Four Outstanding Horses Named Arabian Horse Association Ambassadors

USEF.org

Release: March 18 2010
Author: By Hilary Nixon

The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) recently honored four outstanding horses with Ambassador Awards. Athena+++// (LS Zane Grey+// x Little Badger Baby), Gilet+/ (Gil x El Eta), TH Barbarian+ (Barbary+++ x TH Annimai), and TS Black Tie Affair (Tardar x EVG Lady Di) are all recognized for an outstanding achievement in representing the Arabian horse to the general public. To be named an AHA Ambassador, an Arabian, Half-Arabian or Anglo-Arabian must achieve a unique accomplishment that showcases the breed.

Athena, a 1997 Anglo-Arabian mare, owned by Rita Mason of Fair Oaks, CA, was expected to be a hearty endurance horse, thanks to her sire's successful endurance career, but at age three, Athena started training level dressage and began winning from day one. "When Athena was four, Rita took her on a 30-mile limited-distance ride and they finished, but Athena clearly wasn't having fun—so back to the show ring they went," said Peggy Ingles, one of Athena’'s nominators.

Athena has gone on to win a national championship at Fourth Level, several AHA regional wins, open and United States Dressage Federation (USDF) honors, but it is Athena’s presence at horse expos, charity events and educational seminars that bring the versatility and trainability of the Arabian breed to the general public. Athena and Rita's bridle-less dressage demonstration is a crowd favorite.

"Athena is truly a noble and gracious mare, in the tradition of her proud and ancient heritage. She is beautiful to behold," said Marjory Hammer Pope, AHA Life Member.

Gilet is a 24-year-old purebred gelding that has seen racetracks, show rings and football fields. As the mascot for the Conemaugh Township Indians, Gilet has pleased football fans for eight years, galloping from one end zone to the other and then standing with a quiet and dignified demeanor for the young and old to come by and meet him. Gilet's other ambassador-worthy activities include being part of the annual high school homecoming parade and playing the native costume model as elementary school students learn about the Arabian breed.

But Gilet, owned by Lisa Devineni of Johnstown, PA, can also hold his own in the show ring. Started on the race track, Gilet was sold and made rounds as a competitive trail horse before landing with Caitlyn Thomas, daughter of trainer Beth Thomas, where the pair hit it off and eventually went Top 10 at U.S. Nationals in the open working hunter division. When it was Devineni's chance with the gentle gelding, the two shined with two National Top 10s in working hunter and hunter hack as well as the AAOTR working hunter regional championship. Devineni even earned her Rider of Honor with Gilet.

"Calling Gilet just a horse is below him and all that he does. He is a friend. He is a companion, and a true ambassador to the Arabian breed," said Caitlyn Thomas.

TH Barbarian or "Bear" is owned by Jean and Maddie O'Leary of Fontana, WI. Bear is a son of the great Barbary+++ and started life as a show horse, winning numerous titles in English pleasure, pleasure driving and equitation. With a "go forward" attitude, Bear became known as the "Little Engine that Could." At only 14.2 hands, Bear is everything an Arabian should be. “"Aside from his beauty, intelligence, and athleticism, he is friendly and adores people," said Stacey Dunn, one of his nominators.

Now at 28, Bear serves as an ambassador to the breed in many ways. He stars as a demonstration horse for the breed in a variety of venues, including the Midwest Horse Fair, 4-H education days, Girl Scout meetings and also serves as an academy horse, teaching four- and five-year-olds to ride. "What makes Bear special are those intangible qualities; when you know you are in the presence of a truly great horse," said Dunn.

TS Black Tie Affair has spent the last 16 years giving his all in the show ring, on the trail, but most importantly, to entertaining and educating the public about horses, especially the Arabian horse. The black and white pinto Half-Arabian stallion was bought by Jan Sharp as a three-year-old and began to display his intelligent, gentle nature immediately.

Since I trick train all my horses as an additional way to interact with them, I immediately started training Black Tie. On day two, I began to teach him to lie down. On day three, I walked past his stall and he jumped at me. I yelled at him and he went to the back of his stall and lay down. He didn’t know what I wanted, but he learned that laying down made me happy, said Sharp.

Black Tie has traveled to schools, story hours, libraries, rodeos, churches, Equine Affaires, been featured in magazines and even has made several television appearances. "He's stood among thousands of tiny feet, wheelchairs, and walkers. He lowers his head into baby strollers, closes his eyes, and lets the touching and poking of his nose begin," said Sharp.

For more information about the Arabian Horse Association’s Ambassador Award visit www.ArabianHorses.org/activities/recognition or call (303) 696-4500.

The Twenty Eleven Ride, Part 7

Enduranceridestuff - Karen Chaton

This is the third of three articles that I wrote for Endurance News after the 2001 XP ride. This one was about the accomplishments of the horses and riders. It was pretty amazing when you think about it. Here is an excerpt:

230 horses were ridden 67,400 AERC miles by 104 riders in eight weeks. That works out to 1,348 fifty mile rides. This in itself is quite amazing, given that there are a few regions in the AERC that don’t contribute this much mileage over an entire year.


2001 XP Accomplishments

by Karen Chaton, Copyright 2002
Part 3 of 3

There were so many great accomplishments on this summer’s 2001 Pony Express ride by both horse and rider that it’s not easy to pick any one as being the best. Was there a winner? There were lots of winners. Everybody who enjoyed riding the trail and had a great time was a winner. The most common goal, by far, was the desire to ride the Pony Express trail. During the course of the two month event riders and crews alike became like a big close family and worked together to achieve these goals. Everybody wanted to help each other within this tight knit group. Friendships and bonds were formed that will continue to draw these people together for the rest of their lifetimes.

All told, 230 horses were ridden 67,400 AERC miles by 104 riders in eight weeks. That works out to 1,348 fifty mile rides. This in itself is quite amazing, given that there are a few regions in the AERC that don’t contribute this much mileage over an entire year. The ride started in the Central region and went thru the Midwest, Mountain and West regions, traveling thru Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Nevada. Riders attending came from Canada the Southeast, Central, Southwest, Northeast, Northwest, Pacific South, Mountain and West AERC regions.

Read More Here:
http://enduranceridestuff.com/blog/2010/03/twenty-eleven-ride-part-7/

AHC Releases Report on Equestrian Access

March 9, 2010

Today, the American Horse Council released its 2009 Report on Equestrian Access on Federal Land. The 2009 report is intended to provide a brief overview of the responses the AHC received from equestrians to its ongoing access survey in 2009. The report can be viewed and downloaded on the AHC's website at:

https://www.horsecouncil.org//images/2009 ReportEqAccessFedLand.pdf.

In July of 2009 the American Horse Council launched an effort to collect information regarding equestrian access issues on federal lands. This effort was prompted by a growing concern among recreational riders around the country that they were seeing a reduction in the number of trails and trail heads open to equestrians on federal land.

The center piece of this effort has been an AHC online form riders can use to report their personal experiences regarding trails on federal lands that have been closed to them or other access issues. This online form is located at https://www.horsecouncil.org/survey.php.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans use horses and pack stock to enjoy America's great outdoors each year. However, it is an experience that cannot be enjoyed without access to public land, trail systems, and trailheads.

"The AHC will use this report to illustrate some of the challenges facing recreational riders," said AHC President Jay Hickey. "Our federal land mangers work hard to provide recreational opportunities and we need to make sure they have adequate resource and equestrians need to work with them at all levels. However, sometimes there are issues and conflicts that need to documented and brought to there attention. This report is just one part of our efforts to ensure equestrian continue to have recreational opportunities on federal land."

The AHC asks all recreational riders to visit the AHC website and continue to report any access issues they have had using this electronic form https://www.horsecouncil.org/survey.php

As the national association representing all segments of the horse industry in Washington, D.C., the American Horse Council works daily to represent equine interests and opportunities. Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the AHC promotes and protects the industry by communicating with Congress, federal agencies, the media and the industry on behalf of all horse related interests each and every day.

The AHC is member supported by individuals and organizations representing virtually every facet of the horse world from owners, breeders, veterinarians, farriers, breed registries and horsemen's associations to horse shows, race tracks, rodeos, commercial suppliers and state horse councils.

American Horse Council - 1616 H Street NW 7th Floor - Washington, DC 20006

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact: Bridget Harrison
bharrison@horsecouncil.org

Mrs Golden Horseshoe - Barbara Wigley

Horseytalk.net - Full Article

They call her, Mrs Golden Horseshoe.

They also say you need lots of endurance to keep up with her.

For Barbara Wigley, a busy, fast-talking, no-nonsense, endurance rider is the driving force behind what over the years has become one of the great, legendary endurance rides in the world.

Not that there haven't been set-backs along the way. In fact, at one time it looked as though the days of the Golden Horseshoe, which today covers 100 miles of the toughest terrain in the country, were very nearly over.

Barbara was born in Stretford, Manchester. Her family were distinctly non-horsey. Her father was a painter and decorator. Eventually, he opened a painting and decorating shop in nearby Urmston.

"As a kid, I can remember begging and pleading with them to let me have a pony," she says. "When I was 11-years-old I managed to persuade my mother to let me have riding lessons. She agreed. But it was on condition I didn't tell my father..."

For more of the article:
http://www.horseytalk.net/HorseyInterviews/BarbaraWigley.html

The Twenty Eleven Ride, Part 6

Enduranceridestuff - Karen Chaton

Anybody planning on going on the 2011 XP ride should read this (click on link below) to get an idea of what to expect. Also, because this stuff is a decade old take it with a grain of salt and realize that while some of it still applies there may be parts that don't. I'm just posting this to give people an idea of what to expect.

It can't be stressed enough how important it is to have a good relationship with your crew. My advice for anybody going on the 2011 XP is to work out all of the fine details ahead of time. Start out with apologizing in advance for anything that you might do that'll irritate your crew... because you will no doubt do that. They will probably irritate you as well. Figuring out how to get along will go a long way towards making the trip a lot more enjoyable for everyone.

I will post some thoughts later on planning and preparing for this event based upon what I learned from doing it in 2001. I've posted a lot so far that should help. I will also do some reviews and recommendations of GPS's, map software and other techno type gadgets that will be both useful AND necessary for riders to have. btw - if you get Trail Blazer magazine look in an upcoming issue for my review on the Garmin 550t.

For those that want to enter simply send me an email and I'll tell you how to do that! Hopefully within the next month I'll have a bulletin board set up on the XP site where people can go to advertise that they are looking for a crew, or that they want to be a crew, or share an entry, etc.

More at: http://enduranceridestuff.com/blog/2010/03/twenty-eleven-ride-part-6/

The Twenty Eleven Ride, Part 5

Enduranceridestuff - Karen Chaton

FEW WORDS FROM A '76 XP RIDER TO THE '01 XP RIDERS

By Lori Stewart

I won't bore you with why, but in '76 I rode the entire XP trail with barely the minimums. My husband and I slept under the stars or in the back of a stock trailer when it rained. We survived mostly on Velveeta cheese, Triscuits, Salami, apples and tangerine Lifesavers (no refrigeration needed). The occasional dinner at a local cafe was heaven. We bathed quite irregularly with no ill effects. The horses lived tied to the trailer at night and in a portable electric fence before dark. Supplies included two hay nets, two five-gallon jugs, two buckets, and one brush. First aid amounted to little more than Desitine, cotton and tape. My saddle had a flexible tree, i.e. an old Argentine saddle with a broken tree. No sore backs resulted. Both horses were unfit and overweight in St. Joseph, Mo., but the almost 2000 miles of XP trail transformed them into lean mean endurance machines. I always thought about the XP trail in its entirety and not by the trail or events of any one day. The ups and downs fell into perspective. I never got overconfident but never gave up. I won the award for most miles AND high point. The '76 XP was my first endurance ride.

Take the Duck's words to heart. They speak volumes. I will give you my perspective on his key points. Let two principles guide you as you prepare - Respect and the KISS Theory

Respect that this is not an "E" ride at Disney Land. Fun and safety cannot be guaranteed. Rely on your common sense and good judgement as your safety net and your off-beat sense of humor for fun.

Respect the folks who make the land along this trail their home. They are the salt of the earth and possess wealth beyond the material in their kindness and pride in their heritage.

Respect your fellow XP club members no matter the seemingly stupid things they may do. When the summer is over you will have lived the old sayings "No man is an island" "But for the grace of God go I" and "What goes around comes around".

The KISS Theory - Keep It Simple Stupid:

1) The trail is tougher on rigs than horses.

More...

Enthusiasts seek to have rare breed named Arizona’s official state horse

Mohavedailynews.com - Full Article

By KRISTENA HANSEN/Cronkite News Service
Sunday, March 7, 2010

ST. DAVID - Arroyo may not have the size of a quarter horse, the speed of a thoroughbred or the elegance of an Arabian.

But this colonial Spanish horse can eat nearly any native grass, has hooves so firm they don't require shoes and is renowned for its stamina. In the late 1600s, its ancestors carried Father Eusebio Kino from Mexico into present-day Arizona, where he credited the breed for helping him establish missions.

As cattle ranchers sought bigger and stronger horses in the 300-plus years since, they cross-bred the colonial Spanish horse into many of today’s most popular pedigrees. It's nearly vanished in its native Spain and is a novelty breed kept alive by people such as Marjorie Dixon, Arroyo's owner.

Ten years ago, Dixon sold her quarter horses and began breeding the colonial Spanish horse at her 1,200-acre ranch set beneath the Dragoon Mountains of southeastern Arizona. Her passion inspired a suggestion from her husband, Jerry.

"My husband looked at me and said, 'Marjorie, these horses should be the Arizona state horse. You should really get on that,'" Dixon said with a laugh.

That could happen this year, as a bill inspired by Dixon and other members of Arizona's Colonial Spanish Horse Project is moving through the state Legislature. HB 2634, sponsored by Rep. Patricia V. Fleming, D-Sierra Vista, is awaiting a vote by the full House that would send it to the Senate.

If it passes, the colonial Spanish horse would join a list of state emblems that includes an official fossil (petrified wood), amphibian (tree frog) and neckwear (bola tie).

"These horses are a state treasure because of the history behind them," said Fleming, whose district includes St. David. "This is recognizing a piece of Arizona heritage."

More...

USEF Announces Selection Procedure For WEG Endurance Team

The U.S. Equestrian Federation selection procedure and application for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Endurance Team are now available online at www.usef.org/documents/highPerformance/endurance/SelectionProcedures.pdf.

Athletes who are on the National Training List at any time between Dec. 1, 2008, and May 10, 2010, are eligible to apply for the WEG. Selectors will also issue wild card invitations to endurance athletes who are not eligible to apply for the WEG. Applications to request a wild card invitation are also available online at www.usef.org/documents/highPerformance/endurance/WEGWildCardRequest.PDF. Wild card requests must be received no later than April 19.

There will be three regional USEF Selection Trials:

The Central Selection Trial – June 19, 2010, in Danville, Ill.
The East Selection Trial – June 22, 2010, in Fairhill, Md.
The West Selection Trial – June 26, 2010, in Prineville, Ore.

The Twenty Eleven Ride, Part 4

Enduranceridestuff - Karen Chaton

This was the 2nd of 3 articles I wrote for Endurance News following the 2001 XP.

XP'loring the Trail, 2000 Miles of Memories. Be sure to click on the link to read the entire thing! If you want to read my diary from the ride and see photos from all 8 weeks, click here. Karen

Talk about anticipation! Most of the riders had waited months, years even…for the start of this ride and it was quite a spectacular one. The horses were loaded into trailers in St. Joseph, Missouri and hauled across the river to Elwood, Kansas. The morning was dark, humid, and dark clouds loomed menacingly overhead. Baseball sized butterflies fluttered around inside my stomach on the short trip to the start. We unloaded our already tacked up horses and just like that, we were off. After all the months spent dreaming about the ride here we were actually embarking on the adventure of a lifetime...

XP'loring the Trail, 2000 Miles of Memories

2001 Pony Express Ride

by Karen Chaton, Copyright 2002

Part 2 of 3

For many of us, riding the Pony Express trail brought on a whole new aspect to endurance riding. We were riding through history. I’ll try my best to cover some of the more historical aspects of the trail and the parts that the riders remember the most. Many of us are still realizing the significance and enormity of it all. To condense the details of the trail into mere words is not an easy task. Words really cannot contain the emotions or the experiences of what we went thru. Every traveler along this historical route 140 years ago encountered adventure, discovery and hardship which was revealed to each of us on the back of a horse as we progressed on our incredible journey.

More...

Dynamite Dash 50 in Scottsdale - Amanda Washington

Easycare Blog - Full Story

I had the amazingly generous opportunity to ride one of Garrett's horses, Belesemo Inferno, in the 50 at the Dynamite Dash endurance ride put on by Rusty Toth on February 27. This is the first year for the ride, and despite monsoon-type weather in Scottsdale the month prior to the ride, a change of ridecamp a week before and quite frankly a really scary weekend forecast, the ride went off without a hitch!

Rusty contacted me a few months ago to see if my husband, Robert, might be interested in vetting. Of course I said yes, so long as I could ride! I then convinced my husband it would be a great thing to do while we were on our annual migration south. Didn't take much to convince him.

Garrett Ford quickly offered me a horse and we were all set! Being from the northwest, I am one of the few doing the "barefoot thing" in endurance. I was super excited to watch Mr. Easyboot himself apply the glue-ons to horses prior to the ride. I have been riding in Easycare boots for three years but have only been gluing boots for rides since last June. Considering we don't have the option up in the NW for others to glue on for us, we have had to learn ourselves. I can tell you, it wasn't pretty at first, but we got the job done! I was feeling pretty good about my glue jobs towards the end of last season, but watching Garrett and seeing his end product was the equivalent of thinking you sound pretty good singing in the shower and getting laughed off the audition stage at American Idol!

More...

The Twenty Eleven Ride, Part 3

Enduranceridestuff - Karen Chaton

This is an article I wrote for endurance news about preparing for the 2001 XP. “Preparing for the 2001 XP”.

I surveyed and interviewed many if not most of the riders that went on the ‘01 XP and got a lot of varied responses.

This may help some of you that are planning for the 2011 event. I’ve got lots more to post, so keep checking back.

Enjoy! Karen

Preparing for the 2001 XP

by Karen Chaton, Copyright 2002

Part 1 of 3

This summer a group of about 60 endurance riders rode from Saint Joseph, Missouri on the original Pony Express trail to Virginia City, Nevada. So just what does one do to prepare for an 8 week, 2,000 mile multiday endurance ride? I asked several riders who went and found that there are as many different ways to prepare for a monumental event such as this as there were miles to be ridden.

Many of the riders had planned on doing this event for 2 ½ to 3 years, when Dave Nicholson, DVM made the announcement at the 1998 Death Valley Encounter. At that time riders began purchasing entries and making plans and dreaming!

For some, preparation included reading up on the actual trail itself. In 1992 the Pony Express National Historic Trail, which covers the entire route followed by pony express riders, was designated part of the National Trails System. It goes over much of the Oregon, California and Mormon Trails, which are also of great historical significance. The most read book by riders was the Traveler’s Guide to the Pony Express Trail, by Joe Bensen. Other books read included the 1976 Great American Horse Race and Graves and Sites on the Oregon Trail. A great number of riders felt a connection since they had ancestors who had come across the trail, some as immigrants in wagon trains and at least one relative who pushed a handcart.

A lot of horses brought on the trip were solid competitors, having completed multidays previously. Nearly every rider polled mentioned completing 5 day rides such as Outlaw Trail, Fort Schellbourne, Applegate-Lassen, Lost Wagon Train, the Fall XP, Renegade and Timberon rides. Quite a few horses had over 3,000 career miles and some more than 5,000 and 7,000 miles. Many others had very few career miles but had been conditioned for several months. The riders themselves as a whole were a very experienced bunch, and included ride managers, veterinarians and AERC Directors. Not everybody had a lot of experience, for at least one rider this was his first endurance ride.

More...

The Twenty Eleven Ride, Part 2

Enduranceridestuff.com/blog - Karen Chaton
Here is more basic information on the 2011 XP ride. This is also posted on the xprides.com website.

If you are interested in attending this event be sure to read a lot of the information that is on the XP website about the 2001 and 2004 XP rides.

The 2011 ride will be essentially the same as the 2001 ride was. This one will definitely be the last time it’s done by XP/The Duck.


XP 2011

December 31, 2009

For quite some time we talked and dreamed about doing the MexiCan Ride, a ride from Mexico to Canada similar to the XP2001 and XP2004 rides. After several years of preliminary work we were finally forced to give up on the idea for many reasons, not the least of which is the increasingly difficult permitting process on public lands. In lieu of the MexiCan Ride we announced that we would do one more ride on the Pony Express Trail before we got too old and tired. Much has happened since making that decision. Obviously the collapse of the world economic system plays a gigantic role in all of our plans. Not only are all of our finances in jeopardy, according to some of the prophets of doom, the world is going to end in December of 2012, Obviously we will be unable to do the ride if the world comes to an end. That being said, we are committed to going ahead with the XP2011 on the Pony Express Trail. We have made some important changes in the terms of engagement, especially the financial terms.

The event will consist of eight weeks of five-day rides, starting on Tuesday, May 24th in St. Joseph Missouri. Each ride will be 50 miles and will be conducted as all of our XP point-to-point rides have been in the past. We will ride five days and rest on Sundays and Mondays. In previous years we started in June and suffered more from the heat later in the ride. The early pioneers left Missouri in April but they were traveling much slower and needed more time to get to through the western mountains by snowfall. Since we are traveling at a faster pace we will be able to enjoy the best of weather throughout our trip. We have notified AERC of our plans and have requested time to meet with the AERC BOD in Reno to advise them of our plans and to request sanctioning as we did in 2001 and 2004. Although the ride will follow the original Pony Express Trail, as close as possible, we will be making some detours that provide a better horse/rider experience.

More...

Another Setback for Amigo

Wednesday March 3 2010

Gary Sanderson's horse Amigo, who was impaled by a tree branch on January 17 and who has been fighting courageously for his life since at the University of Tennessee Large Animal Clinic had another serious setback yesterday.

After pulling through several crises over the weeks, Amigo was strong enough to be scheduled for one more surgery to remove one abscess that hasn't gone away with antibiotics.

He collapsed during surgery. "Both lungs collapsed," Gary reported. "they lost him. They were able to get him back and then put him to sleep via IV drugs. He is having an extremely rough time getting through being out cold!" Gary's girlfriend Kara reported Amigo looked the worst he'd looked throughout the whole ordeal.

Gary and his girlfriend seriously discussed euthanizing Amigo, but once again, Amigo pulled through; by evening his bloodwork looked good, he was stabilized, and he was standing on his own.

You can follow Gary and Kara's daily updates on Amigo on Facebook at Amigo - One Amazing Horse!

The Twenty Eleven Ride, Part 1

Enduranceridestuff - Karen Chaton

There is going to be another epic endurance ride on the Pony Express trail in 2011.

The ride will start in St. Joseph, MO on Tuesday, May 24th, 2011 and finish in Virginia City, Nevada. The route will follow the original Pony Express trail as closely as possible and will be 2,000 miles. Riders will ride 50 miles per day, five days a week for eight weeks, Tuesday through Saturday. Sunday and Monday will be rest days.

The entry fee is $5,000.00 if you enter and pay your $500.00 deposit by June 1st. After that entries will go up and if the ride fills up (there is a limit) then you run the risk of not getting in.

I will post a series of posts with more information on this ride as well as some stuff on the 2001 XP. It will be a great adventure and is truly is one of those once in a lifetime opportunities. When I did the 2001 ride I thought it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I haven’t done anything since that has been anywhere near that much of a challenge. It was also a tremendous life changing event that really made me learn to appreciate how lucky I am (we all are). It was a great way to learn about the human condition. I came away really appreciating what my ancestors went through moving West on the Oregon Trail (which is the same in many parts as the Pony Express Trail).

It’s now ten years later, can we all do this again? We’re older and wiser and will know what to expect. I like that we are wiser, but the older part might make it harder on us. I had a great adventure last time. I rode my two horses, Dream Weaver and Rocky every day except for one and a half out of the forty. My horses did 1925 miles between them. It was quite a thrill to be able to start and finish with the same two horses. They were incredible and I had the adventure of a lifetime. I also rode sponsoring juniors most of the way and we had a great time. I hope there will be a few kids along on this trip. It was such a great experience for them.

Stay tuned for more, lots more on the 2011 ride!

For more info, see Karen Chaton's Enduranceridestuff page

Great Britain: Inside look at Golden Horseshoe ride for writers

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

March 2, 2010

Editors from some of Britain's leading equestrian magazines and websites have said they will ride at this year's Golden Horseshoe Ride over Exmoor.

The ride's organising committee has put on an extra class of 25 miles (40km) for the journalists. They will be escorted by riders from Endurance Great Britain's Elite Squad. These are horse-and-rider combinations from which the British endurance team will be chosen for the World Championships in Kentucky.

The Golden Horseshoe Ride, run this year from May 16 to 18, will again start and finish from the show field at Exford and will attract leading endurance riders from all over the country.

More...

Nevada Derby Ride April 3 & 4

The Nevada All-State Trail Riders, Inc. (NASTR) is a non-profit corporation
organized in 1968 for the purpose of preserving historical trails in Nevada
by sponsoring and promoting horse back riding on these trails.

NASTR is pleased to present our spring warmup ride, The Nevada Derby, April
3 and 4, 2010 in the Winnemucca Valley, north of Reno, Nevada, with two days
of rides: Saturday with 25 and 50-mile rides, and Sunday with 15 and 50-mile
rides. The Triple Crown qualifing ride will be Saturday's 50-mile ride.

Both days' 50-mile rides are AHA Region 3 Local Rides. Sundays 15-mile ride
is not AERC sanctioned.

NASTR's spring ride was historically known as the Derby Ditch, and for
nearly 40 years was based north of Reno near a geographic feature by that
name, but residential development forced us from that location. It's still
the first of our three rides (our Triple Crown), and we invite you to join
in the challenge of riding them all for special awards based on their
combine riding times.
Nevada Derby 50, April 3, 2010
NASTR 75, June 12, 2010
Virginia City 100, September 18, 2010

Base camp for the ride remains unchanged, at the home of Joe & Karen
Broughton located at 6505 Rangeland Rd., Reno, NV 89510. We are pleased to
host the ride at this location and wish to express our sincere thanks to Joe
& Karen for once again allowing the use of their property for our base camp.

We are also pleased to annouce that with the cooperation of the owners and
manager of the Winnemucca Ranch, and weather permitting, we anticipate being
able to repeat and expand upon last year's trail further into the foothills
north of camp.

In our continuing effort to encourage ridership, JUNIORS RIDE FREE! Adult
entries postmarked by March 25 may avoid the $15 late fee.

Membership in NASTR costs only $15 for new members ($10 for annual
renewals), and provides a $5 discount on each of our rides: dues may be
included on your entry for this ride. Donations in excess of the membership
fees are tax deductible, and very much appreciated: please consider us when
planning your annual charitable giving. Thank you again for your support!

If you have any difficulty opening the attached Ride Entry & Information,
please visit our website at http://www.nastr.org/ or call me at(775)
883-9043.

Make checks payable to NASTR

Karon Dutcher, Ride Secretary
Nevada Derby
1310 S Deer Run Rd.
Carson City, NV 89701

To be removed from our e-mail list, or if you have friends who would like to
be added, please reply to scottdutcher1@gmail.com

Am I Blue +/ Named AHA Distance Horse of the Year for 2009

Arabian Horse Association

February 18, 2010

The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) today announced Am I Blue+/ (Red Wings Royalty x Petrovna), owned by Louise and Bruce Burton of Okmulgee, Okla., as the 2009 Distance Horse of the Year. The notable award recognizes an Arabian or Half-Arabian with significant accomplishments in distance riding sports. Am I Blue, known as "Ducky," topped off an excellent year with a championship at the AHA U.S. Endurance National Championship in the 100-Mile ride, Half-Arabian division, on October 27 in Stillwater, Okla. Ducky and Burton finished the 100-Mile Ride in 11 hours.

Each time a horse is named the Distance Horse of the Year, their name is added to a perpetual bronze sculpture trophy, designed by Joe Staheli that is displayed at the AHA office in Aurora, Colo.

Plagued by injury and lameness for almost three years after Burton bought the mare, Ducky's partnership with Burton began bumpy. After a few adjustments were made to Ducky's pace and gait, Burton and Ducky began to thrive, and the pair earned the championship spot at the Region 9 Endurance Championship in 2008 and then again in 2009.

"Mike Beasley told me I needed to canter more and trot less," says Burton. As Ducky's pace quickened, she often awarded the Best Conditioned with a 15 pulse, which made Burton realize the mare could handle a 100-mile ride and produce winning times.

According to Burton, the 1998 16-hand Half-Arabian mare, out of a straight Russian dam and a Saddlebred sire, experienced her best moment on a race to the finish line this year. "A guy decided to race us the last 1/4 mile to beat us at a ride in Texas last spring. I didn't want to race in, but Duck would have none of it. She would not let that horse pass! That was the first time she discovered she could really run! I never could get her to run flat out before that," says Burton. "She is a dream to ride. Duck loves nothing better than to go down the trail." adds Burton.

For more information on AHA distance programs, visit ArabianHorses.org/Distance or contact AHA at (303) 696-4500.

Color Country 3-day Pioneer Endurance Ride in Utah in April

Marian Parker (Ride Manager) and family would like to invite you to join us at our upcoming Color Country 3-day Pioneer Endurance Ride in Hurricane, Utah, on April 9, 10, and 11, 2010.

The ride will be held in Hurricanes high desert. We have been having a lot of rain. Hopefully we will have some pretty desert flowers this year. We do not have a limit on how may riders we can have, so the more the merrier. We will be serving a dutch oven dessert at the ride meeting on friday night. No charge.

Stacie works very hard to make sure the 50 milers and 25 milers have well marked, fun, and different trails each day. Just remember it is your responsibility to take care of yourself and best friend your horse. We are high desert, with hills, washes, climbs, cactus, beautiful scenery, and dinosaur tracks. She will have water on the trail. Base camp has horse water only. We will have it so you don’t have to go down to the pump house, but right where the vet check will be. You are responsible for your camp site, and there is plenty of room for all. You do not have to clean up your hay, because as we move out the cows move in. We are on BLM, so yes you need weed free hay. Sorry I do not have hay to sell. Make sure you bring enough hay for your stay with us.

The attachments above are as follows: 1. welcome letter, directions, and facilities in Hurricane, 2. Rider application, and 3. Medical release. Print the application and medical release. Fill out, sign, and e-mail back to me. If I have it in advance that helps to plan, or bring it with you. If you forget or loose it I always have more for you to fill out. If you need additional information do not hesitate to contact me. I always love to hear from riders.

Trail Master is Stacie Devereaux, and Head Vet is Dave Nicholson

Take care and we will see you at the ride.

Marian and family

Contact info:
PHONE: 1-435-635-2691 (This number is also a fax machine)
ADDRESS: 1199 S. TOQUER BLVD. TOQUERVILLE, UT 84774
E-MAIL: mparker_931@msn.com for application etc.

See www.mrer.org - information only

Beijing to London horse ride - Megan to start third stage

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Lottie Butler, H&H newsdesk
24 February, 2010

Endurance riding is being taken to an entirely new level by national endurance rider Megan Lewis, who is currently preparing for the third stage of The Long Horse Ride, a Sino-British international friendship ride.

The ride, a five-part journey on horseback from Beijing to London, began after the closing ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and will be completed in time for the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics.

The next stage, due to start in April, will follow the northern Silk route across the Gobi desert and onwards through Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to Samarkand.

"It is very difficult to know how long the route will take exactly," Megan told H&H.

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FEI Endurance Steward's Course - May 13-15

Download pdf file: application and info

Open to licensed FEI and USEF Endurance Stewards and applicants for those licenses. Attendance at the course fulfills the continuing education course requirements for FEI and national level Endurance Stewards. Discount registration deadline is 26 April, 2010.

Course Director
Teresa Cross – FEI Steward General, Endurance (USA) FEI ENDURANCE STEWARDS’ COURSE
13-15 May, 2010 San Jose, California (USA)

Texas Equestrian Seeks Sponsors for Mongol Derby

Guidrynews.com - Full Article

News Release
Sunday, February 21, 2010

Justin NelzenJustin Nelzen was born in the small town of McPherson, Kansas and moved to Houston at the early age of 4. Justin often likes to joke that "I may not have been born here, but I got here as quickly as I could." Those roots have kept Justin coming back his whole life. Justin enlisted in the Navy where he served with various Navy/Marine Corps Units around the world.

Honorably fulfilling his military requirements, Justin soon found his way back home to Texas where he decided to pursue a career in the equine industry. In order to maximize his knowledge, he attended and graduated from numerous schools and clinics from across the country. Some of these schools and achievements include the Oklahoma Horseshoeing School, Equissage (Equine Sports Massage Therapy), Journeyman Farrier Certification by the BWFA as well as clinics ranging in topics from hoof balance to Founder treatments.

2008 marked Justin's first year of Endurance and Competitive Trail competition. From the start he took the sport by storm, Justin as won or trained individuals in many Endurance and Competitive Trail competitions who have gone on to win countless races. Some of his achievements include two Bronze medals at the North American Endurance Race, Grand Champion Competitive Trail Horse and Rider, training Zar: the U.S. horse ridden by Elenn Rapp who represented the U.S. in the Presidents Cup. Justin has raced and trained horses overseas as well as being the first American selected to race in the Mongol Derby, the World’s Longest Endurance Race (1000-1200 km).

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Mustad Equi-Librium Shoe Steps Into the Endurance Market

Delta Mustad also announces Team Equilibrium, sponsorship of Tevis Cup during AERC Convention

FOREST LAKE, Minn. – (Feb. 17, 2010) – The Mustad Equi-Librium horseshoe initially proved itself as a new product during the 2008 Olympic competition, when competitors using it for the first time won gold and bronze medals. The Mustad Equi-Librium is now finding surefooted success with horse and riders in top Endurance horse events.

Featured at the Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center booth during the AERC Convention in Reno, Nev., Feb. 19-20, 2010, the Mustad Equi-Librium shoe has been ergonomically designed for horses that must make fast turns in their work – balance and breakover are key features of the shoe.

“Equi-Librium shoes are a great asset to the endurance sport because of how they enhance breakover,” says Jeff Pauley, CJF and U.S. Endurance Team farrier for 2006 and 2010. “I feel that breakover is one of the most important factors in balancing a foot.”

Stagg Newman has experienced the benefits of Mustad Equi-Librium shoes as a horse owner and rider, with success in numerous Endurance competitions, since Pauley recommended them for his horse, Jayel Super.

A highlight of this year’s AERC convention will be a special presentation sponsored by Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center. Blake Brown, nationally recognized farrier and educator, will discuss the benefits of the Mustad Equi-Librium shoe from a farrier and horse wellness perspective. The company also will announce its roster of top-level riders competing for “Team Equilibrium.”

The Mustad Equi-librium also has earned the title of “the Official Horseshoe of the Tevis” for the 2010 Tevis Cup in Placer County, Calif., July 24, 2010.

“Mustad specifically designs and engineers each of our products to suit horses in every situation, but the Equi-Librium shoe just so happens to cross that boundary between racing and endurance,” said Remco van der Linden, president of Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center.

“In the hands of an excellent farrier, these high performance shoes help horses become champions,” he said.


About Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center / Mustad Group
Based in Forest Lake, Minn., Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center is the North American arm of Mustad Hoofcare Group, SA (Switzerland), the world’s leading manufacturer of horsenails, horseshoes and hoofcare products. Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center distributes the industry’s leading brands, including St. Croix Forge, Capewell, Cooper, Delta, Heller, Mustad, Tuff Stuff®, Thrushbuster® and Right Balance™, Hoof Power.

Mustad provides products to satisfy the needs of farriers, horse owners and veterinarians, worldwide. Products include horsenails, horse shoes, farrier tools, vitamin and mineral supplements, and specialty products for the care of the horse’s lower limbs and hooves. The Mustad Hoofcare Group has been active in the global hoofcare market for more than 175 years.


Media Contact:
Mary Lilja or Alex Cook
Lilja Inc. for Delta Mustad Hoofcare Center
(952) 893-7140
mcl@lilja.com

Great Britain: Ribble Valley rider Jane is at home in the saddle

Clitheroe Advertiser
Published Date: 17 February 2010

IMAGINE riding a horse from England to America and back, a distance of 6,000 miles.
That is the incredible distance Wiswell rider Jane Wood and her remarkable horse Kym have just achieved in long-distance riding.

Jane, who lives at Wiswell Hall Livery Yard with her husband John and daughter Joannne, has received the 6,000 mile accolade from Endurance GB, the competitive long-distance horse riding society for England and Wales.

Kym probably holds the record mileage for any currently competing horse in Lancashire.

Jane has owned her sprightly 24-year-old brown and white coloured mare Kym since she was just a five-year-old. The pair have completed the endurance miles from as far north as Northumberland and Cumbria to East Anglia and the Cotswolds in the South.

Ride mileage is logged by the society and accumulates over the season. This is then taken forward to add on each year. Kym has won numerous trophies and rosettes in her long career, and has also raised over £500 for Macmillan Nurses by taking part in annual sponsored rides at Newmarket racecourse.

Jane thinks the world of her and she is very much a part of the Wood family.Kym celebrated her 21st birthday with fellow liveries at the yard.

"Endurance riding is a wonderful way of building a trusting affinity with your horse," said Jane.

"I particularly enjoy this form of equine sport as you build up such a close friendship with your horse, experiencing fantastic countryside and scenery all over England."

Horses are very much a major part of Jane's life. When she is not endurance riding, she is kept busy with the small and friendly livery yard she runs with her family. Of course, the 6,000 miles Kym has completed are only the recorded distance – she is kept very fit at home riding along the beautiful roads and lanes in the picturesque Ribble Valley.

If they too were measured, she could possibly have ridden as far as New Zealand!
[...more]

Duo built to ride: Hub City teen, horse endured much to earn gold medal, recognition

News.tradingcharts.com - Full Article

Feb 16, 2010 (American News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- When the four Kimbler girls ride out for competition or a training run, their parents don't expect them to return any time soon.

The annual Kentucky Derby thoroughbred race in May is 1 miles long and takes about two minutes to complete. When Kelsey Kimbler, 17, won the North American Young Riders Endurance Ride in July, it took eight hours and 19 minutes and covered 75 miles. Both Kelsey and her older sister, Kirsten, 20, qualified for the long race in the Clark State Forest in Indiana.

Kelsey and Kirsten's younger sisters McCamey, 13, and Tessa, 10, also ride.

In the endurance race, Kelsey rode one of the family's horses named Blade, an 11-year-old gray purebred Arabian gelding that stands 15.3 hands high (a little more than 5 feet) at the shoulder. The Kimblers were riding in Canada when they spotted Blade.

"We had ridden together with Blade's owner and we'd seen the potential in him and bought him," said Kelsey. "The first year I got to know him, and this year we took off."

Served two purposes

The long ride combined competition and companionship for Kelsey. After Kirsten and her horse were not allowed to continue the race for medical reasons, Kelsey, a member of the Central Team, rode with Lindsey Bean of the East Team and Jennifer Stevens of the Mountain Team.

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An Unforgettable Feat in Spain

Barbra Dozier's blog
By barbradozier

Despite of the coming big day, I have managed to appreciate the richness of the vast geographic and cultural diversity Spain has. From the snowcapped mountains of the Pyrenees to the sun kissed shores of the Mediterranean, Spain indeed is one marvel different from what I have back home.

Revelling in the inviting streets of Barcelona, my mind momentarily veered away from the anxiety of the nearing competition. But I know I’m not supposed to lose sight of why I’m there to begin with.

I wake up with the sun streaming in from the white-curtained window sills. I am ambivalent for a week of training, but I am more of confident and exhilarated knowing I’ll be training with the horse that has bonded well with me for years now. My horse has shown more agility and stamina. But I am fervently hoping for it to gain speed as the competition comes closer. A week-long training dispelled some of my fears and reservations. I have years of hard training, sacrifice and experience to give me a shot in this much coveted endurance championship title. Endurance riding is an equestrian sport based on controlled long-distance races. It is one of the international competitions recognized by the Fédération Équestre Internationale or the FEI. There are endurance rides worldwide.

I have employed various methods in training my stallion, including a powered horse walker, lunging and short graded endurance rides to keep him in peak physical fitness and health. I am highly positive on this one. (Al-Nakyme)

It has finally come. I barely slept the night before but my senses instantly rose to life upon seeing a challenging terrain and other sharp looking competitors. I have never felt this nervous for a long time now. This is the endurance championship I have spent the few months back working hard for. I passed off weekends of rendezvous with friends to train for this.

I have to give this my best and even better performance than my last day of training. This type of thing involves not just physical but also immense mental internalization and preparation. The weather seems perfect for the occasion, just partially cloudy but no sign of impending heavy downpour any time before the competition comes to a close. The terrain is reasonable. This is almost similar to the terrain I trained in.

A rider is given the liberty to dress comfortably but still has to be dressed to preserve the image of the sport. I have on a new equestrian helmet I just bought the day I got to Spain. My riding breech is comfortable enough and I have on the boots I have gotten accustomed to wearing in my past competitions. At 77 kg together with the saddle, I am just 2 kg above the minimum weight limit. Still, I do hope to get Best Conditioned or BC award which is sometimes even considered more prized than finishing first. It is determined by a combination of speed, weight carried, and veterinary scores. The veterinary scores are acquired through the veterinary inspections that are conducted at the end of every phase. This is essential to determine whether or not the horse is still fit to pursue the remaining phases especially with respect to dehydration and soundness.

The race started and almost similar to an epic movie, everyone shouted and kicked his horse to mobility. I can feel the power of my horse as it effortlessly trudges up pretty steep elevations. After just a few phases, I already see some walking by their horses. This is valid, but will really slow one down.

It is important that I stay ahead of the pack especially in dusty roads. I have seen how difficult it is to be lagging behind and have thick dust cover my eyes. This time, I am leading. I only see two other riders behind me on this long and dusty path. But they’re inching closer. As I urged my horse to go faster, I feel him gasping but still determined to give me victory. It’s like he knows exactly what’s at stake.

After 60 miles of a more challenging landscape than I thought, I find myself crossing the finish line first! This is the greatest adrenaline in the world. One by one, equally competitive riders are arriving with huge smiles in their faces.

Champion and Best Conditioned! I don’t know when I’ll ever be this happy again.

Barbra Dozier's blog

Your Chance to be a Part of an Exciting Endurance Event!

Bridleandbit.com

By
Feb 15, 2010, 09:58

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Volunteers are needed to help with the Dynamite Dash Endurance Ride to be held at Checker XII Ranch on 152nd St and Lone Mountain on Saturday, February 27. This event features our fantastic trails in the Tonto National Forest and will attract national level riders competing at distances of 50, 75 and 100 miles! Be a part of the excitement, give back to the equine community, experience superb equine athletes, and promote equestrian sports in the Tonto Forest by volunteering even a few hours to this event. No experience necessary – we will train you for In/Out Timer, Vet Scribe, Pulse Taker (hand held devices provided), and assorted other tasks. Many volunteers are needed – 100 mile riders have 24 hours to complete and although it is not anticipated that they will take the full time, having volunteers work limited shifts would be most appreciated.

PLEASE contact Jenny Powers at jpowers@pbmi.com or 480-861-8392 to volunteer. All volunteers receive a ball cap with ride logo, beverages and meals. All volunteers will remain in base camp at Checker XII Ranch. Any help you can offer will be most appreciated. Thank you!

For details on this event visit: http://sites.google.com/site/dynamitedash/

Setback for Amigo on road to recovery

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article
February 16, 2010

The Tennessee horse who suffered a horrific injury when impaled on a large branch has suffered a setback.

There were fears on Sunday at the University of Tennessee's Large Animal Clinic that Amigo may have been coming down with laminitis.

Gary Sanderson said he visited Amigo on Sunday after church and he seemed OK.

Two hours later he received a call that Amigo had an elevated digital pulse and hoof sensitivity - signs of laminitic problems.

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Competitive Trail Horse Elmer Bandit, 38, Euthanized

Thehorse.com - Full Article

by: Marsha Hayes
February 15 2010, Article # 15827

National competitive trail mileage record holder Elmer Bandit, 38, passed away Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m. in the pasture of his longtime boarding stable, Misty River Equestrian Center, in Independence, Mo.

Surrounded by several friends and his lifelong owner, Mary Anna Wood, Elmer was attended by J. B. Scott, DVM, of the Odessa Animal Clinic, Odessa, Mo.

Elmer was discovered earlier Sunday, February 14, unable to rise in his pasture. The gray half-Arabian appeared alert and determined to get his hindquarters under him, but the cold north wind and dropping temperatures began to take a toll on the horse. Snow moved into the area and the windchill dropped to around 10° degrees as people worked to assist Elmer and keep him warm.

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President's Cup: An Abu Dhabi Farewell - Heather Reynolds

Reynoldsracing - Full Story

Sunday, 14 February 2010

Happy Valentine's Day!! This is our 4th one in the UAE! How strange. Today we went to take care of the horses in the morning. They were both doing well. They got to spend the day out in a large paddock together. It seemed relaxing for them and was the least they had to do since they arrived here. We also packed all of our gear up as the horses were to ship out on Monday.

After that we headed to Sheika Madiya's barn. It was a good thing that Jeremy had a hand drawn map in addition to a verbal explanation because we were driving on a highway type road and then had to look for a certain Kilometer marker and then hook a left handed turn, off- roading, as in deep sand, to a road that ran beneath the one we were on. It would have been really cryptic had there not been the verbal instructions.

After an hour plus drive we were there. Madiya showed us around and we got a tour of her horses. After this we had a wonderful lunch with her and her friend and sister. The meal was delicious and had many traditional plates.

When we finished eating we went to her barn and there were horses waiting, saddled and ready for us...

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Injured horse shows amazing recovery at UT veterinary college

WHNT.com

By Associated Press

February 13, 2010

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - An Arabian horse has surprised the veterinarians at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine for his amazing recovery from a terrible injury.

Gary Sanderson's horse Amigo was an elite endurance horse competing in 50-miles races. But last month, Sanderson found that the horse had accidentally been impaled in the chest by a tree branch.

Vets initially thought he would have to be euthanized, but after three weeks of treatment for a collapsed lung, broken ribs and infections, WBIR-TV reports that he now has a 50 percent chance of survival.

A Facebook page set up for Amigo has more than 1,500 fans.

Abu Dhabi: US Riders Complete President's Cup

Jeremy Reynolds, riding 11-year-old Sir Smith, and Ellyn Rapp, riding 13-year-old SA Belshazzar, finished 37th and 41st, respectively, in the 11th annual President's Cup in the UAE.

Sir Smith's ride time was 8:50.01 for an average speed of 18.11 km/h, while SA Belshazzar finished in 9:17.35 for an average of 17.22 km/h.

Winner of the race was Sultan Ahmed Al Baloushi of Al Reef Stables, riding the amazing 13-year-old Charlandre El Sharif. Already a record holder for 160 km, Charlandre El Sharif set a new world record of 6:21.12 for the distance.

Coverage at http://www.endurance.net/international/UAE/2010PresidentsCup/

Eastern Mojave Scenic Day 1 - Steve Bradley

Hi from EMS ride camp:

I posted all the photos from Day 1 to my smug mug site at 2:30 this morning, they are here:

http://stevesphoto.smugmug.com/2010-Endurance-Rides/Eastern-Mohave-Scenic-D1/11223937_DfXyT#787092404_xUWNt

For anyone that thought about coming to the ride and didn't you missed a great 1st day, new trail on the north side of the freeway, great weather with 63 starters and 61 finishers. Weather is suppose to stay good for the entire ride.

Winner yesterday was Doug Swingley, who has taken up the sport of Endurance Riding after retiring from racing sled dogs competing in the 1100 mile Iditarod race held in Alaska. Doug gave a talk about his experiences racing in Alaska and answered questions after the ride meeting last night. Great first day to say the least....

Got to go warm up the MC.....

Happy Trails,
Steve

Eastern Mojave Scenic Day 1

posted by Karen Chaton

Today turned out to be quite nice. I had a fantastic ride on Chief, though it’s rare that I don’t – he such a sweetheart and I so love riding him. At the start he was pretty amped up but settled in after a few miles and was pretty good all day.

I rode with Jackie Bumgardner and Tom Jenkins all day. We were all pretty relaxed and spent the day chatting away and telling stories. Jackie knows a lot of interesting history and it is always fun to hear about the past. I was extremely relieved to ride Chief all day and have him feel so solid on his feet. It was really a bummer at DVE when he felt sore over the rocks. So, BIG relief! His eyelic looks healed up and I am so hoping and praying that this is IT, the real deal….I so want my horse back!!

There were 63 riders today with 61 finishing. Doug Swingley came in first with Mindy Wolfe’s horse receiving BC. Doug, as it turns out is a well known sports hero! He has won the Iditarod four times and has 36 (I think) national titles, etc. He was gracious enough to talk to the riders tonight and answer questions – very interesting! Anything endurance is always an attention grabber for me so it’s fun to hear first hand about these incredible dogs.

EMS 2010 Eastern Mojave Day 1 022 300x225 Day 1, Eastern Mojave Endurance Ride 2010I’ve got a shoulder bothering me, and a rope burn on the opposite hand…boy is that a story! I tried to fit both horses through Nannette’s barn door and…duh…we didn’t all fit.

[...more]

President's Cup: Friday in the UAE- and counting - Heather Reynolds

Reynolds Racing - Full Story

Friday, 12 February 2010

Today was the last day of waiting! Super!! We went out to the camel souk first thing to get fresh Alfalfa and to get a new box of carrots. I was able to take a picture of some of the camel jockey robots, they were even wearing silks!

Jeremy and Ellen rode. Smitty looked perfect and calm. Zar looked wonderful as he cantered effortlessly along. He is a very nice representation of Shagya breeding. I took many pictures and a few video clips of him on his ride today. After the ride we gave him a soap bath and even conditioned his tail. He was super clean when we left for lunch.

We were going to leave for lunch when we discovered that our car had a dead battery. We waited a while and someone with jumper cables arrived to rescue us. We drove back to the hotel and waited for the person to arrive to give us our 4 wheel drive crew trucks. When the guy claimed that the trucks would run "Just as well as your cars" I was scared. My truck that they gave me coughed to a slow turn over start. I quickly refused taking that one and got a new one. I told them that I had already had my fun with my rental car.

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President's Cup: Thursday in the UAE-getting closer! - Heather Reynolds

Reynolds Racing - Full Story

Thursday, 11 February 2010

We went to the barn this morning for Jeremy to do a short ride. Ellen and Eryn went for a walk as well as Jeremy Olson's dad, Craig (who arrived last night).

We worked on Smitty taking bottles from his right side as that is the side he liked less and that is the side that is easier to get to while driving and handing off. He only held his breath a few times today, and it is really funny when he does!

After the ride Jeremy ran from the barn out for a 6 mile, give or take, run while I read my book. Then we headed back to the hotel.

Ellen, Eryn and Craig went to the camel souk and there was a lot more going on there than usual. Apparently there were fancy camels wearing sparkley, strappy things and a lot more camels were there than normal. Maybe there had been a race?

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President's Cup: Wednesday in the UAE - Heather Reynolds

Reynolds Racing - Full Story

Wednesday, 10 February 2010

We woke up and had breakfast as usual and then headed out to the barn. It was another 2 hour walk morning, which is about a 6 mile deal. Every time that Smitty has seen a camel he is convinced that we should go get a better look and tries to drag me towards them. Well, today he had his chance. The camels were right on the road we were on, headed straight at us. When they were approaching he was happy, then at some point in the approaching, I guess he focused on them really well. I think he must have realized that he needs his eyes checked because it went from a cool idea "let's say Hi" to "let's get the hell outta here!" In a split second.

Jeremy ran 12 miles while we walked and he went 10 min faster today then he did two days ago.

After our walk I body clipped Smitty. We tied him to our rental car and even hung his hay bag from the car as well. We did this by unrolling the windows on the left side of the car and then tied him through the solid part of the doors between the two windows. Very professional.

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President's Cup: Tuesday in the UAE - Heather Reynolds

Reynolds Racing - Full Story

Tuesday, 09 February 2010

I failed to tell you about the crazy motorcycle drivers last night. We were coming back from town and needed gas really badly. We were on a failing search for gas and we had given up and were heading back to the hotel when we just barely noticed in time two motorcycles, in the dark, without headlights, driving at us head on. I don't know if this is some psychotic type of training or what but they kept almost getting killed! The worst part was that when we went around a few more roundabouts they were once again in front of us heading at us from out of the darkness head on! Crazy. This is when Ellen said half way jokingly that they were after their families blood money. She went on to explain that if you kill a person in an accident you then owe that person's family $250,000 for their loss!

Any how, we had breakfast early to make it for our 8 am photo shoot. This morning there were amazing chocolate croissants that I now knew were fresh which made them even more amazing!

When we got to the barn we got the horses dolled up and saddled and went to exit the quarantine compound when our guard told us we couldn't leave until 9 am.

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Luttrell horse 'Amigo' survives gruesome injury; becomes Facebook sensation

WBIR.com - Full Story & Video

Jim Matheny
2/10/2010

Advertisement

For more than three weeks, Gary Sanderson's Arabian horse Amigo has lived at the UT vet school's large animal clinic instead of his barn in Luttrell. Doctors consider it a miracle that Amigo is alive at all.

The athletic horse is one of the elite endurance horses in the nation. Amigo and Sanderson compete in 50-mile races, where the horse was ranked fifth in the southeast region.

On January 17th, Sanderson walked down to the horse barn and noticed Amigo standing at the gate.

"I asked him what he was doing down by the gate all by himself, and he answered me," said Sanderson. "Then I noticed he was not coming around the gate and I looked at his other side."

Sanderson discovered a gruesome wound. A cedar branch two inches in diameter and three feet long had stabbed Amigo through the chest.

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President's Cup: Another day in the UAE - Heather Reynolds

Reynoldsracing - Full Story

Monday, 08 February 2010

I forgot to mention that we went to the camel souk (market) yesterday to get carrots for Smitty. On the way there you can literally see 100's of camels that are in race training being ponied all over the place. We also went to a nearby stand that sells fresh cut Lucerne (alfalfa). It is super fresh, as in looking like fresh cut grass. Smitty likes it, he gets a handful each day.

At some point late in the night, like 12 am, we got a delivery at our room from the OC. It was a hat and jacket that had the race logo on it. I saw them when I woke up as I slept through the delivery! The jackets and hats were the right size and looked really cool. We also had a dinner party invite attached to this package. The party will be on Thursday night at he Endurance Village.

This morning we woke up and had the buffet as usual. I did hear the main Chef coaching one of his guys on how the pastries could be rounder, etc. I then realized that all of the beautiful pasteries we made fresh, right here. This inspired me to try an almond and powdered sugar covered croissant. Awesome!

Then we drove to the barn. I cleaned Smitty's stall...

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Don't Forget the AERC Convention!

The American Endurance Ride Conference will hold its annual Convention and Trade Show at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, Nevada February 18-20, 2010.

Vendors from around the country will have their products at the Trade Show. Speaker seminars will cover topics of horse health and trails. The AERC Awards Banquet will take place Saturday from 6:30 - 10 PM.

The USEF has planned several meetings and events of special interest to those involved in International Endurance.

* Thursday February 18, at 6:00pm – The USEF/AERC International Welcome Reception
* Saturday February 20, 1:00pm to2:00pm – Officials Round Table Discussion. (Open to all FEI Endurance Judges, Stewards Veterinarians and Organizers. Call in capability will be provided for those who cannot attend in person.)
* Saturday February 20 2:00pm to 4:00pm- Chef d' Equipe Presentation for Ranking List Athletes

(A discussion of the High Performance program leading up to the 2010 World Equestrian Games. The presentation will cover the process and schedule for selection for the US Endurance Team, including the Selection Trials, Pre-WEG Training and what will be expected of the riders who are vying for a place on the squad. Call in capability will be provided for those who cannot attend in person.)

* Saturday February 20, 6:30pm – National Awards Banquet
* Sunday, February 21 1:00pm – USEF Joint Endurance Committee Meeting. (Call in capability will be provided for those who cannot attend in person.)

For further information on the convention, and registration forms, go to www.aerc.org or phone 866-271-2372.

President's Cup: I Made It!! - Heather Reynolds

Reynolds Racing - Full Story

07 February 2010

Well let's see here, my flight was absurdly long. I started out flying from San Jose to Denver. This really doesn't get you closer to the UAE. I made the mistake of mentioning the San Jose airport and I think that organizer thought they were doing me a favor by flying me from there versus San Francisco. So instead of me driving 45 min to San Fran, I flew 2 1/2 hours to Denver and then had a 3 hour lay over to fly to Europe. I walked around Denver switched my watch by an hour and had a salad. This added 5 hours to my lovely trip. Then I got on my flight to Frankfurt. This was a 10:35 flight. I switched my watch by 8 hours and walked around all of the Duty Free shopping there was to see and waited out my 3 hour lay over. Then I boarded my final leg to Dubai. this was a 5:55 flight. I changed my watch by 3 more hours and was there. I landed at 11:55 pm. I took off on the 5th of Feb at 11 am and landed the 6th at 11:55 pm. Very cool time warp.

Once I was through passport control, which took about an hour, I went to baggage. After finding my bags, which were the last two to appear (at least they appeared though, right?) I went out to look for a person holding my name on a sign. I looked and then looked and then realized there wasn't a sign...shit. I had emailed the person in charge of our travel arrangements 5 times leading up to this trip to get the hotel info and never had gotten any data.

More.../president_s_cup__i_made_it__

For horse lover Mullen, 'the ride is the prize'

Goupstate.com - Full Article

Landrum resident, with teammate Ellie, to compete in 100-mile race

By Eric Boynton
eric.boynton@shj.com

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Sue Mullen has ridden horses in countless races of up to 100 miles, but there's never an end to the trails left to conquer.

Horses have been a part of the 59-year-old Landrum resident's life since she began riding nearly 53 years ago. She purchased her first horse at 9 with money garnered mostly from baby-sitting in addition to funds plucked from birthday cards.

"My parents kept waiting for me to outgrow it and I never did," said Mullen, who was raised in Montana.

Her next goal is to compete for the renowned Tevis Cup in the Western States Trail Ride when the 55th running happens July 24.

Known as the "granddaddy" of endurance rides, the event is a 100-mile excursion that begins in Robie Park, Calif., (outside Lake Tahoe) and ends in Auburn, Calif., with riders required to finish in less than 24 hours.

"I always wanted to do the race, but life kept interfering," said Mullen, a mother of three and grandmother of one with another on the way. "I'll be 60 (in April) so I decided it's now or never. I hope to finish, but if we don't, we'll have a great adventure anyway."

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Enroute to the President's Cup - Heather Reynolds

Reynoldsracing.com - Heather's Blog
Friday, 05 February 2010

So it is that we are once again on our way to the President's Cup. Jeremy and Sir Smith left on Jan 28th. I drove them and the other USA horse BA Belshazaar (SP?) aka Zar as well.

We left at 1 am Thursday morning to get to LAX by 8 am. Zar had been with us for a couple of days so he made the trip down with us as his owners, Jeremy Olson and Ellen Rapp, are currently living in Qatar training endurance horses.

The horses both traveled well and made it, with a very tired Jeremy, to Amsterdam. The horses stayed at the horse hotel on the out skirts of Amsterdam. They had a 3 day wait there before they would ship to another airport some where in the NL to get on to a private charter with the other foreign horses to continue on to the UAE. It was snowing in Amsterdam so Jeremy could only ride them in the indoor arena. Poor Jeremy was all alone there with out any other US rider for company.

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Stephanie Palmer-DuRoss To Speak at Scottsdale Arabian Show

Scottsdaleshow.com

Local Regional and National award winning Endurance rider Stephanie Palmer-DuRoss will be speaking about Endurance riding. She has competed in Endurance riding for 21 years with over 8000 Endurance miles.

She will be discussing the basics of Endurance riding. This will include information on where to start. What you would need to ride Endurance. How to find local rides in your area. She will be talking about the American Endurance Ride Conference and the motto of "to finish is to win". She will explain what to expect at Endurance rides including different distances and how to complete. There will be information on vetting and the "no drug policy". She will be bringing along her Arabian Hadji Halef Omar who has over 4700 Endurance miles in the last 9 years.

For more information, see Scottsdaleshow.com/educational/seminars

South Carolina: County wants to encourage equestrian tourism, business

Pickenssentinel.com - Full Article

January 30,1020
by Jason Evans

PICKENS - County council and county officials want to encourage equestrian related projects, to help the county's economy ride tall in the saddle.

The horse industry contributes $14 million to Pickens County, said County Administrator J. Chappell Hurst.

"There’s over 2,700 horses in this county," he said.

The county hopes to benefit from a new initiative from the SC Department of Agriculture.

The "50 by 20" project aims "to increase the state's agricultural industry by $50 billion by 2020," Hurst said.

"Because of this program there are numerous grants and funding mechanisms that are available at this time," he said. "The idea is to add an agricultural component to the development of cross country, endurance and steeplechase courses. There's a lot of money out there."

More...

WSTF Tevis Education Ride

The WSTF Tevis Education Ride is scheduled for Friday, June 18 & Saturday, June 19, 2010.

RIDERS' LIST (we will post closer to ride date)

There are no restrictions on the number of riders that can enter this year. The cost will be $125.00, which includes camping at Foresthill, lunch and barbecue for rider, attendance at all lectures, and participation in all group activities. Trailers can be moved from Foresthill to the Auburn Overlook for a fee, and extra barbecue dinners will be available for $15.00. Bill Gore will be at the finish to sell photos of the day's ride. For any questions, please call Terryl Reed at (530) 852-2111 or (530) 346-8583 or Kathie Perry at (916) 663-3869.

The 3rd Western States Educational Ride on the historic Western States Trail will be held June 18th and 19th, 2010. The dates are a week before our sister event, the Western States Endurance Run, and five weeks prior to the annual Tevis Cup 100 Mile ride. The final thirty-two miles of the trail will be covered in groups seeded for speed and led by experienced Tevis Cup Riders.

The Friday night camp site for Saturday's ride will be at the Foresthill Mill site. On Saturday, riders will leave Foresthill and ride the Western States Trail to Auburn. Mock vet checks will be held at Francisco's (lunch), the Lower Quarry, and at Auburn at the finish.

Interesting and informative speakers are planned for Friday evening, along with check-in, a pot luck dinner, and group meetings. Lunch will be provided for the riders on Saturday. Riders will be grouped with experienced guides, who will be available to point out landmarks, share pacing tips, and answer questions along the way. The mock vet checks will be at the Western States 100 Mile ride vet stop locations, in an effort to simulate the actual ride day experiences. On Saturday, after the ride, there will be a round robin to discuss the day’s ride and answer questions. Finisher certificates will be awarded, and a delicious California barbecue will be a satisfying way to end the day.

Because this year's Educational Ride offers just one day of guided riding, participants are encouraged to come earlier or stay later to ride other trail sections on their own. Maps and advice from the local riders about ways to do this will be available. Also, nearby stabling arrangements can be made for horses for the extra days.

Although there are no qualification requirements for this 32 mile ride, it is expected that riders will bring well-conditioned horses with previous trail and group riding experience. Because each group will have a designated lead and final rider, horses that are not manageable in the middle of a small group of horses are not well-suited for this event. Although some shuffling of position within the groups will be allowed and normal excitement is expected, please do not enter a horse that will be a danger to others by being a kicker, by insisting on being in the lead, or by exhibiting other equine vices that are dangerous in the group situation. It is also expected that horses will be fitted with proven tack and accessories, including hoof protection that stays on securely. Riders will not be able to make stops for tack adjustments or hoof protection changes until the entire group is on a safe section of trail to do so. This is not the time to experiment with new gear because when one rider stops, forward motion for the entire group comes to a halt. Feed and water will be available at selected locations, and a veterinarian will be on-call for emergencies. Ultimately, however, riders will be responsible for the welfare of their horses and themselves. Juniors who will be old enough to ride Tevis on July 24th are welcome with an adult sponsor. Riders do not have to enter the 2010 Tevis Cup Ride to participate in the Educational Ride.

For more information, contact
Terryl Reed, 530-852-2111, 530-346-8583 or
Kathie Perry, 916-663-3869

or see Teviscup.org

It Takes a Village to Field an Equestrian Team

Thehorse.com - Full Article

18 January 2010

As many sports enthusiasts in the US know, this country's athletes receive little government funding toward the costs of training and competing. Parents of up-and-coming performers have been known to take second mortgages on their homes in order to pay for Junior's training, and communities hold fund-raising events to help support their local stars.

That tried-and-true high-dollar fund-raiser, the benefit dinner, is a perennial favorite of those in equestrian sport. It's trotted out (if you'll pardon the expression) reliably in advance of every major international championships to which the US plans to send teams.

Today, elite equestrian fund-raising falls largely to the United States Equestrian Team Foundation, the development arm of the United States Equestrian Federation. Headquartered at the venerable Hamilton Farm in Gladstone, NJ, the USET Foundation is still thought of by those of a certain age as simply the USET, the formerly stand-alone organization that fielded and funded (and to a certain extent trained) equestrian teams for international competition. Now it's a branch of the USEF, and its role is primarily to tap the wellspring of enthusiasts' pocketbooks.

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Kevin Myers joins the EasyCare Inc. Management Team As Director of Marketing and Administration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 27, 2010 - (Tucson, AZ)

EasyCare Inc. is pleased to announce the expansion of the senior management team to include Kevin Myers as the Director of Marketing and Administration, effective March 1, 2010.

EasyCare hires Kevin Myers to lead all marketing activities of the organization and to oversee the customer service department. "Kevin is highly skilled in various areas relating to relationship management, team building and strategic planning." said President and CEO Garrett Ford. "We are very fortunate to add such a passionate and skilled individual to our team. Kevin will play a vital role in managing the marketing and publicity of our brands and accommodating the tremendous growth we are experiencing in the natural horse care industry nationally and internationally."

Mr. Myers joins EasyCare from Ballet Arizona where he has held the position of Executive Director since 2004. In that time, Ballet Arizona retired its accumulated debt; received a $6.5M bond issue from the City of Phoenix for new rehearsal and administration facilities; built a cash reserve of more than $900,000 and increased earned revenue by more than 20% per year for four years. As the administrative leader of Ballet Arizona, Kevin worked with a staff of 21 people in a complex business model that relies on revenue from ten fundraising, membership and earned revenue streams.

"I am very excited to join Garrett Ford and the EasyCare team." said Kevin Myers. "I have spent more than 20 years working in the non-profit management sector. Many people don't know that I have also been actively competing in wilderness endurance horse riding since 1994. EasyCare has unveiled a new equine product line-up that is changing the evolution of natural hoof care in ways we could not have anticipated. I'm very excited by the opportunity to be part of that."

"EasyCare will also soon be launching a new training platform that will allow the retail network to gain a broader and deeper understanding of the EasyCare products." said Garrett Ford of the new technology built by 3point5. "Trained retailers will be empowered to give the best guidance and advice to make the customer experience consistently successful."

What began in 1970 with the invention of the Easyboot has since grown into a full line of hoof boots and natural hoof care products that protect the hoof, allow horses to cover rough terrain, act as a spare tire in case of a lost shoe and aid in the treatment of laminitis and other hoof problems. EasyCare's hoof boot brands include the Easyboot, Easyboot Glove, Easyboot Glue-On, Boa Horse Boot, Old Mac's and EasySoaker.

Media Contact:

TARA KELLY
520-297-1900 x 2233
tkelly@easycareinc.com

In which an Endurance movie could be good, or really really bad...

Haiku Farm blog

Somebody (no, we don't have names yet) wants to make a feature film about endurance riding. The goal is to film on location here in the Pacific Northwest in July or August this summer. Production plans include setting up a ridecamp populated by local endurance riders and their horses, rigs and crews, and filming action in the vetcheck and on the trail.

So far, not bad news. Possibly even good news. The sport can always use good new recruits, and a movie might be a good way to "spread the gospel" about riding long distances on horseback.

I remember the huge influx of karate students at local martial arts academies in the 1980's, when this movie was released:

(Karate Kid)

At the time of this film, I was a karate student in an Okinawin-style dojo. We were swamped with new students...in fact, we had enough new people joining the school that we were able to afford a new roof for the building that year. New recruits can be a good thing!

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North American Anglo-Arabian Year End Award Winners

PHR.com

Release: January 27, 2010
Author: By Peggy Ingles

The North American Anglo-Arabian Horse Association (NAAAHA) has announced the winners of its 2009 High Point Program for Anglo-Arabians that compete in working hunter, jumper, eventing, dressage, sport horse, conformation, endurance and competitive trail. All shows and rides, whether rated or unrated, counted towards these awards.

Hunter/Jumper
Champion: One More Round/Bill & Alexis Doughty
Reserve: Diamond Jim Kelly/Miranda Kuchera
Third: R Jay Bakaro/Allan Ehrlick

Dressage
Champion: Jamil/Mary Ann LaFerriere
Reserve: Little Traverse Bay/Samantha Gioia
Third: Hazen/Beth Coffey-Curle
Fourth: Ashen Gazi/Dawn Cozzolino

Sport Horse U/S
Champion: One More Round/Bill & Alexis Doughty
Reserve: Jamil/Mary Ann LaFerriere
Third: Diamond Jim Kelly/Miranda Kuchera

Eventing
Champion: Snooze Alarm/Lauren Kieffer
Reserve: Nations Recount/Peter Atkins

Endurance/CTR
Champion: JBK Tara/T.J. Edwards
Reserve: Raemes Magician/Tom Paleczny
Third: SS Allsfairn War/Susan Young

Conformation
Champion: One More Round/Bill & Alexis Doughty
Reserve: Khemos Khopi/John Albright
Third: Mak My Day/Andrew Miller
Fourth: Diamond Jim Kelly/Miranda Kuchera

Horse of the Year
One More Round/Bill & Alexis Doughty

Each champion and reserve champion will receive engraved trophy plates. All placings also receive a huge ribbon.

Anglo-Arabians are the third oldest breed in the world, having been bred in France as far back as the early 1800’s. The breed is comprised of a combination of Thoroughbred and Arabian blood, requiring no more than 75% Thoroughbred and no less than 25% Arabian to be registered. Anglo-Arabians are highly respected worldwide as exceptional athletes, especially in the Olympic disciplines, and are ranked third in the world in the sport of eventing.

You can visit NAAAHA's website at www.NAAAHA.com for more information, or call (410) 823-5579.