World equestrian championship within reach for Chestnuthill Township woman

Poconorecord.com - Full Article

By Chris Reber
Pocono Record Writer
September 28, 2013

A Chestnuthill Township woman has set out a training program to reach the highest level of endurance horse riding. And based on her recent results, that plan is working.

Holly Corcoran, of Effort, has been training endurance horses since 2009, while balancing her day job as a CPA in Stroudsburg. She trains Arabian horses at her farm in Chestnuthill Township, with the goal of participating in the pinnacle of the sport, the World Equestrian Games.

In her outing in Stormont, Ontario, Canada, last month, Corcoran and her horses took first in the 50-mile and second in the 75-mile races.

This December, she will know for sure whether her 7-year-old horse will qualify for the World Equestrian Games 2014, scheduled for Normandy, France, in August.

"I can potentially make it to France next spring," she said...

Read more here:
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130928/NEWS/309280337

2013 Virginia City 100 Results

NASTR.org

September 21 2013

Results of the 46th Virginia City 100:

1 / LW / Nicole Chappell & Golden Knight / 13:58
1 / FW / Diane Stevens & Banderaz LC / 13:58
3 / LW / Sharon Schmidt & Ravenwood Teyyal / 14:19
4 / FW / Shannon Constanti & HA Summer Flame / 14:19
5 / LW / Ann Hall & HCC Zara RR / 14:20
6 / MW / Andrew Gerhard & TSH Fools Gold / 14:20
7 / FW / Kassandra Tucker & TS Diamond Chip / 14:24
8 / MW / Zach Rabow & RTR Rimfire / 14:24
9 / FW / Ann Marie Barnett & Mata Bey / 15:25
10 / LW / Terryl Reed & TR Olena / 15:25
11 / LW / Kirsten VanPoollen & Not A Chance / 16:16
12 / FW / Cathy Lefeber & Magnum’s Red Baron / 16:16
13 / LW / Jeremy Procopio & California Girl / 16:20
14 / FW / Erin Clutter & Falcon Bey DL / 16:24
15 / HW / Shawn Bowling & Rushcreek Spur / 16:24
16 / MW / Gina Hall & Fire Mt. Destiny / 17:06
17 / JR / Morgan Bowman & Valleydateit / 17:15
18 / HW / Jonathan Bowman & Montebello / 17:15
19 / JR / Jack Petty & Zoie Knightstar Nar / 18:28
20 / FW / Pat Chappell & Dusty Starshine Zarif / 18:28
21 / FW / Louise Smith-Egstrom & Genuine Thunder / 18:28
22 / FW / Hannah Davis & Doucette KS / 18:32
23 / MW / Brandon Reed & Dancin Blaze / 18:33
24 / JR / Jordan Heald & Summer Heat / 19:06
25 / FW / Katelyn Valentine & Rushcreek Tootsie / 19:06
26 / LW / Hilary Haynie & Rushcreek Nel / 19:11
27 / MW / John Brain & George / 19:11
28 / HW / Robert Weldin & Chip O’Huck / 19:16
29 / FW / Tammy Karnow & Cynder / 19:16
30 / LW / Pam Anderson & Shezada Saheem / 19:49
31 / MW / Connie Creech & LS Shardonney Bey + / / 19:49
32 / LW / Carolyn Meier & Rushcreek Okay / 19:49
33 / LW / Renee Robinson & Almond Rocha / 20:08
34 / FW / Tami Rougeau & TRS Amatzing Grace / 20:08
35 / MW / Alisanne Steele & Sierras Sunrise / 20:12
36 / LW / Kaitlin Elliott & Kodaakhrom / 20:13


Triple Crown Results
Virginia City 100 - NASTR 75 - NV Derby 50 = NASTR Triple Crown

Shannon Constanti HR Summer Flame
Nicole Chappell - Golden Knight
Erin Clutter
Gina Hall
Louise Smith-Egstrom
Carolyn Meier
Connie Creech

Long-distance rider on a journey of discovery

TheLCN.com - Full Article

September 21, 2013 by Sally Fox

Have you ever wanted to just get on your pony and ride? Well some people take that sort of thing more seriously than others. Take, for example, a woman named Sea G. Rhydr who found herself at a turning point in her life and ready to head back home.

Sea was in California where she had gone for a couple years to help a friend struggling with cancer. Back home was way back East. In her early 40s, with no big plans or deadlines, her boss at a dude ranch in Mendocino County offered to sell her a 13-year-old paint gelding rescue case for $1, and she decided that the stars were aligned for her to realize a dream she had had for many years.

In the summer of 2011, she read a book by Mesannie Wilkins, “The Last of the Saddle Tramps” and it got her thinking in a whole new way. Wilkins was 63 years old in 1954, had no family, her farm was being repossessed, and she’d lived her whole life in Minot, Maine. Wilkins had nothing to lose so that fall she bought herself a grumpy summer camp horse named Tarzan for $5. On Nov. 8, 1954, Wilkins loaded all her gear on her horse, called her dog and — with $32 in her pocket — headed out for California. She met a bunch of wonderful people, saw some beautiful country, had a few hair-raising adventures, and two years later arrived on the West Coast...

Read more here:
http://thelcn.com/2013/09/21/journey-of-discovery/#sthash.gqyLvcdu.dpuf

Run or ride for horses at Asheville's Biltmore Estate

Blackmountainmews.com - Full Article

by Karen Chavez

ASHEVILLE — Diane Wilson was searching for the perfect way to celebrate her 50th year on the planet. As a runner, she wanted to run a race. But not just any race — it would have to be a 50-miler.

As the longtime director of the equestrian program at Asheville School, Wilson heard about a new race, taking place Saturday on the Biltmore Estate — the Hope for Horses Run for the Horses Endurance Race and Ultra Marathon.

The race consists of four races in one — a 30-mile (roughly a 50 kilometer in running lingo) endurance horseback ride or footrace, and a 50-mile (about an 80K) ride or run. It is a benefit for Hope for Horses, a nonprofit equine rescue, rehab and adoption nonprofit in Leicester.

Wilson didn’t have to think long about whether she would run or ride...

Read more here:
http://www.blackmountainnews.com/article/20130919/OUTDOORS/309190079/RUN-or-ride-FOR-THE-HORSES

Run or ride for horses at Asheville's Biltmore Estate

Blackmountainnews.com - Full Article

ASHEVILLE — Diane Wilson was searching for the perfect way to celebrate her 50th year on the planet. As a runner, she wanted to run a race. But not just any race — it would have to be a 50-miler.

As the longtime director of the equestrian program at Asheville School, Wilson heard about a new race, taking place Saturday on the Biltmore Estate — the Hope for Horses Run for the Horses Endurance Race and Ultra Marathon.

The race consists of four races in one — a 30-mile (roughly a 50 kilometer in running lingo) endurance horseback ride or footrace, and a 50-mile (about an 80K) ride or run. It is a benefit for Hope for Horses, a nonprofit equine rescue, rehab and adoption nonprofit in Leicester...

Read more here:
http://www.blackmountainnews.com/article/20130919/OUTDOORS/309190079/RUN-or-ride-FOR-THE-HORSES

Coverage of the AERC National Championship

The 2013 Vettec AERC National Championships will take place September 20 (50 miles) and 22 (100 miles) at City of Rocks National Reserve near Almo, Idaho. The first participants have arrived, and Ridecamp is starting to grow.

The rides will be updated as time allows via Twitter and on the official ride page:
http://www.endurance.net/international/USA/2013AERCNC/

Emmett youth earns a spot at Nationals

Messenger - Full Article

September 18 2013

What makes you smile? Riding a horse fast and far makes 17-year-old Flora Gertsch smile. That smile has become simply radiant upon qualifying for the 2013 American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) National Championships to be held Sept. 20 at City of Rocks, Almo, Idaho.

Gertsch will compete in the 50-mile ride, climbing in elevation from 5,400 to 8,500 feet. Qualifications were steep as well: 300 AERC miles for the horse, 300 AERC miles for the rider with 100 of those miles completed together. Gertsch and her horse, Belesema Finalia have Kim Johnson, owner of Belesemo Arabians in Caldwell to thank for superbly matching up this dynamic duo...

Read more here:
http://www.messenger-index.com/news/emmett-youth-earns-a-spot-at-nationals/article_cff862f8-1fdc-11e3-91e7-0019bb2963f4.html

2013 AERC National Championship Pre-Entries

September 14 2013

Pre-Entries for the 2013 Vettec AERC National Championships are posted.

The 50 mile ride on September 20 currently has 56 horses and riders entered. The 100 mile ride on September 22 has 44 entries. More are expected - check back soon!

To follow tweets from the ride, and to see photos and news as the ride develops, see:
http://www.endurance.net/international/USA/2013AERCNC/

AERC Election Time

September 14 2013

Several regional directors are stepping down after this year. Is it time for YOU to step up?! Let the office staff know of your interest (for yourself or someone else) and arrange to pay the $5 nomination fee by September 30, 2013. 

http://aerc.org/

Endurance clinic, trail ride to benefit Horseshoe Bend park Sept. 27-28

NJ.com - Full Article

By Lillian Shupe/Hunterdon County Democrat
on September 12, 2013 at 9:31 AM

A “Distance Riding 101 Clinic” will be held at Horseshoe Bend Park in Kingwood Township, Sept. 27 and 28.

This clinic will be geared toward introducing riders to the sport of endurance riding through a hands-on approach. Friday will include interactive workshops and Saturday will include a 5-mile or 10-mile guided ride.

Patti Stedman and Sandy Terp will be presenting the workshops and Meg Sleeper will be doing the AERC veterinary examinations. Topics will include an in-depth look at how to prepare the horse and rider team, how the competitions work and how to have not only success — but fun...

Read more here:
http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2013/09/horseshoe_bend_trail_ride_sept.html

AERC National Championship Vendors

September 12 2013

The vendors American Trail Gear, Hooves N Whiskers, and MTPerformance Equine Sports Massage will be at the AERC National Championships in Almo, Idaho September 20-22, 2013.

Diana and Bud Seager of American Trail Gear say, "If you can dream it, we can make it!" Their specialty is Biothane and Beta tack. They also carry, among many other things, rider gear, horse gear and horse care products.


Elicia Kamberg's Hooves N Whiskers started from the American dream of running her own business. You'll recognize the distinctive bright colors of her fleece coolers and rump rugs. She also carries Easyboots, people products, and horse treats.

Trina Lenmark of MTPerformance Equine Sports Massage provides massage for your horse. She was certified through EquiTouch in Colorado, and incorporates the Masterson Method techniques into her massage. Contact Trina at trinweitz@hotmail.com

Tuesday AM: 2nd Edition of Endurance Talk on Horses In The Morning

Horsesinthemorning.com

Monday September 9 2013

Tune in tomorrow morning (Tuesday) for the next live edition of Endurance Talk on Horses in the Morning. Listen to some of our crazy endurance riding adventures plus learn about NATRC from PhotoBy Jonni and learn a bit about feeding and vetting endurance horses from rider and veterinarian Dr. Susan Garlinghouse. The show is live from 6 to 7:30 a.m. EST. A recorded version will be available online a couple of hours later. There are iPhone and Android apps that you can get to listen on your phone.

http://www.horsesinthemorning.com/

Montana Confirms Equine WNV Cases

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Edited Press Release
Sep 03, 2013

The Montana Department of Livestock is reminding equid owners statewide to be on the lookout for West Nile virus (WNV) after numerous cases were confirmed in horses recently.

“We’ve had nine positive cases confirmed in the past five days, so the threat is definitely there,” said State Veterinarian Marty Zaluski, DVM.

Zaluski said equid owners should be familiar with clinical signs of the disease, which can be difficult to distinguish from other serious neurologic diseases like sleeping sickness and rabies. Some of those signs include:

Loss of appetite and depression;
Fever;
Incoordination (ataxia) or weakness of the hind limbs;
Muscle or muzzle twitching;
Convulsions; and
Inability to swallow.

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/32486/montana-confirms-equine-wnv-cases?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=equinomics&utm_campaign=09-08-2013

Unbranded: The Last Stretch

Westernhorseman Blog - Full Story

Nearing the finish: Four men, 13 Mustangs and more than 3,000 miles.

We just got finished with the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, a 2.5-million-acre roadless area south of Glacier National Park. Two big fires, the Damnation and Red Shale, threw a wrench into our plans and forced us into a huge reroute to steer clear of the spreading forest fires. Our original route took us through remote but easy trails through the center of the “Bob.” The reroute forced us east into the Sawtooth Range, well named for its lack of plateaus, ridges and large drainages. The Sawtooths aren’t that tall but they make up for height in huge elevation changes, massive rock faces and a lack of grazing meadows. The views are stunning, but the going was slow and it often took twenty miles of trail travel to traverse 5 miles of straight line travel. Our horses, as well as we, had Canada on our mind and it was agonizing to accomplish so little distance with so much effort.

We’re currently five days and about 100 miles from the Canadian Border. Excited is an understatement! All that remains of our journey are seven 9,000-foot passes, 100 miles of cliff face switchbacks exposed to the forecasted afternoon thunderstorms, and possibly the most incredible scenery in the Lower 48, Glacier National Park. The Canadian Border has been a vague dream of ours for the past six months and as we get closer reality has begun to set in that the adventure will be drawing to a close. It’s a bittersweet feeling, I’m ready to get to that border, but it’ll be a hard transition from such a carefree way of living...

Read more here:
http://blogs.westernhorseman.com/unbranded/2013/09/03/unbranded-the-last-stretch/

Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program to Honor High Mileage Endurance & LD Thoroughbreds

AERC.org

The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) will honor the High Mileage Endurance Thoroughbred and High Mileage Limited Distance Thoroughbred. Honorees will receive a Ribbon and T.I.P. logo bag. The Thoroughbred horse must be registered with The Jockey Club or a foreign Thoroughbred stud book recognized by The Jockey Club and all horses should have a T.I.P. Number to assist with proof of eligibility. Thoroughbreds competing in AERC are also eligible for The Jockey Club's Performance Awards. Check out the Membership Recognition/Breed Association Awards page on the website for links: http://www.aerc.org/Breed_Awards.aspx

Yacolt woman, horse complete 100-mile Tevis Cup Ride

Thereflector.com - Full Article

Posted: Wednesday, September 4, 2013 9:00 am
Joanna Michaud staff reporter

Although it was Heidi Larson’s first time participating in the 100-mile Tevis Cup Ride from Lake Tahoe to Auburn, CA, the 49-year-old Yacolt resident and her 17-year-old registered Arabian horse, Ash, placed 26th at the event out of 160 starters and 75 finishers.

“Most challenging was the Granite Chief Wilderness,” Larson said of the 100-mile trail. “It’s got some bogs, which I wasn’t worried about since we live in such a wet area, but you are riding at speed, probably 8 to 10 miles per hour, and in a row of horses, slightly downhill, and there are large, flat granite rocks in the trail, it’s very slick, very scary to trot over. My favorite part was probably going over Cougar Rock and crossing the American River in the dark with glow sticks floating in the water to light your way across.”

According to the Tevis Cup Ride website, www.teviscup.org, the Western States Trail Ride, widely called the Tevis Cup Ride, is the oldest modern-day endurance ride, having been held annually since 1955. The ride was first organized by Wendell Robie, an Auburn businessman and devoted rider of the Sierra high country...

Read more here:
http://www.thereflector.com/horse_corral/article_53b281d8-11c7-11e3-8274-001a4bcf887a.html

2013 Vettec AERC National Championship 100-Mile Trail Preview

3 September 2013

Wondering what the 100-mile trail for the 2013 Vettec AERC National Championship looks like? Below is a video preview of what you'll be riding over on September 22.

The first 48 miles retraces the 50-mile course of the Day 5 City of Rocks Pioneer Trails Endurance ride held on August 10. That 50-mile 'test ride' winning time was completed in 5:25. The 100-mile trail continues on to Castle Rocks State Park for a vet check, returns through City of Rocks National Reserve back to basecamp for another vet check, then loops through the National Reserve once more for the final loop, with the finish back in basecamp.

On the first half of the ride, horses begin at 5318' at base camp outside the National Reserve, and climb to 8513', with a total elevation gain/loss of approximately 6500'. The highest point on the final 50 miles is 7000'.

100-mile video:


(or link)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUE8RVEFYu8

For more information, trail maps, and other videos, see
http://www.endurance.net/AERCNC2013/trails.html

W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center Open House in October

Horsereporter.com - Full Article

August 29, 2013
By Pamela@horsereporter

August 29, 2013, Pomona, California ~ A week of festivities in early October will mark the 75th anniversary of the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

Founder of the Kellogg company, Will Keith Kellogg, known as W.K. (April 7, 1860-October 6, 1951), became known for his cereals. A vegetarian, his strict dietary principles led him to the processing of grains into flaked cereal. He and his brother marketed this cereal under the name, Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company, which later became The Kellogg Company...

Read more here:
http://www.horsereporter.com/?p=7783