All posts by Associate Editor

Four American Miniature Horses Fill In for Santa’s Reindeer during Holiday HorseFest

Linda Kern drove the chestnut Miniature Horses four-in-hand team, I’m Little SoWhat, Master of the Chase, All Fyred Up, and Rhapsody in Red, with help from her son-in-law Doug Johnson. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)

Ho, Ho, Ho – Miniature Horses Escort Santa Claus!

West Palm Beach, FL (December 20, 2010) – Four perfectly matched tiny American Miniature Horses recently filled in for Santa’s reindeer, much to the delight of the crowd, at the Fidelity Investments Holiday HorseFest at the Meyer Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach’s downtown waterfront. With more than 4,000 spectators in attendance, the holiday festival showcased a fun and festive afternoon of show jumping, musical performances, pony rides, holiday fun, prize giveaways, a competition for the 2011 $1 Million Great Charity Challenge and, of course, the arrival of Santa Claus.

Owner Linda Kern, of Caribbean Dreams Miniatures in Loxahatchee, Florida, drove the chestnut Miniature Horses four-in-hand team with help from her son-in-law Doug Johnson. “The four American Miniature Horses that pulled Santa’s sleigh, or carriage if you will, are a good example of the versatility you can find in the miniature world,” said Johnny Robb, Marketing Director for the American Miniature Horse Registry (AMHR). “It was fantastic for the crowd to see miniatures who have won National Championships and Reserve Championships as single driving horses, pairs, tandem, unicorn, and the four-in-hand.”

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Wyoming Resident Files Complaint against State Rep. Sue Wallis

December 19, 2010 – CHICAGO – Wyoming resident Patricia Fazio, Ph.D. has filed a complaint with state officials, requesting an investigation of alleged violations of ethics laws and securities fraud by Wyoming State Rep. Sue Wallis (R-Campbell). Animal Law Coalition (ALC), Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA) and Habitat for Horses Advisory Council (HfHAC) applaud Dr. Fazio and join in the call for authorities to investigate Wallis’ activities.

The complaint alleges Rep. Wallis is improperly and even fraudulently abusing her position as a Wyoming legislator. The complaint further alleges that Rep. Wallis not only neglected to recuse herself or disclose her personal financial interest in votes, but that she has actually “sponsored” bills that would materially benefit her or her family.

Wallis has publicly claimed to be forming a business under the name Unified Equine LLC, which she says will slaughter horses and sell the meat within Wyoming. At the same time, in her capacity as a legislator, she is promoting legislation that would deregulate, promote and favor horse slaughter operations.

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Tip of the Week – Look at My New Shoes!

Shoeing is like riding, dentistry, or a feed program, where balance is the most important thing.

Balance of the foot depends on not only your farrier, but the team work of the people around your horse. In achieving good feet for your horse, all possibilities should be considered: riding, vet, body workers, dentist, diet, etc. Unfortunately, if a healthy foot is not achieved, there are no consequences to us, the rider, farrier, trainer… only to the horse.

The majority of people are confused about the design of the hoof, so when evaluating your horse’s feet, follow these simple rules.

The horse’s foot should have a sensitive and insensitive frog, with a nice well-defined cleft. The foot should have a sensitive and insensitive sole. The depth of the sole and hoof wall should be at the same height as your insensitive frog. The white line should be of equal distance all the way around the foot. If your horse’s foot looks like that, you have a balanced foot. If you have chips, cracks, or flares, you have an imbalanced foot. This tells you the horse is out of balance, and you know then you have not completed the wellness circle (body workers, chiropractor, farrier, dentist, feed, etc).

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Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2010/2011

Germany’s Ulla Salzgeber and Herzruf's Erbe won the fifth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage series in Frankfurt, Germany today. Photo: Stefan Lafrentz/FEI.

SALZGEBER REIGNS SUPREME AS GERMANY DOMINATES by Claartje van Andel

Frankfurt (GER), 19 December 2010 – Germany’s Ulla Salzgeber and her reliable chestnut Herzruf’s Erbe won the fifth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage series in the festive surroundings of the Frankfurter Festhalle in Frankfurt today. The victory was the more remarkable as Salzgeber had not been able to practice her Freestyle in a full size arena of 20 by 60 meters before the competition. The German dressage star is in the middle of moving her training facility closer to her yard in order to have more fields surrounding her stable and training centre, so she was delighted with today’s result.  German riders filled the top three places and five of the top six slots on their home turf today, Denmark’s Princess Nathalie Zu Sayn-Wittgenstein preventing them from achieving a total white-wash when slotting into fourth.

“All the German team colleagues of the WEG were competing here, so I am too proud of this win!” said Salzgeber after a very well-concentrated test in which the trot-work was a particular highlight. Her “Boney M” musical score has been used before with her former dressage super-star, the great Rusty with whom Salzgeber was crowned champion at both the FEI World Cup Dressage finals in Aarhus and ‘s-Hertogenbosch in 2001 and 2002.  The German rider feels it is also very fitting to Herzruf’s Erbe.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12761

Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2010/2011 – Round 7, Olympia

Great Britain's Michael Whitaker produced a sensational round against the clock with GIG Amai to win the seventh leg of the 2010/2011 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping series at Olympia in London today. Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI.

EMOTIONAL MICHAEL WHITAKER WINS COVETED OLYMPIA CROWN by Louise Parkes

London GBR, 19 December 2010 – Emotion ran high as Great Britain’s Michael Whitaker celebrated his spectacular victory in today’s seventh leg of the 2010/2011 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping series at Olympia in London.  The 50 year old Yorkshire-born rider was almost speechless with delight after seeing off a class field that included second-placed Irishman Billy Twomey and World No. 1 Kevin Staut from France who had to settle for third.  Whitaker choked back the tears in a post-competition TV interview – “The draw had a lot to do with it,” he said modestly, but this did little justice to the skill with which he steered his 10 year old gelding home to an explosion of applause from the ecstatic home crowd.

“The best man won here today,” declared Twomey, whose former mentor, Whitaker, has watched the Irishman steadily climb up the rankings this season.  “They say form is temporary, but class is permanent!” Twomey added, paying the ultimate compliment to the man who started him on his road to success.

UNDER-ESTIMATED
Course designer Guilherme Jorge from Brazil admitted that he had under-estimated the quality of today’s 37-strong field.  “I don’t build very often here in Europe and I know the level of the competition is very high – I should have built bigger.  The jumping here has been really amazing,” he said.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12760

Tiffany & Co. of Palm Beach Gardens to Host Equestrian Idol to Benefit The EQUUS Foundation

Hillary Dobbs and Lou Dobbs at the 2010 Equestrian Idol event in Wellington, Florida.

WESTPORT, CT – December 19, 2010 – The EQUUS Foundation is pleased to welcome Tiffany & Co. Palm Beach Gardens as the Title Sponsor for its upcoming Equestrian Idol “All Stars” Musical Cabaret on Friday, February 4, 2011, in Wellington, Florida.

Founded in 1837 in New York City by Charles Lewis Tiffany, Tiffany & Co. has a rich heritage filled with celebrated events, artists and milestones that live on today in legendary style. Tiffany’s contributions have beautifully graced major events of the past two centuries.

“We participated in the 2010 event and are thrilled to become even more involved in 2011,” said Rebecca Brewer, Director of Tiffany & Co. Palm Beach Gardens. “The event is unique, fun, and raises funds to educate the public on the important role horses play in our everyday lives, not just in the competitive arena.”

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HITS Desert Circuit to Host Three Qualifying Events for EY-Cup’s New Super Final

©Flying Horse Photography. Lucy Davis and True Love on course in the $25,000 California Horsetrader Junior/ Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic High at the 2010 HITS Desert Circuit.

THERMAL, CA (December 17, 2010) — HITS, Inc. is pleased to announce that the 2011 Desert Circuit in Thermal, California will host three qualifying events for the 2011 European Youngster Cup Jumper Series’ new Super Final, which will be held in Leipzig, Germany during the FEI World Cup Finals this coming April.

The European Youngster Cup, also known as the EY-Cup, is a series for ambitious, top young riders born after January 1, 1985 that culminates in a Finals held each December in Germany. This is the first time that riders will have the opportunity to compete at a Super Final during FEI World Cup Finals and the first time that the United States will host qualifiers for the event.

The United States Equestrian Federation has just finalized the qualifying specifications for this highly-popular international show jumping event and has selected HITS Thermal to produce one of the four qualified North American riders that will be eligible to compete at the EY-Cup Super Final.

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Flarida Is NRHA’s First Four Million Dollar Rider

Shawn Flarida riding Wimpys Little Chic in the $100,000 added NRHA World Championship Shootout. NRHA/Waltenberry

Oklahoma City, OK – December 16, 2010 – Just two short years ago, Shawn Flarida became the National Reining Horse Association’s first Three Million Dollar Rider with earnings accumulated at the 2008 NRHA Futurity. History repeated itself when the gates closed on the 2010 NRHA Futurity and the results were announced. With rides in the finals aboard Quistador (owned by Augustine and Gaynia Revenberg) and Shine Chic Shine (owned by Amabile & Strusiner), plus a tie for third in the $100,000 added NRHA World Championship Shootout on Wimpys Little Chic (owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA), Flarida scooped up more than $100,000 to become NRHA’s first Four Million Dollar Rider. Flarida’s official NRHA earnings are $4,023,885.

Flarida, of Springfield, OH, became the second rider in history to break the $2 million mark in 2006 at the FEI World Reining Masters in Denver, CO. Bill Horn was the first rider to earn in excess of $1 million. Tim McQuay, Craig Schmersal and Andrea Fappani are the only other riders to cross the $2 million earnings level. Only thirteen other riders have crossed the $1 million earnings plateau in addition to Flarida.

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Riders4helmets to Host Helmet Safety Symposium Presented by SUCCEED

Aurora, OH – Riders4Helmets, the helmet awareness campaign founded by Jeri Bryant and equine health product SUCCEED Digestive Conditioning Program, will be hosting a “by invitation only” Helmet Safety Symposium. The event will take place January 8, 2011, at the White Horse Tavern, Wellington, FL, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The symposium is sponsored by Troxel Helmets, Charles Owen Helmets, Tipperary Helmets and Samshield Helmets.

The Helmet Safety Symposium has been organized to bring together representatives from various corners of the equestrian world to discuss the importance of wearing helmets, rider safety and to improve helmet designs, rules and more. The event will provide a series of panel discussions throughout the day. Many in attendance will also sit on the panels, including leading equestrians, representatives from the helmet safety testing authorities, helmet manufacturers, equestrian organizations including USEF and the FEI, and neurosurgeons. The chair of the meeting will be Dr. Craig Ferrell, physician to the United States Equestrian Team.

“We are very excited to be part of the Riders4Helmets campaign and to see it continue to expand,” said Lyndsey White, representative from Freedom Health, LLC, makers of SUCCEED and co-manager of the Riders4Helmets campaign. “Since Courtney King Dye’s tragic accident earlier this year, awareness of the importance of helmet safety has grown to the point where we can now bring together different individuals, corporations and organizations all in one place to discuss the issues and, hopefully, being to change things for the better.”

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“Salute to Driving” Benefit to Support the USET Foundation

Lisa Singer has helped organize the Salute to Driving after representing the United States at multiple World Championship events. Photo By: Paige DD Singer.

Aiken, SC – December 17, 2010 – The Salute to Driving fundraising event that is being held in Aiken, and Windsor SC, February 19-21, 2011 will benefit this country’s High Performance Driving programs. The exciting weekend event will feature a beautiful dinner and auction on Saturday evening, multiple driving clinics with some of the world’s top trainers throughout the weekend, and a Combined Test Competition for all on Monday. In addition to supporting the USET Foundation, the Salute to Driving event is being held to help raise awareness and educate different audiences about the discipline of driving.

The fundraising dinner and auction for the Salute to Driving will be held on Saturday, February 19, at Wendy O’Brien’s Trout Walk Farm in Aiken. The affair will get underway at 6:30 p.m. with a beautifully catered dinner and full bar. Guests will have the opportunity to bid on fabulous items during the live auction.  Some highlighted items include Brunch at the Green Boundary Club, two lessons with top driver Michael Freund at Sunshine State, Little Everglades or Live Oak, a dinner for eight presented by Jack Wetzel at his new log cabin, a week long vacation in a large Victorian Home on the beach in Cape May, NJ, and a Print “Patriots Barn” by Jamie Wyeth, signed and remarked by the artist. Throughout the night there will also be over 20 raffle items available including a photo shoot and dancing lessons.

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