December 2018 - Steuart Pittman Uses Horse Sense to Win in Politics As a top event rider Steuart Pittman has certainly faced formidable obstacles in his career, but perhaps none as challenging as the race for Anne Arundel County (Md.) executive. He was a political neophyte facing a popular incumbent with a large war chest. But when the votes were counted on November 6, Pittman came out on top. Read full article >>
December 2018 - Organizations Urge Equestrians to Get Involved to Expand Access to Trails Farms are disappearing as suburbs ooze into once-open spaces. Houses, shopping centers, office parks and apartment buildings dominate horizons where there used to be trees and trails and green spaces. People who long for places to explore nature—either on foot or on horseback—are finding limited options in the densely-packed suburbs. Read full article >>
December 2018 - Nokota Horse Breed Loses Its Champion But Will Live On Nokota® horses, a tough breed that has survived many challenges, have lost one of their biggest supporters, but they are still moving forward. Leo Kuntz, the breed’s biggest supporter, who coined the term Nokota for the feral and semi-feral North Dakota horses, passed away suddenly, August 12, at age 69 in an ATV accident while checking on his herd. He left behind a herd of more than 200 Nokota horses. Read full article >>
December 2018 - Price Increases Loom as Tariffs Start to Take Effect Tariffs appear to be the core of the United States international trade strategy. The President pulled the US out of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), a 12-nation treaty that would have eliminated tariffs among the participating countries. It would have been the world’s largest free-trade agreement, with North America at its center. Read full article >>
November 2018 - Amateur Rider from California Tops Fair Hill International Three Star Frankie Thieriot Stutes' trek from California to the 2018 Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International Three-Day Event proved to be worth every mile as the amateur rider was crowned the Dutta Corp./USEF CCI3* Eventing National Champion. She was joined in the winner’s circle by Boyd Martin, Cochranville, PA, who was winner of the CCI2* and Reserve Champion of the CCI3*. Read full article >>
November 2018 - Swiss Olympian Mandli Repeats Win in Prix de Penn National at Harrisburg Swiss Olympic veteran Beat Mändli bested a six horse jump-off to win the marquee event at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, the $132,000 Prix De Penn National on Dibatsja, owned by Grant Road Partners, LLC. Mändli also won this class in 2014. Read full article >>
November 2018 - To Control Population, BLM Will Test Surgical Sterilization of Wild Mares The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for managing the wild horses and burros on nearly 27 million acres of public lands. Along with the horses that range on those public lands, private ranchers, through leases, use public lands for grazing cattle. Read full article >>
November 2018 - East Coast Morgans win World Championships Almost 1,000 Morgans from across the country and Canada, including Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, were shipped to Oklahoma City, OK, to compete in the Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show. The event, held October 6-13, offered more than 300 classes, 29 divisions and an excess of $250,000 in prize money. Read full article >>
October 2018 - One of Just Five US Three Star Events, Fair Hill International Returns Oct. 18-21 The Dutta Corp Fair Hill International Three-Day Event celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, hosting the U.S. Equestrian CCI3* and CCI2* Fall Eventing Championships and the USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships when it returns to Fair Hill, MD, October 18-21. Located at the pristine Fair Hill Natural Resource Management Area, in Elkton, MD, Fair Hill International awards $50,000 in prize money. Read full article >>
October 2018 - Gretchen Ober Gets New Motivation from Orphaned Filly Sometimes, good things come out of tragedy. For Gretchen Ober, a miracle foal has given her new energy and a brighter outlook on the future. Ober, a promising jumper rider, suffered a serious traffic accident in 2004 that sidelined her from riding. After two spinal fusions and prolonged recovery time, she was cleared to ride in 2012, but she still faces daily pain and future surgery. Read full article >>
October 2018 - AHP Survey Says Industry Has Stabilized American Horse Publications (AHP) conducted its fourth online nationwide equine industry survey sponsored by Zoetis from January 22 through April 1, 2018. The survey’s three main objectives are: to gauge participation trends and management practices in the U.S. equine industry; to identify critical issues facing the equine industry as perceived by those who own or manage horses; and to better understand approaches to horse health care. Read full article >>
October 2018 - 73rd Pennsylvania National Horse Show to be Held October 11-20 Over 1,400 top hunter and jumper riders from across the nation and abroad will be heading to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for the 2018 Pennsylvania National Horse Show (PNHS), October 11-20. One of the country’s oldest and largest indoor horse shows, the PNHS returns to the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center, the horse show’s historic host venue since 1945, where riders will compete for over $500,000 prize money and prestigious championship titles. Read full article >>
September 2018 - What Happened to Roman? Philadelphia Mounted Police Under Scrutiny What happened to Roman, the four-year-old Percheron, that was donated to the Philadelphia Mounted Police? Kate Brown, barn manager and head trainer at Northwestern Stables in Philadelphia, raised Roman and thought that he would be a great police horse. “I never ask a horse to do a job they are not interested in doing. I really thought that being a police horse was Roman’s calling. I believe he enjoyed doing the work.” Less than a year after donating the horse, Brown has decided that Roman should have other career choices. Read full article >>
September 2018 - Blue Jean Horse Project Helps Horses Worldwide Visitors to the World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Tryon, North Carolina in September, and other major events may come across a horse of a different material. Five life size equine sculptures clad in denim will be on display at WEG this year, representing different disciplines of equestrian sport. Read full article >>
September 2018 - Three Mares, Foals Die in PA Trailer Fire Three thoroughbred mares with foals by their sides perished when the trailer in which they were transported caught fire on a Pennsylvania highway in July. A fourth mare was freed by a firefighter and survived. The fire broke out in the gooseneck trailer in the early morning of July 17 on I-80 near Kylertown in north central Pennsylvania while traveling from Kentucky to New York. Crews from three local fire companies responded to the call to fight the blaze. Read full article >>
September 2018 - Dayton, Ehrhardt Win Bobcat Derby at Monmouth at the Team With the grand backdrop of the former training grounds of the U.S. Equestrian Team, competitors from across the region gathered to enjoy nine days of hunter/jumper competition at Monmouth at the Team, August 12-20. The show was held at Hamilton Farm, headquarters of the USET Foundation, in Gladstone, NJ. Read full article >>
August 2018 - Fabled Show Venue Quentin Riding Club May Be Auctioned for Back Taxes “It was the place to be,” Lucy Matteo of Fort Washington, PA says, “it was always big—even when it was the little shows.” Quentin Riding Club, once a fixture on the show circuit for hunter/jumpers and saddlebreds has fallen on hard times. The Lebanon County Tax Claim Bureau has announced that the property will be auctioned off in September to satisfy nearly $100,000 in unpaid taxes. Read full article >>
August 2018 - Veterans Find Solace Amid Rescued Horses at Woerth It Hollow Devoting yourself to a good cause is a challenge, but Sara Hodgkiss takes it a step farther, addressing two needs at once. Woerth It Hollow, Inc., in Kirkwood, PA, has both an equine/animal rescue and a program to assist veterans and the disabled by allowing them to embrace every aspect of rescue farming. Their slogan is “Every Little Effort is Woerth It”. Read full article >>
August 2018 - Schaefer Closes Brandywine Valley Horse Shows with Hunter Derby Win Samantha Schaefer, Westminster, MD, kicked off week one of the Brandywine Valley Horse Shows with a win and wrapped up week two with another. Schaefer and In The Know, owned by Madeline Schaefer, were week one champions of the High Performance Hunter division after almost clean-sweeping the division. Read full article >>
August 2018 - Shartin N Sends Connections on Ride of a Lifetime After her powerhouse triumph in the C$370,000 Roses Are Red final at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday, June 16, in a strong clocking of 1:49.3, Shartin N’s human connections were both overjoyed and relieved. The 5-year-old daughter of Tintin In America went off stride in her elimination the previous week and was extremely fortunate to even compete in the final. Read full article >>
July 2018 - Fair Hill Unveils Plans to Become Top Level International Venue Whether spectator, Olympic-level competitor or rider aspiring to reach the upper echelons in the sport of three-day eventing, Fair Hill International has long loomed large as the venue of champions. But the dream of so many that the northeast Maryland facility rise to the level of one of the premier eventing sites in the world recently took a major step toward becoming a reality. Read full article >>
July 2018 - Third Generation Dressage Rider Tori Belles Makes Her Mark at Age 13 At age 13. Tori Belles of Bethel, PA was the youngest division winner at the 6th annual International Youth Dressage Championships, held in Florida in mid-March. Belles earned the championship in the Pony Division on Prince Z, owned by P.J. Rizvi. The pair placed first in the FEI Pony Team Test with a score of 67.762%; second in the FEI Pony Individual Test with 66.982$ and first in the FEI Freestyle for Pony Riders with a score of 68% Their overall average score for the division was 67.498%. Read full article >>
July 2018 - US Equestrian Announces Safe Sport Rule Change to Combat Abuse “I was a little kid,” Anne Kursinski said in an interview with the New York Times. “And he was God.” In this case, God was a legendary riding coach at the exclusive and tony Flintridge Riding Club in California. His name was Jimmy Williams. For decades Williams turned young, eager riders into top competitors and world-renowned Olympians like Kursinski. Read full article >>
July 2018 - Local Exhibitors Find Success at the Devon Horse Show Candi Covino Aversenti of Aversenti Equine Partners in Bethlehem, PA, rode her chestnut American Saddlebred mare, The Veldt Queen, to the Reserve Amateur Five-Gaited Championship. She shows under the direction of Randy and Denessa Harper of Harper Stables. Aboard her chestnut gelding, Kalarama’s Blue MAC, Candi won the qualifying class and championship in the Amateur/Junior Exhibitor Park division. Read full article >>
June 2018 - Doc Cebu Wins Second Consecutive Willowdale Steeplechase The Mother’s Day tradition in Pennsylvania steeplechase racing is the Willowdale Steeplechases. The 26th running at Willowdale, just outside Kennett Square, PA, was held Sun., May 13 under cloudy skies and intermittent rain that led to a soft course. Read full article >>
June 2018 - Lancaster, PA Film Maker Jumps into NYC Carriage Controversy For 160 years, horses and carriages have been part of the city-scape in New York. As iconic as the Empire State Building (a mere 88 years old), the Statue of Liberty (143 years old), and Central Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead and dedicated in 1880, the carriages have been featured in films and television shows, on travel posters and in commercials. Read full article >>
June 2018 - Rare Healthy Twin Foals Born at New Bolton Center Excitement over a first pregnancy turned to concern for owner Adel Dukes Melson when her pregnant Holsteiner began showing signs of premature foaling. Weeks before the mare’s March 13 due date, her mammary gland started to develop and secrete milk, a typical indication that her body was preparing to soon give birth. Read full article >>
June 2018 - Senior Senator Collects Second Maryland Hunt Cup Victory As he awaited the result of the $100,000 Maryland Hunt Cup to be made official on April 28, jockey Eric Poretz amiably chatted with friends and well-wishers. He still wore his safety helmet, and atop it were two spotless pairs of riding goggles. Read full article >>
June 2018 - Where Do I Belong? Mom Turns to Western Dressage After 20 Years Away from Riding After twenty years of being a mom devoted to my equestrian-loving daughter, I decided to attempt riding again myself, but quickly became overwhelmed. The equestrian world has transformed into a specialized arena of multiple disciplines. There seems to be movement toward a new style of riding—with a deeper understanding of training methods that appreciate gentle-handed horsemanship and a oneness with the horse as a team. Read full article >>
May 2018 - Fifty Horses Dead, More Than 100 Rescued from Maryland Farm The aerial photographs paint a grisly picture of the scene rescuers found at a horse farm on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in mid-March. The fields were littered with at least 50 dead horses, including the skeletal remains of some, and carcasses of others being devoured by vultures. Elsewhere on the property there were clusters of live horses - more than 103 in all - some gathered by the entrance to a house with sections of its siding ripped away. Read full article >>
May 2018 - Brandywine Hills and Fair Hill Point to Point Races Easter Sunday, April 1, was a holiday for racing fans, with the 76th running of the Brandywine Hills Point to Point races in Chester County, PA. It was followed two weeks later on April 15 with the Fair Hill Point to Point Races, wrapping up the Delaware Valley Point to Point three race series that had begun at Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds in March. Read full article >>
May 2018 - 2018 Kentucky Derby Shaping Up as One of the Best Ever There were a lot of relieved looks around Chad Brown's barn at Keeneland Racecourse the morning after the $1 million Bluegrass Stakes. After a lackluster performance in the Fountain of Youth in February, Good Magic bounced back in a big way, winning the Bluegrass on April 7. Snatching the lead around the far turn, the bright chestnut with the white blaze repelled multiple graded stakes winner Flameaway and powered home to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Read full article >>
May 2018 - Will the Curse of Apollo Finally Fall? Sports fans know all about the "Curse of the Billy Goat." It was placed on the Chicago Cubs when longtime fan Billy Sanis was asked to remove his pet goat from Wrigley Field during the 1945 World Series. The curse came to a screeching halt when the Cubs finally won the World Series in 2016. Read full article >>
April 2018 - Unbroke Paint with 70 Days Training Wins Rescued to Stardom Contest One of the biggest attractions at the Horse World Expo this year was a first time event – Rescued to Stardom! The audience packed the stands at the Harrisburg, PA Farm Show Complex arena to see entries from seven rescue organizations across the region show the great things that can be done with horses that no one wanted. Read full article >>
April 2018 - Are Abuser Registries the Key to Ending Animal Abuse? Animal abuse has been a hot topic in the news in recent months, after the tragic mass shooting of students and faculty in Parkland, Florida. Acquaintances of the shooter, Nikolas Cruz, reported that he shot at small animals with pellet guns, and tried to get a dog to attack a baby pig. Read full article >>
April 2018 - Bolt d'Oro Lights Up San Felipe Stakes The Montana wilderness is not the typical spot you would expect to find a $630,000 yearling colt learning the ropes of the racing game. Studded with 25 alpine lakes and endless wildflower meadows, the foothills of the Jewel Basin offer expansive views of Flathead Valley to the west and Hungry Horse Reservoir to the east. It's also the location of the Ruis Ranch where the breaking and the daily exercising routines of young thoroughbred prospects takes place. Read full article >>
April 2018 - ASHA Honors Carson Kressley Carson Kressley received the Gordon Jenkins International Award during the American Saddlebred Horse Association’s (ASHA) annual awards luncheon, held February 1. The Gordon Jenkins International Award honors a person who has gone the extra mile to introduce American Saddlebred to other countries. Read full article >>
March 2018 - Donkeys, Often Misunderstood and Neglected, Find Homes at Little Long Ears Miniature donkeys are so cute and personable that people may tend to think of them as they would any other pet and forget that they are equines with needs very similar to horses. Unfortunately, donkeys of all sizes can end up in homes that are unequipped or unable to care for them properly. That is when Little Long Ears Miniature Donkey Rescue comes in. Read full article >>
March 2018 - Group Preserves Horseback Access to 140 Mile Horse-Shoe Trail Don Newcomer frequently rides his Appaloosa mare Scarlet on the Horse-Shoe Trail, a 140-mile path that winds from Valley Forge to north of Manada Gap. His favorite section is the farthest west, just before the Horse-Shoe Trail meets up with the 2,200-mile-long Appalachian Trail. It's the most remote section, somewhat steep and a bit rocky. Read full article >>
March 2018 - Two Pennsylvania Professional Trainers Honored On Thursday night, January 18, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) honored a few select members during its annual awards banquet in Lexington, Kentucky. The USEF President Murray Kessler presented a Pegasus Medal of Honor to three members, including Mike Goebig of Broadmoor in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. Read full article >>
March 2018 - Guest Editorial: “I See Skinny Horses! Now What?” The Complicated Enforcement of Pennsylvania’s Animal Cruelty Law Social Media. Both a blessing and a curse. There is a very high probability if you are a horse person reading this, you have witnessed or been a party to the online reports, accusations, criticism, second-guessing, frustration, and anger that often ensues when someone sees what they believe to be an act of neglect or abuse against a horse and that they feel is not being investigated in a timely manner. Read full article >>
March 2018 - Guy McLean’s Advice: Follow Your Horse’s Heart Horses are an expensive addiction. For that reason, equestrians both novice and seasoned will spend hours researching breeds, trainers, and disciplines for their best match. Yet after shelling a fortune for a specialty-bred performance horse, it’s a gamble. Riders can find after stoic hours in the saddle the relationship only spirals down, and the dream of enjoying just a trail ride or the winner’s circle never materializes. Read full article >>
February 2018 - Philadelphia Shuts Down Carriage Company, Sanctuary Takes Horses For Patrick, Tucker, Freaky Pete and seven other ex-Philadelphia carriage horses, the days of dodging traffic, traveling several miles a day on asphalt and living in an old warehouse are over. The horses arrived at a sanctuary in Maryland early last month after the owner of one of the city’s remaining two carriage companies agreed to close her doors and give up the horses. Han Hee Yoo, who operated Philadelphia Carriage Tours, was facing citations and fines related to repeated building code violations and for the substandard stabling conditions for the horses in her care. Read full article >>
February 2018 - Electronic Logging Device Mandate Affects Livestock Transporters Anyone who regularly commutes on interstate highways in the mid-Atlantic region is familiar with the scenario. Whether it’s a jackknifed tractor trailer, or a multi-vehicle accident involving tractor trailers, it’s clear that the day is not going to go as planned. Traffic will be stalled for hours; often chemical spills will require hazmat crews for cleanup. Inevitably these accidents result in injuries—often catastrophic injuries or death. Besides the human costs, there are economic consequences. Hundreds of people will be late for work or miss important appointments. Read full article >>
February 2018 - PA and NJ Standardbreds Capture 9 of 12 Dan Patch Awards When all 131 ballots were tabulated and the results revealed on Dec. 21, nine of harness racing’s latest champions were either PA and NJ-breds or the humans responsible for their careers resided there. Pennsylvania equines will also likely sweep the trifecta for the sport’s Horse of the Year, Trotter of the Year and Pacer of the Year when those honors are announced at the annual Dan Patch Patch Awards Banquet in Orlando, Fla. on Feb. 25. Five of the horses whose names will be permanently entered in the history books are pacers Lost In Time, Youaremycandygirl, Downbytheseaside and Keystone Velocity. The remaining four, What The Hill, Hannelore Hanover, Manchego and Ariana G, strut their stuff on the trot. Read full article >>
February 2018 - Mini Extravaganza Showcases CATRA’s Therapeutic Work Small horses gave a big performance at this year’s Pennsylvania Farm Show. The Miniature Horse Extravaganza, presented by the Capitol Area Therapeutic Riding Association (CATRA) showed audiences that very small equines can be great fun, and great therapy for the people working with them. CATRA’s Miniature Horse Extravaganza at the Farm Show’s Equine Showcase and Penn State Ag Progress Days began five years ago as an outgrowth of the work the organization had been doing with miniatures. Read full article >>
January 2018 - 25 Years. New Name. New Focus. With this issue, and the start of our 25th year, Pennsylvania Equestrian becomes East Coast Equestrian! The change allows us to cover the news beyond the Pennsylvania border. (In this issue, you will find articles about New Jersey’s Standardbred Retirement Foundation and up and coming Maryland polo star Brandon Wells’ trip to represent the US in India.) We look forward to covering the events, people, horses and news in PA, NJ, MD, and DE and to adding to our stable of 17 national awards for editorial excellence. Read full article >>
January 2018 - Maryland High School Senior Plays Polo for the USA in India Winston Churchill, who played polo internationally, famously said 'A polo handicap is a passport to the world'. Brennan Wells, who represented the United States at the 11th Manipur Polo International Invitational in Imphal, Manipur, India in November, knows firsthand how true that is. Brennan, a senior at Hereford High School in Parkton, MD, and his sister Marissa are third generation polo players whose parents and grandfathers played the game. Read full article >>
January 2018 - Standardbreds Face a Tougher Road When Careers End Over their combined racing careers the trotting horses had won almost $1.4 million. At the final count, there were 40 standardbreds, mares and geldings, ranging in age from 10 to 24. They were bred throughout North America - in Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio and Canada. Big cash winners, slow pokes or unraced, they all ended up in the same miserable fate last month: two kill buyers’ lots in central Pennsylvania. Keeping them off the trailer to a slaughter plant in Quebec would require upwards of $30,000 just to pay the dealers. Read full article >>
January 2018 - Pennsylvania Native Protects U.S. Border - on Horseback At age fifty-five, I’ve finally developed the confidence to reach for my dreams. So when I meet a young woman who already stands out in her career, with self-assurance combined with a love for horses, I am instantly curious. I had the privilege to interview Katie Griffith Clare, who lost her mother while too young, with whom she shared a love of horses, and knew she wanted to make a difference. Today Katie connects all three, patrolling the U.S. border. Katie and her steadfast steed are the living wall—the one President Trump would find almost impossible to build of brick and mortar because of terrain. Read full article >>
