Tomato, Tomahhhhto.
Saturday, January 07 2012
One man’s vision is another man’s abomination, as recent events have proven true in the tiny equestrian village and/or burgeoning international equestrian hub that we all call Wellington. If you’ve been living under a rock these past months, now is the time to crawl out of it and Google “Global Dressage Festival.” Mark Bellissimo and Wellington Equestrian Partners know how to garner attention, and when they announced plans for a sweeping international-caliber competition facility for dressage back in March 2011, heads swiveled so fast around the globe that you could hear the whiplash.
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
Year In Review, Part I
Tuesday, December 20 2011
The Gospel of George. Helmet-wearing. Le Club, an oxygen bar and alligator half chaps.
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
Autumn in Cheshire Country
Wednesday, December 07 2011
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
MORE: FOR THE LOVE OF HORSES
Wednesday, December 07 2011
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.
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
USDF Approves National Dressage Championships
Monday, December 05 2011
[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.
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
Fun Bustin’ Muttons at WIHS
Friday, November 18 2011
Sure, the 53rd annual Washington International Horse Show (October 23-28, 2011 at the Verizon Center in downtown Washington, D.C.) may have been home to such prestigious competitions as the $100,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix CSI3*-W, the WIHS Equitation Classic Finals and the $25,000 Puissance, but what folks really came out to see was the tough as nails riders who braved the fiercely competitive mutton-busting class. That’s right, Mutton Busting! Show us a rider who will don a full-face helmet, wind their fingers through the rough wool of a writhing sheep and hang on for dear life as said sheep runs for its own, and we’ll show you a true champion. Hats off to all the 2011 WIHS Mutton Busters, and especially to this year’s Mutton Busting Champion, 8-year-old Marissa Jones of River Chase Farm. Out of the gate they came, in a fast-moving blaze of thick wool and hooved fury. . . . . . Some riders kept their eyes bravely forward, determined to tame their mutton by ring's end
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
Equestrian Sport Productions Announces 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival Schedule Highlights
Friday, November 18 2011
[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
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
Totilas to Make Exclusive Appearance at World Dressage Masters Palm Beach
Friday, November 11 2011
Totilas, the reigning Dressage World Champion and current world record holder in the Grand Prix Freestyle, is coming to the 2012 World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach. His appearance at the prestigious WDM CDI5*’s only event in North America, at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center on January 26 to 29, 2012. This will be the ONLY public appearance of this legendary stallion during his visit to North America
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
Calling All Show Jumpers!
Tuesday, November 08 2011
Interested in Participating in the 2011 Holiday HorseFest Event in Downtown West Palm Beach at the Meyer Amphitheatre? Wellington, FL – The second annual Holiday HorseFest is quickly approaching. Held on Sunday, December 11, from 1-5 p.m., the event will host a unique equestrian competition at the Meyer Amphitheatre in downtown West Palm Beach.
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
Who’s Your Daddy?
Monday, October 31 2011
The Who’s Your (Horse’s) Daddy Contest , sponsored by Omega Fields The art of breeding depends on many things; bloodlines of the mare, bloodlines of the sire, performance, conformation, markings, the list goes on and on! And successfully breeding and raising that next big star requires knowledge, a good plan, and a whole lot of patience! For those of you who have been lucky (or crazy) enough to dip your toe into the deep pool of sporthorse breeding, our hat’s off to you. In honor of Sidelines Magazine ’s upcoming breeding focus issue, and also just for fun, we’ve partnered with Omega Fields to present a contest that asks foals and their humans, “who’s your daddy?” We’re looking for that foal who is the mirror image of his daddy. Markings, attitude, confirmation. We know being a lookalike isn’t necessarily a foal’s golden ticket to success in life, but it sure is fun to find the sires that really “stamp” their offspring. We want to see the best lookalike picture of your foal AND his sire. We’ll put them side-by-side, and let you vote for the foal who looks the most like his daddy.
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs