Tevis: Joint Trail Work Day May 12

April 29 2012

On Saturday May 12th We will be working hard on the Pucker Point Trail.  Meet at Foresthill Joe's Coffee Shop at 8:00am.

We'll divide up into groups and head out to areas in need of trimming, water bars and other general maintenance. Plan to wrap-up and regroup at Foresthill Joe's for lunch.   

Bring: Gloves, water, snack, clippers, hand saw, shovel, etc. Please RSVP on scheduled work parties to trails@ws100.com.

This event can be applied to 2012 volunteer requirement.

Looking forward to seeing everyone on the trail!

Sincerely,
Donn Zea
WS Trail Manager
WS Board of Trustees        

Mike Shackelford
Tevis Cup Trail Manager
WSTF Board of Trustees

The next Trail Work day will be Saturday, June 2nd.  Please meet at Foresthill Joe's Coffe Shop at 8:00 am to work on Duncan Canyon.

Updated Trail Work information can be found online under the "Trail Work Projects" Quick Link in the left-hand column of the home page at www.teviscup.org.

Chad Crosby andBeverly Gray Help Strengthen Omega Fields Brand

Newton, WI, April 27, 2012 – Omega Fields® has announced that horse stables owner/trainer Chad Crosby and endurance racer/trainer Beverly Gray have joined their stable of company spokespeople. They will help strengthen the Omega Fields brand during their show, competition and clinic appearances nationwide, promoting the company's Omega-3-rich, milled flaxseed supplements for animals and humans.

Chad Crosby, http://www.stealingtheshowstables.com/index.html,  has over 25 years of equine experience including 10 years as a Licensed Veterinary Technician. Owner of one of Charleston's premiere equestrian facilities, Stealing the Show Stables, Johns Island, SC, Crosby offers top quality instruction for youth and amateur riders for Open, IEA, APHA/PtHA, AQHA and rated hunter show circuits. He also sells and leases horses for clients' riding or showing needs.

Crosby has been feeding Omega Fields supplements to all of his show horses for many years and attributes their many wins in part to the benefits of this Omega-3-rich powerhouse supplement, including healthy, shiny coats; strong, solid hooves and quick recovery after exercise.

"Omega Horseshine® is the only supplement that I insist on giving to all of by show horses, as I feel it sets them apart from the others in the show ring," said Crosby. "Being that my facility is located on the sandy soil of Charleston, South Carolina, I also appreciate the added benefit of its psyllium[-like] properties to aid in the prevention of sand colic."

Beverly Gray, http://www.bevgrayusa.com/index.htm,  has over two decades experience in endurance racing with many accomplishments including her selection to the United States Equestrian Endurance Team; first USA rider at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain; 2004 Dubai Gold Cup (14^th of 110 riders with only 16 completing); Team Silver winner at the 2003 Pan American Championship; First Place and "Best Condition" at the Big Horn 100 and, three weeks later, finishing 9^th at the Tevis. As a guest of the King of Malaysia, Beverly rode the Sultans Cup in Terrenganu, Malaysia. Recently, she raced at the American Endurance Ride Conference National Championship 100 finishing Reserve Champion.

Working with champion horses such as Arabian Regalidon (aka, Paladin) and Anglo-Arabian AA Omner, Gray is a firm believer in the outstanding results from supplementation with Omega Horseshine® and Omega Nibblers® treats. She is looking forward to being a part of the Omega Fields Spokesperson Program, using her extensive network of contacts to advance their fine products.

About Omega Fields

Omega Fields® provides premium, nutritional products, made from human-grade, non-GMO, stabilized ground flaxseed, rich in fiber and antioxidants, and containing the optimum ratio of the full spectrum of Omega Fatty Acids for equine, canine, poultry and human nutrition. 

Omega Fields® and its parent company, ENRECO®, Inc. have been innovators and market leaders for more than 25 years, being the first in the industry to manufacture premium, Omega-3-rich, human food-grade, flax based products for animal and human consumption.  ENRECO® was also a pioneer in developing ground flaxseed stabilization technology for long product shelf life and was the first in the flaxseed industry to garner SQF 2000, Level 3 certification – a world standard of safety and quality – for its flaxseed products.

Omega Fields® is recognized as a minority owned business.  Its mission is to offer the finest quality, most nutritious products at fair prices, and to provide outstanding customer service.  We want our customers to have exceptional experiences with our products, our staff, our websites and our retailers.

For further information, contact Patrick Young, Omega Fields Director of Communications, toll free at 1-800-962-9536 or 920-550-4061, ext. 118, email pat.young@enreco.com, or visit www.OmegaFields.com or www.FLAX.com.

Contact:

Patrick J. Young

Director of Communications

Omega Fields®

Ph:  920-550-4061 Ext. 118

Email:  pat.young@enreco.com

American Endurance Ride Conference marks 40th anniversary

APRIL 20, 2012 -- Back in 1972, a small group of Northern California distance horseback riders gathered to create an organization to recognize their riding accomplishments, standardize ride rules, and work to preserve trails. Still going strong, this month the American Endurance Ride Conference celebrates its 40th anniversary.

AERC is still headquartered in the self-proclaimed “Endurance Capital of the World” in Auburn, which continues to be a hot spot for endurance riding 40 years later. Much has changed in the sport – the six simple rules adopted in the 1970s have become a 10,000-word document – but the basic premise is the same: a rider, a horse, and a trail.

Perhaps the best known of all endurance rides is the venerable Western States Endurance Ride, commonly known as the Tevis Cup, which traverses the Sierra Nevadas from near Lake Tahoe to Auburn under the full moon one summer night each year. Today, hundreds of rides are sanctioned by AERC across the U.S. and Canada, ranging from 25 to 100 miles per day. Also popular are Pioneer Rides, which are a minimum of three consecutive days and 155 total miles.

Endurance riding grew from its humble California beginnings to become an internationally recognized sport. Hundreds of endurance rides are held annually around the U.S. and Canada, with everything from small, low-key rides to ultra-competitive races. The nation’s top riders are gearing up for the World Endurance Championships to be held August 25 in England and the AERC National Championship rides September 20 and 22 at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

The welfare of the horse is paramount in endurance riding, and veterinarians acting as control judges check the horses before, during and after the competition. Most new endurance riders begin with the 25-30 mile rides in the limited distance division. While there is no minimum time for completion of a ride, the maximum time for a 25-mile ride is six hours. When riders are ready to move up to 50-mile rides, the time limit jumps to 12 hours, including mandatory rest stops. For the 100-mile rides, horse-and-rider teams have 24 hours to complete the ride.

All equines are eligible to compete, and while Arabian horses proliferate, there are a growing number of gaited horses participating. Mules and quarter horses are common mounts, but even draft horses and at least one zebra have competed in endurance.

Endurance riding is truly a sport for every horseman with a fit horse. And one of those original six rules which is still in force is that “everyone finishing a ride shall receive a completion award.” As AERC motto states, “to finish is to win.”

All ages are welcome at endurance competitions. “Endurance riding is truly a family sport, allowing lots of family bonding time while traversing some beautiful countryside,” said AERC Executive Director Kathleen Henkel. “Moms, dads, and even grandparents can participate on the trails with junior riders.”

Rho Bailey, one of AERC’s founders who works part-time at the office, said, “Nothing matches the satisfaction and feeling of accomplishment of finishing a 50- or 100-mile.

“Being able to see territory and trails you would never see otherwise is one of the special things about endurance riding,” she added. The other is the bond that develops between horse and rider. “You really depend on each other out on the trail.”

No matter how much the sport has changed, she said that three things will always remain the same: “It will always be fun, competitive and educational.”

The organization’s national office tracks miles and points for all members and their horses, and confers annual awards in both regional and national competitions, including a family award and an award given to the rider 65 or older who completes the most miles each year.

AERC’s monthly publication, Endurance News, includes an extensive ride calendar and awards standings each month as well as education articles and features. Memberships are $75 per year, with a 15% discount for first-time members.

More information on endurance riding is available by visiting www.aerc.org or by calling the AERC office at 823-2260.

---

AERC Rules (1974)

The term endurance riding is defined as an athletic event in which the same horse and rider cover a measured course and conforms to the following conditions:  

• The first horse to finish (in the least amount of time) in acceptable condition is the winner.
• An award is given for the best conditioned horse.
• There can be no minimum time limit.
• The ride (horses) must be controlled by veterinarians.
• Everyone finishing a ride shall receive a completion award.
• The ride is open to all breeds of horses.

Chef Review of USA Endurance Team Trials

Horsereporter.com - Full Article

By Pamela@horsereporter
Chef’s Review and Wrap of March 31, Texas Team Trials

April 16, 2012, Texas, USA

A new system to change the selection process was initiated this year in an attempt to bring the six soundest and fittest horses possible to the August 25, 2012 World Endurance Championship in Euston Park England, and regain some lost pride and improve the poor results of the last 14 years. As the new Chef d’Equipe, I felt a head-to-head challenge was the best way to remove the subjectivity of prior selection processes.

Top Five Finish March 31

1. Jeremy Reynolds–A Kutt Above–19.35 km/h

2. Wendy MacCoubrey—Reach for the Gold–19.35 km/h—Wendy was a proxy rider for Valerie Kanavy who had 3 entries—Valerie will campaign this horse

3. Becky Hart—No Repeat–19.34 km/h

4. Heather Reynolds–Riverwatch–18.40 km/h

5. Nicki Meuton–Not Tonight—18.22 km/h

Rider Long List

A long list of 20 riders resulted from the 160 km FEI 3* event. In about 8-10 weeks, in the last weeks of June, the long listed riders will be required to gather in one of three different locations throughout the US depending on where the horse/rider combinations are domiciled, to continue demonstrating their soundness and fitness. From the results of the test event, the fitness and soundness reviews, and rider/horse combination history, an elite group of 12 will be chosen to become the Nominated list which must be submitted no later (in our case sooner) than July 24, 2012, to the Organizing Committee. Shortly after selecting the Nominated candidates the traveling squad of 6 and possibly a spare combination will be prepared to travel to a stable and training center nearby Euston Park near the village of Thetford.

Flight to Stansted

Fortunately the horses will only have to endure a 6-7 hour flight to Stansted from Newark, New Jersey. This entry is only about an hour drive to the UK stables. The new team veterinarian, Dr. Dwight Hooton, who is no stranger to world endurance needs and support, will lead a much needed effort to ensure the horses are ready to go at full strength.

As Chef I am tremendously pleased with the results of our trial event and look forward to initiating a new approach to racing and gaining better results. The trial course in the town of Mt Pleasant in northeast Texas was hosted so generously by the PRIEFERT RANCH EQUIPMENT Co. and the Priefert family. The trial provided numerous challenges, mostly due to the soggy portion of the trail, the result of several hard rains of 4-6 inches just weeks before the event—but wise race management prevailed and good solid times resulted– giving me much hope and encouragement. There was nearly 100% humidity and fairly hot weather for the time of year. Another bonus was the addition of several new international FEI participants, including three Young Riders, which bodes well for our future.

As is the case in most of the world endurance community, none of our efforts and dreams could be achieved without the tireless contributions of many volunteers and FEI officials. My sincere thanks goes to all who contributed to our new dawn of US Endurance racing. We are coming to England to renew old friendships with our endurance brethren, take the best care of our equine friends, and make no mistake about it—we want to race and achieve our goals. Good luck to all.

USA Chef d’Equipe, Emmett Ross

Western States Trail Work Schedule Meeting Change!

April 17, 2012

Hello everyone,

Due to a change in work priorities and recent precipitation we are changing our work location and meeting place for this Saturday's (April 21) trail work day. That information is provided below. If you plan on attending and haven't responded please RSVP at trails@ws100.com.

For all remaining dates, we will be on National Forest land. Please remember that the United States Forest Service requires that you fill out, sign and send the Volunteer Liability Release Form (this is not the WS service requirement form) to the agency office before you can volunteer. Instructions and a link to the PDF form are provided at ws100.com/projects.htm#fedform . You can provide a scanned signature and send to the e-mail address provided or print, sign and fax or mail. Or, to sign the form electronically (digital ID) click on the link in the signature field and follow the directions for creating a new digital ID. You can then save and send a copy of the PDF file. Please remember this is very important to the agency and they are important to us!

2012 Remaining Trail Work Projects

April 21 -- Meeting place and work location change
Peachstone (CAL 2)
8:00 am, Starbucks, 13345 Lincoln Way, Auburn (near corner of Foresthill Rd. and Lincoln Way, adjacent to Interstate 80)

May 12 (last day to earn service requirement hours for 2012 WS Run)
Pucker Point Trail
8:00 am, Foresthill Joe's Coffee Shop

June 2 (these dates will serve as credit for 2013 WS Run)
Duncan Canyon
8:00 am, Foresthill Joe's Coffee Shop

June 15-16 (Robinson Flat campout)
Red Star Ridge
Friday afternoon/Saturday, 8:30 am
Please remember to dress appropriately as the weather is unpredictable. Be sure to wear long pants and bring work gloves, water and a snack. A great lunch and beverages will be provided and waiting at the finish, typically around 1:30 pm. We look forward to seeing you on the trail!

Donn Zea
Western States Endurance Run
Board of Trustees

Mike Shackelford
Western States Trail Foundation
Board of Governors

4th Gear Power Up Your Endurance Horse - New Book by Dennis Summers

Lulu.com Marketplace

By Dennis Summers
eBook (ePub for Adobe Digital Editions)

My intent in writing 4th gear is to provide cutting edge information to all endurance riders that will help them and their horses reach their goals. We will cover many subjects you may have been in doubt about and hopefully a couple that you hadn’t much considered yet. I will raise as many questions as answers and call on you the reader to tap your inner horseman to come up with solutions yourself to the challenges that will arise. This is a skill that will in large part determine your success and satisfaction in this greatest of equestrian sports. These endurance horses are extreme athletes of the highest caliber. Together let’s develop a program that will bring out their best.

Available for $10 as an immediate download.
To purchase, see
http://www.lulu.com/shop/dennis-summers/4th-gear-power-up-your-endurance-horse/ebook/product-20044374.html

2012 WEC USEF Long List

April 6 2012

USEF has announced the Long List of riders for the 2012 WEC.

The list can be seen here

Impressive Field Set to Contest CEI3* 160km Team Trial

Equisearch.com - Full Article


This weekend the United States' top endurance riders will vie for a chance to represent the U.S. at the 2012 FEI World Endurance Championship.


March 28th, 2012 -- This weekend the United States' top endurance riders will vie for a chance to represent the U.S. at the 2012 FEI World Endurance Championship. Saturday, March 31st riders will compete in the CEI3* 160km Team Trial held at the Priefert Ranch in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. Every attempt has been made to replicate the course and environment of the upcoming Championship at these Trials. Saturday's race is expected to be an excellent showing of the nation's finest endurance horses.

In accordance with the selection procedures, upon completion of the Team Trial, the top 20 horses in addition to any wild-card's granted by Chef d'Equipe Emmett Ross, will be named to the Long List. The 2012 FEI World Endurance Championship will take place August 25, 2012 in Euston Park, Thetford (GBR).

Currently assembling in Mt. Pleasant, Texas are over 50 of the nation's best endurance horses and riders, which include both storied veterans and fresh faces to the sport. The Team Trial will feature three-time World Endurance Champion Becky Hart (1988, 1990, 1992) and two-time World Endurance Champion Valerie Kanavy (1994 and 1998). Hart will ride her current partner, No Repeat. While Kanavy will ride My Wild Irish Gold and has additionally entered Destiny Gold and Reach for the Gold, both to be ridden by Proxy Riders.

Also entered are the last two Tevis Cup winners, John Crandell III (2010) and Jeremy Reynolds (2011). Crandell will ride Heraldic, this pair most recently earned Team and Individual Silver medals at the 2011 Pan American Championships. Reynolds has entered 2011 Tevis and Haggin Cup winner Riverwatch, to be ridden by wife Heather, and will himself ride A Kutt Above.

"I am very excited that so many of our top horses are trying out for the team, in fact, this is the best field of U.S. 100 mile horses that's gathered in nearly 20 years," said Chef d'Equipe Ross. "As the Chef, I expect from this field of horses we will have a very strong team that will stand on the podium at the Championships."

Keep up with the 2012 U.S. Endurance Team and all the action from the CEI3* 160km Team Trial here; http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/2012Endurance

Craig resident nabs four national trail riding awards

Craigdailypress.com - Full Article

By Joe Moylan
March 26, 2012

In 51 years of North American Trail Ride Conference competitions, no horse and rider team has ever won the organization’s top four national awards in the same year.

That changed in 2011 when Craig resident Ken Wolgram, 47, and his 12-year-old half Arabian, half quarter horse, Awesomes Fire N Ice, blazed a new standard.

Wolgram, a native Coloradan and Craig resident since he was 12, has been riding since he was 5 and competitively for the last 15 years.

He took home the NATRC President’s Cup for high point horse in the nation and the Jim Menefee award for combined horse and horsemanship in 2002...

Nine years later, he won those two trophies again and added two additional pieces of hardware to the collection — the Polly Bridges Memorial Trophy for high average horsemanship and the Bev Tibbetts Award for high average horse — to complete the organization’s first ever grand slam...

Read more here:
http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2012/mar/26/craig-resident-nabs-four-national-trail-riding-awa/

KER-Sponsored Endurance Rider Prepping for Selection Trial

KER.com

March 20, 2012

John Crandell reports that he is currently training in Florida and has applied to the U.S. Team with Heraldic for the World Endurance Championship to be held in England in the summer of 2012. He is planning to participate in the 100-mile selection trial for the World competition, to be held in Texas in late March.

Crandell, who is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research, counts on RiteTrac, a digestive tract conditioner, to help Heraldic stay in good health throughout the demands of training, travel, and competition. The equine stomach and hindgut of a heavily trained horse are subject to imbalances related to stress, large grain meals, and feed management practices. RiteTrac is designed to protecting the stomach lining and restore the normal gastric environment. It also prevents hindgut acidosis that can lead to compromised health and decreased performance.

Tevis Trail Work Project This Weekend

March 21 2012

With 19 Weeks and 2 days left till the 2012 Tevis, a few more work projects are scheduled for trail maintenance: March 24, April 21, and May 12.

This weekend's trail work will be between Volcano Canyon and El Dorado Canyon, starting at 8:30 AM. Meet at Foresthill Joe's Coffee Shop.

For more information, contact the Western States Trail Foundation office, at
wstf@teviscup.org.

Back on the saddle: Guelph cowboy makes third attempt to go across country on a horse

Guelphmercury.com - Full Article

Rob O'Flanagan, Mercury staff Sat Mar 17 2012

GUELPH — Kimball Foord rides again.

Like his boyhood Western heroes, the Guelph horseman has a powerful hankering to cover the vast distances of the North American continent on the back of a horse.

Foord has tried twice before to traverse the country on a saddle. Both rides were foreshortened, the first time due to a strained personal relationship, the second time due to a badly strained knee.

On the first attempt he made it from the Guelph area at a slow gait nearly to the Manitoba border before he says he was tricked by an old friend into calling the whole thing off. He said he returned to help that friend battle a serious illness – a sickness the person had only contrived. He says he should have kept going; he might have made it to Mexico, and to freedom.

Hobbled by bad knees (as much by knee-replacement surgery lately as by the original arthritis), he is about to saddle up for another epic ride. He leaves Sunday from the Can-Am Equine Emporium in London, riding Bo, a Wyoming Mustang. Unlike previous rides, Foord has several equipment sponsors for his Canadian Long Ride for the Mustangs.

This time he’s riding in support of the preservation of North America’s dwindling wild Mustang population. He has no idea where his ride will end, but it could take him deep into the Canadian Wild West and as far as the Pacific Ocean...

Read more here:
http://www.guelphmercury.com/news/local/article/688460--back-on-the-saddle-guelph-cowboy-makes-third-attempt-to-go-across-country-on-a-horse

Tornado-Tossed Horse Under Kentucky Veterinarian's Care

Thehorse.com - Full Article

by: Pat Raia
March 14 2012, Article # 19738


6-year-old Kentucky Mountain Horse gelding is enjoying lots of attention since being swept up from his pasture and deposited into his owners' home by a tornado that swept through West Liberty, Ky., earlier this month.

On March 2 more than 40 confirmed tornadoes tore through Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio. The storms packed winds as high as 180 mph, knocking out utilities and flattening homes and barns. David Fugate, DVM, of the West Liberty Vet Clinic, said the town of West Liberty was among the hardest hit by the storm.

But the day proved extremely lucky for one West Liberty horse. Fugate said that during the storm, EF3 tornado-force winds ripped the roof off the horse's owners' home. Fugate said the horse--now named Twister--was then lifted out of his pasture and dropped into the house.

"They said they were walking down the hall and found the horse in the kitchen," Fugate said...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=19738

Edmond woman and her horse ride trail to success

NewsOK.com - Full Article

Kris Hapgood and her horse Buddy are staples in the trail riding circuit, and now they both have the prizes to prove it.

By Vallery Brown | Published: March 15, 2012

EDMOND — When Kris Hapgood met her champion horse about 13 years ago, he was an abused, bay-color colt with a striking white blaze down his face. The young horse was barely trained and had been dubbed a “man eater” because he often tried to bite his male handlers.

Hapgood found the horse listed for sale in the newspaper for $800. It was anyone's guess what breed he was, but Hapgood saw potential in a horse many had all but written off.
“I saw something in his eyes,” said Hapgood, 51. “We've had a bond since that day.”
So far, the 16-year-old gelding named Heza Trouble Makin' Buddy, or Buddy for short, has surpassed everyone's expectations. He recently was named grand champion competitive pleasure horse for the North American Trail Ride Conference for Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.

Read more here:
http://newsok.com/edmond-woman-and-her-horse-ride-trail-to-success/article/3657682#ixzz1pIFIqj9b

Tevis Cup Announces Legacy Buckle Program

Teviscup.org

March 9 2012

For First Time Tevis Riders

Finish the ride on August 4th or 5th, and receive a historic buckle from someone who completed decades ago. This buckle will be engraved with the rider’s name, horse’s name, and year of finish. It will be awarded to you at no charge.

For Multi‐time Finishers

You can wear only one buckle! Consider donating some of your other buckles back to WSTF to save money for finishers in 2012 and beyond. You will receive a charitable contribution receipt for tax purposes, as well as gratitude from the WSTF and the endurance riders of today.

For more information contact Kathie Perry, Chuck Stalley, Barbara White or wstf@teviscup.org.

AERC Decade Teams are Now Official!

Enduranceridestuff Blog - Karen Chaton

At the March 2012 convention in Reno, NV last week, the AERC board of directors voted to approve a motion to make the Decade Teams an official award category!!!

This is great as it is a way to encourage riders to set long term goals for their horses in the sport of endurance. I think it’s great to have both short term and long term goals. Short term = what I want to accomplish this ride season. Long term = what I want to accomplish with the horse over the length of his career.

It has been great to see my idea take hold and become important to so many people. I think it’s wonderful that so many are choosing to make this a goal for themselves and for their horse. I never had any idea that the Decade Team idea would become popular enough to eventually become an official AERC award. For so many years I was told by many that the board would never vote to add on another award. What a nice surprise that they did, and that there was so much support for it!

Read more here:
http://enduranceridestuff.com/blog/2012/03/good-news-aerc-decade-teams-official/

Karen Chaton Interviewed on Stable Scoop HorseRadioNetwork

Stablescoop.horseradionetwork.com

March 9 2012

Stable Scoop Episode 186

Endurance Riding with Karen Chaton as she explains the thrilling sport and the equipment that goes along. Plus, we chat up some cool helmet covers on Tack and Habit. Listen here:

http://stablescoop.horseradionetwork.com/2012/03/09/stable-scoop-episode-186-the-long-and-shiny/

The Standardbred endurance award winner announced

Harnesslink.com

10 March 2012
Harnesslink Admin


In May 2011, the USTA announced a partnership with the American Endurance Ride Conference to award the Standardbred that recorded the most miles ridden during the ride season. It is only fitting that the 2011 award winner was also a winner on the racetrack, East Meets West.

Patricia Clark of North Carolina now has East Meets West or "Eli" as he is affectionately known. The 7-year-old gelding by Western Paradise recorded one racing win at Plainridge Racecourse at the age of two and made $6,707. Clark got Eli from New Vocations Racehorse Adoption based in Ohio, and in 2009 they competed in their first endurance ride.

"It never fails when I attend an endurance ride with Eli, someone has to look him up and down and say, what kind of horse is that?," Clark says. "I wanted a horse that had a gentle temperament, athleticism, and the potential to have a variety of gaits. I found all of those in Eli. He has legs of iron from years of jogging on the racetrack. He can trot for hours at 10-13 mph and his bursts of speed dazzle the imagination."

During the 2011 ride season (Dec. 1, 2010-Nov. 30, 2011) Eli and Clark recorded 260 miles in sanctioned AERC rides. In total, 16 Standardbreds competed for the award. Winners of various awards will be honored at the AERC convention at the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino in Reno, Nev., on Saturday (March 10). While Clark was not able to make the trip West, she and Eli will be announced as winners by the emcees during the national awards banquet.

"I am deeply honored that my Eli is the first recipient of this prestigious honor," Clark said when told Eli would be the inaugural winner of the Standardbred Endurance Award. "He exudes everything that I love about Standardbreds and I can't think of a better representative for the breed and for ex-racehorses. I feel that this award has and will continue to encourage those of us competing on Standardbreds to continue in this sport."

Since 1996, the Standardbred Equine Program has worked with off-the-track Standardbreds and their owners to educate the general public on the many disciplines at which Standardbreds excel once they are retired from racing. For more information about the SEP at the USTA, visit standardbreds.ustrotting.com, or send e-mail inquiries to sep@ustrotting.com.

by Jessica Schroeder, U.S. Trotting Association Outreach

Courtesy of the US Trotting Association's Web Newsroom

"…but it wasn't the horse's fault!" - A New Book by Julie Suhr

Wednesday March 7 2012

Julie Suhr, author of "Ten Feet Tall, Still", has released a second book, titled, "…but it wasn't the horse's fault! - a rambling catchall."

With illustrations by Judith Ogus, readers can expect another insightful and delightful horse-inspired work from one of endurance riding's most passionate champions.

"Bob Suhr [Julie's husband] kept a file he referred to as a 'catchall' in which he placed things he could not exactly categorize," Julie says. "This book is my catchall, no continuity from chapter to chapter. It is  just a series of reflections and recollections."

Each book comes with an E.R.J. (Endurance Ride Junkie) trailer decal designed by Steph Teeter, and all profits from the sale of this book go to The Center for Equine Health School of Veterinary Medicine in Davis, California.

Julie will be available for words of wisdom and autographs at the AERC convention in Reno this weekend, March 9-10, with copies of her book for sale at the EasyCare booth. If you can't get to the convention, you can purchase the book through Julie at:

Marinera Publishing
100 Marinera Road
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
marinera@aol.com
Fax & Tel: 831-335-5933
$24.95 plus $5 shipping and handling

For more more information, see
http://www.endurance.net/juliesuhr/
and
http://www.marinerapublishing.com/index.html

Henryville tornados and Clark State Forest horse trails with popular endurance rides

Photosbydemott.com - Full Article

by Peter Demott

Patty has participated in AERC sanctioned endurance rides in Clark State Forest for many years. Bill Wilson’s farm has provided camping for the events of both the Chicken Chase Endurance Ride and Top of the Rock Endurance ride that occur each year on the trails of Clark State Forest and draw many riders from Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky and even further away because these rides are so popular. In the fall there is another endurance ride there called Spook Run. Several people we know have been accounted for in that they were in other parts of the country when the devastating tornado’s came through Henryville, Indiana. We have not heard if their farms were affected by the storm or not, but here is one story which indicates that are many horses in the area affected.

http://www.louisville.com/content/horse-owners-lose-horses-march-2-tornadoes-some-lost-their-whole-herds-equine-news

A couple of years ago a tornado went through parts of the Clark State Forest and ride managers and volunteers were able to clear the trails so that the rides could occur, but with much of the town of Henryville wiped off the face of the earth, I am wondering what will happen to these two endurance rides. My wife, Patty has always told me how beautiful the vistas are that can be seen from the horse trails that make up the events. I usually provide photography for riders in these events, so although I see some of the trails, I don’t get the entire effect of riding 50 miles of trails.

We had just received the ride application flyer for Chicken Chase via email about a week or so ago, before the storm.

Help is pouring into the area from area churches and the Red Cross. Where as my photography of the area has always shown beautiful wooded trails and endurance riders coming down those trails, the photography that is being shown now are pictures of the town of Henryville and hillsides devoid of trees and piled with ruble.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/05/us-tornadoes-toddler-field-dies?newsfeed=true

More stories, photos, video here:
http://www.photosbypdemott.com/2012/03/henryville-tornados-and-clark-state-forest-horse-trails-with-popular-endurance-rides/

Help Equine Tornado Victims

March 5 2012

Are you looking for a way to help the victims of Friday's tornadoes? 

The Kentucky Horse Council is collecting donations for our U.S. Equine Disaster Relief Fund, which will help provide feed & supplies to horses affected by the tornadoes.

The U.S. Disaster Relief Fund exists to support state and local efforts to provide feed and housing for affected horses in natural disasters.  We provide the funding to organizations such as a county extension service, and they in turn coordinate the relief efforts, such as purchasing hay, for owners/horses that need it.

We will be providing financial assistance to many organizations this week with the U.S. Disaster Relief Fund, and will need financial support to continue these efforts.  If you would like to contribute to the fund, please click here to make a tax deductible donation: http://www.kentuckyhorse.org/disaster-relief/.  The horses of Kentucky will thank you!


Do You or Your County Need Assistance?

If  you are an individual looking for assistance due to last week's tornadoes, please contact our office at (859) 367-0509 or info@kentuckyhorse.org.

If you are a state or local agency who would like to help provide assistance to equines in your area, please click here for a printable pdf application form: http://www.kentuckyhorse.org/attachments/wysiwyg/5/US_Disaster_Relief_Application%281%29.pdf  Fill out the form and send it back to our office, and we'll be glad to help.

________________________________________________________________________________


ABOUT THE KENTUCKY HORSE COUNCIL - The Kentucky Horse Council is a non-profit organization dedicated, through education and leadership, to the protection and development of the Kentucky equine community. 

The Kentucky Horse Council provides educational programs and information, outreach and communication to Kentucky horse owners and enthusiasts, equine professional networking opportunities through the Kentucky Equine Networking Association, the Kentucky Breeds & Discipline Council, trail riding advocacy, equine health information, programs protecting the welfare of horses, and membership benefits including a $1Million personal liability insurance. 

Tornado trail damage cleanup - Henryville, Indiana

March 5
The Pekin Saddle club is organizing a couple of work weekends for clearing the trails in the Clark State Forest. BarbFurguson is the person to e-mail if you can help, please read her note below. The endurance rides in the area go past the saddle club, it is just a mile or so past Bill Wilson's place on the same road.  Daniel Boone Distance Riders will have many more work days that will be out of Bill Wilson's farm, will keep you updated to the details when they become available any help will be much appreciated.
Connie Caudill

March 5
 Clean up days for Tornado damage for Horse Trails, Jackson Road area that is betweenPekin Saddle Club and Deam Lake.  March 10 & 11. Also March 18 and March 24 & 25.  Headquarters will be Pekin Saddle Club for March 10 & 11. This area took a direct hit and looks very bad. Starting at 9:00am each day with sign in sheet and permits for ATV's, 4-Wheelers, tractors and skid loaders. Please let me know later in the week if you can come and help. More information as we we get it put together. Volunteers can come in on Friday evening if needed. Bring Horse trailers and stay overnight. More info later this week. 
 
Barb Furguson

****


You can also Volunteer your time, Give blood, or Donate money to the Red Cross at
http://www.redcross.org/

The Recreational Trails Program Needs Your Help -- Right Now!

Dear Members of the CRT Council of Advisors:
 
The Recreational Trails Program needs your help -- right now!
 
As soon as this Tuesday, March 6th, there will be action in the U.S. Senate on the transportation bill, also known as MAP-21 or S. 1813.  We need to make sure that the Klobuchar amendment -- Amendment #1661 -- to protect the RTP and its dedicated funding is part of the final bill.
 
Seven Senators from both parties have agreed to join Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) to cosponsor the amendment:  Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Burr (R-NC), James Risch (R-ID), Bernard Sanders (D-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Mark Udall (D-CO).  And we believe we have solid commitments of support from others.
 
That support is great news, but it’s not enough to ensure that the amendment is accepted.  We need a clear majority of Senators pledged to supporting this amendment and willing to stand up for their trail-loving constituents, regardless of pressure from party leaders.
 
Please call or e-mail your Senators about the Klobuchar amendment.  If one (or both -- congratulations, Colorado!) of your Senators is a sponsor, thank them for their support and ask for their active help with the amendment this week.  If they have not yet agreed to support the amendment, ask for their pledge now.  Tell them:
 
●            Unless the bill is amended, MAP-21 will effectively eliminate the Recreational Trails Program and seriously damage, if not destroy, the balanced system of trails for all users that the RTP has allowed the states to develop and maintain over the last 20 years.  The RTP leverages hundreds of millions of dollars of additional support from other sources for trails, encourages productive cooperation among trail users, and facilitates healthy outdoor recreation and associated, badly needed economic activity in countless communities. Without the RTP, organized trail planning and development will simply vanish in many areas of the country.
 
●            Right now, at an annual funding level of $85 million, the RTP receives less than 42% of the federal gas taxes paid every year by America’s nonhighway recreationists.  Unless amended, MAP-21 will convert a legitimate user fee into an unfair tax, with recreationists subsidizing commercial and private highway users.  
 
●            The return of gas taxes to trail users through the RTP is in keeping with the user-pay, user-benefit philosophy of the Highway Trust Fund.  Ending dedicated funding for RTP takes these gas taxes away from the people who pay them.  Ending dedicated funding for RTP is bad public policy and just plain wrong.
 
Don’t let anyone tell you that another amendment has taken care of the RTP.  That is not true.  We will let you know if anything like that happens.
 
If you don’t know how to reach your Senator, go to www.senate.gov.  In the upper right corner of the Web page, there will be a link to contact information.
 
Your previous help has already made a very big difference. 
 
●            Close to 400 national, regional, state and local organizations signed letters to every single Senator supporting the Klobuchar amendment.  You made that happen!
●            Seven members of the Senate – Democrats and Republicans – agreed to cosponsor the Klobuchar amendment.  You made that happen! 
●            And in the House of Representatives, Rep. Steve King withdrew his amendment to eliminate the RTP from the House bill.  You made that happen!
 
So now we ask for your help again.  You know how important the RTP is to your state. 
 
Make sure your Senators know too.
 
Thank you very much.
 
Marianne Wesley Fowler and Derrick A. Crandall
Co-Chairs, Coalition for Recreational Trails

Tevis Talks with Julie Suhr

March 3 2012

You are cordially invited to come share an intimate dinner and talk with Julie Suhr. Enjoy this special interactive event as this amazing woman shares her experiences.

The event will be held Thursday, March 29, 2012, 6:00pm in the Tahoe Building at the Auburn Gold Country Fairgrounds in Auburn, California. Tickets: Adults $20 (at the door $25), Children $7. Available at Echo Valley Ranch, Christensens, by contacting Leigh Bacco @ leighbacco@ymail.com, or through the WSTF office,
wstf@teviscup.org
Tel 530-823-7282

Tevis Reception at AERC Convention

March 3 2012

The Western States Trail Foundation and Western States Trail Endowment Fund invites you to attend their reception on Friday, March 9, 2012 at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino, at the AERC Conference in Reno, Nevada.

Tevis Ride Director Chuck Stalley says, "The Board of Governors of the Western States Trail Foundation is announcing the implementation of the Legacy Buckle Program for this year’s ride. Details of this exciting new program will be shared at the reception on March 9th. This gathering has a reputation for being an impressive event with opportunities to spend time with heroes and villains of the Tevis organization. I hope to see you there and hear your Tevis stories."

In addition, there will be a showing of "They Crossed the Mountains," the history of the Western States Trail, and other endurance videos and historic videos.

Reception begins at 4:30 PM in the Tahoe Room.

See http://www.aerc.org/upload/2012ConventionFlyer.pdf for the AERC flyer.

See http://teviscup.org/images/reception.pdf for the WSTF flyer.

Springdale Romp enjoys warm weather

EACourier.com - Full Article

Posted: Sunday, February 26, 2012
contributed article

The second annual Springdale Romp Endurance Ride was held Feb. 3, 4 and 5.
Readers may remember that, last year, the ride faced the coldest weather in Arizona history. What a difference a year makes. This year, riders and horses enjoyed warm weather, good, well-marked trails and great facilities at the Graham County Fairgrounds.

The event began with riders “vetting in” their horses Thursday for Friday’s ride. At 6 p.m., a potluck dinner was held, with a ride meeting afterwards to explain trails and answer questions.
Riders came from Canada, Indiana, Kentucky, Texas, California, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. One rider, Ute Schrimpf, flew in that week from Germany just for Springdale Romp and went back Tuesday...

Read more here:
http://www.eacourier.com/news/springdale-romp-enjoys-warm-weather/article_e2ff86ba-6039-11e1-9fbe-0019bb2963f4.html
No comments:

Maynesboro Stud Memorial Ride planning well underway

Berlindailysun.com

By Barbara Tetreault
Feb 24, 2012 12:00 am

BERLIN – The eyes of the horse world will be on Berlin this September when the Maynesboro Stud Memorial Ride is expected to draw endurance riders from across New England and beyond.

The event, being organized by the Berlin and Coos County Historical Society, celebrates the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Maynesboro Stud by William Robinson Brown. An avid horseman and endurance rider, Brown was considered the most important breeder of Arabian horses in the United States between 1912 and 1933. The lineage of Arabian horses he developed is still recognized today among horse breeders. Brown was also a member of the family that founded and operated the Brown Company paper mill complex in Berlin-Gorham.

Walter Nadeau, of the Berlin and Coos County Historical Society, said the planning for the Saturday, Sept. 15 event is well underway. While the 50-mile endurance race will be the main focus, there will also be a 25-mile ride and a 12-mile pleasure ride. The event is open to all breeds of horse although it is expected to be of particular interest to Arabian horse owners. Nadeau said the historical society is in the process of sending out fund-raising packets to area businesses and Arabian horse owners seeking donations to help offset the cost of putting on the event.

“I'm confident we'll get some major sponsors,” he said.

Nadeau said the historical society will also be applying to the Arabian Horse Association for a grant. He said he believes the various fund-raising efforts, combined with proceeds from the entry fee, will provide the necessary money to cover expenses.

The historical society is also seeking volunteers willing to help out with the event. Nadeau said he has contacted the UNH Extension Service to see if 4-H horse owners are interested in volunteering.

“I am going to need help,” he said.

The route for the endurance race has been set and Nadeau said he has received the necessary permission from 17 different landowners, including the state of New Hampshire. The race will started at the Brown Company barns on the East Milan Road where Brown raised his horses. From there the route will enter the woods across from the barns on property owned by Barry Kelley. The route will travel five miles on various wood roads and come out at White Mountain Lumber Company's saw mill. It will then travel along the East Milan Road, crossing the Androscoggin River at the Twelfth Street bridge, and traveling up Twelfth Street, connecting with the snowmobile system on Cates Hill. The From there, the route will continue to the Jericho Mountain State Park where it will run along the Head Pond section of the ATV trail system. The horses will follow the same route back, finishing at the Brown barns. Along the way, it will pass by the high school soccer field to coincide with Berlin High Homecoming festivities.

Nadeau said the goal of an endurance race to to provide a challenging course for the horses and said the route put together has some steep sections. Along the route, the horses must have three mandatory veterinarian stops - Two will be held at the Bisson Farm on Cates Hill and the third will come about 25 miles into the race. Including the mandatory stops, Nadeau said it will take riders six to eight hours to complete the ride.

Assisting the historical society in putting together the route have been Tom and Sandy Hutchinson of Bethel, Maine, who have competed in such events. The rides are sanctioned by the American Endurance Riders Conference and the Eastern Competitive Trail Ride Association.
Brown has one surviving child, Nancy Lee Snow of Falmouth, Maine, and she has pledged to try and make the event.

People interested in donating or volunteering for the Maynesboro Stud Memorial Ride should contact Nadeau at 752-7928 or e-mail wjnadeau@hotmail.com.


Picture (clockwise from right) W.R. Brown's premiere Arabian stallion, Abu Zeyd, which sired 46 foals. A current photo of the Maynesboro Stud Barn which housed Brown's Arabians. The Arabian horses outside the barn and in the fields. (Photos provided by the Berlin and Coos County Historical Society)

Alabama Wagon Train prepares for 32nd annual ride to Montgomery, hopes it won't be the last

Blog.al.com - Full Story

February 21 2012
By Amber Acker, al.com

Montgomery Alabama - -- In a few weeks, riding enthusiasts from around the country will gather for an annual horseback and wagon ride that tours the natural landscape of Alabama, starting in Talladega and ending at the state rodeo in Montgomery.

For a generation, the Alabama Wagon Train has culminated at the Southeastern Livestock Exposition and Rodeo, with participants forgoing modern transportation in exchange for the chance to experience travel in the style of their ancestors.

Now, the Alabama Wagon Train faces hard times. A lack of sponsors, traffic issues and other problems may prevent the tradition from continuing after this year.

The last founding member and "train boss," Don Thomas, is retiring and the Sand Mountain Saddle Ranch is no longer able to sponsor the ride.

The train started in 1980 when a group of five men in the Sand Mountain Saddle Club decided to ride in wagons and on horseback to the exposition and rodeo instead of driving. While at the time it just seemed a chance to bond with each other and their animals, the idea soon spawned into a tradition that attracted horse enthusiasts from around the country.

"They had an idea to try it out and just do something different that grew from 40 riders to 72 wagons and 1,200 horses," said assistant train boss Ronnie Jones...

Read more here:
http://blog.al.com/montgomery/2012/02/the_alabama_wagon_train_prepar.html

The Great Endurance Horse Race begins

Pagosasun.com - Full Article


By John Motter
PagosaSUN.com columnist
Thursday, February 16, 2012
We are continuing the story of The Great Endurance Horse Race, sponsored by the Denver Post in 1908.

One of the entrants was William H. (Billy) Kern, a pioneer of Pagosa Country.

It was six in the morning of May 27, 1908, when the Denver Post sponsoring train dubbed the “Pony Express” pulled into Evanston, Wyo., the starting point of the race.

The finish line was 600 miles away, in Denver.

Late season snow flurries covered the ground. Evanston seemed determined to set a new Wyoming record for rip-roaring Western hospitality.

Out of the freight cars came the horses, some loaded at Denver and others at various stops along the way.

Dick Turpin, a coal-black half-breed thoroughbred came out bucking and, with his rider, Jack Smith, the only entry from New Mexico put on a miniature rodeo for the enthusiastic crowd.

Adding to the excitement were two white broncos: Bob Brennan’s Luxus, and Otto Rush’s Scotty; and another thoroughbred called Archie. Almost unnoticed by the gaggle of reporters was a chunky strawberry roan, picked up in Severance, Colo., and led by a big, unassuming cowboy...

Read more here:
http://pagosasun.com/archives/2012/02February/021612/pagosapast.html

A horse story to beat them all

Pagosasun.com - Full Article

By John M. Motter
PagosaSUN.com columnist

Thursday, February 9, 2012

My favorite horse story was printed in a 1908 edition of the Denver Post.

My copy of the story was provided by Karen Hine, a descendant of Pagosa pioneer Maude Hart, whose son-in-law was Billy Kern. Both were Pagosa pioneers from the earliest days of settlement.

The Rocky Mountain West of the first decade of the 1900s still had a lot of Wild West character. Cars and trains and steamboats — even the Wright Brothers’ airplane — had all been invented. Still, horses were the main means of transportation “way out west.”

Everybody knows westerners loved a good horse race.

One-time famous cartoonist Homer Davenport was apparently a horse enthusiast. He happened to remark while visiting Denver that Arabian horses could travel farther and faster than any other breed.

Davenport’s remarks incited the Denver Post to promote a long distance race to see if Arabians really were better.

After much debate, conditions for the race were established.

Called the Great Endurance Race, the path stretched from Evanston in the southwest corner of Wyoming to Denver. It was a treacherous trail over the Continental Divide, some of the roughest of western terrain.

The race would start the morning of May 30, but all entries were due by midnight of the twentieth. The Post would charter a special train leaving Denver on the twenty-sixth to carry the riders and their horses assembled there and would pick up others at specific points along the way. Other expenses and all risks would be borne by the entrants.

There were prizes for the top six finishers; $500, $350, $200, $150, $100 and $50. An additional $300 in gold would be paid to the one finishing in the best condition...

Read more here:
http://pagosasun.com/archives/2012/02February/020912/pagosapast.html

Vintage grad Graham, horse Monk among finishers in Abu Dhabi

Napavalleyregister.com - Full Article

ANDY WILCOX | Posted: Thursday, February 16, 2012

Lindsay Graham rode 10-year-old gelding Monk to a 32nd-place finish in the annual 100-mile President’s Cup Endurance Ride on Saturday in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Graham, a veterinarian at Napa Valley Veterinary Hospital, said only 46 of 140 starters finished the prestigious event.

The 2000 Vintage High School graduate went into the six-loop race planning to ride at a competitive but comfortable pace.

She wanted to make sure Monk, owned by Chris Martin of Penn Valley, would come home healthy and be ready for their bigger goal — a successful tryout next month in Texas for the biannual World Endurance Championship that will be held in England in August.
Graham and Monk finished in 8 hours, 53 minutes.

The only other American invited to the race, four-time Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race champion Doug Swingley of Montana, finished 38th.

“The race went really well,” Graham said. “The day went as I had hoped for, to start off in the back and keep a steady but slowly increasing pace throughout the day...

Read more here:
http://napavalleyregister.com/sports/vintage-grad-graham-horse-monk-among-finishers-in-abu-dhabi/article_a1cc7a28-5935-11e1-9ccc-001871e3ce6c.html

Jane Beshear Announces Over $1.8 Million for Recreational Trails Projects

Surfky.com

Governors Communication Office

15 February 2012 14:37

FRANKFORT, KY (2/15/12) – First Lady Jane Beshear joined Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Marcheta Sparrow and Department for Local Government (DLG) Commissioner Tony Wilder to announce more than $1.8 million in grants to local communities to develop and maintain recreational trails across Kentucky.

The total of $1,849,648 in federal grant dollars will go to 38 applicants for hiking, biking, horseback riding and other types of trails as part of the Federal Highway Administration’s Recreational Trails Program (RTP). The applicants include city and county government as well as state and federal agencies.

“Developing Kentucky trails is instrumental in increasing overall adventure tourism efforts and boosting local economies throughout the state,” said Mrs. Beshear. “These federal funds help communities get trail projects off the ground so they can bring in tourism dollars and provide areas for their citizens to be active and live healthier lifestyles.”

At the event, Mrs. Beshear also recognized award recipients from last year’s Mid America Trails and Greenway (MATAG) conference. Lynda Bray Schaffer was recognized for being an outstanding volunteer to help expand trials in Kentucky and the Legacy Trail in Lexington was recognized for being and outstanding trail or greenway in Kentucky.

RTP is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration. Kentucky’s RTP grants are administered by DLG and require that applicants match the amount of funds requested. The grants may be used to provide assistance for acquisition of easements; development and/or maintenance of recreational trails; and trailhead facilities for both motorized and non-motorized use. Examples of trail uses include hiking, bicycling, inline skating, equestrian use, off-road motorcycling and all-terrain vehicle riding.
FY11 applicants that have been approved for RTP project grants include:

Read more here:
http://surfky.com/index.php/component/content/article/235-statewide-kentucky-news/10784-jane-beshear-announces-over-18-million-for-recreational-trails-projects-

OT Sara Moniet RSI is 2011 AHA Distance Horse of the Year

Equisearch.com - Full Article


February 9, 2012 -- OT Sara Moniet RSI (Rave On Ravenwood x OT Dysara RSI), a 2004 dark chestnut owned by M.A. “Crockett” Dumas of Escalante, Utah was named the Arabian Horse Association (AHA) 2011 Distance Horse of the Year, adding one more award to a long list of 2011 accomplishments.

“Sara” covered 1,675 competition miles in 2011, completing 31 of 31 rides with 10 overall wins and 9 Best Conditions. The 7 year-old mare won two 200-mile rides, one 165-miler, one 155-miler, and finished all but one of her rides in the Top Ten. Coupled with Distance Horse of the Year honors, Sara was named the AHA High Point 50-99 mile Endurance horse. The American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) awarded Sara the War Mare Award and the Belesemo Arabians Pioneer Award for the Heavyweight Division. Lastly, Sara was awarded the Drinkers of the Wind performance award by the Institute of the Desert Arabian Horse.

“Well everybody thinks their horse is the greatest horse in the world,” says Crockett Dumas. “But she is really a great all-around horse. I bred her and her mother and father … after riding 37,500 miles, I don’t spend a lot of time on good horses. She’s a great horse...”

Read more here:
http://www.equisearch.com/news/ot-sara-moniet-rsi-is-2011-aha-distance-horse-of-the-year/

Foiled by Paperwork, Steven Hay Selected for, Misses Young Rider Endurance Worlds

Pennsylvaniaequestrian.com - Full Article

February 2012 - by Suzanne Bush

When Steven Hay was just six years old, he knew that he was in love with horses. He rode horses at his grandmother’s farm, and spent several years taking advantage of all the opportunities available to a young rider, such as showing and 4H. But he was hungry for more. “When I was younger I had showed, and I did 4H and it wasn’t my cup of tea. I didn’t feel like going in the show ring and riding around in a circle. It didn’t test us. It wasn’t enough.”

Hay, a 21 year-old junior at Penn State University, sought the kinds of equestrian competitions that would challenge him and his horses both mentally and physically. He got involved in competitive trail riding, “then I got into endurance and distance riding and that was it.”

The Port Matilda resident loves the challenge of conditioning a horse for competition, and preparing himself and the horse mentally for the races. He was named to the first ever United States team competing at the FEI Junior and Young Rider World Endurance Championship, which was held in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in December. Although he has been competing in endurance races since 2005, Hay has achieved enviable success. In 2010 he placed eighth out of 79 competitors in the Biltmore FEI 50, and fifth in the Canter Over the Mountain Endurance Competition. That same year he was on the gold medal team at the North American Champions, where he was also the Individual Bronze Medalist...

Read more here:
http://www.pennsylvaniaequestrian.com/news2012/february/Steven-Hay-Selected-for-Misses-Young-Rider-Endurance-Worlds.php

An endurance riding queen

Examiner.com - Full Article

Jennifer Allen
Princeton Horse Examiner

“If I were in a bar fight I would want Brian Urlacher, Jared Allen, and Grace Ramsey.” Many people know the first two people; few outside of the endurance world know the third. And the author of the phrase is known by the community she lives in and surrounds herself by—Lori Windows.

Born in Canada, raised in Bloomington, taught in Indianapolis, working in Princeton, and living in Wyanet, IL, Windows wastes no time living her life. From an early age she always had to be busy, always had to be saving money for her first horse, Chico. A Mr. Fowler set her on horses and said “You’re not getting a saddle until you learn how to ride,” then would hide out in the woods to scare the horse and dump the rider.

Now sixty one, one would think Windows would start slowing down. Try telling that to her face and you will get an emphatic “No! Why would I want to slow down? So I can get old and decrepit?” She still works as a veterinary technician at Bureau Valley Veterinary Service (Princeton, IL), travels the world, dives with rays and sharks, and rides those horses and mules...

Read more here:
http://www.examiner.com/horse-in-peoria/an-endurance-riding-queen

Vintage grad one of two Americans chosen to compete in 100-mile Abu Dhabi race

Napavalleyregister.com - Full Article

ANDY WILCOX | Posted: Saturday, February 4, 2012

Lindsay Graham is excited about her latest chance to team up with 10-year-old gelding Monk, the horse she rode for a North American-record time for 100 miles last summer.

The 2000 Vintage High graduate is one of only two Americans who have been invited to compete in the annual President of the UAE Endurance Ride in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Feb. 11.
Despite her record last summer, and fourth-place finish in the North American Endurance Championships in Greenville, Calif. — just north of Truckee — in September, Graham isn’t planning to push Monk as hard as she can to claim a victory in the Middle East.

This is just the first race of a year she expects to be busy.

“What our goal is this year,” she said of herself and Monk’s owner, Chris Martin of Penn Valley, “is to make it to the World Endurance Championship in England in August, and we have trial for that, a tryout, at the end of March in Texas. So I have to be careful. If Monk has a problem over there he might be out for the tryout. So I’m going to use it as a really good conditioning ride and work on a good pace. He’s still going to be working, but we’re not going to be out there racing for the win. We’re going to go out there and do the best we can but also enjoy the experience...”

Read more here:
http://napavalleyregister.com/sports/vintage-grad-one-of-two-americans-chosen-to-compete-in/article_1e1fca6c-4fc2-11e1-85eb-001871e3ce6c.html

Airport Express is This Weekend

fly2houston.com - Full Article


January 30, 2012

The 2nd Annual "Airport Express Endurance Ride" will take place on February 4 and February 5.

Almost a hundred horseback riders are set to take off through the scenic trails of George Bush Intercontinental Airport, as the 2nd Annual “Airport Express Endurance Ride” gets underway.

The event will take place on Saturday, February 4 and Sunday, February 5, 2011. Riders traveling 50 miles will see a start time of 7:30 a.m., while the 25 mile riders will begin at 8:00 a.m. All riders need to check-in at least 15 minutes prior to their start time. A dinner, with musical entertainment provided, will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, February 3 and Saturday, February 4. Both the dinner and the musical entertainment are free of charge.

“The two day event features a 25 and 50 mile ride on each day throughout 13,000 acres of groomed riding trails at George Bush Intercontinental Airport,” says Ronnie Pickard, director of strategic constituent planning & special projects for the Houston Airport System.

EEndurance riding is an athletic event for both horse and rider. The goal is to complete the marked trail within the time given, as established by the American Endurance Ride Conference standards. All horses must pass a complete veterinary check before, during and after the ride.

In addition, a 10+ mile “Fun Ride” is simultaneously hosted for those that are novice riders and would like to find out more about the sport of Endurance. They also become more familiar with the beautiful airport trails and the Airport Ranger program.

“As a volunteer Airport Ranger we provide a low-key, additional layer of security,” said Darolyn Butler, Airport Express Ride Manager and Airport Ranger. “After a rigorous background check, we get a chance to ride in some of the most breathtaking areas of the state.”

The event raises funds for Houston based charitable 501 (c) (3) organizations, SIRE – Houston’s Therapeutic Equestrian Centers and the HAS Interfaith Chapels. This year marks a meaningful addition, making it the first of three commemorative rides in the Texas Mortl Challenge Series honoring April Mortl.

A variety of activities will also take place each day including educational demonstrations showcasing SIRE and Houston Police Department Mounted Patrol.

For more information, visit fly2houston.com/airportexpress

Doug Swingley, Action Hero

Horsereporter.com - Full Article

January 31, 2012
By Pamela@horsereporter


Doug Swingley from Lincoln, Montana, started endurance riding competition after 50, but when he commits to a sport, he wants to be the best. Swingley, now 58, is one of two riders from the United States that have been invited to participate in the 160k HH President of the UAE Endurance Ride in Abu Dhabi.

With only three weeks advance notice to prepare for the February 11 race, Swingley says the plan is coming together. Once the invitation was received and forwarded by the United States Equestrian Federation, horse passports and flight arrangements for horses and people have been flying back and forth quickly across the internet.

Swingley is a man accustomed to planning a competitive campaign with animals, and hardship is part of the package. Riding on a horse in the sand for 10-15 hours must seem at the other end of the spectrum for a professional dog musher and sled dog driver. And Swingley is one of the best...

Read more here:
http://siteground303.com/~horserep/2012/01/31/doug-swingley-action-hero/

Piney Pig Endurance Race: Young Riders Excelled

JJride.com - Full Article

Kelsey Kimbler | January 30, 2012

Very exciting weekend for endurance! Young riders really excelled at the Piney Pig ride down by West Palm Beach in South Florida. This was an FEI event with distances of 50 & 75 on Friday and 50, 75 & 100 on Saturday. I kept getting updates from my endurance family throughout the weekend and really wish I had been there racing.

It seems there were Young Riders in all the distances, some riding both days and most of them finished in the Top Ten. I don’t have an exact list but here goes;

Friday:

1. Michael Bishop – 50
2. Stephen Faryadi – 50
3. Taylor White – 50
4. Rachel Shackelford & Chances – 50
5. Zach Rabow & Hava Nah – 75
6. Kelsey Russell & Dee – 75

Saturday:
1. Kelsey Russell & Junior – 50
2. Stephen Faryadi – 50
3. Michael Bishop – 50
4. Katherine Gardener – 50
5. Zach Rabow & Elliptic – 50
6. Devan Horn & Braveheart – 50
7. Taylor White & Loki – 75
8. Cassandra Roberts & Fire – 75
9. Mallory Capps & Hadban – 75
10. Mary Kathryn Clark & Rabdan – 75
11. Sydney Sumrall & Koedoe – 75
12. Rachel Shackelford & Chief – 75

Read more here:
http://www.jrride.com/2012/01/30/piney-pig-endurance-race-young-riders-excelled/

Recreational Trails Program Continues to be Threatened

Horsecouncil.org

Submitted by admin on Tue, 01/10/2012 - 16:40

The Federal Highway Administration’s Recreational Trails Program (RTP), which provides funding for recreational trails throughout the country, including those used by equestrians, continues to be threatened.

In November, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee marked up its version of a multi-year national highway transportation bill, called MAP-21. MAP-21 would reauthorize the RTP program; however it would make a major change to the RTP program by removing dedicated funding for the program and consolidating it with several others.

“As currently written this bill would preserve RTP in name only and would effectively end the program that has funded thousands of successful trail projects all over the country,” said AHC Legislative Director Ben Pendergrass. “RTP would be thrown in with a bunch of other programs and states could choose not to spend any money on RTP projects. This defeats the original idea of RTP, which was to return some of the gas taxes paid by recreational off-highway vehicle users to the trail community.”

The current national highway bill SAFETEA-LU that authorizes the RTP program was set to expire in September of 2009. However, because Congress has yet to pass a new highway bill it has been forced to extend the current law several times, most recently until March 2012. MAP-21 must still be debated and approved by the full Senate. The House has yet to introduce its version of a highway bill.

“Every recreational rider needs to be calling and emailing their Senators to let them know how important the RTP program is to them. They need to make sure their Senators understand that RTP must have dedicated funding,” said Pendergrass.

Currently, funding for RTP is provided by taxes on fuel paid into the Highway Trust Fund by users of off-highway recreational vehicles. RTP projects consist of construction, maintenance and restoration of trails and trail related facilities as well as the acquisition of easements or property for trails. Although each state manages its own program, 30% of RTP funds must be spent on non-motorized projects like equestrian trails, 30% on motorized, and 40% percent on multiuse projects. RTP is one of the few sources for federal funding of trail projects that are not on federal land available to equestrians. The program has been a great resource for equestrians to fund projects in their state and local parks.

The AHC, in conjunction with a broad coalition of recreational trail users, is requesting Congress re-authorize the RTP program in its current form in the next highway bill as a separate distinct program with dedicated funding. The AHC urges its member organizations and their membership to contact Congress and voice support for this program and let them know this program is important to the horse community.

American Horse Council Explains Changes in Tax Benefits for Horse Owners

Horsecouncil.org

Submitted by admin on Fri, 01/20/2012

Despite the acrimony and brinksmanship, Congress eventually passed an extension of the payroll tax reductions in late December maintaining the 2% reduction in payroll taxes for workers and the self-employed. The relief is good for two months through February, 2012. Negotiations are already underway between the House and Senate to find a way to extend payroll tax relief through 2012.

But the bill ultimately passed by Congress did not extend the Section 179 expense deduction or 100% bonus depreciation at the 2011 levels. Both provisions have returned to prior lower levels.

Section 179 Expense Deduction

The expense deduction has returned to $125,000 for 2012 and phases out dollar-for-dollar once purchases of depreciable property reach $500,000. The 179 expense deduction applies to horses, farm equipment and other depreciable property used in a business and permits a horse owner or breeder to write-off up to $125,000 in assets purchased and placed in service in one’s horse business in 2012.

The expense allowance for 2010-2011 was $500,000 and phased out after purchases exceeded $2 million.

Bonus Depreciation

In addition, bonus depreciation has returned to 50% for 2012. Bonus depreciation allows horse owners and other horse businesses to write off 50% of the cost of “new” capital assets, including horses, when purchased and placed in service in 2012. To be eligible for bonus depreciation the original use of the property must commence with the taxpayer. Any prior use makes the property ineligible.

Bonus depreciation was 100% for eligible assets purchased and placed in service from September 8, 2010 through 2011.

Both provisions can be used together.

Retroactive Change is Possible

“It is possible that the higher levels could be reinstated retroactively to January 1, 2012. In fact, the House-passed payroll-tax bill extended 100% bonus depreciation through 2012, even though the Senate bill did not,” said AHC president Jay Hickey. “The negotiations between now and the end of February on the one-year extension of the payroll tax reduction could include other changes to the tax code, such as the expense deduction or bonus depreciation. But this is speculation at this point.”

Back Country Horsemen of America is Recognized by Local and National Organizations

For Immediate Release: January 23, 2012
Contact: Peg Greiwe
1-888-893-5161

Back Country Horsemen of America is Recognized
by Local and National Organizations
By Sarah Wynne Jackson

When you ride your horse down a well-groomed trail with level footing, no low branches, sturdy bridges, and safe water crossings, do you stop to think what it took to make that happen? Ask any Back Country Horsemen of America member and they’ll tell you: long hours of hard work, lots of sweat, and personal funds spent on fuel and supplies.

Maintaining trails for horse use is far from glamorous, but without it, where will we ride? It may seem like a thankless job, but Back Country Horsemen of America are happy to do it and organizations large and small see the difference BCH folks are making.

Just Doing What They Do

All Back Country Horsemen believe in the value of volunteerism, so it’s no wonder that many of their accolades center around trail work. On a rainy day in September, seven members of Hoosier Back Country Horsemen of Indiana volunteered their time and equipment to repair storm damage at Youngs Creek Horse Camp in Hoosier National Forest.

Straight-line winds had hit the camp, blowing down large trees which damaged the water trough, fence, and highline posts. The folks from Hoosier BCH cleared debris, repaired the fence, and installed new highline posts. They used a tractor to remove fallen trees and large branches. They also performed general maintenance, such as trimming tall grass in the fenced area.

Nancy Myers, Outdoor Recreation Planner of Region 9, Hoosier National Forest, Tell City Ranger District, recently recognized Hoosier Back Country Horsemen on the US Forest Service’s “Success Stories” web page for their assistance in cleaning up Youngs Creek Horse Camp.

Nancy wrote, “The Hoosier Back Country Horsemen are a great partner and very willing to volunteer for trailhead and trail projects. They even agreed to help on another trail gravelling project on the German Ridge Trail in November. The Tell City recreation staff is very appreciative of the Hoosier Back Country Horsemen's hard work and willingness to enhance recreation opportunities for equestrians on the Hoosier National Forest.”

Making the Connection

Back Country Horsemen across the country go out of their way to nurture good relationships with public land managers. Back Country Horsemen of Middle and South Georgia have a strong working relationship with the folks at A.H. Stephens State Historic Park. They volunteer throughout the year on various projects, such as trail work days, special events, securing grants, and hosting and assisting with several equestrian programs.

As a result, the equestrian facility is now more user friendly with higher visitation rates, generates more revenue, and has receive positive feedback from guests. Andre Mclendon, Park Manager at A.H. Stephens State Historic Park, recently sent a letter of thanks to Back Country Horsemen of Middle and South Georgia.

Andre ended his letter with this sentiment, “Words cannot express how much we appreciate your support. Every day we take one step closer to achieving our goal. It is to be the best equestrian facility that our Georgia State Park system has to offer. With your support I am confident that we can attain our goal. Thank you so much for your contributions. All of our accomplishments from this past year are proof that we can make a difference.”

National Recognition

Responsible recreation is a major tenet of Back Country Horsemen of America and has been a focus of Back Country Horsemen of Washington since their formation in 1976. BCHW’s current Leave No Trace educational program has been in existence for 15 years, and is funded mostly from grants through the US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration Recreational Trails Program.

The Coalition for Recreational Trails, a federation of national and regional trail-related organizations, gives seven achievement awards each year to recognize outstanding use of Recreational Trails Program funds. In 2010, BCHW's Leave No Trace Educational Program received the award in the category of Environment and Wildlife Compatibility.

The entire BCHW Leave No Trace program is run by volunteers dedicated to teaching others responsible recreation. This national award is a great honor for all BCHW members who work and support this educational program with their time and effort. Back Country Horsemen of Washington members also made donations to cover the travel expenses of three BCHW officers to accept the award in person in Washington, D.C.

Share the Trail

Back Country Horsemen of America believes in sharing trails amiably with other users, and BCH Eagle Creek of Kentucky exemplifies that ideal with their outstanding cooperation with the Kentucky Mountain Bike Association. The two organizations recently worked together on a clean up work day on a county-owned reservoir multi-use trail system.

Chris Lockard, President of the Bluegrass Chapter of the Kentucky Mountain Bike Association, sent BCH Eagle Creek a warm letter of appreciation. He wrote in part, “I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for extending an invitation out to the KY Mountain Bike Association to participate in the trail day sponsored by the Back Country Horsemen of Eagle Creek. You and your group were great to work with. The local mountain biker community found it rewarding to work with the equestrians on trail improvements at the county reservoir property.”

Chris also pointed out the benefits of different trail user groups working together toward a common goal, something well understood by Back Country Horsemen of America. Interactions between user groups helps foster understanding and positive relationships, as well as respect and value for each other’s right to a quality trail experience.

About Back Country Horsemen of America

It’s clear that public land managers, other trail users, and national organizations recognize the huge difference Back Country Horsemen are making. Responsible recreation and protecting our right to ride isn’t just a philosophy; it’s a responsibility that requires action in a variety of forms. Back Country Horsemen of America is proud to live up to that and get the job done.

BCHA is a non-profit corporation made up of state organizations, affiliates, and at large members. Their efforts have brought about positive changes regarding the use of horses and stock in the wilderness and public lands.

If you want to know more about Back Country Horsemen of America or become a member, visit their website: www.backcountryhorse.com; call 888-893-5161; or write PO Box 1367, Graham, WA 98338-1367. The future of horse use on public lands is in our hands!

American Horse Council Helps YOU to Connect with Congress

Horsecouncil.org


Submitted by admin on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 12:43
Despite the low approval ratings for Congress, Americans are still interested in what Congress is doing. Why? Because what Congress does - or does not do - impacts the horse industry. This is true regardless of your breed or discipline, whether you are an individual owner, run a track or show, own a horse business, work in the industry as a service provider or ride for recreation.

It is important that we build relationships with our elected leaders in Washington and that they understand and appreciate the $102 billion horse industry’s contribution to the economic, sporting and recreational sectors of the U.S. and their states. 2012 is a terrific opportunity to do this because it is an election year and so many members of Congress and new candidates are running for federal office and they want to meet you.

One of the best ways to build a relationship is to simply invite a member of Congress to your farm or ranch or to an equestrian event back in the district or state. Invite other horse people so there is a built-in crowd of voters. A personal experience with the horse community makes an impression.

All across the country there are farms and ranches getting ready for the breeding season, a great time to showcase the industry. There are horse shows, large and small, races, rodeos, organized and disorganized trail rides, horse sales, etc. Each of these events is an opportunity to build a relationship with a member of Congress or a candidate and to help them understand the horse industry a little bit better. Remember that going to a horse farm or event is a pleasant way to spend a few hours. Having voters there makes it even more pleasant for those running for Congress.

Building relationships with members of Congress is more important now than ever. There are many issues before Congress such as taxes, federal spending, immigration reform and racing legislation, trails legislation and disease programs that could all have profound implications for the horse industry. Only by having personal exchanges with their constituents, who are involved with the horse industry, will members of Congress fully appreciate how these issues impact the industry.

If you would like to invite a member of Congress to your facility or your organization has an upcoming event you think would be appropriate for your Senator or Representative to attend, please contact the AHC. The AHC will help you invite them and provide any guidance you might need. You can call or email the AHC at (202) 296-4031 or AHC@horsecouncil.org for help. Ask for our brochure, Getting Involved in the 2012 Elections, which will give you some pointers.

Please get involved. You will be helping yourself and your industry. And remember that while Congress’ approval rating as a whole is very low, polls still show that most people feel their Senator or Representative is doing a good job so you might even enjoy the visit. They will.