Category Archives: Western/Reining

Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit Honored as Top Three Quarter Horse Show by AQHA

Canada’s Dr. Carole Joubert Gaboury and My Precious Gab competing in 2019. Photo: Cody Parmenter.

Tampa, Fla. – July 1, 2020 – The management team behind the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit is thrilled to announce that the record-breaking 2019 event has been awarded the coveted distinction as one of the top-three Quarter Horse shows in the nation, as ranked by the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). Out of countless shows from across the world, the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit, the highest non-ranking cattle event, ranked third behind only the All American Quarter Horse Congress and the Arizona Sun Country Circuit, high-quality company for an event that has consistently made the top ten leaderboard for years under the direction and show management services of An Equine Production.

“We are so pleased to once again have these shows recognized as some of the best in the country by the AQHA. It truly takes a village to accomplish such a designation, and we have to thank our exhibitors, staff and supporters for all of their hard work and dedication. We are looking forward to an even greater event in 2020 and can’t wait to see everyone back in the show ring,” commented Kathy Avolt of An Equine Production.

Expanding even further in 2020, the event will include a whole host of new classes such as AQHA Ranch Trail, L2/L3 Amateur, Select and 14-18 Showmanship and Horsemanship. In addition, the 2020 Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit will feature a series of amazing awards and parties, including a New Year’s Eve extravaganza. Save the date for Dec. 27-31, 2020, and then check flgoldcoastcircuit.com for schedules and forms when they become available in August.

For additional information on the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit, please visit flgoldcoastcircuit.com.

APHA World Championship Show to Offer Invitational Class for IHSA Western Open Riders

Photo APHA/Paint Horse Journal.

Fairfield, Conn. – June 3, 2020 – The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) will offer an invitational class for the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) 2020 Western Regional Open division high-point riders at their APHA World Championship Show. The premier all-age breed show will be held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas, Sept. 21 – Oct. 4, 2020. The APHA will announce the schedule details when they are confirmed.

“APHA is very excited about the opportunity to host this event,” said Dave Dellin, American Paint Horse Association’s senior director of judges, shows, and education. “This will be an awesome opportunity for lots of young equestrians to experience the Paint horse and the APHA World Show.”

This year, the APHA World Championship Show will offer Open, Amateur, and Youth Divisions. This event is the first time IHSA will participate in the APHA event and kicks off a new partnership between the two organizations.

“We are thrilled that the APHA has offered this class to our Western high-point riders,” said Peter Cashman, IHSA executive director. “It is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our members and our organization at a major event. We look forward to working with the APHA.”

IHSA 2020 Western Regional high-point riders are invited to participate and horses will be provided. Though the show is produced by the APHA, the riders will draw for horses and the division will be run much like the IHSA classes. The invitational class will be a two-phase competition with a horsemanship and a reining phase.

The IHSA has showcased their Open level hunter seat riders at events like the Longines Masters New York and the National Horse Show in Lexington, Kentucky. The APHA World Championship Show will be the first-ever standalone feature class for IHSA Western Open riders at a world-class competition.

For more information, go to IHSAinc.com or contact media@IHSAinc.com.

FEI Board Approves Resolutions Based on Calendar Task Forces Proposals

The FEI Board held an extraordinary meeting 27 April 2020 to review proposals from six of the discipline-specific Calendar Task Forces. Discussions at the meeting, which was held via videoconference, were on Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Vaulting, and Reining.

During the meeting, the FEI Board agreed that discussions and decisions on FEI Championships for all age categories and disciplines, and potential initiatives to help Organisers, will be deferred to its June meeting.

National Federations and Organisers whose Calendar date applications/modifications have been approved by the FEI during the Covid-19 period have been informed that no guarantee of exclusivity will be provided to them for the new Calendar dates and that equal consideration of all future Calendar date applications/modifications will be given by the relevant Calendar Task Force and by the FEI Board.

Other key takeaways from the meeting are:

Jumping: Due to the uncertainty about the organisation of Competitions worldwide during July and August 2020, the Board has approved all Calendar date applications/modifications for Jumping Events that take place up to and including 30 August 2020. No date clash rules will apply for this period.

Dressage: date applications and/or modifications for high level events (CDI5*/CDI4*/CDI3* and CDI-W) must reach the FEI eight weeks prior to the event. Date clash rules will not apply to CDI3*.

Eventing: date applications and/or modifications for CCI5* & CCI4* Long Format must reach the FEI six weeks prior to the event; date applications and/or modifications for CCI4* Short Format and all other Events must reach the FEI four weeks prior to the Event.

Driving: date applications and/or modifications must reach the FEI four weeks prior to the Event.

Vaulting: date applications and/or modifications must reach the FEI four weeks prior to the Event.

Reining: date applications and/or modifications must reach the FEI four weeks prior to the Event.

Detailed information on resolutions for each discipline are available here.

The Dressage Calendar Task Force held its second meeting 28 April to review applications received for higher-level events. The Jumping Calendar Task Force will hold its third meeting on 4 May 2020, followed by Eventing’s second meeting on 14 May when its Task Force will review applications for higher-level event date changes.

Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Communications
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Shannon Gibbons
Media Relations and Communications Manager
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 4

Craving a Horse Show? Get Your Daily Fix at Horse & Country’s Free Sports Zone

London, U.K. – April 15, 2020 – With the cancellation of equestrian sporting events around the world due to COVID-19, you may be craving the excitement of cheering on your favorite riders at a horse show. Though you won’t be able to watch thrilling competitions in person, you can head on over to Horse & Country each day to virtually transport yourself to the best venues around the world with their Free Sports Zone.

Taking place every evening of the week at 8 p.m. EST, H&C broadcasts highlights of many 2019 competitions for free. Available on their channel called H&C Free, the Free Sports Zone includes jumping, reining, eventing, dressage, and other disciplines to be enjoyed by the entire family.

Don’t let the quarantine and time away from the show ring get you down. In addition to the Free Sports Zone, equestrian fans have the opportunity to enjoy documentaries and educational series 24/7 broadcast on H&C Free. Head on over to H&C Free now to get your daily fix of all things horses.

This Week’s Free Sports Zone Schedule Nightly at 8pm:

Wednesday, April 15: Ram Freestyle Reining at the National Western Stock Show
One of the spectators’ favorite events at the National Western Stock Show, the $25,000 RAM Invitational Freestyle Reining, features top U.S. reiners competing creative freestyles with fun music and costumes.

Thursday, April 16: 2019 Blair Castle Horse Trials
Set in the stunning Cairngorm Mountains of North Scotland, watch the highlights from the Blair Castle Horse Trials to find out which up-and-comer scored her first CCI4* win of her career!

Friday, April 17: 2019 Horseboarding Championships
You do not want to miss out on the wild phenomenon that is the sport of Horseboarding, an extreme sport which combines horseback riding with mountain boarding.

Saturday, April 18: CSI5*-W Boehringer-Ingelheim at Equita 2019
Transport yourself to Lyon, France to catch the highlights and watch how Julien Epaillard took the win on his home turf in the CSI5*-W Boehringer-Ingelheim.

Sunday, April 19: 2019 FEI Jumping Nations Cup Series Final
You will have the opportunity to watch the world’s best riders who punched their tickets to Barcelona, Spain after a rigorous qualification series, as they represent their nation in the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final.

Monday, April 20: 1990 Burghley Horse Trials
As one the world’s best three-day events, Burghley Horse Trials is iconic for equestrians. Go back in time to look back on the 1990 event where New Zealand’s Mark Todd claims his second Burghley title.

Tuesday, April 21: 2019 FEI Eventing Nation Cup Series
Can’t get enough eventing? Tune in to enjoy the first round of the 2019 FEI Eventing Nation Cup series from Houghton Hall, UK.

H&C TV broadcasts in Europe, Australia, and in the United States on cable, satellite, and broadband television, including Roku, and online at www.horseandcountrytv.us.

Jacksonville Equestrian Center Update

In compliance with the City of Jacksonville, Parks and Recreation Department, and Mayors Office, the Jacksonville Equestrian Center will be closed until further notice, as are all other City venues.

The events currently affected include, but are not limited to:
Dressage on the First Coast, March 14-15
FRHA Reining Show, March 20-22
Shamrock Showdown Barrel Show, March 27-28
Jacksonville Spring Classics, April 2-11

This list will be updated as we have additional information. We will stay in close contact with all show managers on upcoming events.

Please use the “Contact Us” form on our website if you have any further questions. We can also be reached via phone on our main number at 904-255-4254.

Health and safety are our number one concern. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.

http://www.jaxequestriancenter.com/send-us-a-message/

Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit Celebrates Another Successful Year

Bob Johnson and A Busy Affair. Photo: Cody Parmenter.

Tampa, Fla. – Dec. 31, 2019 – The Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit celebrated another successful year with a tsunami of entries throughout 2020’s five-day event, which was an extra day due to the incredible popularity of the event. Taking place at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center, top Quarter Horses and riders from North America and Europe traveled to the Florida State Fairgrounds to compete for coveted High Point awards, Circuit Champion awards, and valuable year-end points.

High Point winners received a Porta Cool Jetstream 220 Cooler worth $999.95, and Reserve High Point honorees received a beautiful satin cooler, while third place overall received a custom garment bag.

Impressively, the Bob and Karen Johnson Quarter Horse barn took home two Porta Cool coolers. Bob was the High Point winner in Versatility Ranch Horse (VRH) Open with A Busy Affair, and his student, Anna Mackay, captured the championship on Gunna Wreckya in the VRH Youth for the second consecutive year. Bob’s wife, Karen, was the Reserve Champion in the VRH Open on Gotta Hot Gun.

Taylor Kungle and Krymsun Belle marked their final year in the Novice Amateur classes by taking home one of the Porta Cool coolers as the High Point Champion. She is looking forward to moving up to the Amateur division next year.

Sandy Vargo won Senior High Point Award with her 8-year-old gelding, Dancin N The Dirt. Although the Ohio resident hands the reins over to her trainer Chuck Briggs and her good friend Terrie Booth in the show ring, she enjoys their victories as much as if she were in the saddle.

For additional information on the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit, please visit their website.

National and International Challengers Compete at Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit

Switzerland’s Philipp Roos and Good Luck Only. Photo: Cody Parmenter.

Tampa, Fla. – Dec. 30, 2019 – The Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit features world-class competition, a top-notch facility, and great weather, which annually attracts the nation’s best Quarter Horses and riders, as well as contenders from foreign soil. On the fourth day of the five-day event at the Florida State Fairgrounds, the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center showcased a group of competitors who traveled great distances to take part in this renowned event.

Philipp Roos, hailing from Zürich, Switzerland, has been coming to the horse show for four years. His 8-year-old gelding, Good Luck Only, has amassed more frequent flyer miles than most people, coming to the United States on connecting flights that included a 10-hour flight from Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Marie-France D’hondt, of Gembloux, Belgium, has traveled to the event for nearly a decade. She believes that showing in the U.S. is like spending time with family. To her, winning is secondary, and taking part in the sport is what counts.

Dr. Carole Joubert Gaboury made the journey from Montreal in Canada because of the level of competition that the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit offers. The veterinarian is especially proud of her mare, My Precious Gab, a fifth-generation home-bred.

The Kennedy clan, of Seattle, Washington, did not cross any borders on their inaugural journey to the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit. However, Phillip, Anne, and their two daughters Taylor, 15, and Camille,12, felt the trip to the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit was worth the trek. After a life-altering event, they realized that time was too precious to be apart, so they coordinated their work and school schedules in order to experience the show circuit as a family.

Watch all five days of the 2019 Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit live, sponsored by Morrissey Management Group, on the home page of the horse show’s website. The daily feed will rotate rings so that viewers are able to view competition in each ring at some point throughout the week.

To view the all-new 2019 Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit schedule of events, please click here.

Families Face Fierce Rivalries and Friendly Competition at Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit

Kenneth Banks. Photo: Cody Parmenter.

Tampa, Fla. – Dec. 29, 2019 – Families have been competing, some against each other, at the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit with the nation’s best Quarter Horses for more than half a century. Each year, hundreds of riders participate in the renowned event at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center, so it is not unusual to find siblings and spouses vying for the top spots. One would expect them to be rivals, but in the case of the Banks family and the Potts family, the rivalry is more friendly than fierce.

This year, Kenneth and Laina Banks, of Schulenberg, Texas, trailered five horses to compete at the Florida State Fairgrounds in the Versatility Ranch Horse (VRH), Pleasure, and Western Riding classes. They live together, ranch together and, several weeks out of the year, show together. They wouldn’t have it any other way. The couple takes turns in the spotlight, but win or lose, they offer each other unending support.

The Potts siblings, of Fountain Inn, South Carolina, have been coming to the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit ever since they first sat in the saddle. Alexis, 14, and Riley, 10, have been past Circuit Champions and occasionally competed against each other. Instead of a fierce rivalry, the brother-and-sister duo have only respect and admiration for each other, making for friendly competition.

Watch all five days of the 2019 Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit live, sponsored by Morrissey Management Group, on the home page of the horse show’s website. The daily feed will rotate rings so that viewers are able to view competition in each ring at some point throughout the week.

To view the all-new 2019 Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit schedule of events, please click here.

Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit Breaks Entry Records on Second Day

Dale Hamilton and My Sweet Assets. Photo: Cody Parmenter.

Tampa, Fla. – Dec. 28, 2019 – The second day of the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit (FGCQHC) at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center featured more than 2,500 entries in six rings of competition. On Saturday, world-class horses and riders were showcased in American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), American Paint Horse Association (APHA), and National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA) classes at the Florida State Fairgrounds as they competed for valuable points for year-end titles.

One of the riders homing in on a title was Dr. Kathleen Lennon of New Albany, Ohio. Lennon and her 12-year-old gelding, One N Only Krymsun, won under one of the judge’s cards in AQHA Novice Amateur Pleasure. The pair lead the nation in the AQHA and NSBA Novice Amateur Western Pleasure standings, and Lennon is hoping their performance this week will secure the titles. When not in the saddle, Lennon is a practicing veterinarian.

Dale Hamilton, of Oxford, Ohio, and My Sweet Assets won a nine-point class in the AQHA Level 3 Junior Trail class. Owned by Cheryl and Reed Alan Kolb, Hamilton and the 5-year-old gelding topped one of the three judges’ cards, an impressive feat after only five months of showing. Cheryl Kolb is hoping for similar results when she shows My Sweet Assets in horsemanship and equitation classes later in the week.

With two mounts, Currie Cooper won on two different horses in the Short/Long Stirrup classes. The 8-year-old resident of Point Clear, Alabama won under all three judges’ cards on Peppys Smokin Bars in the over fences class and swept the Equitation on the Flat class aboard Snowbound.

Watch all five days of the 2019 Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit live, sponsored by Morrissey Management Group, on the home page of the horse show’s website. The daily feed will rotate rings so that viewers are able to view competition in each ring at some point throughout the week.

To view the all-new 2019 Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit schedule of events, please click here.

Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit Commences with Record Entries

Sarah Lebsock and Version of Goodbar were class winners in the Amateur Showmanship at Halter. Photo: Cody Parmenter.

Tampa, Fla. – Dec. 27, 2019 – The Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit returned to the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center for a record five-day run at the Florida State Fairgrounds on Friday. In 2018, the event was named one of the top 10 American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) shows in the country and the sixth-largest AQHA show in the nation. It has become so popular that it became necessary for show management, An Equine Production, to add one day of competition in order to accommodate the increased entries.

“The show is bigger than ever. The number of horses competing and the number of entries are way up,” said Kathy Avolt of An Equine Production. “We added the extra day because we realized that the exhibitors needed time to school as well as to show. We didn’t want to make the days too long; we want them to enjoy their experience, so we extended the show. It’s an amazing problem to have!”

The nation’s top Quarter Horses and riders will compete for vital year-end points and coveted circuit awards throughout the five days. Saturday’s schedule includes American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA) hunter, jumper, pleasure, horsemanship, and trail classes.

Watch all five days of the 2019 Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit live, sponsored by Morrissey Management Group, on the home page of the horse show’s website. The daily feed will rotate rings so that viewers are able to view competition in each ring at some point throughout the week.

To view the all-new 2019 Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit schedule of events, please click here.