ROLEX KENTUCKY – OMG – ALREADY!!!!
Sunday, April 22 2012
Never let it be said that we sat around, twiddling our thumbs, bored as all get-out with nothing to do – OMG, this April has been one loco, uber-crazy month! We just ran to the main house and put a huge load of laundry in the front-loader, but we need some of the items so we don’t freeze during the Fairfax Races at Morven Park – the last ever races at that wonderful course… We have one story to finalize, but its subject, Kelse Bonham and the SCAD Equestrian Team are in the last day of the ANRC Finals, so we’re waiting to see if Savannah College of Art & Design picks up their 8th team title. Our pony is confirmed to have “something” in his hock, some heat, some arthritis, whatever – he isn’t happy so we’ve taken the advice of vet Todd Ruddick to put him on a three-week series of IV Polyglycan. Peter will have had his second injection and a couple of days to absorb the benefits before I get back from Rolex.
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Caroline Roffman Ties Up Season with a Gold Medal at the CDI Nations Cup
Wednesday, April 18 2012
Caroline Roffman and Pie during the victory gallop during the Global Dressage Festival Nations Cup CDI. Photo by by Al Guden Wellington, FL (April 18, 2012) – Caroline Roffman has a stellar beginning to 2012, with wins across the small tour and developing horse divisions at prestigious shows on the Florida dressage circuit and most recently a gold medal at the Nations Cup CDI. At the Global Dressage Festival Nations Cup, TeamUSA took the gold, and Roffman’s score of 70.050% on her own Pie put her in second and was a strong contribution towards the medal. Team Europe took the silver, while TeamUSA 2 took the bronze. Pie and Roffman also swept the Prix St Georges classes at the Global Dressage Festival Nations Cup. Roffman recently opened her own training and sales center, Lionshare Dressage, and has partnered with 2012 Pan Am Games alternate Endel Ots to bring the best dressage prospects and training to Wellington. In the second half of 2012, Roffman has her sights set on multiple championships, including Gladstone and Lamplight, as she looks to the future with her competition horses. Roffman kicked off her 2012 success in the small tour with Pie, a Hanoverian by Worldly, sweeping the small tour classes at the $50,000 Florida Dressage Classic CDI-W at the Global Dressage Festival. Roffman also debuted a new mare, Her Highness, during the circuit to great success. Her Highness, a 9 year old by Hohenstein out of a Weltmeyer mare, is owned collectively by Roffman and Wolkentanzer Farm out ofCalifornia. The stunning mare with floating gaits easily took top placings at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, winning the FEI Test of Choice with a 68.421% and the USEF Developing Horse Prix St Georges with a 67.868%. Her Highness was also in the top placings during the GDF Nations Cup National Show, where they scored a 70% and 69% in the Prix St Georges. Roffman is aiming Her Highness for the Developing Horse Championships, where Roffman and Pie were Reserve Champion in 2011. Roffman has plans to compete at 2012 National Young Horse Championships with her own Bon Chance, the 2010 Five-Year-Old Champion and 2011 Six-Year-Old Reserve Champion, who will be headed for the Developing Horse divisions as well. Caroline is also sure to be defending her title as 2011 Brentina Cup Champion
- 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
Ride from the Heart: The Art of Communication
Saturday, March 24 2012
Training is about connection with our horse with love, harmony and respect. The more we understand the ways of the horse, the more we understand our own feelings. As a result we can live in more harmony – not only with our horse – but with ourselves. ~ Jenny Rolfe U.K. riding instructor Jenny Rolfe teaches innovative techniques of core breathing to connect with the horse and help the rider to find harmony in body, mind and spirit
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
USEF Announces the Launch of Experience Eventing Website
Thursday, March 15 2012
Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) in conjunction with the Eventing Owners Task Force (EOTF) has launched Experience Eventing, www.ExperienceEventing.com , to bring the thrill of eventing to a wider audience.
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
Southern 8ths Farm is Gearing up for its So8ths/Nikon Three-Day Event
Wednesday, March 14 2012
The wheels are in full gear at Southern 8ths Farm in Chesterfield, SC, as the farm prepares to host its second annual So8ths/Nikon Three-Day Event in the “Heart of the Carolinas.” Behind-the-scenes the hum is constant from the equipment that is readying the Roads & Tracks, arenas and other parts of the farm where riders will venture during the competition May 3-6. A mighty group. Yet, that’s not all. Jumps are being repaired and painted, the stalls are being prepped, and arrangements are being made with some of the top clinicians who will help prepare the competitors. Owner of Southern 8ths Farm, Brad Turley is making sure every “i” is dotted and “t” is crossed as he and his staff prepares his farm to host its second annual event
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
Countdown to Rolex CCI****: Cross-Country, Exile Concert, Kentucky Cup Reining – Oh My!!!
Saturday, March 10 2012
What could be more fun during the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone than the Saturday schedule – four-star cross-country all day, followed by a concert by county music group, Exile, then that evening the Kentucky Reining Cup Freestyle? That’s the news about April 28. Anyone holding a ticket for the cross-country or the Kentucky Cup Reining Freestyle can attend that Equestrian Events Inc (EEI) concert for free.
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Jennifer Baumert Produces Flawless Freestyle With First Perfect Score of the Dressage Under the Stars Season
Thursday, March 08 2012
Sidelines publisher Samantha Charles steps in as media judge Wellington, FL-March 8, 2012- The night was filled with surprises as the fourth week of Dressage Under the Stars got underway at the Palm Beach Polo and Hunt Club. The skies opened with torrents of rain; however, the riders were not fazed as they continued to perform and impress the panel of judges, and the crowds were not deterred as the stands were nearly filled to capacity. Jennifer Baumert, the winner of last week’s dressage event, emerged victorious once more as she and her mount Don Principe earned straight 10′s from the judges and the first perfect score of the season. Last week, Baumert, a USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold medalist, exhibited a 10-year-old Hanoverian adorned in a red bandana as she performed tempis to Johnny River’s “Dang Me” and canter pirouettes to Roger Miller’s “England Swings.” The cheer that erupted from the crowd was mimicked again last night as Baumert took center stage and stole the show aboard Don Principe. The pair was decked out in blue glitter and not a inch without a touch of pizzazz as their costume reflected the dazzling lights to another country/electronic performance
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
Work it Baby ~ Work it Right
Wednesday, March 07 2012
JustWorld International’s STRUT Fashion Show makes for a stylishly good time High season in Wellington means so many (many many many) events, and so little time. There’s still a whole three weeks to go, and it’s already hard to keep one’s head above water. But during the first weekend in March, rest assured that On the Line tried. In the midst of the madness, I stopped in for a little fun at the JustWorld International STRUT Fashion Show at WEF on Saturday night. After Nations Cup night, before the big Sunday grand prix, and right after Paul O’Shea cleared a whopping Puissance wall, a dozen or so well-known riders took over the transformed Wellington Club at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and walked the gauntlet runway in front of a sea of smiling faces.
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
Countdown to Rolex Kentucky – April 26-29!
Wednesday, March 07 2012
It’s all starting again – the insanity of putting together the May issue with the Rolex preview, but it’s a labor of love, because of a lifelong passion for eventing. DAGGNABBIT! just lost about 300 words – okay, it’s after midnight, we have worked hard today: met a deadline, didn’t get to ride, hauled a horse to the Middleburg Training Center in the big rig, drove back to the farm, ran to Upperville for the Riding Far LLC equestrian sports psychology presentation by Dr. Paul Haepner, drove home (very careful about the deer), got into a good rhythm writing, needed to track down some info, hit ‘save draft’ and returned to the blog to discover that forces beyond our control had wiped out 45 minutes of work… Breathe. Think good thoughts. Breathe… In the big scheme of things, this is merely a minor bump in the road of life… So far, Rolex Ke ntucky boasts a few stellar entries, including four from William Fox-Pitt (GBR), two from Karen O’Connor, and two from Oliver Townend (GBR). The three featured riders are James Alliston (GBR), Jan Byyny and Doug Payne
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs