02.01.10
Posted in Vendor Spotlight at 2:16 am by Thomas
For all vendors, the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games trade show will be a place to sell their products to equine enthusiasts from around the world. But for some, the event will help them educate the public about a product they created from scratch.
From a hay steaming machine to horse cloning, several vendors at the Games are marketing a technological product that has been developed to bring something new to the industry.
Several years ago Peter Hopkins took a business chance that today is helping hundreds of horses across America. Hopkins, who made his living operating a home inspection company, switched gears in 1999 when he was introduced to infrared technology.
While Hopkins was training to use infrared technology for housing inspections at the Boston Infrared Training Center, he came across a brochure advertising the same technology for use on horses. For Hopkins, that was the brainwave that later became EquineIR.
After a year using infrared for home inspections, Hopkins switched gears from housing to horses and worked closely with veterinarians and other thermographers to learn about equine thermography.
“I spoke with many veterinarians and people in the business,” Hopkins said. “I realized that it was very much a useful market. X-ray is anatomical imaging that sees the bone; identifying muscle and tissue injuries are not typically seen with x-ray.”
Thermal imaging for horses is a series of images taken of a horse from several feet away. The cameras, which can be as sensitive as 1/20th of a degree, detect temperature and produce an image that shows heat variations throughout a horse’s body. Hopkins, and other certified thermographers, take images of a horse and prepare a report, which is then interpreted by a veterinarian trained in thermography.
For horses, and all other mammals, heat is often an indicator of injury or stress because blood flow increases in areas that need healing. Veterinarians are able to pinpoint areas of concern after viewing thermal images, and then take steps to diagnose the problem.
When I go to inspect horses I am never going to know more [about them] than the owners,” Hopkins said. “But what they expect is that I am going to take good images and prepare good reports so that the veterinarian can review it and help them understand.”
Hopkins preformed his first scan on a racehorse in training. His infrared images indicated a hot spot in the horse’s leg and a few days later a veterinarian confirmed the horse had a fracture. He told Hopkins that the image potentially saved the horse’s life.
“If you have a horse, unless their name is Mr. Ed, they can’t speak their pain,” Hopkins said. “In the medical world it is often a guessing game.”
Many clients have come to Hopkins with suspicions of problems and unidentified lameness, but he hopes the company can also be used before problems occur. If sport horses are scanned before they event, Hopkins believes his technology can help prevent some of these injuries.
EquineIR will be launching their product at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in hopes of bringing exposure to an alternative method of injury prevention. Unlike many processes, thermal imaging does not require the horse to be touched, but owners end up with a visual that can help diagnose problems.
“The biggest purpose is that we help horses,” Hopkins said. “I didn’t have any idea of where this was going to go, but we identify things that other technologies aren’t successful with. Our goal is to help hundreds of thousands of equine athletes.”
For more information, view www.equineir.com, email info@equineir.com or call toll free 888-722-6447
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01.20.10
Posted in CCI****, Kentucky Horse Park, Rolex Kentucky 3 Day Event, Three-Day Eventing at 7:44 am by Thomas
Kentucky Horse Park To Host CCI**** Event – Tickets Currently On Sale
Lexington, KY – January 19, 2010- The excitement of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI**** returns to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, April 220in The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, part of the HSBC FEI ClassicsTM Series, attracts many of the world’s best horses and riders as they vie for their share of $250,000 in prize money.
Enhancing this year’s schedule will be the official Kentucky Cup Dressage and Jumping Test Events for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG). The Games will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park, September 25-October 10, marking the first time that equestrian sport’s biggest event is being held outside Europe.
In addition to the excitement surrounding this year’s Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and WEG events, will be the attempt by Oliver Townend of Great Britain to become only the second rider in history to win the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, awarded to any rider who wins theRolex Kentucky, Mitsubishi Motors Badminton and Land Rover Burghley Four Star Events in succession. Townend has won the first two legs and at Rolex Kentucky next April, he will seek to join Pippa Funnell of Great Britain, who did it in 2003, as the only riders to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing.
“Equestrian enthusiasts everywhere are going to want to have a front-row seat to this year’s Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event,” said Jane Atkinson, Event Director and Executive Vice President of Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), producer of the event. “The level of excitement at EEI is almost tangible, as we know this is going to be a year for the record books and one not to be missed by any equestrian sports fan!”
The only Four Star Event in the Western Hemisphere, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is the premier competition for the top horses and riders in the Olympic discipline of Eventing. Past winners include United States Olympic Medalists David and Karen O’Connor, Kim Severson and Phillip Dutton, New Zealand’s Blyth Tait and Nick Larkin, Pippa Funnell of Great Britain and Andrew Hoy and Clayton and Lucinda Fredericks of Australia.
For more information, or to purchase tickets to the 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, please visit the Rolex Kentucky website at www.rk3de.org. You may order your tickets online, or complete the ticket order form and return via mail or fax (859-254-5116) to Equestrian Events, Inc. Phone orders: (859) 254-8123. To receive a printed ticket brochure, send name and mailing address to EEI at P.O. Box 12110, Lexington, KY 40580-2110.
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Posted in 2010 Games, Events at 7:34 am by Thomas
New York, N.Y.—Kentucky’s favorite chefs will be working side by side with the James Beard Foundation and celebrity chefs from around the United States during the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, which will feature eight world championships in equestrian sport at Lexington’s Kentucky Horse Park from September 25 through October 10, 2010.
Cookin’ in the Bluegrass: A Celebrity Chef Dinner Series, will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park’s Farmhouse restaurant during the 16 nights of the 2010 Games. Each night, 80 guests will enjoy dining experiences that replicate the sumptuous dinners held at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City.
The dinner series stems from collaboration between the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, the James Beard Foundation and Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, and is sponsored by Kentucky Proud, a program of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, funded by the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund.
The celebrity and Kentucky chefs will together prepare dishes reflecting their geographic region or culinary specialties, and will have the opportunity to use Kentucky-grown food products. Participation by Kentucky Proud, funded in part by the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund, will highlight the vitality of the farm to table movement and give visiting chefs access to fresh, locally grown food products.
Tickets will be available for purchase in February at www.alltechfeigames.com.
Kentucky-based chefs signed on to participate in Cookin’ in the Bluegrass: A Celebrity Chef Dinner Series include:
- Lawrence Agnew, Avalon, Louisville, Ky.
- Jeremy Ashby, Azur Restaurant and Patio, Lexington, Ky.
- Andrew Meyers, Bellini’s Restaurant, Lexington, Ky.
- Jeffrey A. Newman, Boone Tavern Hotel and Restaurant, Berea, Ky.
- Francis Schmitz, Bristol Bar and Grille, Louisville, Ky.
- Eric Fowler and Jonathon Gossett, Dudley’s Restaurant, Lexington, Ky.
- S. Dean Corbett, Equus and Corbett’s: an American Place, Louisville, Ky.
- Javier Lanza, Jean Farris Winery and Bistro, Lexington, Ky.
- Jonathan Lundy, Jonathan at Gratz Park, Lexington, Ky.
- Kathy Cary, Lilly’s Bistro, Louisville, Ky.
- James Gerhardt, Limestone Restaurant, Louisville, Ky.
- Dave Cupolo, Malone’s, Lexington, Ky.
- Paul Weckman, Otto’s, Covington, Ky.
- Michael Paley, Proof on Main, Louisville, Ky.
- John Varanese, Varanese, Louisville, Ky.
- Dallas McGarity, Z’s Fusion, Louisville, Ky.
- Edward K. Lee, 610 Magnolia, Louisville, Ky.
Proceeds from Cookin’ in the Bluegrass will benefit the James Beard Foundation, the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, and the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
A list of current participating celebrity chefs, many of whom are James Beard award winners, can be found here.
About the James Beard Foundation
Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation is dedicated to celebrating, preserving, and nurturing America’s culinary heritage and diversity in order to elevate the appreciation of our culinary excellence. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, James Beard, who died in 1985, was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. Today, the Beard Foundation continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships to culinary schools, and publications, and by maintaining the historic James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village as a “performance space” for visiting chefs. For more information, please visit www.jamesbeard.org. Find insights on food at the James Beard Foundation’s blog Delights & Prejudices. Join the James Beard Foundation on Facebook and Twitter.
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01.08.10
Posted in Volunteerism at 11:58 pm by Thomas
Volunteers Still Needed for 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
Lexington, KY—The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games needs Heroes! Thousands of volunteers are stilled needed to work hundreds of different jobs during the 16 days of the Games, which will be held for the first time in American from September 25-October 10, 2010 at the Kentucky Horse Park.
“We need volunteers who can lend their expertise to help make these Games a success, no matter their professional skill level,” said Melissa Gamble, Volunteer Manager for the World Games 2010 Foundation. “You might work as a ticket-taker, an usher, work at a visitor information desk, or help with transportation or event services, but each is a very important part of how these Games work every day.”
Volunteer positions for competition-specific duties are currently being selected, but thousands of General Volunteers are still needed. Volunteers can still register their interest at www.alltechfeigames.com/volunteer.
In addition, there is still time to reconfirm your interest as a volunteer if you signed up within the past two years. To reconfirm interest or adjust current contact information e-mail volunteers@feigames2010.org.
All volunteers will receive an official Ariat uniform and a volunteer credential, which will provide General Admission entry to the grounds of the park for all 16 days of the Games. In addition, meal vouchers will be provided for each volunteer during their shift.
According to current volunteers, the benefits of volunteering extend far beyond the uniform.
“The opportunity to assist with an international sporting event is something that many of us will never again experience,” said Carolyn Greene, who volunteered during each of the 2009 Test Event competitions for the Games and is now volunteering full-time at the World Games 2010 Foundation office. “Volunteering is part of who I am and what I do, and I am having a blast here.”
Martin Klotz volunteers his time as part of the Games’ Speakers Bureau. After participating in a training program with staff members, Klotz carries the story of the Games to community groups throughout the Louisville area.
“After each presentation, I have come away with the feeling that I had created an awareness of the Games in those who had not thought much about them and enhanced the interest in those who had,” said Klotz, who has also worked as an usher at the 2009 Test Events. “Of course, I hope I will continue to have the opportunity to help ‘spread the word’ about this monumental event.”
It is not too late to experience the Games as a volunteer. For more information, visit www.alltechfeigames.com/volunteer or call 859-244-2996.
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01.01.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 11:34 am by Thomas
We want to wish everyone a very Happy New Year, may all your wishes and dreams come true in this new year/decade.
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12.02.09
Posted in 2010 Games, Events, Kentucky Horse Park, Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, World Equestrian Games at 12:16 pm by Thomas
Celebrity Chef Dinner Series
Celebrates 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
New York, N.Y.—America’s leading chefs are partnering with the world’s most prestigious equestrian competition to showcase the country’s rich culinary heritage for 16 nights during the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, with Cookin’ in the Bluegrass: A Celebrity Chef Dinner Series.
The James Beard Foundation has partnered with the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation and the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games for Cookin’ in the Bluegrass. This dinner series will occur each night from September 25-October 10, 2010 in Lexington, Ky., as the Kentucky Horse Park hosts the world championships in eight equestrian sports.
Each dinner will feature two celebrity chefs, many of whom are James Beard Award-winners, and one local or Kentucky-based chef, cooking side-by-side at the Kentucky Horse Park’s Farmhouse restaurant. Each night, 80 guests will enjoy dining experiences that replicate the sumptuous dinners held at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City.
Tickets for Cookin’ in the Bluegrass will be available for purchase in early 2010 at www.alltechfeigames.com. Prices have not been finalized.
Current Participating Chefs include:
John Besh, Restaurant August, New Orleans, La.
Philippe Boulot, the Heathman at the Heathman Hotel, Portland, Ore.
Clifford Buittano and Anne Quatrano, Bacchanalia, Atlanta, Ga.
Sanford D’Amato, Sanford Restaurant, Milwaukee, Minn.
Roberto Donna, Galileo, Washington, DC
Jose Garces, 2009 Iron Chef Winner, Amada, Philadelphia; Pa.
Mark Kiffin, The Compound restaurant, Santa Fe, N.M.
Mike Lata, Fig, Charleston, S.C.
Christopher Lee, Aureole, New York City, N.Y.
Emily Luchetti, Farallon Restaurant, San Francisco, Calif.
George Mavrothalassaitis, Chef Mavro Restaurant, Honolulu, HI
Nancy Oakes, Boulevard restaurant, San Francisco, Calif.
Vitaly Paley, Paley’s Place Bistro and Bar, Portland, Ore.
Joachim B. Splichal, Patina Restaurant Group, New York, NY.
Mark Vetri, Vetri, Philadelphia, Pa.
“The James Beard Foundation is honored to be part of an event that allows a diverse group of chefs to share their culinary points of view with a whole new audience,” said Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation. “Our 2010 Games dinners will pair the best local and national chefs in America’s great southern region, where we celebrate so many of our nation’s deepest culinary roots.”
In spring 2010 the James Beard Foundation will offer a coinciding “Bluegrass Experience” at the James Beard House in New York to honor the World Equestrian Games culinary events.
Sponsors include the Kentucky Proud Program, dedicated to marketing Kentucky-made or –grown food products (funded in part by the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund and administered by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture). From local farmers to brewers, distillers, growers and cheese-makers, Kentucky Proud represents an array of local products distributed throughout the world. Kentucky Proud will facilitate the use of fresh, local ingredients every night of Cookin’ in the Bluegrass.
Proceeds from Cookin’ in the Bluegrass will benefit the James Beard Foundation, The Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, and the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
About the James Beard Foundation
Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation is dedicated to celebrating, preserving, and nurturing America’s culinary heritage and diversity in order to elevate the appreciation of our culinary excellence. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, James Beard, who died in 1985, was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. Today, the Beard Foundation continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships to culinary schools, and publications, and by maintaining the historic James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village as a “performance space” for visiting chefs. For more information, please visit www.jamesbeard.org. Find insights on food at the James Beard Foundation’s blog Delights & Prejudices. Join the James Beard Foundation on Facebook. Follow the James Beard Foundation on Twitter.
About the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation
Since its inception in 1985 the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation and a prestigious board has been fulfilling its mission to become the unquestioned leading equestrian facility of its kind in the world and continues to provide funding for the park’s facilities such as show rings and barns for equine competitions, horses and carriages, costumes, signage, demographic research, land surveys, and publications.
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11.02.09
Posted in Kentucky Horse Park, World Equestrian Games at 5:40 pm by Thomas
The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and the Kentucky Horse Park today announced the first participants of the Equine Village, an exhibit area showcasing the equine industry through education, demonstrations and entertainment.
This major exhibition area will be a main spectator attraction during the 2010 Games, which will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park from September 25-October 10, 2010.
To date, 53 organizations and presenters have been selected for the Equine Village. Eighteen breed organizations are set to showcase their breeds and disciplines, including the American Paint Horse Association, which will have a special performance by Lynn Palm and Rugged Painted Lark.
Featured educational speakers include John Lyons, Pat Parelli, Clinton Anderson, Craig Cameron and others. They will demonstrate and discuss natural horsemanship, groundwork, and riding tips.
On the list to provide entertainment is Tomas Garcilazo, Tommy Turvey-Equine Extremest, the California Cowgirls Drill Team and several others. Entertainers will perform stunts, dances, tricks and other exciting demonstrations.
The Equestrian Federation of India, the Federation International Horse Ball and the United States Mounted Games Association will also present. For a full list of organizations and presenters, click here.
The Equine Village will be located in heart of the Kentucky Horse Park, in the outdoor show grounds, the Breeds Arena, and barns in the permanent exhibit areas of the park, and will include live horses and a hands-on activity center for children and families.
Initial plans for the Equine Village were conceived by the World Games 2010 Foundation staff. In an effort to provide the best range of educational and entertainment opportunities for spectators, planning has become a partnership, and the actual coordination of the Equine Village will now be handled by Kentucky Horse Park staff.
“We were overwhelmed with the number of responses we received from equine organizations that wanted to participate in educating Games’ spectators about the horse industry and all it comprises,” said Kathy Hopkins, Equine Operations Director at the Kentucky Horse Park and Equine Village Director for the 2010 Games. “We are thrilled to have such a wide representation of the industry in the Equine Village.”
All information regarding the Equine Village is available on the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Web site at www.alltechfeigames.com. Equine organizations seeking involvement in the Equine Village can contact Layson Griffin at layson.griffin@ky.gov or at 859-948-5919
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10.25.09
Posted in Kentucky Horse Park, News Release at 6:58 am by Thomas
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LEXINGTON, KY (October 23, 2009)
The Kentucky Horse Park and the
Kentucky Equine Humane Center
are partnering in a new project
to assist Kentucky’s
unwanted horses.
Last week the Kentucky Horse Park became aware that some unwanted, pregnant Thoroughbred mares were in need of a home. The owner of the mares no longer wanted them, and sent them to the Kentucky Equine Humane Center (KyEHC), a 72-acre facility located in central Kentucky. The KyEHC is a model shelter for equines from across the state. No horse in need of shelter is ever turned away, regardless of breed or mix of breed. The number of horses they have taken in has swelled recently, including the pregnant mares, so they contacted the Kentucky Horse Park for assistance.
“We are ever mindful of the responsibilities that march in tandem with the privileges of being the Horse Capital of the World,” stated John Nicholson, Executive Director of the Kentucky Horse Park. “So we had to make an important decision. The easy choice would have been to make excuses not to get involved, or to look the other way and hope that someone else would help these mares. The more difficult choice would entail taking on several new, high-maintenance horses, thus significantly increasing the work load for our already-overworked staff.” He continued, “We made the right decision.”
Kathy Hopkins, Equine Director for the Kentucky Horse Park, visited KyEHC with several staff members to make arrangements to take some of the pregnant mares. “While we were there, we saw a number of horses of other breeds that we thought we could help,” stated Hopkins. “So we formed a partnership that will allow some of their horses to come to the park each year for foster care, to receive rehabilitation and training, which will also ease the overcrowded situation at their shelter a bit.”
Lori Neagle, Executive Director of KyEHC observed, “Horses that have training are much more adoptable. This partnership will allow the horses to be more useful, and therefore, find homes easier, allowing KyEHC to place more horses into adoptive homes. Not only will these horses be easier to adopt, but when properly trained, horses continue to be more marketable throughout their lifetime, reducing their risk of ending up in a crisis situation. This helps the horse long term as well as KyEHC by not having the horse return to us later in life.”
Care for the horses will be provided by park staff and by students enrolled in the park’s new four-month Professional Horseman’s Course which starts in January.
In the Professional Horseman’s Course , students will have the rare opportunity to study and work with up to 40 breeds of horses at the park and gain hands-on knowledge and experience regarding handling, feeding, grooming, foal-watching, rehabilitation of injured horses, and training techniques utilized in today’s equine industry. The goal of the program is to provide information and skills necessary for the graduates to enter many facets of the horse business.
Through the partnership with KyEHC, students will have the opportunity to truly make a difference in the lives of horses who, due to no fault of their own, have found themselves in need of new homes. The students will also assist in the subsequent adoption process.
Nicholson concluded, “This might be a perfect example of ‘what goes around comes around’. As we step up to the plate to help these horses, the horses will, in turn, help our students to become more qualified and conscientious caretakers, who will accordingly discover ways to make their own valuable contributions to the horse industry.”
For more information on the new partnership or the Kentucky Horse Park’s Professional Horseman’s Course, contact Laurie Brown at 859-259-4290 or lbrown@kyhorsepark.com, or Ellen Hamilton at 859-321-6982 or ehamilton@kyhorsepark.com. For information on the Kentucky Equine Humane Center, go to www.KyEHC.org or contact Lori Neagle at 859-881-5849 or LNeagle@KyEHC.org. |
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10.23.09
Posted in My Equestrian Adventures at 8:37 pm by Thomas
Polo is not one of the 8 disciplines at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian 2010 Games but today I went from being a spectator to giving it a try and I must say I am hooked. I have always said I wanted to try every equestrian opportunity there was before I die, call it my horse bucket list, and I am well on my way.
I had the luck to win a pair of introductory lessons at the 2nd Annual John Henry Adoption Fair this past summer but just got my first chance to go out today. In Central Kentucky we have the great luck of being able to take lessons from Jorge Vasquez who is the Captain of the Lexington Polo Club. He is a highly rated polo player and after meeting him today a wonderful teacher.
My lesson today was an indoor lesson, probably as much to do with my newbie status, as the fact it was a rainy day for an October day in Kentucky. That was probably lucky for me because the indoor Polo ball is about twice the size of the outdoor version and is also an inflated ball as opposed to a hard ball. By the end of the lesson I was still a newbie but I was managing to swing the malet and make contact with the ball with good effect and my wife figures on the Polo rating scale I would rate a minus 2 Goals. She also had a chance to get up on the horse and give it a try and was hooked like me by the time Jorge had shown her the basics.
I am going to get back out within a month to use my other introductory lesson with the plan to video that for everyone to see. I suspect though with all I have going on you are not going to see me playing on the Polo Fields at the Kentucky Horse Park for many years, though after today I might just have to put that specific goal on my list.
Jorge is based out at Bryan Station Farm on the North East side of Lexington. For more information on lessons, you can go to, Lexington Polo – Learn to Play Polo , the main site for the Lexington Polo club is www.lexingtonpolo.com.
Thomas Demond
Kentucky World Equestrian Games Ovation
KyWEGO
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10.18.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 8:41 pm by Thomas
I made it out to Keeneland today for World Equestrian Games Day. I had received my invitation as a volunteer for the Grandstand seating but stayed down below as I prefer to run back and forth from the padock to the rail to watch the horses. Speaking of watching the horses, did anyone else notice that in the 7, 8, and 9th race that the corresponding horse won the race.
As part of World Equestrian Games Day they had a number of demonstrations out on the track. We did get to see the Dressage demonstration and heard about the reining and everyone seemed to like. So it is good to see the Foundation do these kind of events to promote the Games. All and all I think it was a Great event and a Great day and the weather was about perfect.
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10.15.09
Posted in 2010 Games, Disciplines, Endurance, Test Event, World Equestrian Games at 9:09 pm by Thomas
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY-October 15, 2009- The United States dominated the Kentucky Cup Endurance FEI CEI***, sponsored by Emirates Equestrian Federation, and the official endurance test event for the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games, garnering all three team and individual medals on Wednesday. The winners were officially declared at an awards ceremony held at the Kentucky Horse Park on Thursday morning.
Danielle McGunigal of Ft. Valley, Virginia, was the individual gold medal winner of the modified CEI*** in a ride time of 6:30:41 with an average speed of 18.43 kph. The race was originally an FEI qualifying event at a distance of 100 miles (160 km), but was shortened to 75-miles (120 km) after the footing became questionable due to the inclement weather that began shortly before the race began and continued throughout the day making the trail slippery and muddy.
“I was disappointed by the race being shortened but happy to be finished,” lamented the 1996 Endurance World Champion. “This was the toughest ride I have ever done. It was like swimming up hill with a hole in your paddle.”
The race was shortened—from six loops down to four—and McGunigal led almost the whole way riding Gold Raven, her 8-year-old Arabian mare. McGunigal’s mother, two-time Endurance World Champion, Valerie Kanavy, came to the mandatory vet check ahead of her daughter, but was later eliminated after her mare slipped on the second loop.
Ellyn Rapp of Dubuque, Iowa, won the silver medal in a ride time of 6:52:16 (17.46 kph) on her 14-year-old Arabian gelding, Berjo Smokey. “Smokey is amazing, said Rapp. He never quits. I have had all my best rides on him.”
Jan Worthington, of Scales Mound, Illinois, won the bronze medal in a ride time of 7:01:33 (17.08 kph) riding Golden Lightning. The 9-year-old Arabian gelding was awarded the prestigious Best Condition award, given to the horse that is judged to be the most fit to continue. Worthington was thrilled with his accomplishment.
“It really took me by surprise,” said the 69-year-old rider of winning Best Condition. “I am blessed with a great horse. I think he did so well in the mud because he has small feet like a mule.”
The individual medals were awarded first and the ceremony turned out to be very moving, thanks to a technical difficulty. The music for the U.S. National Anthem could not be played, so the audience volunteered to sing it instead.
Despite the weather, the event was considered a success and a good test for next year. Competition Manager Emmett Ross said Wednesday provided some excellent learning opportunities, and was pleased with his feedback about the trail.
“We were committed to make the trail wonderful. You never got to see the trail in its full glory because of the weather,” said Ross. “I’m saving some surprises for next year. We are looking forward to making this a very enjoyable trail next year – and it’s not going to rain!”
TEAM RESULTS FOR THE MODIFIED CEI***
Team USA East – Gold Medal
Danielle McGunigal
Dr. Margaret Mary (Meg) Sleeper
Stephen Rojek
Farzad Faryadi
Team Central USA – Silver Medal
Ellyn Rapp
Janice Ann Worthington
Darolyn Butler
Julie Jackson – Biegert
Team Mountain USA – Bronze Medal
Christoph Josef Schork
Suzanne Hayes
Douglas Swingley
Tennessee Mahoney
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10.14.09
Posted in 2010 Games, Disciplines, Endurance, Pre-Events, World Equestrian Games at 10:10 pm by Thomas
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY-October 14, 2009- HE Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates and 1996 Endurance World Champion Danielle Mc Gunigal of the United States won the Kentucky Cup Endurance events, sponsored by Emirates Equestrian Federation, and the official endurance test event for the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games.
HE Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum son of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, crossed the wire first in the CEI** 75 mile event in a ride time of 6:05:30. Danielle Mc Gunigal finished the CEI*** in a ride time in 6:30:41. The CEI*** was originally an FEI qualifying event at a distance of 100 miles (160 km), but lost its status when it was shortened to 120 km after the footing became questionable in the inclement weather.
“I have mixed feelings about shortening the race,” said Mc Gunigal. “The footing was only getting worse. Some of the parts of the trail that we have to go over were already slippery and deep and if the race was kept at the original distance, we would have had to go over it again, so in that sense, I am glad they shortened it. But I was hoping to use this race to qualify my horse (Gold Raven) for next year, and now we have to do it at another event, so that is very disappointing.”
HE Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum was thrilled with his win despite the conditions.
“It was amazing. This is the sport that we most love. It’s our history,” said Sheikh Majid. “Given the weather today, the course was amazing. But the weather made it very difficult. There wasn’t any hard part, other than the ground being a bit slippery. Other than that, it was excellent. There wasn’t anything wrong or bad.”
The rain was a recurring focus of the day, with a downpour shortly before the start of the rides. It continued throughout the day for all mandatory veterinary exams, creating a messy vet gate and slippery footing.
Two-time Endurance World Champion Valerie Kanavy and mother of Danielle McGunigal, was affected by the weather and footing. Kanavy was eliminated after her horse LM Parys fell on the second loop.
“We were crossing the road on the blacktop and she just slipped,” said Kanavy. “She went down and I went right after. She has recovered and is doing fine now.”
The event was aptly named as an endurance test. The endurance levels of the athletes from the 23 countries participating were truly tested. However, according to Mubarak Khalifa of the UAE the weather was no big deal. “Endurance riders are used to riding in all kinds of weather, so this is normal.”
One noticeable absentee was HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was expected to compete but never made the trip to Kentucky due to commitments in Dubai.
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10.07.09
Posted in 2010 Games, Disciplines, Endurance, Test Event, World Equestrian Games at 10:16 pm by Thomas
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY—October 7, 2009— On October 14, riders from more than 20 countries will compete in the Kentucky Cup Endurance race, sponsored by Emirates Equestrian Federation and the official endurance test event for the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games.
Athletes from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Romania, Spain and many other countries are expected to compete in or observe Kentucky Cup Endurance in preparation for next year’s Endurance World Championship at the 2010 Games. The team from the United Arab Emirates will be led by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. His son, HE Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, will also ride for the UAE.
Current World Champion Maria Alvarez Ponton of Spain, and the mother-daughter team of Valerie Kanavy and Danielle Mc Gunigal of the United States will also compete. Kanavy is a two-time world champion (1994 and 1998) and also placed second to her daughter in the 1996 World Championships.
Kentucky Cup Endurance will feature both a 75-mile (120 km) race and a 100-mile (160 km) race. Both races comprise a series of loops through the Kentucky Horse Park and surrounding properties, frequently returning to the Kentucky Horse Park for required veterinary inspections.
The 75-mile race will begin at 7:30 a.m. on October 14 and the 100-mile race will follow with a 7:45 a.m. start. Awards for the 100-mile race will be held at 10:00 a.m. on October 15 in the new outdoor stadium at the Kentucky Horse Park. In addition to honoring the top riders, there will also be an award for the best conditioned horse.
Admission to Kentucky Cup Endurance is free to the public. Parking will be $3 per day at the entrance of the Kentucky Horse Park. Kentucky Cup Endurance spectators can also enjoy the other Kentucky Horse Park attractions. Admission to Kentucky Horse Park attractions is available at the Visitor’s Center.
A complete list of competitors and countries is available on the Kentucky Cup Endurance test event page of our Web site.
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Posted in Events of Interest, Kentucky at 9:59 pm by Thomas
This year’s Knott County Fall Trail Ride attracted over 10,000 people and 7,000 horses. The event has now grown into one of the largest equestrian events in the state! People spent on average $234.22 in the area creating an economic impact on the region of somewhere between $2.3 million and $2.8 million dollars.
Knott County Fall Trail Ride 2009
Located in the heart of Elk Country, the Trail Ride started out three years ago as a three day event. But this year, campers and trailers started pouring in the Sunday before and stayed all week. By Tuesday morning, three days prior to the event even starting, there were over 400 campers already set up. “This is no longer a weekend event”, says Knott County Judge Executive Randy Thompson. “People from all over the U.S. are taking a week’s vacation to ride the mountain trails of east Kentucky”. Riders came from 17 different states including Michigan, Connecticut and Texas.*
Many people come up early to ride the trails. Others come just to hear the elk bugle. “With over 11,000 elk roaming free in the eastern coalfields of Kentucky, it is an amazing experience and the landscape is absolutely breathtaking”, says one camper from South Carolina.
The event has grown so much that last year the campsite was relocated to a large coal reclamation site on a portion of land owned by Western Pocahontas Land Company and International Coal Group. “With over 50,000 acres in which to camp and develop trails, there is always room for more” says Judge Thompson.
The Knott County Trail Ride takes place twice a year with a ride in both Spring and Fall.
Details and hundreds of photos can be found at knottcountyadventure.com
*This year’s Fall Ride attracted riders from Georgia, South Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, Arizona, Michigan, Colorado, Texas, Utah, Connecticut, Missouri, Tennessee, Ohio, North Carolina and, of course, Kentucky.
Contact: Debby Spencer
WMTH Corporation
P.O. Box 51153
Bowling Green KY 42102
(270)792-5300 or (270)781-6858
info@knottcountyadventure.com
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10.04.09
Posted in 2010 Games, Combined Driving, Disciplines, Pre-Events at 7:35 pm by Thomas
Lexington, KY – October 4, 2009 - Chester Weber of Ocala, FL, is now in possession of the 2009 Kentucky Cup, which was a test event for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, and a record 7th USEF Four-In-Hand National Championship.
Weber went into the Cones phase a mere 6.86 points ahead of the pack and maneuvered his team around the course with only a 2.30 time penalty, for a final score of 131.35 to take the title.
“This course was up to international standards,” said Weber. “The time is always difficult at a Championship and I felt that this was good preparation for next year where we are going to have to fight to make the time.”
Tucker Johnson, Hobe Sound, FL, placed third in the Kentucky Cup and finished as Reserve Champion, in second place behind Weber as the second highest placing US driver in the National Championship race. Johnson was within the time on the Cones course, but managed to bump two cones and dislodge the balls on top for a penalty score of 6 and a final score of 141.40.
“This was a good course” said Johnson. “I was very pleased and thought it was a very appropriate course for the competition. For next year I plan to build a team from these horses and the team I have in Europe and prepare by competing in Windsor and Aachen. Now that we have gotten a taste of what the course can be, with the hazards and the hills, I plan on coming back with something that is ready to show.”
Boyd Exell, from Australia, spent the week chasing Weber and Johnson and after his spectacular Marathon phase and was less than 7 points behind the leaders going into the last phase of competition. Exell drove his team tight and fast, covering most of the track at an extended trot and crossed the timers with only a penalty of 3, for one ball dropped, for a total of 138.91 and second place in the Kentucky Cup.
“The course was, just like yesterday’s Marathon, very horse friendly” said Exell. “It was also nice to watch. But from my previous competition experience in Europe, this was the most horse friendly. This was a test event and I anticipate that next year it will go up to WEG standards.”
Exell is already guaranteed a spot at the 2010 Games representing Australia. For Weber and Johnson, the Kentucky Cup and USEF National Championship titles are just two among a history of stiff competition between top American drivers.
“Tucker made me work really hard for this all weekend, harder than in the past,” said Weber. “I remember watching his dressage and thinking maybe he has got me here. Cones have been my weakness in the past but this was pretty fluid. I did use Jamaica at the left wheel today and frankly he gave me a bit of grief. That’s what I get for trying to give an 18 year-old a break.”
Chester Weber, winner of the 2009 Kentucky Cup
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10.02.09
Posted in 2010 Games, Combined Driving, Disciplines, Pre-Events, World Equestrian Games at 7:00 am by Thomas
Lexington, KY – October 1, 2009 – A real shootout is underway for the U.S. Four-In-Hand Driving Championship, which will be decided on Sunday at the 2009 Kentucky Cup, a test event for the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games, being held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.
Chester Weber, Ocala, FL, and his team of warmbloods, which includes Jamaica, the 2008 USEF Horse of the Year, turned in a beautiful dressage performance to lead the competition with a score of 40.06. Weber has won 6 consecutive National titles and is looking for his 7th.
Also gunning for a record 7th Four-In-Hand National title, and sitting in second place with a score of 41.98, is S. Tucker S. Johnson, Hobe Sound, FL.
“This is so exciting,” said Weber. “To see so many other American teams competing here. When I first started driving fours in 1999, it was Tucker and Jimmy (Fairclough) and I think that they were happy to have a third competitor with them.”
Johnson echoed that sentiment. “Having 16 teams competing here is huge. It is a great step forward for the US. In Europe you will see 30 to 40 teams competing at every show. This shows that we are moving in the right direction with our sport.”
“I would like to get to the low 30s, which I did with my team last year, but the results today were acceptable”, said Weber. “The goal is always to win, but with this competition the goal is also next year.”
Boyd Exell, who hails from Australia, sits in third place behind Weber and Johnson for the Kentucky Cup title with a dressage score of 47.87. “This is a prep for next year”, said Exell, the 2009 winner of the Four-In Hand at Aachen in Germany, third in the 2008 FEI World Four-in-Hand Championships and winner of the 2008 British National Championship. “This was the first dressage test these horses have done as a team. So they did well. I think that it is great that Tucker is chasing Chester. I plan on sitting back and picking up the leftovers.”
Kentucky Cup Driving is both a competition for the National title and a test event for the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games, giving these competitors a chance to preview the venue at the Kentucky Horse Park prior to the Games next year.
The latest results from this event can be found at www.alltechfeigames.com on the News Headlines. Also on the site is information on all the test events as well as general information about the upcoming Games.
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