Come Support the Palm Beach County Equestrian Special Olympics on Saturday, March 17!

Wellington, FL – On Saturday, March 17, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Special Olympics in Palm Beach County will have their competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Ring 6. Fifty-five riders will compete in classes that include English and Western Equitation, Dressage, Trail, Prix Caprilli (a combination of Dressage with jumps) and a special encore performance of the Vinceremos Superhero Drill Team at 11:45 a.m. Following the competition, the riders will participate in a parade of champions in the International Arena. The Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center is the training home for Palm Beach County Special Olympic Equestrian Team. Along with riders from VTRC, special guests from the Chateaublond Equestrian Center in Haiti will be present to compete in the competition
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The Olympic Dream Program for Advanced Young Riders

Funded and administered by The Dressage Foundation  The Dressage Foundation Young Rider Olympic Dream Program is ready to go for the eleventh year! The concept of the program evolved as a result of former Olympian Michael Poulin’s wish to offer an opportunity for gifted Young Riders to enhance their understanding of dressage theory through a European tour. The program is both funded and administered by The Dressage Foundation.
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Vinceramos Buck Off Final a Rousing Successs

[Wellington, FL] Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center (VTRC) located in Loxahatchee, FL, celebrated 30 years at its 25th annual Benefit Auction and Dinner on February 11, 2012 at the International Polo Club in Wellington, FL. VTRC, an organization that witnesses countless miracles on a daily basis and truly lives up to its meaning, “to overcome,” uses this annual benefit as a way to raise money for the organization to continue to help further its riders abilities to accomplish just that. The reaction for the Buck Off has been nothing but positive, creator of the event, Bobbi Rottman with Equine Solutions expressed. “The Buck Off has really morphed off into its own event,” expressed Ruth Menor, executive director of VTRC. “This whole event has just been a wonderful way to get a younger generation involved with Vinceremos and have a fun time doing it.” The Buck Off consisted of three preliminary rounds, where teams of four compete to stay on the raging mechanical bull, Old School.
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Eye on July

  With the goal of bringing home Gold from London this summer, the 2012 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team Training Sessions continue in Aiken, SC this winter, hosted by Ilene and Bob Boorman at their Mohaph Farm, the winter home for Boyd Martin, his staff and horses.  Mohaph Farm is located within the Bridle Creek Equestrian Community which also encompasses the training facilities of Phillip Dutton and Kevin Keane.     http://www.usef.org/documents/highPerformance/eventing/EventingHPP.pdf   The dressage arena comprises the front "lawn" of the beautiful Boorman barn and home combination. The Boormans have invested heavily in separate paddocks and a cross country schooling area. The United States Eventing Association announced an updated 2012 Eventing High Performance Training List last fall ( http://useventing.com/news/usef-high-performance-training-lists-updated-2012-land-rover-us-eventing-team ) and two of the four A List Riders and several of the B List Riders showed up for the Training Sessions with Bettina Hoy and Captain Mark Phillips; in addition, several of the USEF 2012 Eventing Developing Riders were participating as well  ( http://useventing.com/news/usef-announces-2012-eventing-developing-riders ).
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Autumn in Cheshire Country

A Visual Recap of Foxhunting in Cheshire Country, Autumn, 2011 –::– Opening Meet, Formal Hunting, Runnymede Tuesday, November 1, 2011   Formal Hunting moves to 11:00 A.M.  in November from 9:00 the previous month.  Riders met at St. Malachi Church to park their vehicles and hacked to the Meet at Runnymede, about a mile away, down the hill and a long driveway, along a creek ruled by a venerable Blue Heron.   The Joint Masters, Huntsman and Whip, wearing Pinque for the first time this season, are joined by the Field (the riders following the hounds) on the lawn of Runnymede. Runnymede is known for its broad, open fields and sloping terrain, punctuated by fences with gates and coops, with creeks emptying to the Doe Run, and eventually to the Brandywine River. –::– Byrd Road, Webbs Woods Saturday, November 5, 2011       The Meet at Byrd Road encompasses a large woods, Webbs Woods, and is flatter than Runnymede, with many foxes.  The Meet is close by the Veterinary School at the University of Pennsylvania, New Bolton.   Cheshire encourages family participation and many children join their parents on the hunt
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MORE: FOR THE LOVE OF HORSES

The response to the re-published “For The Love Of Horses” has been amazing, but the problem isn’t going to go away by itself. What are we going to do about the unwanted horses? I’ve been reading comments on Facebook, visiting various sites, and looking for answers. Here are several links and comments worth reading.
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USDF Approves National Dressage Championships

[Lexington, KY] The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to announce approval by its Board of Governors of a US national dressage championship beginning in 2013. This championship will be a head to head competition showcasing Adult Amateur and Open riders at Training Level through Grand Prix. With invitations to be extended to competitors who have qualified through the Great American Insurance Group/USDF Regional Dressage Championships, the inaugural championship (exact name TBD) will take place in the fall of 2013 at the Kentucky Horse Park (KHP) in Lexington, KY.  The KHP was the site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.  It also hosts the annual Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and the FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships. According to USDF President George Williams, the first formal discussions within the USDF, regarding a US national championship, started almost 20 years ago.
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USEF High Performance Training Lists Updated for the 2012 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team

Lexington, KY  - The USEF Eventing High Performance Training Lists have been revised for the upcoming 2012 season. Athlete/Horse combinations will be invited to participate in training sessions this winter with U.S. Chef d’Equipe and Technical Advisor Capt. Mark Phillips. Preparation for and success at the 2012 Olympic Games were the Eventing Selectors and the High Performance Committee’s highest priorities in developing these lists.   A List Phillip Dutton (West Grove, PA) and Bruce Duchossois’ Mighty Nice Mighty Nice is a 7-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding   Sinead Halpin (Oldwick, NJ) and Carriag LLC’s Manoir de Carnville Manoir de Carnville is an 11-year-old Selle Francais gelding   Boyd Martin (West Grove, PA) and the Neville Bardos Syndicate’s Neville Bardos Neville Bardos is a 12-year-old Australian Thoroughbred gelding   Boyd Martin (West Grove, PA) and the Otis Barbotiere Syndicate’s Otis Barbotiere Otis Barbotiere is a 9-year-old Selle Francais gelding   B List Hannah Sue Burnett (The Plains, VA) and Jacqueline Mars’ Harbour Pilot Harbour Pilot is an 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Jan Byyny (Purcellville, VA) and her own and Jo and Richard Byyny’s Inmidair Inmidair is a 12-year-old New Zealand Thoroughbred gelding   Will Coleman (Gordonsville, VA) and Jim Wildasin’s Twizzel Twizzel is a 15-year-old Westphalian gelding   Tiana Coudray (Ojai, CA) and Jatial Inc.’s Ringwood Magister Ringwood Magister is a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding   Buck Davidson (Ocala, FL) and Sharon Will’s Absolute Liberty Absolute Liberty an 8-year-old Thoroughbred x Oldenburg Mare   Buck Davidson (Ocala, FL) and Carl and Cassandra Segal’s BallyNoe Castle RM BallyNoe Castle RM is an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding   Buck Davidson (Ocala, FL) and Sherrie Martin’s The Apprentice The Apprentice is a 7-year-old Oldenburg gelding   Phillip Dutton (West Grove, PA) and Nina and Tim Gardner’s William Penn William Penn is a 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding   Phillip Dutton (West Grove, PA) and Team Rebecca LLC’s Ben Ben is a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding   Will Faudree (Hoffman, NC) and Jennifer Mosing’s Pawlow Pawlow is a 12-year-old Irish Thoroughbred gelding   Will Faudree (Hoffman, NC) and Jennifer Mosing’s Fernhill Gloster Rebel Fernhill Gloster Rebel is a 10-year-old Irish Thoroughbred Gelding   Becky Holder (Palmetto, GA) and Melissa and Phil Town, and Tom Holder’s Can’t Fire Me Can’t Fire Me is a 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding   Shannon Lilley (Gilroy, CA) and The Lilley Group’s Ballingowan Pizazz Ballingowan Pizazz is an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding   Marilyn Little-Meredith (Frederick, MD) and Raylyn Farm Inc.’s RF Rovano Rex RF Rovano Rex is a 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding   Boyd Martin (West Grove, PA) and Boyd Martin and Faye Woolfe’s Ying Yang Yo Ying Yang Yo is a 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding   Clark Montgomery (Fairburn, GA) and Holly Becker, Kathryn Kraft and Jessica Montgomery’s Loughan Glen Loughan Glen is an 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding   Karen O’Connor (The Plains, VA) and The O’Connor Equestrian Syndicate’s Mr Medicott Mr Medicott is a 12-year-old Irish Sport horse gelding   Julian Stiller (Thatcham, Berkshire UK) and her own and Jules Delvecchio’s Chapel Amble Chapel Amble is a 14-year-old Hanoverian mare   Jolie Wentworth (Martinez, CA) and Tracy Bowman’s Good Knight Good Knight is a 9-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding It is anticipated that training sessions will be held in California, Florida, and South Carolina; dates will be finalized and published in December.
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Equestrian Sport Productions Announces 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival Schedule Highlights

[Wellington, FL] Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) is pleased to announce the schedule highlights of the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), including the USEF Selection Trials for the U.S. Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games along with the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival Prize List availability online. The prize list is online at their website,  www.equestriansport.com  under the “Horse Show” tab and “Prize List” link. The 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival is the world’s largest and longest-running horse show, combining hunter, jumper, and equitation competition for 12 weeks from January 11 to April 1. There will be some changes to the upcoming year’s schedule, and all of the exciting classes from last year will return. Management company Equestrian Sport Productions welcomes equestrians to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, Florida for the biggest and best FTI WEF yet. Once again the show leads the country in prize money with over $6 million awarded, with the highlight class, the $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI 5*, moving to week 12 and running on Saturday, March 31
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Happy 89th, Royal Agricultural Winter Fair!!!

The Royal – Nov. 4-13th in Ontario – is more than just a horse show, says our friend and colleague, Michelle C. Dunn, who for the past three or four years has handled both the Royal’s photography and PR. It is a celebration of the Royal’s motto – “bringing the country to the city” – and the livestock side of the show serves to remind kids of all ages that ‘real life’ means growing food to fill all those pretty packages that line supermarket shelves. The opening night of the Royal offers spectators a double header of equestrian excitement. The uber-popular horse hockey returns with NHL legends Darcy Tucker and Mark Napier ‘facing off’ on horseback with Curtis Joseph and Darryl Sittler. We have been hoping for years to run away to the Royal to assist Michelle – maybe next year! This sounds almost as much fun to watch as indoor eventing – Rolex Kentucky 2006 being where we met Michelle for the first time, as numero uno photographer for Marty Bauman’s Classic Communications team in the Rolex 3-day event press center.
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