Innovative Ideas
Should riders be allowed to compete on horses that have been given a small amount of bute?
That has been the subject of heated discussion this afternoon at a meeting of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The liveliest debate during a meeting to unveil the FEI’s completed work on "clean sport" centred on the proposal for a complete policy shift to allow horses to compete on low levels of painkillers.
from Horse and Hound
Bettina Hoy retired top eventer Ringwood Cockatoo in a special ceremony at the Dutch CCI***, Boekelo, last weekend. He is 18 years old.
The Hoys explained on their website: "Bettina and Cockatoo paraded around the arena while J.P. Fair sang a song he specially wrote for the occasion ‘Thank you for being a friend’. The beautifully chosen words and the music brought tears of emotion to Bettina and thousands of the spectators.
From TheHorse.com
Three-day event rider Ronald Zabala-Goetschel loves his four-star level event horse Che Mr. Wiseguy so much that he is planning to manufacture a diamond out of a bit of Wiseguy’s mane, so that he will have a little treasure to remember the horse by forever.
A native of Quito, Ecuador, Zabala-Goetschel rides and trains with Dutton and Silva Martin in the United States. He and Che Mr Wiseguy have already been selected to represent Ecuador at the World Equestrian Games next year.
SUCCEED® and Wellington Classic Dressage will be hosting an exciting Holiday Gala Fundraiser on December 11 & 12, 2009, to benefit the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation. The gala will feature some of the biggest names in the equestrian world from a unique combination of disciplines, all coming together for a good cause and some holiday fun. In addition to raising money for the USET Foundation and supporting the future of the equestrian sport, the Holiday Gala will also help families in need during the holiday season by collecting donations for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve charity Toys for Tots.
Following the Fair Hill International CCI3* Boyd Martin will begin co-hosting the popular Eventing Radio Show, an Internet radio show that is broadcast around the world.
From MyFoxPhilly.com
LANDENBERG, Pa. - Avondale police are investigating the case of a thoroughbred whose owner says was stolen from her home. Jill Potts says Studley, a former race horse owned by Potts, was last seen on Church Road Hill in Landenberg, Pa. Studley was reportedly being led away from her property with a rope around his neck on Saturday.
Police are investigating the case as a horse theft.
from the Red Hills Horse Trials
Hugh Lochore is quickly putting his own stamp on the Red Hills cross-country course. No stranger to Red Hills, Hugh built the course from the ground up, resigning his position as course builder in 2008 in hopes of transitioning into design. Hugh has been working feverishly with our current course builder, Eric Bull, to shift the emphasis of the cross country challenge to a more natural set of obstacles that will encourage horse and rider to establish a rhythmic pace. “In creating tracks that help riders to settle their horses into a balanced rhythm early in the course, we are able to make the whole experience more fun for not only the riders but the horses as well. It is imperative that we get the horses into a positive frame of mind so that they leave the event better for their experience here. This is a fundamental part of the education that takes the horses to the higher levels of the sport in the first place,” says Lochore.
While we’re all gearing up for the AEC Benefit eBay auction in a few weeks (oh yes, it’s back again this year!), check out some of the nifty gifts and getaways you can bid on for the PRO (Professional Riders Organization) Silent Auction. A tour of the Jim Henson studio in NYC, Manolo Blahnik shoes, a week’s vacation in Myrtle Beach or Aiken are just a few of the enticing prizes.
Since you’re in the shopping mood, and you’d really like to help out a fellow eventer, and take part in a fun competition, then check out the Sharon White fundraiser on Labor Day at Sharon’s Farm in Summit Point, WV.
Under FEI rules, horses can’t have any foreign substances in their systems, whether the aim is to treat or cheat.
By Nancy Jaffer
August 18, 2009 — For those who have trouble following the controversy over drugs in equestrian sports, why not just boil it down to three simple words: Doping or medication.
By Janet D. S. Spangler with Dr. Craig Wehrenberg, DC
“Outliers are those who have been given opportunities and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them”. Malcolm Gladwell
Does better health equate to riding lighter?
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