It’s Not the Stars That Matter, It’s the Stars That Matter
Saturday, January 28 2012
Just another Thursday night in Wellington. If only every dressage show included gold bikini-clad fire dancers, mermaids lounging about in an infinity pool, and chandelier ice sculptures. The organizers of the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach sure know how to attract a crowd, and the place was packed with all of the above, as well as a who’s who roster of dressage stars and their hangers-on last night at the…..exhibitor’s party. What, did you think I was talking about the competition?
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
Equestrian Mom’s ‘MyPokit’ Helps Daughter Pursue Dreams of Riding Despite Lifelong Illness
Tuesday, January 24 2012
Commerce, MI – For 13-year-old Bayley Saville, having a permanent feeding tube does little to hinder her equestrian aspirations. Bayley was born with a rare intestinal motility disorder called pseudo-obstructive disease. She had her first stomach surgery when she was three months old and had a feeding tube placed to help with her nutrition
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
1 of 27,000
Monday, January 23 2012
Attention horse world: A Thoroughbred racehorse was born yesterday in Kentucky. Rachel Alexandra's first foal was born at Stonestreet Farm in Lexington, KY While you ponder that momentous event and fawn over his famous pedigree (Curlin x Rachel Alexandra), stop and consider this: If this little guy doesn’t inherit his parents’ talent for speed, will he be looked after by good owners for the next 30-odd years of his life? Call me a downer, but the collective oohs and aahs and cute baby foal pictures that saturated social media feeds this morning were a reminder that only a small percentage of Thoroughbreds make it to the track, and an even smaller percentage become successful racehorses. What of the adorable foals just like Rachel Alexandra’s first colt, that don’t cut it? Without jumping into the dredges of the horse slaughter debate (that’s Lauren Gallops ‘ job), I give a nod to all the throwaway TBs of the racing industry that are somewhere out there right now. Many of them started life in a bed of thick straw on a beautiful Kentucky farm, too
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
College Preparatory Invitational Hosts Second Event with Great Success
Friday, January 20 2012
[Wellington, FL] The second annual College Preparatory Invitational Horse Show was held this weekend at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL, with great success.
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
Over the (Brandywine) River and through…
Sunday, January 15 2012
Late Autumn in Chester County was punctuated by crystalline days, an errant snow and unrelenting weekly rains. Staff and hounds continued to leave the kennels three mornings a week to pursue Mr. Fox. One morning a hard frost covered the Doe Run Valley, every tree, blade of grass and fence rail, with silver. Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds meets every Thanksgiving morning at 11:00 at the Kennel Lawn. The “field” of riders grows to twice its size from the week before, enlarged by students home on break from college, friends and family in from out of town. Non-riding members of the community are encouraged to come out, meet the hounds and watch the hunt take off from the hill overlooking Plantation Field, home to a major Three Day Event competition. The crowd arriving to watch is so large that traffic control is warranted. Some spectators come prepared for a tailgate party.
Steffen Peters Named 2011 USEF Equestrian of the Year
Sunday, January 15 2012
Cincinnati, OH - To cap off a record-setting year, dressage superstar Steffen Peters added one more record to his résumé on Saturday night at the United States Equestrian Federation’s Pegasus Awards dinner. He became the first person to score the USEF’s Equestrian of the Year title three times. Steffen Peters (right)won the William C.Steinkraus Trophy as one of the 2011 Equestrians of Honor and then the Robert P. Strub Trophy (shown here being presented by USEF President David O'Connor on left) as the overall USEF Equestrian of the Year. Photo by Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography Peters (San Diego, CA) won the top honor in 2008 and 2009 based largely on his accomplishments with Akiko Yamazaki’s phenom Ravel – but in 2011, Ravel had some help. Peters capitalized on his first trip to the Pan American Games and scored Team and Individual Gold in a tremendous effort with Jen and Bruce Hlavacek’s Weltino’s Magic
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
Neville Bardos and Sjoerd Named 2011 Horses of the Year by the United States Equestrian Federation
Saturday, January 14 2012
Cincinnati, OH – For the first time ever, USEF crowned two horses with its highest honor, one from an International Discipline and one from a National Discipline. Neville Bardos and Sjoerd were named 2011 Horses of the Year at tonight’s USEF annual Horse of the Year celebration. Honored for their accomplishments in 2011 their roads through the last 12 months, while both exceptional, have been very different. Videos of all of the Horses of Honor are available here: http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/USEFAnnualMeeting2012 Neville Bardos – Eventing He shouldn’t have lived.
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
Risk vs Reward
Friday, January 13 2012
Do you know how fast you were going? “Everyone wants to cheat. They just don’t want to get caught.” These are the words of a friend of mine who was talking specifically about medicating horses for the show ring. He went on to compare it to decision making behind the wheel of a car: ” Everyone wants to speed, the only difference is some people are more afraid of being caught so they only go 5 miles an hour over the speed limit
- Published in Injecting Perspective, Z-Blogs
Trotting into 2012
Friday, January 13 2012
By Sarah Dodge for Sean O’Keefe Events Happy New Year to all our SOE friends out there! 2011 was surely a fabulous year for Sean O’Keefe Events, and we’re looking forward to making 2012 even more eventful and beautiful. We’re already off to a trotting start with the upcoming second annual Sidelines Tetrathlon benefiting the Equestrian Aid Foundation happening February 5th, 2012 in West Palm Beach, Florida. The event is chalk full of dressage, show jumping, reining, and a lively polo match to round out the event’s horse activities. The evening will feature enticing culinary fare from local chefs Dustin Parfitt of Oli’s, Clay Carnes of The Grille, and Darryl Moiles of the Four Seasons Resort of the Palm Beaches. Along with food from these talented and passionate chefs, the event will also include tastings from other local restaurants including the International Polo Club Catering, Field of Greens, Top Notch Catering, White Horse Tavern, Pangea Bistro, Taylor Made Café, and Christy’s New York Cheesecake. Needless to say, this event will fill your belly and engage your senses in every way possible
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
2nd annual Jump for HomeSafe set for January 28th at PBIEC
Friday, December 30 2011
Paige Johnson named event chairperson [Wellington, Fl] With philanthropist and equestrian, Paige Johnson, as event chairperson, the 2 nd annual Jump for HomeSafe will be entertaining hundreds of people Saturday, January 28, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) during the Winter Equestrian Festival’s Nepresso $55,000 Battle of the Sexes. Proceeds of the event will support HomeSafe, a non-profit organization helping victims of domestic violence and child abuse. Each year HomeSafe serves more than fifteen-thousand infants, children and families in Palm Beach County and South Florida. Jump for HomeSafe is a fun, energetic cocktail party taking place inside the newly expanded Wellington Tent at the PBIEC. Attendees will enjoy a three-hour cocktail party, including hors d’oeuvres, open bar, silent auction, entertainment, special guests, reserved outdoor seating to watch Battle of the Sexes, and horseless jump competitions (with awards) for children. “I am honored to host this charity event for HomeSafe, and hope to bring awareness to as many people as possible about the overwhelming presence of child abuse and domestic violence in this country,” said Paige Johnson, chairperson for Jump for HomeSafe . “We’re truly ecstatic to have Paige Johnson as the chairperson of HomeSafe’s charity equestrian event,” said Matthew Ladika, CEO of HomeSafe
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs