May 21 st ~2012, Conyers, GA- Yesterday marked the conclusion of the 9 th annual Atlanta Spring Challenge Horse Show.   The event took place at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, GA and saw a record number of participants this year.  “We are beyond thrilled with the turnout”, said show organizer JP Godard.  Godard, based out of his hometown of Aiken, SC, and his Equus Events have produced the show for the past nine years.  “I have to thank all of our exhibitors, staff, and sponsors for their continued support of Equus Events and the Atlanta Spring Challenge Horse Show”, it is a team effort and without that support it is tough to grow in this economy”.  “We have managed to build this event up the past 9 years and I am really looking forward to going all out for our 10 th anniversary next year!” Aaron Vale and Admiral Clover (Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography) The much anticipated $25,000 Atlanta Spring Challenge Grand Prix took place Saturday evening under the lights in the International Arena with 38 horse rider teams competing and a huge crowd set to cheer them on.  Olympic silver medalist Michel Vaillancourt designed a course that was challenging giving many riders some tricky spots to contest with.  The final jump, the Fenwick oxer #13 proved to be one of the more problematic spots as 9 riders had that final rail down in the first round.  After the initial round, 11 horses and riders graduated to the jump off including 2 entries for Ocala, FL based riders Aaron Vale and Sharn Wordley.  With only 4 clean, Aaron Vale and Carmen Rojas Admiral Clover soared to the win with a time of 40.648 just edging out Vale’s second jump off qualifier Tibor owned by Bonnie Smith.  Megan Edrick also hailing from Ocala, FL took home the third place ribbon with the Procedures, Inc. owned entry of Cadence while Sharn Wordley and his Cederick rounded out the top 4 spots. During the class, exhibitors and spectators gathered ringside of the International ring to enjoy the show’s annual Preakness Party and Exhibitors Dinner which was graciously sponsored by Daniel and Cathy Geitner and their DFG Stables.  The annual event also included a viewing of the 137 th Preakness Stakes on a big screen TV which was provided by the Kasper Family and Dr. Juan and Jennifer Gamboa.  The screams and cheers could be heard throughout the show grounds as I’ll Have Another kept his Triple Crown hopes in an unbelievable finish.  A clothing sale and raffle fundraiser for beloved horse show braider Linda Tinkler was also a part of Saturday evening’s events.  At the time of this press release over $4,500 had been raised to support Linda and her fight with breast cancer.  If you are interested in making a donation to this wonderful cause please contact Equus Events at 803-643-5698 or Megan@equusevents.com Sunday, the final showing day brought blue skies and many exciting finishes in the hunter and jumper rings.   In the jumper ring, Hayley Waters and her Tommy Bahama took home the blue in the $7,500 High Jr/Ao Jumper Classic over Meg Omara and Walstib Stable’s Aragon Rouet who finished second.  Jared Peterson and Liviticus finished up in third.  Nelson Long and ML Hartwick capped off an exciting week by winning the NAL/WIHS Adult Jumper Classic over Dr.

Lexington , KY – May 20, 2012 - Kent Farrington concluded the Kentucky Spring Classic on a great note, claiming first and second during this morning’s $20,000 Bluegrass Classic aboard Venus and Voyeur, respectively. With a baker’s dozen in the jump-off, Farrington completed the fastest two double-clear efforts with the talented mounts. Young rider Michael Murphy earned the third place award with his fault-free short course, following right on Farrington’s heels with Audi’s Allouette Van Het Lambroeck. Kent Farrington and Venus won the $20,000 Bluegrass Classic at the Kentucky Spring Classic. (Photo by Rebecca Walton/PMG) For today’s first round, Olaf Petersen Jr. created a track that included a triple bar, an oxer-vertical double combination, an oxer-vertical-oxer triple combination, and finished with an open water option.

While Hector Florentino kick-started the winning streak for the Step by Step Foundation by riding the bay gelding Ultimo to victory in the $35,000 Open Welcome at the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows, it was the teens who stole the spotlight for the international non-profit.  Emanuel Andrade, who trains with Angel Karolyi of Hollow Creek, was a stand-out star putting in fault-free rounds on all five of his Junior Jumpers in both the Highs and the Lows while his competitor Daniela Stransky admitted that (on Sunday) the downpour was so bad that she could barely see the fences in the Junior Jumper classic.  Another rider for “team” SBS from Stransky’s Mission Farm was Jose Fernando Bonetti, who got luckier when it came to weather and piloted Light to the Children’s Jumper Championship the first week. Team Step by Step's Hector Florentino, Daniela Stransky and Jose Fernando Bonettie celebrate at Kentucky Spring Horse Shows   Emanuel Andrade, who also rides for Steb by Step, put in fault free fast rounds on all five horses, including Mikos who won the Junior Jumper Championship   Daniela Stransky finding the fences aboard her chestnut mare Starlight during Junior Jumper downpour... All photos by Ingrid Sabater

Lexington , KY – May 20, 2012- Today marked the conclusion of the Kentucky Spring Classic, and there were nothing but blue skies to greet the Junior Hunter divisions as the morning got underway. Horse and rider combinations gathered to compete for the championship honors, as they went neck and neck for the remaining ribbons. Victoria Colvin and Ovation garnered the Small Junior 15 & Under Hunter Championship, the first division of the day. Victoria Colvin and Ovation earned the Small Junior 15 & Under Hunter Championship on the conclusion of the Kentucky Spring Classic. (Photo by Kendall Bierer/PMG) The Small Junior 15 & Under Hunters saw intense competition first thing in the morning, with junior riders returning for the second day of competition

Equestrian Athlete Takes One More Step on the Road to the 2012 London Olympics Burlington, Ontario – David Marcus, 31, of Campbellville, ON, took another step on the road to the 2012 London Olympics, winning both the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special at the CDI3* Canada Classic, an international dressage competition held May 18-20 in Burlington, ON. David Marcus riding Chrevi’s Capital won the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special at the CDI3* Canada Classic held May 18-20 in Burlington, Ontario. (Photo by Sue Stickle) Having only received his Canadian citizenship in December, Marcus scored his first international grand prix victory with a win in Friday’s Grand Prix at the CDI3* Canada Classic.  Riding Chrevi’s Capital, owned by Deborah Kinzinger, Marcus earned a score of 68.681%.  The final ride of the day belonged to 2008 Canadian Olympian Jacqueline Brooks aboard D-Niro, but her score of 68.234% was not enough to knock Marcus out of top spot.  2011 Pan American Games Team Gold Medalist, Cesar Parra of the United States, scored 67.213% with Van the Man to place third while Marcus also took fourth, earning a score of 66.447% with Don Kontes, also owned by Kinzinger. “Chrevi’s Capital had a personal best score of over 68%, even with a few significant mistakes,” said Marcus, referring to his Grand Prix test on Friday.  “The mistakes were not in the difficult movements, but in the extended trot, which is usually a strong movement for him, in the passage to canter transition, and then I made a rider error on the placement of my second canter pirouette, which was very costly for me.  Those are all things that are usually quite strong for him so, going into Saturday, I knew they were easy mistakes to fix.  To still earn over 68%, even with those mistakes, was pretty great!” In Saturday’s Grand Prix Special, Marcus widened the gap between himself and the competition, posting a career-best score of 72.356% to win over Brooks who earned 69.578%.  All five international judges awarded Marcus a score of over 70 percent, giving him not only the highest score of his grand prix career, but also one of the highest scores obtained by any Canadian dressage competitor in the 2012 Olympic qualifying process. “The best way to describe my ride was that it just felt easy,” said Marcus of Saturday’s Grand Prix Special performance with Chrevi’s Capital.  “He was on my aids and I was basically guiding him around; it was so simple.  He really wanted to be there for me, and it all felt very easy.  We were able to clean up our mistakes from Friday, and the judges rewarded us for it.” Even more impressive, his mount, Chrevi’s Capital, a 12-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (Chrevi’s Lavallo x Weinberg), only began competing at the Olympic level of grand prix in January. “I am ecstatic!” said Marcus of his horse’s aptitude and growth at the top level of the sport.  “He is only five and a half months into his grand prix career, and he has already moved up 10 percentage points in his scores from his grand prix debut to this competition.  He still wasn’t at full capacity, and I know there is so much more potential in there.  I am excited to see where he can go!” Previously ranked fifth overall in the race for a spot on the 2012 Canadian Olympic Dressage Team, Marcus expects to move into third place once the scores from the CDI3* Canada Classic are calculated.  The Canadian Dressage Team will take four horse-rider combinations to the 2012 Olympic Games where three will compete while the fourth acts as the alternate

Palgrave, Ontario—Caledon Equestrian Park in Palgrave, Ontario, was the first sport venue to be named for the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games in a special groundbreaking ceremony held May 18.  TO2015, the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games Organizing Committee, the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the Town of Caledon joined together to announce Caledon Equestrian Park as the official venue for equestrian sport, while also unveiling plans for facility improvements and community legacy. Canadian Equestrian Team members Jill Henselwood and Yann Candele (both standing), speak at the official groundbreaking ceremony naming Caledon Equestrian Park as a host venue for the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games. (Photo by ShootPhoto.ca) Held during the Caledon National show jumping tournament, competition was halted to allow athletes and their families and friends to gather for the groundbreaking ceremony.  Canadian Equestrian Team members Yann Candele ofCaledon,ON, and 2008 Olympic Team Silver medalist Jill Henselwood participated in the on-site announcement. “After years of preparation and planning, we are honoured not only to have Caledon Equestrian Park named as the official host of equestrian sport for the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games, but to also be selected as the very first sport venue announced by the TO2015 Organizing Committee,” said Craig Collins of Equestrian Management Group (EMG), a funding partner and the operating group of Caledon Equestrian Park.  “To make the announcement in front of hundreds of our competitors, whether they are children on ponies or junior riders with international aspirations, really underlines the legacy that hosting the Pan Am events will create for the future of our sport.  I am sure many of these young riders will remember gathering together on the hill for this momentous announcement, and possibly start dreaming of one day standing on the podium to claim a medal for our country.” Mike Gallagher, President of Equine Canada, echoed those sentiments, recognizing the impact hosting the Pan/Parapan American Games will have on equestrian sport both locally and nationwide

May 19 th , 2012~ Conyers, GA- It was a bustling evening at the acclaimed Georgia International Horse Park as the crowd watched 25 of the country’s top hunter riders compete under the lights in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by Dietrich and Company Equine Insurance.  No stranger to the winner’s circle, Liza Boyd took home the blue ribbon last evening aboard Mrs. Janet Peterson and Finally Farm’s Quatrain while capturing the second place on her and Mrs. Janet Peterson’s Brunello.   The team from Finally Farm in Camden, SC just came off a one, two win at the Aiken Spring Classic Derby and the Camden Spring Classic Derby back in April with Brunello taking the top spot over Quatrain in both of those classes

Wellington , FL- May 18, 2012- The Lionshare Farm team put in solid performances with great prizes throughout the first week at Old Salem.  Matti Fisher, who has been riding with Peter Leone and the LIonshare Farm team since 2005, won first place honors in the USEF Adult Equitation 3’3″ riding her own Peter Pan.  “I’ve had Peter Pan for so long that he’s just kind of like my old pair of sneakers. He’s so comfortable and awesome,” shared Fisher.  Fisher and Peter Pan also earned respectable ribbons in the 18-35 Amateur Owners and in the Handy Class of the Performance Hunters. Matti Fisher on her jumper Sans Souci getting last minute coaching from Peter Leone. (Photo by Carrie Wirth) Fisher recently added the jumpers to her riding repertoire.

Lexington, Kentucky – 15-year-old Emanuel Andrade of Venezuela rode a winning streak into Kentucky, scoring four victories and a championship title at the CSI3* Kentucky Spring Classic held May 9 to 13 in Lexington, Kentucky. 15-year-old Emanuel Andrade of Venezuela jumped clear with La Fe Forli in every High Junior Jumper class at the CSI3* Kentucky Spring Classic in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Rebecca Walton, Phelps Media Group) Following an incredible season at the 12-week FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival inWellington,Florida, Andrade continued his winning ways at theKentuckyHorsePark, site of the 2010 World Equestrian Games.  On his way to claiming the Low Junior Championship title with Mikos, Andrade jumped nine clear rounds out of 10 in the $2,500 Low Junior Jumper Classic held Sunday, May 13.  With a total of five horses entered, Andrade jumped clear on all five to qualify for the jump-off where he again went clear with four of his mounts.  His winning horse was Mikos while Casanova Junior placed fifth,Oxfordtook seventh and Luky des Rocquelines finished eighth. Having won Saturday’s class as well as the Low Junior Jumper Classic, Mikos earned the championship title for Andrade.  Formerly his mount in the children’s jumper divisions inVenezuelawhere Andrade is also an active competitor, Mikos has now joined Andrade’s string of top mounts in theUnited   States. “He’s a horse that needs to be properly balanced, but he is a very good jumper,” said Andrade, who topped a starting field of 32 entries to win the $2,500 Low Junior Jumper Classic.  “It was great to jump clear with all five of my horses, and then have four of them again go clear in the jump-off.  I couldn’t have asked for a better day!” On Friday, Andrade won the first Low Junior Jumper class of the week, taking victory with Luky des Rocquelines, a 13-year-old selle francais gelding, while Casanova Junior placed second. In the High Junior Jumper division, Andrade posted clear jumping rounds on all three days of competition with La Fe Forli, a 10-year-old gelding bred by SillaArgentina.  The pair placed third in Sunday’s $10,000 High Junior Jumper Classic while Andrade also took fourth on Costa. Andrade extended his success beyond the Junior Jumper divisions by winning Thursday’s Six-Year-Old Young Jumper competition with Black Pearl.  The pair had claimed victory inWellingtonduring the final week of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival in the highly-competitive Six-Year-Old Young Horse division.