Pine Top
Tuesday, February 28 2012
The 2012 Pine Top Farm Advanced Horse Trials organizers had one ordeal after another to deal with this past weekend. Pine Top Farm, in Thomson, Georgia, was the scene of the area’s first Advanced competition for the season and when they realized a week or so beforehand that they couldn’t run everyone in the three phases in the daylight, they had to notify 280 riders that the Dressage and Cross Country phases of Advanced had been moved to Friday. Then Friday opened with a Tornado watch and a Severe Storm Warning. Dressage went on as scheduled but then the skies opened up with such a torrential downpour that riders, horses and grooms sought shelter in trailers and barns hoping that the roofs didn’t blow off. In fact, some distance to the north exactly that happened. Again, the organizers were notifying everyone of a change to the schedule – Cross Country was now moved to Saturday: look at the order of go published on the internet, subtract two hours from the Friday time and off you went. Organizers scrambled for volunteer fence judges but the event went off as planned. The view from the inside of the Aiken Brew Pub during Friday's storm. High winds and hail brought down trees and then the electricity. Saturday dawned bright, crisp, with low humidity and the clear blue skies for which this area of the south is known. One of the early jumps of the day, successfully cleared, a stroller sans baby. A view of 19 and 20A,B and C and 21 on the Advanced cross country course.
Literary Horses Loose in Houston Public Library through March 30, 2012
Monday, February 27 2012
Riders read and Pin Oak Charity Horse Show encourages reading in the greater Houston Community through The Literary Horse: When Legends Come to Life Exhibit by Vanessa Wright, a pairing of photographs of today’s horses and riders with quotations from the world’s greatest book. (Houston, TX) – Does Black Beauty live at the end of your street? Does Pegasus take wing from the pasture around the corner? Explore The Literary Horse: When Legends Come to Life equine photography exhibit to find out! From Achilles receiving his immortal chargers to Don Quixote’s farewell to Rocinante, literature is full of unforgettable stories and poetry about heroic horses and horse-people.
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
TEAM USA Poster Contest!
Friday, February 24 2012
[Wellington, FL] As Nations Cup Night draws near, the United States is calling on all fans to show their support. This weekend, Saturday February 25 and Sunday, February 26, Junior and pony riders are invited to create and submit a poster for the “Team USA Poster Contest.” Poster supplies will be available in the Winter Equestrian Festival Family Center located near the pony rings from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
2012 Marks 100 Years of Equestrians in the Olympics
Friday, February 24 2012
FEI President looks forward to another 100 years of equestrian sport in Olympic Movement. The London 2012 Olympic Games marks 100 years of equestrian sport in the Olympic movement, and FEI President HRH Princess Haya is looking forward to celebrating the centenary at Greenwich Park this summer. “We are really proud to be celebrating 100 years of Olympic equestrian sport at the London 2012 Games and it’s wonderful that we will be doing that at an iconic venue like Greenwich Park right in the heart of the Games,” FEI President HRH Princess Haya said today. “Greenwich Park is the second largest venue in London 2012 and tickets for the Cross Country were one of the fastest to sell out. Demand has been so high for our sport that tickets for all the equestrian disciplines were sold out in a matter of weeks, establishing us as one of the most popular sports in the Games. “This is a real milestone for our sport and is worthy of celebration as it confirms that we are really competing with the other top sports on the number of spectators we can pull in. We’re aspiring to provide one of the top quality products of the Games and we can really say to the big international federations, watch out, we’re here now! “We have worked tirelessly over the past number of years to ensure that horse sport falls in line with all the IOC requirements, that it is clean, transparent, cost effective and safe
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
A Needy Nag Gets a Second Chance as a Therapy Horse
Friday, February 24 2012
When Oliver, a 13 hand, nine year old paint pony, arrived at WHHOA Horse Rescue (We Help Horses of America) near Aiken, South Carolina, founders Shannon and Jerry Stratton hoped they could help him find a better life. While that’s … [Read more]
- Published in Weekly Feature
Uh Oh
Thursday, February 23 2012
This afternoon the USEF announced that it is going to stop playing dumb. They placed Gamma Aminobutyric acid on the Prohibited List, so that if they ever develop a test to find it, and can establish a normal versus abnormal range found in the average horse, they will start prosecuting those whose horses test over that range
- Published in Injecting Perspective, Z-Blogs
California’s Dressage Riders Begin Olympic Journey at This Weekend’s Mid-Winter Dressage Fair CDI-W/Y/J in Burbank
Tuesday, February 21 2012
BURBANK, CA –The 2012 Mid-Winter Dressage Fair CDI-W/Y/J, which begins Thursday, February 23 in Burbank, CA and continues through Sunday, February 26, is the first West Coast qualifying competition for the 2012 Olympic Games Dressage Team Selection Trials and will provide a glimpse of some of the country’s most exciting new horse and rider combinations. Steffen Peters and his new partner "Legolas" will make their international competition debut at this weekend's Mid-Winter Dressage Fair CDI-W/Y/J in Burbank, CA. Photo: Terri Miller. An international field of ten horses and riders will contest the CDI Grand Prix division, headlined by American dressage superstar and Olympian Steffen Peters with his spectacular new partner, “Legolas.” In only their second show together, Peters is bringing Akiko Yamazaki’s ten-year-old Westfalen gelding to the Mid-Winter Dressage Fair for their FEI competition debut and the pursuit of crucial qualifying scores to hopefully join his famous stablemate “Ravel” in consideration for an invitation to London. Additionally, fellow Olympian Guenter Seidel will present his new mount, Toyon Farm’s “Fandango”, but will be competing for top honors against his famous 2009 World Cup Finals “Phantom of the Opera” Pas de Deux partner Elizabeth Ball and “Orion”, as well as perennial favorites Kathleen Raine with “Breanna”; Canada’s Lindsey Stroh riding “Lancelot”; Yvonne Losos de Muñiz and “Liebling II” representing the Dominican Republic; and Jan Ebeling with “Rafalca”, who represented the USA at last year’s Reem Acra/FEI World Cup Dressage Finals
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
Paradise
Monday, February 20 2012
The Paradise Farm Winter Horse Trials took place this weekend, February 17-19, in Aiken, South Carolina with some 280 rider/horse combinations registered to compete Beginner Novice through Preliminary. Paradise Farm is situated in the middle of the eventing venues of Aiken, just east of Downtown. Paradise Farm looking toward the Cross Country Course
Pony Kids
Sunday, February 19 2012
Name: Ellee Perri
Hometown : Joppa, Maryland
Age: 12
Ponies: Mardi Gras and Noelle
Trainers : Patti Fenwick and Dona Ruth
Of all the ponies you’ve ridden which are your favorites: That’s hard to say because all … [Read more]
- Published in Pony Kids
A Chat With Dressage Rider Genay Vaughn
Friday, February 17 2012
High school senior Genay Starr Vaughn grew up riding in sunny California, where her mom, Michele Vaughn, is a dressage rider and trainer. “My mom started riding dressage when I was little which had a big influence on me. I … [Read more]
- Published in Weekly Feature