Tag Archives: charity

Awards, Benefits, Community/Charity, Conferences, Equestrian Aid Found., WHIN, Wild Horse Sources

Willie Nelson and Family Win WHINNY Awards

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Nashville, TN – July 12, 2011 – It’s become not only a mission with a passion, but one that has members of the Nelson family standing up and doing whatever they can to stop the slaughter of horses.

Willie Nelson has been an advocate against the slaughter of wild horses for years and of the almost 70 horses he owns, 25-30 were rescued directly from slaughter. He believes it’s our job to protect them and makes it a point to support many of the groups that work in this area. His passion and advocacy
is being shared by his family.

His daughter Amy and granddaughter Raelyn have joined in the fight testifying against the slaughter of horses and are making it a point to work with the State of Tennessee’s legislative branch to keep the dialog about any laws concerning these issues open.

“Here’s another great example of someone with high visibility taking the time to support this cause and who brings along not only his family but thousands of fans around the world to join him. There’s a reason why people like Willie Nelson. The man shows his dedication to horses and doing the right thing every day of his life. Willie definitely walks the talk,” states WHIA Executive Director, Catherine Masters.

The Whinnys are an awards program set up by the Women’s Horse Industry Association. The awards will be given out on October 6 in Nashville, Tennessee at the Rhythm and Hooves benefit to save horses. The event will raise funds for three equine charities: The Cloud Foundation, The Equestrian Aid Foundation and NetPosse.com. The benefit will be a part of the WHIA’s Annual conference (October 6-8 at the Radisson Hotel Opryland) where women in the horse industry will gather to exchange information and business.

For additional information on the WHIA and its upcoming conference and benefit, please visit Women’s Horse Industry or call 615-730-7833.

Community/Charity, Equestrian Assistance, Phelps Media Group, Products/Services

Ariat Donates New Clothing to Georgina Bloomberg’s Rider’s Closet Charity

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Georgina Bloomberg

Brewster, NY – July 11, 2011 – Equestrian apparel company Ariat recently donated over 600 pairs of new riding breeches to The Rider’s Closet at Pegasus Therapeutic Riding, Georgina Bloomberg’s charitable program for riders in need. The Rider’s Closet accepts new or gently used equestrian apparel and sends them to pony clubs, therapeutic riding centers, scholastic teams and individual riders who request show or lesson program clothing and boots.

“I have had the pleasure of working with Ariat for almost five years now,” notes Bloomberg. “I am consistently impressed with not only the products they produce but also with the kindness of those who work with the company. I have really enjoyed representing Ariat and have found their products to be fashionable and functional. This donation is yet another example of their generosity and commitment to help every rider be properly attired for riding.”

Founded by Bloomberg as a home-based operation in August 2006, The Rider’s Closet quickly grew in scope, as did Bloomberg’s equestrian career. In July 2010, she decided to move The Rider’s Closet to a new location where it could operate on a continuous basis while she traveled to competitions. Familiar with its philanthropic mission and services, Bloomberg partnered with local nonprofit Pegasus Therapeutic Riding to bring The Rider’s Closet to Pegasus Farm in Brewster, N.Y. Managed by Pegasus staff and operated by volunteers, The Rider’s Closet is thriving in its new home. Requests come in daily from around the country, and the recent donation from Ariat will have a lasting coast-to-coast impact.

“With Ariat’s help, The Rider’s Closet will be able to send quality breeches to countless riders in need of new clothes,” states Bloomberg. “I am so appreciative of the company and am honored to be an Ariat-sponsored rider.”

Beth Cross, president and CEO of Ariat, echoes Bloomberg’s sentiment. “We are thrilled to team up with Georgina in support of The Rider’s Closet,” notes Cross. “All of us at Ariat are proud to be of service to this terrific organization and look forward to supporting them in the future.”

The Rider’s Closet accepts shirts, breeches, jackets, boots and half chaps. Demand is especially high for paddock boots and tall boots in adult and children’s sizes. For safety reasons, helmets cannot be accepted. Information about donating or requesting items from The Rider’s Closet is posted to the Pegasus website at www.pegasustr.org/trc.

Media Contact: Mason Phelps
Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
phone 561.753.3389  fax 561.753.3386
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com

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

$10,000 Chester County Food Bank Mini Prix Victory Goes to Samantha Schaefer and Trezebees at Brandywine Valley Summer Series

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Samantha Schaefer and Trezebees won the $10,000 Chester County Food Bank Mini Prix at the Brandywine Valley Summer Series. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG.

Devon, PA – July 1, 2011 – It was a beautiful night at the historic Devon Show Grounds as riders gathered at the Dixon Oval for the $10,000 Chester County Food Bank Mini Prix. A competitive group of horse and rider combinations tackled the challenging course for the highlight event at the first annual Brandywine Valley Summer Series, presented by Taylor Harris Insurance Services. The top prize went to Samantha Schaefer and Trezebees after they completed a double clear effort in 25.279 seconds over Tracey Weinberg and Larone, who scored the second place honors.

Jose Gamarra set a challenging first round track for the competitors, which featured a triple bar, a liverpool, a vertical-oxer double combination, and a oxer-vertical-vertical triple combination. Seven of the horse and rider combinations were able to master the first round without fault and advance to the short course. They began over an oxer-vertical bending line before making a sharp turn to the double combination. They then turned to a single vertical before galloping towards the finish line over the final oxer.

Samantha Schaefer was fifth in the return order aboard Trezebees, owned by Addison Phillips of New York, NY, and the duo was ready to win it. They picked up a quick gallop to the first fence and never held back. Schaefer was able to nimbly guide Trezebees through each of the difficult turns and they jumped straight to the top of the leaderboard with a blazing double clear effort in 25.279 seconds.

“Tracey [Weinberg] had set a very quick time so I knew I had to go for it,” explained Schaefer. “Trezebees has a lot of scope so I knew I had to be very quick across the ground. She turned really nicely after the second jump and after the combination.”

Continue reading $10,000 Chester County Food Bank Mini Prix Victory Goes to Samantha Schaefer and Trezebees at Brandywine Valley Summer Series →

Community/Charity, Competitions, EQUUS Foundation, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Double H Farm’s HH Narcos Du Marais & Christina Kelly Win the $32,500 Fairfield Grand Prix to Benefit The EQUUS Foundation

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HH Narcos Du Marais owned by Double H Farm and ridden by Christina Kelly piloting the GMC Jump. Photos courtesy of Reflections Photography.

WESTPORT, CT – June 30, 2011 – Christina Kelly aboard HH Narcos Du Marais owned by Double H Farm emerged victorious over a field of 24 competitors at the $32,500 Grand Prix on Saturday, June 25, 2011, the culminating event of the Fairfield County Hunt Club June Benefit Horse Show held in Westport, Connecticut.

Due to torrential rains earlier in the week, the decision was made on Friday to move Saturday’s Grand Prix from the grass Jumper Field to the Emerson Burr Ring with all weather footing.

George N. Venizelos representing Wells Fargo Advisors was on hand to present the well-earned blue ribbon, along with Laura Totten of Coca Cola and Michel Nischan of Wholesome Wave and The Dressing Room, Show Co-Chairs, Alison Ashman, Catherine Herman, and Jennifer Ross, and Lynn Coakley, President of The EQUUS Foundation.

Thanks to the professional expertise of Show Manager William Glass and the Fairfield County Hunt Club staff led by General Manager Carla Nelson, spectators and over 400 guests at The EQUUS Foundation Grand Prix Benefit Luncheon were afforded ringside views to watch these riders and horses triumph over the difficult course designed by Olympic Course Designer Steve Stephens.

The show’s generous individual and corporate sponsors included: the show’s Official Vehicle Sponsors, Buick & GMC; Magazine Sponsor, Moffly Media; Gold Medal Sponsors Avenue Capital Group, Fairfield Equine Associates, and Newmark Knight Frank; Silver Medal Sponsors, Coca Cola, Corinthian Partners, LLC, D’Addario Industries, Gary Goldberg Financial Services, Hi Ho Petroleum, Hospital for Special Surgery and Imperial Dental Associates; and Bronze Medal Sponsors, Agriventures Agway and Margaret Bondy Interiors. These sponsors presented awards all week long to the winners of the 250 separate equestrian competitions, which culminated with the Grand Prix on Saturday.

Continue reading Double H Farm’s HH Narcos Du Marais & Christina Kelly Win the $32,500 Fairfield Grand Prix to Benefit The EQUUS Foundation →

Awards, Community/Charity, FEI

FEI Development Award Winner Values International Recognition

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Lausanne (SUI), 1 July 2011 – A month before nominations close for the FEI Awards 2011, Ros Spearing, founder and director of the London-based Ebony Horse Club, the winner in last year’s Development category, recalls her pleasure in receiving it.

Ros Spearing, founder and director of the Ebony Horse Club, a charity that has in 15 years enabled more than 300 children living in one of London’s most deprived boroughs to enjoy the benefits of riding and caring for horses, said: “Receiving international recognition from the FEI was a fantastic boost after years of hard work.”

When Spearing accepted the FEI’s Development Award on behalf of the Ebony Horse Club in November 2010, the charity was £79,000 away from its goal of raising £1.4 million to build a community equestrian centre in Brixton, south London.

The club achieved its objective several weeks after the FEI Awards ceremony. Building work on the equestrian centre is currently underway and the first riding lessons will take place in October of this year. More information is available at www.ebonyhorseclub.org.uk.

The FEI’s Development Award rewards a person or organisation dedicated to making equestrianism accessible to a wider public or developing the sport in some way. It is one of five FEI Awards that reward equestrian heroes from around the world.

This year’s winners will fly to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to attend the FEI Awards ceremony at a gala evening organised at the Copacabana Palace, the famous Art Deco hotel facing Copacabana Beach.

Nominations in the five awards categories (Development, Against all Odds, Reem Acra Best Athlete, HSBC Rising Star, Best Groom) should be made via the dedicated website 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, Equestrian Aid Found., More/Other, Publications/Media

Making Strides in the Ride for Hope!

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H. Rick Albertson photo by Carien Schippers

There isn’t anything quite like being able to stand on your own two feet, but sometimes things happen that requires us to rely on our friends for support.

That’s what drives the Equestrian Aid Foundation. Helping those who need a helping hand to stand again on their own.

We have a special story of survival and hope from recipient H. Rick Albertson. Several may remember his story and I’m sure you will appreciate an update on this charismatic man. Also more exciting news with a recap of our day in the mountains.

THIS JUST IN …
During July, Author Rebecca Cagle will donate $1 for every copy of her Kindle books sold on Amazon to the EAF.

Rebecca, a cancer survivor, has two handbooks for horse owners that will apply for the July promotion:
“How to Save Time and Money with Your Horse Veterinarian: An Interview with Equine Veterinarian Marcia Thibeault, DVM” and “Grieving the Loss of Your Horse: How to Survive Your Journey.” Purchase either or both books here.

Continue reading Making Strides in the Ride for Hope! →

Auctions, Awards, Benefits, Community/Charity, Equestrian Aid Found., Events, Media/Radio/TV Sources, Products/Services, WHIN, Wild Horse Sources

Rhythm and Hooves Awards to Recognize Country Music Industry

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June 29, 2011 – Nashville, TN – The Women’s Horse Industry is pleased to announce an awards program dedicated to the men and women in country music who have a passion for helping and saving horses.

The event will be held in conjunction with the Rhythm & Hooves benefit auction on Thursday, October 6 at the Radisson Opryland. Nominees from the country music industry will be presented awards for their efforts with horses. After the awards are presented, there will be an auction to benefit the Cloud Foundation, The Equestrian Aid Foundation and Stolen Horses/NetPosse.com. “These are great equine charities and we hope the Nashville music industry will help us raise money by providing items for the auction,” states Debby Lening, VP of the Women’s Horse Industry.

“I know that there are a lot of country music artists and other music industry executives who have a real passion for helping horses so we thought that it would make a lot of sense to identify, recognize and award them for their efforts,” states Catherine Masters, Executive Director of WHIA.

If you would like to nominate someone from the country music industry for these awards, please send an email to: whra44@yahoo.com with the nominee’s name and why they should be nominated.

Continue reading Rhythm and Hooves Awards to Recognize Country Music Industry →

Breeds, Community/Charity, Dressage, Phelps Media Group

Sons of the Wind Farm Performs Classical Quadrille and Showcases Aires above Ground at PVDA’s “Ride for Life”

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Sons of the Wind performed Aires above the Ground for a captive audience during the PVDA's Ride for Life. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/Ride for Life.

Upper Marlboro, MD – June 28, 2011 – On June 25, 2011, Sons of the Wind School of Equestrian Arts joined the talented performers during the PVDA’s Ride for Life at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. Sons of the Wind showcased the versatility of the Lusitano breed with athletic airs above the ground and a traditional quadrille during the 2011 Dancing Horse Challenge. This annual event is a premier dressage show and breast cancer benefit where all proceeds fund quality of life and breast cancer research at the Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation Breast Center.

Sons of the Wind kicked off the evening with a Haute Ecole/Longline Performance. Vitor Silva led his Lusitano partner through the dressage movements of the piaffe and the passage. They then demonstrated the incredible aires above the ground with the levade and the capriole for the captivated audience.

Later in the night, Sons of the Wind entered the ring with four new Lusitano mounts that arrived from Brazil just one month ago for the Portuguese Riding School Quadrille. The horses and riders wore traditional Portuguese costumes during the quadrille, and easily made their way through the movements after a successful exhibition at the Pride of Portugal Lusitano Festival on June 4, 2011.

“I think both of the performances went very well, especially since the horses we were riding are so young,” commented Silva at the end of the night. “This event is fantastic because it shows the diversity of the sport and the breeds, and it is an excellent opportunity for the spectators to see the different disciplines. There is not one that is easier than the other; they all require a great deal of hard work and dedication.”

Continue reading Sons of the Wind Farm Performs Classical Quadrille and Showcases Aires above Ground at PVDA’s “Ride for Life” →

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

2011 $25,000 Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby to Benefit ALS of Nevada

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Reno, NV – June 27, 2011 – The 2011 $25,000 Franktown Meadows USHJA International Hunter Derby is pleased to announce that this year’s prestigious event will benefit ALS of Nevada. The Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby will take place at the Franktown Meadows Equestrian Facility in Carson City, Nevada, on September 5, 2011. The event will showcase the best horse and rider combinations in the country as they compete for the winning title over the beautiful derby course in front of an eager crowd.

ALS of Nevada is an independent, not-for-profit organization that serves to improve the lives of those living with and fighting ALS throughout Nevada. The organization was founded in 1998, and its goal is to help patients and families live as normal a life as possible. ALS of Nevada conducts support group meetings for patients, caregivers, and family members. They also aid patients through the loan of equipment and free clinics. ALS of Nevada is an advocate and supports scientific research for the prevention, alleviation, care, treatment, and cure of ALS. ALS of Nevada works to increase awareness of ALS throughout the government in an effort to expand support of research and elicit programs that will make treatments and care accessible and affordable to all patients.

ALS is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and is always fatal. It can happen to anyone, without warning and with or without family history. ALS affects voluntary action, and patients in later stages are often totally paralyzed. The financial burden to families with ALS can be over $200,000 a year and much of the needed assistance is not covered by standard medical plans or Medicare.

Executive Director of ALS of Nevada, Megan Testa, has been working with ALS of Nevada for ten years. She has fulfilled the role as Executive Director for five years and will be attending the event for the first time this year.

Continue reading 2011 $25,000 Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby to Benefit ALS of Nevada →

Community/Charity, Equestrian Assistance, Eventing/H.T., Kentucky Three-Day, Products/Services

Giving Back

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After the tragic fire on May 31 at True Prospect Farm in West Grove, PA many in the Eventing community have joined together to support Boyd and Silva Martin, Lillian Heard, Caitlin Silliman, Ryan Wood and others affected by the tragedy.

A fire at the farm, owned by Phillip and Evie Dutton, destroyed the barn utilized by Martin and took the lives of six horses while injuring five others. Three people living in an apartment near the barn lost all their possessions. The Eventing community has rallied with support and Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), organizers of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone, has already pledged a $1,500 donation.

In addition EEI will donate 5% of all sales of merchandise sold through the Kentucky Three-Day Event Shop at http://www.rk3de.org/shop/ until August 15, 2011. The Kentucky Three-Day Shop includes various Rolex Kentucky merchandise, from hats to jackets and everything in between.

© 2011 Equestrian Events, Inc.