December 2011 - Lizzy Traband’s Talent, Determination Redefine ‘Disability’ Not many 13-year-olds have their own horsemanship program. But Lizzy Traband isn’t like most 13-year-olds. For Lizzy, a State College, Pa., native who helps train horses at her parents’ Carousel Farm, being born without a left forearm never made her different from anyone else. Read full article >>
December 2011 - Phyllis Wyeth’s Dream Comes True in Top Derby Contender Union Rags The storybook season ended a few yards too soon. Breaking from post 10 in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile race, Chadds Ford Stable’s Union Rags ran very wide around both turns losing valuable ground before closing quickly down the middle of the track in the final furlong. Read full article >>
December 2011 - Margie Engle, Winner of 195 Grand Prix, Finally Wins Harrisburg’s Margie Engle of Wellington, FL, riding Indigo, owned by Gladewinds & Shay Griese, won the $75,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix de Penn National, the crowning event at the 66th Annual Pennsylvania National Horse Show, held October 13-22 in Harrisburg, PA. Read full article >>
December 2011 - Fair Hill Trophies to Boyd Martin, Kylie Lyman As has often been the case this fall, the top riders at the 2011 Dansko Fair Hill International entered the final show jumping page separated by razor thin margins. With the top riders in both the CCI3* and CCI2* divisions tremendously close, clear rounds were at a premium. Read full article >>
November 2011 - Rebuilding Begins After 23 Horses Lost in Barn Fire On July 24, fire destroyed two barns and an indoor arena of Over the Hill Farm, in Waverly, PA, killing 23 horses. Six horses made it out of the barn; four of those suffered burns. The indoor arena had been rebuilt just a few months before, in September, 2010, after collapsing under the heavy snow load the previous February. Read full article >>
November 2011 - What Puts a Horse Rescue in Need of Rescue? At any given moment in the United States, there are hundreds of thousands of dogs, cats, bunnies and other abandoned or surrendered domestic animals in need of permanent homes. At that same moment, thousands of horses are in the same crowded boat—abandoned, dangerously neglected or surrendered by owners who can no longer afford them, who no longer have any use for them, or who have lost interest in them. Read full article >>
November 2011 - Girl Power: Region’s Fillies Headed to Breeders’ Cup Top Races For two years running the $750,000 Cotillion Stakes at Parx racetrack in early October has been a springboard to the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic. Last year’s thriller featured Havre de Grace who held off the favorite Blind Luck by a neck and took home Pennsylvania’s richest purse for fillies. Read full article >>
November 2011 - Chester County’s Hope Hand Helps Develop Successful US Para Dressage Team Hope Hand doesn't believe in boundaries. The founder and president of the U.S. Para-Equestrian Association was born with spina bifida, but that never stopped her from achieving her goal of competing internationally as a para dressage rider. Read full article >>
November 2011 - Dressage At Devon: Local Horses Make a Strong Showing Pennsylvania horses made their presence known at the 37th annual Dressage at Devon, September 27 – October 2. Among an international field of competitors, there were local horsemen earning blues in the Devon arena as well. Dressage at Devon begins with three days of breeding competition where Pennsylvania breeders were well represented in the ribbons. One of the standouts on the line was EM Rheporter, winner of the Mare Championship, the Mature Horse Championship and Grand Championship. Read full article >>
October 2011 - Cinderella Story: Neville Bardos Goes from Death’s Door to Burghley in 17 Weeks Many phrases have been used to describe Boyd Martin and Neville Bardos's trip to the Burghley 4* event in England, which culminated in a seventh-place finish, last month – Cinderella story, ultimate comeback, fairy-tale ending. But the story is far from over. With Neville coming away sound from his successful trip to Burghley, the Olympic rings in London are not far from sight. Martin is feeling cautiously optimistic about his Olympics chances after Burghley, which was held just two months after Neville's brush with death during a fatal barn fire at True Prospect Farm. Read full article >>
October 2011 - Plantation Field: Marilyn Little-Meredith Wins Her First-Ever Three Star The fourth annual Plantation Field International Horse Trials came to an exciting finish Sunday, September 18, as record crowds enjoyed perfect weather, a day of top-notch competition and neck-and-neck competition in the CIC*** division. The top two riders, Marilyn Little-Meredith, of Frederick, MD, in only her thirteenth eventing competition and first-ever three star, and Boyd Martin, of Cochranville, PA, entered the show-jumping phase separated by a mere one-tenth of a point, setting up a nail-biting finish. The dramatic ending came after the two riders had swapped the lead spot throughout the three days of competition. Read full article >>
October 2011 - Havre de Grace Sizzles in Woodward Score With an eye on Horse of the Year honors, Rick Porter pushed all his chips into the center of the table when he decided to send his prized four-year old filly to run against the boys for the first time in the $750,000 Grade-1 Woodward Stakes. Porter’s buccaneering attitude paid off as Havre de Grace roared down the stretch and pulled clear ,defeating seven male rivals by a comfortable 1 1/4-length margin at Saratoga on September 3. Read full article >>
October 2011 - Callie King’s Research on Equine Supplements Wins North American Science Award Callie King of Honeybrook, PA joined her personal equestrian experience with her research skills to produce a prize-winning paper for the Alltech Young Scientist Competition. King received $1,000 along with two certificates of achievement and an Alltech Young Scientist medal, topping a field of 5,000 entries. To celebrate the achievement of King and her fellow winners, Alltech hosted an award presentation during Ag Progress Days, held August 16-18 in Rock Springs, PA. Read full article >>
October 2011 - Laurels At Landhope: Uncharacteristic Mistake Costs Weber His Ninth Consecutive Championship The 25th anniversary edition of The Laurels at Landhope CDE was held Sept 9 to 11 with a relatively small field of entries, but unusual twists in the action. The Laurels has had the honor of being the venue for many USEF national championships, and this year was host to the four in hand title competition. Eight time national four in hand champion Chester Weber looked like he would take home an unprecedented ninth title when he completed the dressage phase with a score of 39.04, well in the lead over James Fairclough at 47.79, Josh Rector at 56.32 and Canadian Eugen Hug at 69.76. Read full article >>
October 2011 - Doug King Wins the Jumper Classic at Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show & Country Fair The 68th edition of the annual Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show and Country Fair fought the rains and won. A Labor Day weekend tradition in Chester County, the show drew riders and drivers from across the area in spite of damp conditions. The featured event of the three-day show, held Sept 3, 4, and 5, was the $7,500 Jumper Classic, won this year by Doug King of Malvern, PA on Classic Oro. King had three horses in the Classic, and finished in the ribbons with all of them, but Classic Oro was the only one of his trio to go clean in the first round to return to the jump off. Read full article >>
September 2011 - Team Delacour Is Making Its Mark Pulling into the gravel parking area adjacent to Perfect Sky II barn, I spy Leigh Delacour trying to sweet-talk a young racehorse onto a shipping van. The chestnut filly is rather reluctant to load, but then acquiesces and strides up the ramp into the vehicle. “I’ll be back in 15 minutes,” she shouts from inside the van as it kicks up a cloud of dust. “We need to take her for a spin to get her used to the traveling game. Arnaud is over there.” Read full article >>
September 2011 - Mother Nature KO’s Nicole Kehrli’s Two Phase Lead at Pony Finals Pennsylvanians were among the top ponies and riders who gathered at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY August 9 – 14 for the 2011 United States Equestrian Federation Pony Finals National Championship. Competitors worked throughout the year to qualify for the prestigious event. Read full article >>
September 2011 - Mustang Madness Rises Again, Just in Time for the 2011 Extreme Makeover It doesn’t matter much in the arc of history that Mustangs have unfairly shouldered blame and scorn for problems on the Great Plains. It doesn’t matter that the Mustangs roamed the West for centuries, without destroying their habitat. It doesn’t even matter that Mustangs have given their lives in the service of our country. They are smart, versatile, beautiful and prodigiously talented. Read full article >>
September 2011 - Teen Trains Her First Horse, a Mustang, for Competition 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. Read full article >>
September 2011 - Dressage at Devon: From Horse Ballet and Horse Whisperer to Food, Foals, Fancy Hats and More Her 4-H Club calls her “The Horse Whisperer.” Caroline Lynch isn’t sure she’s worthy of that title, but after breaking a yearling Mustang colt last summer, she’s willing to call herself a wild horse trainer. Read full article >>
August 2011 - Summer School Program Uses Horses to Help Kids with Social Skills Children who have difficulty with social skills are learning more this summer with the help of horses. Special needs students in the Oxford (PA) Area School District taking part in the Extended School Year (ESY) Program had the opportunity to take their classes to a nearby stable where a trio of miniature horses helped them learn more about how to relate to other people. Read full article >>
August 2011 - Prodigal Son Smarty Jones Returns Home – and Heads to Uruguay Smarty Jones, fondly remembered as Pennsylvania’s sweetheart who narrowly missed winning the Triple Crown in 2004, quietly made the trip last fall back to his home state, where he now stands at Ghost Ridge Farms in York. The 10-year-old chestnut Thoroughbred stallion had previously started his breeding career at historic Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Ky., home to such storied stallions as Dynaformer, Point Given, Rahy and Silver Charm. Read full article >>
August 2011 - Pony Club Celebrates Leadership, Teamwork at Festival The United States Pony Club’s mission is deceptively simple: to develop character, leadership and a sense of community in youth through a variety of horsemanship programs. In July, 4,000 Pony Clubbers and their families from around the United States gathered at the Kentucky Horse Park to demonstrate what the group’s mission looks like in the real world of kids, horses, and the exhilarating brew of hope, confidence, courage and youthful (does it ever get old?) passion for all things equine. The Festival, which occurs every three years, includes competition as well as educational clinics. Read full article >>
August 2011 - Locals Spearhead Drive to Outlaw Race Day Medications Veterinarians and racing officials from around the globe didn’t mince words to their American colleagues at the two-day Belmont Park Summit in June. Abandon the widespread use of race-day medication. “If the U. S. is serious about the breed, it should eliminate Lasix now,” said Denis Egan, an Irish Turf club executive who urged North American horsemen to abandon the widespread use of race day medication. Read full article >>
August 2011 - The Ins and Outs of the Pre-Purchase Examination The Ins and Outs of the Pre-Purchase Examination, was delivered at New Bolton Center on July 5 by Midge Leitch VMD, DACVS, a New Bolton Center staff veterinarian in the Section of Sports Medicine and Imaging. It defined, in her opinion, what should be considered reasonable expectations for the buyer, the seller and the veterinarian. The following is a summary of Dr. Leitch’s presentation: Read full article >>
August 2011 - 68th Annual Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Will Entertain Families This Labor Day Weekend Cap off the final days of summer with a weekend of family fun at the 68th annual Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show and Country Fair. The family event, held Labor Day Weekend, Saturday through Monday, September 3-5 at the Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds, Glenmoore, PA, has been a Labor Day tradition for generations of Chester County families for more than a half century. Read full article >>
July 2011 - Down But Not Out: Boyd Martin Looks Ahead After Deadly Barn Fire A barn fire. It’s every horse owner’s worst nightmare – the tragedy you hear about but think would never happen to you, because the reality of such a calamity is too terrible, too painful to even imagine. But as eventing superstar Boyd Martin pulled up to his barn from his home offsite in the wee morning hours of May 31, his worst nightmare was all too vivid and real. The barn he had rented from Phillip Dutton at True Prospect Farm in West Grove, PA was consumed by fire, a scene he described as “very shocking” to witness. Firefighters, adorned with masks and oxygen tanks, stood around watching the barn go up in flames, not seeming to realize the gravity of the situation. There were still horses inside; Martin’s whole life was inside. But how do you explain that to someone who’s never galloped a horse across a field on a perfect summer morning or felt that split second of human flight when horse and rider leap across a fence? Read full article >>
July 2011 - After Tumultuous Triple Crown Series, Graham Motion Looks Ahead In began in early May with a dream trip winning the Kentucky Derby. Animal Kingdom thundered down the stretch bold, forceful, confident, a thoroughbred in a hurry to join an elite roster of victors of the world’s most famous race. Two weeks later came the Preakness where a poor break from the gate cost him the race. Shuffled back to 13th in the 14 horse field, Animal Kingdom was taking - and resenting - dirt kicked back into his face. In the shorter race (1 3/16-mile race) the strapping chestnut colt came charging late again but Pimlico’s short stretch did him in, a half length short. Read full article >>
July 2011 - Imagination, Innovation and Competition Drive Devon Grand Prix Champion Kevin Babington “I’m never bored,” Kevin Babington says, after scanning his calendar and reflecting on his crowded schedule of shows, teaching, travel between Europe and his home in Montgomery County, PA. The fact that he doesn’t have any time left in his schedule for something as mundane as boredom is beside the point. The winner of the $100,000 Grand Prix at Devon just weeks ago, Babington is excited about a number of opportunities and projects filling up the horizon. For instance, the opening ceremonies for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London will capture the world’s attention a little more than a year from now. Babington is not a stranger to Olympic competition, and he says he’s thinking about what it would take to get there again. There are his students, with whom he travels to competitions near and far. There’s competition in Europe with the Irish Equestrian team this fall. There’s a new farm he’s recently purchased in Hamburg, PA, where a whole new venture is in development. Read full article >>
June 2011 - Is America’s Favorite Trail Horse Living in Pennsylvania? The American Competitive Trail Horse Association (ACTHA) created an ingenious competition to highlight the many ways the American trail horse has served our country’s history. They want to inspire riders to get back in the saddle and start exploring trails and hills and valleys and forests and plains again. America’s Favorite Trail Horse is a reality show contest starring 100 talented horses selected from a field of nearly 900. Horses and their riders competed in auditions held in 24 locations around the country earlier this year. The top 100 horses and their riders spent four days in May competing at the Franklin Family Ranch near Austin, Texas. According to Everett Myers of ACTHA, the actual winners of the competition won’t be revealed until later this year. Read full article >>
June 2011 - The Hendricks Family Wins Two at the 19th Annual Willowdale Steeplechase The Hendriks family saw a lot of the winner’s circle at the 19th running of the Willowdale Steeplechase in Kennett Square, PA, on Sunday May 15. Sanna and Ricky Hendriks’ Morning Star Stables posted two winners out of the seven race card, including the featured Willowdale Steeplechase. Sanna Hendriks’ South Monarch, ridden by Chip Miller, stayed near the front through the first part of the three-mile timber race. Scuba Steve under Mark Beecher fell on the first fence, leaving Mach Ten, ridden by Nick Carter and then South Monarch to set the pace for the early going. Read full article >>
June 2011 - Fabulous Strike’s Mojo Back Thanks To Stem Cell Therapy One of the elite sprinters between 2007 and 2009, the dark bay gelding was headed to the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Sprint as one of the favorites until he suffered a strained ligament in his left front pastern running second in the Vosburgh Handicap. When the injury hadn’t come around by last summer, trainer Todd Beattie shipped him to the New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa. where he underwent stem cell therapy. Read full article >>
May 2011 - Horse of the Year Dancinwiththestarz Retires Due to Injury Her connections were and still remain jubilant Dancinwiththestarz collected the trophy as Pennsylvania’s Sire Stakes Horse of the Year, but the fancy hardware will assuage the bitter disappointment of their world champion not ever returning to the track. “She was in training up until Sunday, April 10,” explained Wendy Springs, who co-owns the 4-year-old mare with her husband Skip and Shannon Brott. “She sustained a tendon injury last fall during the Jugette and we were bringing her back slowly, but the leg was not able to hold up, so consequently our hopes and dreams of returning her to the races have been totally abolished. Read full article >>
May 2011 - York County’s Leg Up Farm Adds Riding to its Comprehensive List of Therapies To a kid with a disability or developmental disorder, Leg Up Farm must look like heaven. Instead of sterile institutions, kids find color, toys, playhouses, animals and happy faces. Instead of running from appointment to appointment, they and their families find a place where most if not all their needs can be met in one location. While their child or sibling undergoes treatment that feels like play, families can relax in a light-filled atrium or in comfortable rocking chairs overlooking the scenic 18 acre farm, or attend classes that help them learn coping and teaching skills to use at home. Read full article >>
May 2011 - PHBA Grew from Social Club to Economic, Legislative Powerhouse Under Retiring McDermott It has been a long and interesting ride for Mark McDermott, the Executive Director of Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association (PHBA). After 35 years, McDermott is stepping down from the organization that has undergone remarkable growth and change during his tenure. In 1976, McDermott was working in Louisiana for the Louisiana Breeders Sales Company. “The fellow I was working with and for down there ran into Russell Jones, who said they had just gotten a program in Pennsylvania, and were looking for someone.” Jones and his late brother Richard were founders of the Walnut Green bloodstock agency. Read full article >>
May 2011 - Fair Hill’s Graham Motion’s Pair of Colts Bound for Kentucky Derby Call it May Madness. Fair Hill trainer Graham Motion is right in the thick of it. On a sundrenched late afternoon at Aqueduct racetrack Toby’s Corner pulled off a head-spinning victory over the “anointed one,” Uncle Mo. The 1-10 favorite, Uncle Mo folded in mid-stretch as Toby’s Corner burst past both Uncle Mo and then Arthur’s Tale in the final 50 yards to snatch the $1 million Wood Memorial 1 1/8 mile race by a neck on April 9. With the victory Toby’s Corner earned a spot in the Kentucky Derby on May 7 at Churchill Downs. Uncle Mo was another length back in third. Read full article >>
April 2011 - Work to Ride Wins National Interscholastic Polo Championship Philadelphia’s Work to Ride program made history March 13 when three of the students captured the National Interscholastic Polo Championship. The three, brothers Kareem and Daymar Rosser and Brandon Rease, were the first African American team to win the national polo title. “Everyone is happy. We got a big win. I'm happy. The team is happy,” said Daymar Rosser, a freshman at Valley Forge Military Academy. Read full article >>
April 2011 - Ron Burke Conquers Fear of Horses to Become Continent’s Top Conditioner It seems impossible for North America’s top conditioner in both races won and purse money for the last four years was petrified of horses until he entered his teen years, but Ron Burke admits that certainly was the case. “Up until I was about 12 or 13 I hated the horses,” explained the 40-year-old Canonsburg, Pa. resident. “They would get loose at our farm and I would call my dad at work and say, ‘your horses are loose and I’m not going out to get them.’ I didn’t want to go near them because I was afraid and that is a fact.” Read full article >>
April 2011 - From French Creek to the River Clyde, Local Riders will Compete in Scotland For members of French Creek Dressage Association, horsemanship is a state of mind. It goes beyond getting on a horse and riding competently. “It’s not just a dressage and eventing club,” explains Louise Jordon-Beam, “we offer courses on horse care and welfare.” Justine Howell, one of French Creek’s board members, says that’s one of the exciting distinctions of this group. “This particular club is different because it offers the horse management aspect,” she explains. “It is structured along the same lines as pony clubs.” Read full article >>
April 2011 - Danzig Descendants Emerging as Derby Contenders Thirty-three years ago, as spring was pushing away winter, a bay colt with a splash of white above his eyes romped with a pack of youngsters up and down the hilly terrain of Marshall Jenney’s Derry Meeting Farm in Cochranville, Pa. Turned loose from their mares the previous fall, the young horses galloped, played, and carried on in the open air that forged muscle and toughness in them. It was a grand start for a racing career. Read full article >>
April 2011 - Quest Adds Vaulting Program for Autistic Kids Vaulting is a sport children can enjoy on various levels. Now Quest Therapeutic Services, Inc. of West Chester, PA is launching a new vaulting program specifically for children with autism. Equestrian vaulting supports the development of teamwork and social interaction, core muscle strength, balance and coordination, as well as confidence and self-esteem. Working with the horses, the children develop a partnership with the animals, their instructors and team partners. Read full article >>
March 2011 - Standardbred Trainer Paul Williams Teaches Others to Rescue Horses When one of his clients approached him in January 2009 about creating a large animal rescue unit for the local fire department, Paul Williams was understandably intrigued. The 39-year-old Welsh native, who is a farrier, longtime Standardbred trainer and former steeplechase jockey, starting thinking about how his horsemanship skills could help extricate horses from some of the odd situations they become involved in. Read full article >>
March 2011 - Bucking the Trend, Philadelphia Police Department Bets on Horses Mounted police patrols have been part of law enforcement throughout the United States since the 19th Century-in cities and in hard-to-access areas like deserts and mountains. Once upon a time the horse was the go-to vehicle in urban settings for crime fighting and crowd control. But times have changed, and the last vestiges of mounted patrols are disappearing from cities large and small. The number of American cities that still have mounted patrols is shrinking along with the revenue streams needed to maintain the equipment and care for the horses. Read full article >>
February 2011 - Ninth Annual Pennsylvania Horse World Expo Features Extreme Cowboy Race, Top Clinicians, Theatre Equus The weather outside may be frightful, but inside the 25-acre climate-controlled Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center, tens of thousands of horse enthusiasts will be warm and comfy and dreaming of the warm weather riding season to come. The ninth annual Pennsylvania Horse World Expo will bring the nation’s leading equestrian clinicians and entertainers, and tens of thousands of horse owners eager to learn from them, to Harrisburg, PA, for four non-stop days of education, entertainment and shopping, February 24-27. Read full article >>
February 2011 - Commonwealth Court Sides with Horse Farm Owner, Setting Precedent for Pennsylvania When Ron Samsel and his attorney Larry Miller, Jr. arrived at Commonwealth Court in Philadelphia on October 14, they understood that their case would have ramifications far beyond Jefferson Township where the case originated. Samsel had built a horse farm on 46 acres of land he had purchased. Township supervisors claimed that the farm was not an agricultural enterprise and thus required building permits for the barn and other structures on the property. Read full article >>
February 2011 - Buck I St Pat Leads Dan Patch Winners with Unanimous Vote After all 131 of the United States Harness Writers Association’s ballots were cast only one of the sport’s twelve champions was a unanimous selection. “I would have been shocked if Buck I St Pat wasn’t (a unanimous selection,) explained her conditioner, Ron Burke, who resides in Canonsburg, PA. “Basically there are five big races for aged (trotting) mares and she won all five of them, so how could you have made a case for anybody else? She earned it.” Read full article >>
February 2011 - Eight Hunts, 200 Riders Foxhunt to Benefit Injured Rider Jake Chalfin The hunting community is generously helping one of its own. Among many fundraisers held throughout the equestrian community to benefit Jake Chalfin, Cheshire Hunt assisted in the fund raising efforts by organizing a benefit foxhunt. Amateur jockey Chalfin, 32, was injured in a fall during the Blue Ridge Fall Races, in Berryville, VA on Sept. 18. His mount Sometimes Not, ran out at the second hurdle and off course, tossing him hard into a fence, Chalfin suffered fractured vertebrae and other damage leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. Read full article >>
February 2011 - Champion Owner Hopes For Personal Triumph Irv Naylor was a man on a mission on two fronts in 2010. After losing the National Steeplechase Association leading owner award the previous year by a scant $4,000, Naylor reloaded and closed with a rush, snatching the crown on the final day of the season. A longtime major steeplechase owner and former amateur jockey, the NSA championship was his first. Persistence and determination are embedded in the DNA of the York, Pa. businessman. Nearly a dozen years ago Naylor, then 63, was seriously injured in a fall while riding Emerald Action in the Grand National on April 17, 1999. Read full article >>
