|
|
 |
|
Horse ShowsThe NARG Top 25 of 2011 – See Who’s Best in ShowYear Two: The NARG Top 25 Shows in North America Are Revealed
Canada claimed the top two spots this year. The highest marks once again go to Spruce Meadows, a venue that continues to exemplify our aspirations for great sport in North America. The number two title this year goes to a Canadian discovery, Thunderbird Show Park. Both venues are tremendous places to compete and show jumpers should seriously consider adding these solid examples of top tournaments to their summer schedule. Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center Hosts First Palm Beach School for Autism Horse Show Students were awarded ribbons for their efforts during the PBSFA Horse Show hosted by the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center. (From left to right) Ms. Nora, Ray S., Garron M. and Stephen A. Photo by Kendall Bierer/PMG Loxahatchee, FL – December 27, 2011 – The Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center (VTRC) held its first Palm Beach School for Autism Horse Show on Tuesday, December 20, 2011. The students have been participating in a recently developed program by the VTRC and the Palm Beach School for Autism (PBSFA) over the last eight weeks, using the therapeutic effectiveness of the horses to assist the children with their sensory abilities. The PBSFA Horse Show marked the first event to take place in the VTRC’s Covered Arena. Executive Director of the VTRC Ruth Menor acted as the judge and announcer for the event. Each student, with the help of a volunteer, showed what he or she had learned over the past two months, completing pole bending exercises, holding two-point over cavelettis, and posting during the trot. “The parents are thrilled with this program,” PBSFA teacher Mary Muth said. “A lot of our parents have students who have sensory issues and are not very comfortable with animals. Our students have really opened up with the horses over the past eight weeks; they look very natural on the horses and they are totally comfortable. The horses are great at sensing the students, and knowing how to make them feel more at ease. I feel confident in saying that the staff and horses at Vinceremos are very skilled at working with children with Autism; it takes special skills to make it a success for everyone.” Get the VIP Treatment at the KWPN Stallion Show
Sutherlin, OR — What could be more exciting than private tours of some of the finest barns in the Netherlands, a VIP seat with English translation at the 2012 KWPN Stallion Show and the opportunity to personally interact with some of the sport’s biggest luminaries? If talking horses for a week sounds like fun, you won’t want to miss the 2012 KWPN-NA Annual Meeting, held January 29 – February 5 in the Netherlands and centered around the KWPN Stallion Show. This event is the largest of its kind, with more than 25,000 spectators descending on ‘s Hertogenbosch to experience the excitement of top-level sport and the introduction of the biggest new equine stars. Julie Ballard Haralson has attended three KWPN stallion shows over the past 10 years. “I love every bit of it,” she recalled. “The KWPN educational seminar for foreign visitors; the auction; the young jumping horses; standing within three feet of the most famous horses and riders in the world and watching them warm-up for their classes; trying to guess the judges’ scores; visiting the sale horses at their stalls; shopping; seeing old friends; shopping some more, and lots of laughs!” Haralson, of Newnan, GA, bred three horses that were awarded 2011 KWPN-NA Top Five Awards. One of her favorite memories of the Stallion Show was in 2010 when Edward Gal rode both Totilas and Gribaldi. Who knows which international superstars will make the 2012 edition an event to remember? Dressage at Devon Close Dates Extended and Extended Schooling Schedules
August 24, 2011 (Devon, PA) – The closing dates for both performance and breed classes at the 2011 Dressage at Devon have been extended until September 15 and late fees have been waived. So enter now and enjoy the new, state of the art footing (Poels Sand Footing), in both the Dixon Oval and the Gold Ring. Come check out this significant improvement to Dressage at Devon and show off your wonderful horse under the lights. Schooling has also been extended in both rings in the early morning. Warm-up for all Grand Prix classes will be held in the Gold ring commencing one hour prior to the start of the class. For performance entry details, go to www.dressageatdevon.org or contact the Show Secretary, Monica Fitzgerald, at mon1206@aol.com. Or, for breeders, has your two year old suddenly grow into their body? Is your colt amazing? Come showcase your incredible horses at Dressage at Devon and let your foal enjoy the attention and the new footing! You can enter on-line at www.horseshowoffice.com. Full details, including the prize list, are at www.dressageatdevon.org or contact the Show Secretary, Kathy Moffitt, at kmoffitt@optonline.net. Danielle Myers Dressage at Devon: From Horse Ballet and Horse Whisperer to Food, Foals, Fancy Hats and MoreDevon, PA (August 3, 2011) – Each year as fall approaches, preparation intensifies for the annual International Dressage at Devon Horse Show (www.dressageatdevon.org). The show combines world-class dressage competition and the largest dressage/sport horse breed show outside of Europe with international Fall Festival shops, an array of food and the Ladies’ Day Hat Contest. Dressage at Devon will take place from September 27 – October 2, 2011 at the Devon Horse Show Grounds, located on US Route 30, in Devon, PA. The Performance Division, which rounds out the week from September 29 to October 2, offers spectators the opportunity to see top riders from North and South America and Europe. The horses and riders are judged on their mastery of dressage training and the classes help qualify riders for events like the Olympics, Pan American Games and the World Championships. One of the crowd pleasers is the Musical Freestyle which is an excellent demonstration of why dressage is often called “horse ballet.” Riders direct their horses with precise, almost imperceptible aids, including body weight, legs and hands, to move gracefully in time to the music. Locals will have the opportunity to cheer on breeders from Philadelphia and surrounding areas. For example, Shilhouette, a filly bred by Maurine (Mo) Swanson from Rolling Stone Farm in Slatington, PA, will compete in the breed show which runs from September 27-29. Her sire, home-bred Shakespeare RSF, is winner of the 70-day Stallion test in 2009. Shakespeare RSF is approved for breeding with the American Hanoverian Society and the Oldenburg Horse Breeders Society. Her mother, Fhlora, is a Hanoverian mare in the studbook of the American Hanoverian Society and the Oldenburg Horse Breeders Society. Translation: Shilhouette is well bred. She’s now getting ready to face the international competition at Dressage at Devon by gracing the grounds of a couple of smaller local shows. 2011 IFSHA World and Grand National Championship Horse ShowLexington, VA – The 2011 IFSHA Friesian World and Grand National Horse Show will return this year to the East Coast and will for the second time in its history be held at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA. Hundreds of classes will fill the five days of competition, beginning with dressage on Wednesday judged by Virginian, The Honorable Elizabeth Lewis of Keswick. In addition to classes from Intro through Grand Prix, IFSHA is proud to introduce Western dressage to the schedule this year as one of the Recognized Breed Affiliates of the newly formed Western Dressage Association. Judging the halter and performance divisions throughout the week will be a “dream team” of United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) women: The Honorable, Sue Burkman, Los Alomos, CA; Nancy Troutman, Salem, VA; and Judith Warner of Asheville, NC, respectively. This panel of three judges will rotate duties as call judge during the show, depending on their specialties and fields of expertise. Joining the talented trio in rotation on the carriage driving classes will be The Honorable ADS Judge Mickey Bowen of Unionville, PA. An open carriage driving division has been added to the show this year to take advantage of our judges skills and encourage local whips to join the fun. USEF Steward Shirley Nowak and Dressage Technical Delegate Janice Enneking will be available for exhibitors’ questions. Master of Ceremonies Doug Shane of Penrose, CO, will add his golden voice and library of music to assure a festive mood to the event. The management team of Gareth A. Selwood and Nancy Nathanson will once again run the show with their usual flair and are excited to announce that this year the IFSHA Board of Directors has chosen “The Yellow Ribbon Fund” as the official charity to benefit from this year’s show. The Yellow Ribbon Fund was founded in 2005 to help injured service members and their families who are recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and The Navy Medical Center. A special “Yellow Ribbon” Championship class will be held during the Horse Show on Saturday Night with all entry fees collected from that class donated to the Yellow Ribbon Fund in the name of the winner of that class. It will be sure to be a highlight of the show. Connemaras Take the Stage in Upperville, Virginia Thurman Shammy (Photo courtesy of Pat Brescia). Upperville, VA – The Connemara Division at the famous Upperville Colt and Horse show on June 11 was the largest there has been since the division was initiated several years ago with as many as eight ponies in most of the classes. In the Purebred Mares, 3 and Over, Thurman Shammy took the blue while Oakfields Fuchsia was in second and Ridgetop Harriette in third. In the Purebred Stallions and Geldings, 3 and Over, Ridgetop Windy City was first with Sycamore Ridge Irish Envoy in second and Stitch in Time in third. Windy City was the Champion In-Hand with Thurman Shammy in Reserve. In the two ridden classes for Purebred Connemaras, Oakfields Hazel Sparrow and Oakfields Fuchsia were in first and second with Ridgetop Harriette and Ridgetop Ringo and Hunter Hack, respectively. © Copyright 2011 United States Equestrian Federation Alltech National Horse Show Program Advertising on Sale Now The Kentucky Horse Park entrance. Photos courtesy of Alltech. Lexington, Kentucky – June 8, 2011 – The Alltech National Horse Show, 128th edition, announced today that advertising space for this year’s official horse show program is now on sale.
Over the years, the National Horse Show program has been one of the finest and most complete catalogs of any show in the world. Many past editions have become collector’s items. The 2011 edition for the exciting Kentucky debut will be no exception. The Alltech National Horse Show will be held from November 2 – 6, 2011, at the beautiful, new Alltech Indoor Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. This CSI-W 4* event will attract the nation’s finest equestrians and large crowds are expected for every session. Those wishing to be a part of this year’s official horse show program should contact Advertising Director Laura Reed at reed.laura@insightbb.com or call 859-321-7687. 2011 Poster Contest Washington International Horse ShowDeadline Extended to July 31, Midnight! 
Washington, DC, June 7, 2011 – The Washington International has extended its deadline for submitting entries in the 2011 Poster Contest to July 31st at midnight. WIHS, the leading indoor equestrian event in the US, is seeking an original poster design for its 53rd annual event, to be held Oct. 25-30, 2011, at Verizon Center in Washington, DC. The six-day equine extravaganza features the country’s leading horses and riders in exciting jumping competition. The poster contest is open to U.S.-based artists, both amateur and professional, 18 years or older. A maximum of three entries per artist will be accepted. There is no entry fee. Artists submit photos (prints or digital files) of their work (not slides, not original art). The work submitted must be original and may be in any medium suitable for duplicating on posters and souvenir merchandise. Entries should be inspired by the WIHS and reflect an equestrian or horse theme. Artists also should consider the event’s longstanding ties to Washington, D.C. Adequan Select World Qualifying Deadline ExtendedThe American Quarter Horse Journal – Due to the recent outbreak of equine herpesvirus-1, many horse shows have experienced reduced exhibitor numbers and some shows – particularly National Cutting Horse Association events – have been canceled. As a result, the AQHA Executive Committee has extended to June 26 the Adequan Select World Championship Show qualifying period, which was to end May 31. This step is in addition to lowering the Adequan Select World qualifying points, which the Executive Committee announced on May 18. Additionally, due to the cancellations of all cutting events through June 5, qualifying points for Select cutting have been lowered to one-half point, and AQHA will continue to monitor future cancellations based on NCHA’s recommendations. “Several major shows held this last weekend experienced drastically reduced exhibitor numbers,” said AQHA President Peter J. Cofrancesco III. “Major shows in California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Montana, Texas, Washington, Alberta and other states or provinces have had low exhibitor turn out and some in those locations have already canceled shows scheduled for this weekend. |
Wellington, FL – February 1, 2012 – Following the overwhelmingly positive response to our 2010 Top 25 report, NARG’s host of volunteers once again invested hundreds of hours to numerically evaluate 50 of the top horse shows in North America. The 2011 results are an interesting mix of events – including a couple of Canadian champions, a promising new beginning for The National Horse Show, several new discoveries and two most improved shows.
Registration Closes October 31
