California’s Dressage Riders Begin Olympic Journey at This Weekend’s Mid-Winter Dressage Fair CDI-W/Y/J in Burbank

BURBANK, CA –The 2012 Mid-Winter Dressage Fair CDI-W/Y/J, which begins Thursday, February 23 in Burbank, CA and continues through Sunday, February 26, is the first West Coast qualifying competition for the 2012 Olympic Games Dressage Team Selection Trials and will provide a glimpse of some of the country’s most exciting new horse and rider combinations. Steffen Peters and his new partner "Legolas" will make their international competition debut at this weekend's Mid-Winter Dressage Fair CDI-W/Y/J in Burbank, CA. Photo: Terri Miller. An international field of ten horses and riders will contest the CDI Grand Prix division, headlined by American dressage superstar and Olympian Steffen Peters with his spectacular new partner, “Legolas.”  In only their second show together, Peters is bringing Akiko Yamazaki’s ten-year-old Westfalen gelding to the Mid-Winter Dressage Fair for their FEI competition debut and the pursuit of crucial qualifying scores to hopefully join his famous stablemate “Ravel” in consideration for an invitation to London.   Additionally, fellow Olympian Guenter Seidel will present his new mount, Toyon Farm’s “Fandango”, but will be competing for top honors against his famous 2009 World Cup Finals “Phantom of the Opera” Pas de Deux partner Elizabeth Ball and “Orion”, as well as perennial favorites Kathleen Raine with “Breanna”; Canada’s Lindsey Stroh riding “Lancelot”; Yvonne Losos de Muñiz and “Liebling II” representing the Dominican Republic; and Jan Ebeling with “Rafalca”, who represented the USA at last year’s Reem Acra/FEI World Cup Dressage Finals
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Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Unveils New York Retraining Program

Organizations from every corner of the Thoroughbred industry have come together to support a new program created by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation to develop second careers for horses racing at New York Racing Association tracks. The program, forged from a $225,000 start-up grant from the Harriet E. Pfleger Foundation, will provide rehabilitation and retraining for as many as 100 horses a year. NYRA, the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and The Jockey Club, as well as the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. and The Jockeys’ Guild, have all stepped forward with commitments to fund the initiative. “With the spark created by a large donation from a private foundation, we were able to put together a consortium of racing partners to fund and oversee this valuable new program,” TRF Director of External Affairs Diana Pikulski said. “We have a model here in New York that embodies what everyone is trying to accomplish in the industry nationwide
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Pin Oak Charity Horse Show Will Host Working Equitation

Haras Dos Cavaleiros Working Equitation Championships offer nearly $6,000 in cash prizes!  The discipline of Working Equitation is sweeping the globe, with high-level competition in both Europe and the Americas.  Haras dos Cavaleiros is bringing Opportunity Working Equitation to the 2012 Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in Katy, Texas, with three levels of competition and a course designed by the first World Champion of Working Equitation, Jorge De Sousa of Portugal.  On March 22 and 23, during Week One of the show’s two-week run, Pin Oak will host Championships in three levels, Novice, Basic and Intermediate. Open to all breeds, the three levels of Working Equitation competition offer $1,950 in prize money at each level, plus ribbons for each phase, and trophies. The event is sponsored by Lusitano breeder Haras Dos Cavaleiros of Magnolia, Texas Working Equitation Working Equitation is a discipline based upon the tradition of field work on ranches, highlighting the clear partnership between horse and rider, with an emphasis on athleticism, collection and versatility. The three phases will run over two days, with the Dressage phase on Thursday, March 22, and the Ease of Handling (obstacles for precision) and Speed (obstacles for speed) phases on Friday, March 23.  The classes are open to all breeds.  The Working Equitation Championships will be run using the IALHA 2011 rules with updated 2012 Dressage tests available for download at www.pinoak.org . One important change for 2012:  the Intermediate (highest) level must be performed with only one hand on the reins.  Two hands are not allowed at the intermediate level. European countries hosting international competitions in Working Equitation also include a cattle-handling phase that is not yet common in the United States.  Working Equitation is gaining ground in Austria, Belgium, Germany, England, Portugal, Spain, France, Holland, Italy, Mexico and Brazil, all members of the World Association for Working Equitation (WAWE.) “I believe that Working Equitation has an excellent chance of becoming the next FEI Olympic sport in future years, because there is already substantial international support and high-level competition in Europe and South America,” says Linda Graham, Andalusian and Lusitano breed chair at Pin Oak Charity Horse Show.  “It has gotten off to a slower start in the United States, but Haras Dos Cavaleiros is working hard to change that, by putting up substantial prize money and tireless support for competitions, which are open to all breeds.  However, as Carmina Zamorano will tell you, the Lusitano is the horse that is most successful in this sport internationally!  The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in its 67th year is a fitting venue for this new sport, combining decades of horse show tradition with what is cutting-edge in equine competition.” The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show has raised over $5.5 million for charity since its inception in 1945, donating $125,000 in 2011 to Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston’s Ronald McDonald House, Family Rooms, and Candlelighters
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2nd annual Jump for HomeSafe set for January 28th at PBIEC

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
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Leibler and Watson 108 Continue on to Freestyle at the FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final in Germany

Lexington, KY  - Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108 performed flawlessly Friday while representing the U.S. at the FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final Grand Prix, and are moving forward to the B Final on Sunday in the Freestyle. “We were mistake free and I finished the first day very proud of myself and of Watson for staying focused throughout the exciting distractions,” Leibler said. “The competition has been absolutely amazing so far. It is like nothing I have ever seen before: big, bright, and electric.” Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108 National Young Rider Dressage Championships. Photo ©SusanJStickle.com Leibler (Greenwich, CT) and the 14-year-old Westphalian gelding were invited to represent the U.S. at the 2011 Finals after posting the highest average in the FEI Young Rider Freestyle Test at CDI-Y’s during the qualifying period.
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USEF Report from First Pre-Olympic Games Dressage Clinic

Lexington, KY – The first of six pre-Olympic Games Dressage Clinics kicked off at beautiful Epona Farm in Thousand Oaks, CA. These clinics, a joint effort by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the USET Foundation will help prepare horses and riders for the 2012 London Olympic Games
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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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Fun Bustin’ Muttons at WIHS

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
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Ten Medals for Equestrian Team USA at the 2011 Pan American Games

It was an epic adventure in Mexico for the United States Equestrian Federation’s Dressage, Eventing and Jumping Teams. They won a record 10 medals across the three disciplines and cemented a solid foundation for the 2012 Olympic Games. Bookended by double Gold medalists Steffen Peters, who rode the Hlavacek’s Weltino’s Magic to It was an epic adventure in Mexico for the United States Equestrian Federation’s Dressage, Eventing and Jumping Teams
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The Equestrian Aid Foundation Announces the 2012 Sidelines Annual Equestrian Tetrathlon

Wellington, Fl – October 24, 2011 -  The Equestrian Aid Foundation is pleased to announce the 2012 Sidelines Annual Equestrian Tetrathlon, Sunday, February 5, 2012. The second annual event will be held at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in West Palm Beach, Florida to benefit the Equestrian Aid Foundation
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