footage begins on Saturday 11 June at 12.30pm with vetting and a pre-ride talk later that afternoon. Sunday morning is when the action unfolds – coverage starts at 5.00am and runs all day. On Monday 13 June there will be a live feed for a series of work-outs and presentations.

FEI Media contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

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

Endurance Riding, USEF

Four Candidates Named to the Endurance Chef d’Equipe Short List

Leave a comment

Lexington, KY – The USEF High Performance Endurance Committee has named four candidates to the Endurance Chef d’Equipe Short List. During this extensive process, the USEF received 14 applications from three different nations. The Chef d’Equipe Search Committee interviewed six applicants in April. Prior to these interviews, athletes were given the opportunity to provide questions to the Search Committee to be included. Following the interviews, Joe Mattingley presented the Search Committee’s rating of all 14 candidates to the USEF Eligible Athlete Committee who then made their recommendations to the Endurance High Performance Committee. Taking into account the ratings of the candidates and the recommendations of the Athlete Committee, the Endurance High Performance Committee established the following to the short list: Mark Dial (USA); Dr. Flavia Ferraro (BRA); Emmett Ross (USA); and Dr. Michele Roush (USA).

The four candidates have been invited to the Ashland CEI June 10-12, 2011 held in Ashland, Montana.  Endurance athletes will have the opportunity to meet and talk to candidates over the course of the event in an informal setting and on June 13th the Athlete Committee and Endurance High Performance Committee will conduct formal interviews with each individual candidate.

Following the interviews, the Athletes will once again make their recommendation to the High Performance Committee.

Members of the USEF Endurance Eligible Athlete Committee are:

Kathrine Brunjes, Chair
Carolyn Hock
Carol Giles
Jan Worthington
Valerie Kanavy
Heather Reynolds
Jeremy Reynolds
Stephen Rojek
Michele Roush
Christoph Schork
Margaret Sleeper

If you have any questions regarding the process, please don’t hesitate to contact Joe Mattingley, guyhorse@yahoo.com or Vonita Bowers at vbowers@usef.org.

Wild Horse Sources

AP Story Spotlights IDA’s Fight for Wild Horses

Leave a comment

IDA’s legal challenge to the U.S. government’s “management” of wild horses received extensive exposure in an Associated Press story by Scott Sonner that ran in newspapers around the country this week. Click here to read the story in the San Francisco Chronicle, then please post your own comments!

In Defense of Animals
3010 Kerner, San Rafael, CA 94901
Tel. (415) 448-0048 Fax (415) 454-1031
idainfo@idausa.org

Community/Charity, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, National Horse Show, Phelps Media Group

Alltech National Horse Show Welcomes Pony Lane Farm as Sponsor of the High Performance Hunter Division

Leave a comment
Kelsey Thatcher on Milous De Fontaine. ©Parker/Russell - The Book LLC.

Lexington, KY – June 10, 2011 — The Alltech National Horse Show, 128th Edition, announced today that Pony Lane Farm has come on board as sponsors of this year’s High Performance Hunter Division.

The Alltech National Horse Show will be staged at the Alltech Arena at the world-renowned Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, site of last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

In addition to the CSI-W 4* ranking from the FEI, this year’s Alltech National Horse Show will feature world-class hunter competition, including the Pony Lane Farm sponsored High Performance Hunter Division.

Pony Lane Farm, the leading USEF Hunter Owners for the 2009 and 2010 show seasons, is not only the home base for young riders Kelsey and Madeline Thatcher, but also home to popular breeding stallion Klotaire Du Moulin. Klotaire is by the legendary stallion Voltaire and is sire of many of this country’s top hunters. Klotaire competed this past summer in the Super League, winning top prizes at La Baule, Rome, Rotterdam and Dublin. Klotaire continues to compete in the U.S. at the Grand Prix level with owner Kelsey Thatcher and rider Maggie Jayne.

Continue reading Alltech National Horse Show Welcomes Pony Lane Farm as Sponsor of the High Performance Hunter Division →

Your Southern Source for Everything Horse

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