In Search of Higher Education
Wednesday, April 18 2012
Hi! I’m so excited to be the newest blogger to join Sidelines. I can’t wait to fill these entries with stories, questions, and other musings, and mostly, look forward to hearing from you all! I wanted to begin this first blog with a quote, and there’s one in particular that always sticks out in my head. “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” ~Winston Churchill This quote more or less sums up how I feel about riding, and horses in general. I figure, seeing as you’re here reading this blog, you probably agree with me. I’ve been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to ride some wonderful horses throughout my lifetime – from my very first pony, Texas, to Lando, my favorite Stanford University team horse, to Palermo, my partner of three years who successfully showed me the ropes in the Young Rider arena, they’ve all taught me something
- Published in General, Higher Education, Z-Blogs
Atlanta Summer Classics- Something for Every Rider Nearly $300,000 in Prize Money Up for Grabs
Tuesday, April 17 2012
Pony Power ©Flashpoint Photography April 15, 2012-St Johns Island, SC - Still undecided on summer plans? Bob Bell, President of Classic Company, would like to tempt you, “Our summer events are bursting at the seams with great offerings! We’ve taken exhibitors’ horse show wish list and made them a reality!” The Atlanta Summer Classics, held at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, GA, is a USEF AA rated two week event beginning June 13 through June 24. This year’s event will play host to the inaugural $25,000 Pony Hunter Derby Classic. “This will be the first of two $25,000 Pony events for the summer. We have some of the country’s best talent in our pony sections and I think it’s time they get rewarded for their efforts.”Bell said
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
English Riding Supply To Sponsor Ovation Leading Rider Awards at Horse Shows by the Bay
Tuesday, April 17 2012
Horse Sports by the Bay Inc., is pleased to announce that English Riding Supply is returning this year as a Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival Platinum Sponsor and as the sponsor of the Ovation Leading Rider Awards. The Ovation Leading Rider Awards Program has been part of the Hunter/Jumper awards program at Horse Shows by the Bay since 2007. The circuit awards are given to the top winning rider in each of the 12 categories recognized – from Pony Hunter to Open Jumper. Riders who accumulate the most points at the end of the four week circuit win a $500 gift certificate to redeem from the comprehensive English Riding Supply catalog. Winners will receive their awards during Horse Shows by the Bay Series IV. Says Alex Rheinheimer, Horse Sports by the Bay Inc., owner and show manager, “The Ovation Leading Rider Awards are among the highlights for our participants each year. For them, choosing from such noted brands like Ovation, Pessoa, Centaur, and Veredus guarantees that they’ll find something of value and that is useful. For me, I especially like this type of award as it rewards consistency. I can’t thank English Riding Supply enough for their continued support of our horse show and of this wonderful awards program”. English Riding Supply’s Centaur is also the show’s Official Horse Clothier and will dress the show’s Grand Hunter Champions in style with Centaur Wool Coolers plus provide beautiful Turbo Dry Show Sheets for the Hunter and Jumper Classic winners. Series II and Series IV Champions will also receive an embroidered Centaur Dress Scrim Sheet for their accomplishments. English Riding Supply’s Peggy Murray will be onsite during Horse Shows by the Bay and will be providing additional prizes and gift certificates.
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
NCEA Championship
Monday, April 16 2012
AMPING UP FOR NATIONALS At the close of the Mustangs’ regular season, we ranked 5 th in the nation and had amply qualified for National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) Championship. With a potential roster in place, the show girls’ practices intensified to meet the demands of the impending competition. We scrimmaged the weekend before Nationals on our own horses so coaches could make one last assessment and finalize the roster. On Monday afternoon we packed up the trailer and on Tuesday morning we shipped out to Waco with four horses and eleven teammates. DAY 1 Obviously I’d gotten way too accustomed to my classes starting at 10AM because my 6:45AM wake-up seemed preposterously too early. In retrospect of the week, or even an average horse show, 6:45 is sleeping-in. Too tired to remember breakfast, I lugged my duffel, backpack, boot and helmet bags across campus to meet my teammates at the van that would take us to Waco
Rolex Kentucky Sets Impressive Stage
Sunday, April 15 2012
Rolex Kentucky, presented by Bridgestone, takes center stage April 25-29 at the Kentucky Horse Park when North America’s premier international four-star event showcases an international roster of horses and riders. The stakes are high with $250,000 in prize money, plus … [Read more]
- Published in Weekly Feature
Five Questions for Chase Hickok
Saturday, April 14 2012
Stanford University student Chase Hickok is experiencing college at its best. The 21 year old English major from Durham, North Carolina is focusing on her education while still riding and competing thanks to the fact that her Dutch Warmblood gelding … [Read more]
- Published in Sidelines Feature
The Rules of the Game
Thursday, April 12 2012
In college, I am constantly meeting new people. When they find out that I am on the equestrian team, inevitably they ask, “How does that work exactly?” Even fellow riders ask this question. NCAA riding uses a system concocted specifically for the purpose of judging athletes’ equitation on an even playing field.
Nordic Lights Farm Earns Winning Awards at Spring Gathering Charity Horse Show
Wednesday, April 11 2012
Katy, TX – April 4, 2012 – The horses and riders at Nordic Lights Farm had another stellar performance at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center during the Spring Gathering Charity Horse Show. Eirin Bruheim piloted NLF Transatlantic to a victory in the $5,000 Spring Gathering Classic, while her sister Lene Bruheim took home the blue in the High Children’s Jumpers with Jessika. After earning the High Performance Working Hunter Reserve Championship, Peter Pletcher and NLF Shakespeare’s Rhythm were presented with the Houston Spring Series Circuit Championship.
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
Qualify for the Finals
Tuesday, April 10 2012
Since WEF has finished and the majority of the “big,” equitation riders have left town, it is time for our less experienced or younger riders to take the stage and compete for those crucial points that qualify them for the USEF medal, the ASPCA maclay, and USEF talent search finals. Circuit is a difficult time to qualify because all the best juniors are here in Florida and vying for those precious wins that not only help them qualify for the year end final, but also for the very prestigious George Morris equitation classic, a special event for big Eq class winners during the season. This big event has taken on a life all it’s own, and has become such a big deal, that the Eq kids treat the class as if it were one of the finals
- Published in General, In the Irons, Z-Blogs