Official Magazine of the United States Equestrian Federation | Winter 2017
SAVING GROUND
Preserving Space for Horse Sports
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE From Practical to Posh 6 Ways to
BANISH MUD SHOES FOR SPORT Shoeing for Soundness and Performance
10 EQUESTRIAN APPS Help You Harness Technology
LIMONCELLO II
CROWN AFFAIR
CORUSCANT
WT LEAPFROG
CALITO ACE
Photos by Mar y Cornelius, JumpShot USA, Steve Charles
LAMARQUE
LIOCALYON
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TREAT YOURSELF Just a small glimpse into our world. Featuring our brilliant stallions and their captivating offspring.
WT LEAPFROG / LioCalyon x Carthago Z LIOCALYON / Liostro x Calypso II
CROWN AFFAIR / Cor de la Bryere x Capitol I CORUSCANT / Connor x Cristo
LAMARQUE / Lansing x Lord Calando
LIMONCELLO II / Lorentin x Capitol I ACE / Acobat II x Fernando I CALITO / Calido I x Calato
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Contents
FEATURES 62 SAVING GROUND Equestrians Help Preserve Land
76 SHOES FOR SPORT Farriers on Shoeing for Soundness
62
84 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Your Guide to Holiday Giving
DEPARTMENTS 8 Partners 14 Media/Marketing 16 Letter from the President 18 Snapshot
76
20 USEF News
84
32 Seen & Heard 34 Learning Center Cover: Mariscal del Monte, Karen Oberlohr’s Andalusian Thoroughbred cross gelding, enjoys the Colorado snow. Photo: Bianca McCarty
38 Pro Tip Official Magazine of the United States Equestrian Federation | Winter 2017
SAVING GROUND Preserving Space for Horse Sports
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE From Practical to Posh 6 Ways to
BANISH MUD SHOES FOR SPORT Shoeing for Soundness and Performance
10 EQUESTRIAN APPS Help You Harness Technology
44 Juniors’ Ring 46 My First 50 Hot Links 54 Trending 58 Horse Health 92 For the Record
4 WINTER ISSUE 2017
PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) KAREN L. MYERS/COURTESY OF ELCR, COURTESY OF ARIAT, ©ESI PHOTOGRAPHY
10 Sponsors
Official Magazine of the United States Equestrian Federation
US EQUESTRIAN MAGAZINE Volume LXXXI, Winter Edition PUBLISHED BY The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. CHIEF MARKETING & CONTENT OFFICER Vicki Lowell | vlowell@usef.org EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Glenye Cain Oakford | goakford@usef.org CREATIVE DIRECTOR | DESIGNER Candice McCown | cmccown@usef.org ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Kim Russell | 859 225 6938 | krussell@usef.org DIRECTOR OF SPONSORSHIP & SALES Lauren Carlisle | lcarlisle@usef.org DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL & VIDEO CONTENT Andrea Evans | aevans@usef.org ASSISTANT DESIGNER Kate Strom | kstrom@usef.org EDITORIAL STAFF Kathleen Landwehr, Dana Rossmeier CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sarah Coleman
US Equestrian Magazine (ISSN 1548-873X) is published five times a year: Horse of the Year Special Edition, Spring/Spectator’s Guide, Winter, Fall, Winter, by the United States Equestrian Federation®, 4047 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511; Phone: (859) 258-2472; Fax: (859) 231-6662. (ISSN:1548-873X). NOTE: Effective Issue 1 of 2015, Equestrian Magazine will be published and provided electronically and only four editions will have a limited number of printed copies. Only the Horse of the Year Special Edition will provided in the U.S. Mail. USEF is not responsible for the opinions and statements expressed in signed articles and paid advertisements. These opinions are not necessarily the opinions of USEF and its staff. While the Federation makes every effort to avoid errors, we assume no liability to anyone for mistakes or omissions. It is the policy of the Federation to report factually and accurately in Equestrian and to encourage and to publish corrections whenever warranted. Kindly direct any comments or inquiries regarding corrections to Vicki Lowell vlowell@usef.org or by direct dial 859-225-2024. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Equestrian, 4047 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511. Canadian Publications Agreement No. 40845627. For Canadian returns, mail to Canada Express, 7686 #21 Kimble Street Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, L5S1E9. (905) 672-8100. Reproduction of any article, in whole or part, by written permission only of the Editor. Equestrian: Publisher, United States Equestrian Federation®, Chief Executive Officer, William J. Moroney (859) 225-6912. Director of Advertising, Kim Russell (859) 225-6938. Copyright © 2017. US Equestrian is the official publication of the United States Equestrian Federation, the National Governing Body for Equestrian Sport in the USA, and is an official publication of USEF.
Published at 4047 Ironworks Parkway, Lexington, Ky 40511 USequestrian.org
#JoinTheJoy Follow us on social media @USequestrian 6 WINTER ISSUE 2017
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ENJOY THE DESTINATION AND THE RIDE.
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The United States Equestrian Federation does not endorse or recommend any commercial product or service. Therefore, designations as official suppliers of the USEF of any commercial product or service cannot be construed as an endorsement or recommendation by the United States Equestrian Federation.
14 WINTER ISSUE 2017
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Letter from the President A Year of Joy, Service, and Success
As our year comes to a close, it’s a good time to reflect on the joy that equestrian sport brings to all of us. The US Equestrian Holiday Gift Guide will inspire all of you to bring the joy of the holiday season to your trusted equine partners and your human and canine friends and family. As you spread good cheer, don’t forget the many organizations that assist in preserving open space for us to enjoy our horses and competitions, across multiple breeds and disciplines. In this issue, we explore how several equestrian organizations and venues have built successful partnerships to help equestrian competitions not just survive, but thrive. And we’ve got seven tips from the Equine Land Conservation Resource to help equestrians be ready for potential land access challenges. Making sure our horses are healthy and ready for the new competition season is an important part of the early winter months. I urge you to read about the innovations in shoeing technology that sport-horse farriers are using to increase equine athletes’ comfort, soundness, and ability to perform in a variety of disciplines. The article addresses some of the new concepts and materials in use today, including glue-on shoes and impression materials. You will also want to read about four common equine skin issues, including how to distinguish them, prevent them, and treat them.
Looking forward to the 2018 competition season, the new requirements for microchipping in the hunter/jumper disciplines begin on Dec. 1. To help you prepare, we’ve included a quickreference guide to microchipping, as well as the United States Hunter Jumper Association’s “Know Before You Show” guide to rule changes affecting hunter/jumper competitors—complete with links to the rules. Paperwork is a major component of owning, managing, and competing horses. USEF continues to improve our processes by utilizing available technologies to make your experience more enjoyable. The new online horse transfers and farm recordings, described in this issue’s USEF News section, will help you keep your records and paperwork up to date, and you can access the necessary forms through your mobile device at usef.org. Make sure to download the new USEF Rulebook and Annual Meeting apps, too. Our year would not be complete without acknowledging the incredible efforts and accolades of our equine and human athletes in 2017. This was an amazing year with major wins across multiple breeds and disciplines, resulting in our athletes appearing at the top of international and national standings. The USA was again a champion on the world stage, with top honors at the FEI World Cup Finals™, in FEI Nations Cup™ events, and on world ranking lists. On the home front, USEF crowned numerous champions including saddle seat equitation, eventing, dressage, hunters, jumpers, reining, para-dressage, and many more. Our young athletes shined brightly as well, and not only garnered championship accolades, but also increased support of sponsors including the Discover Dressage™ USEF/ USDF Emerging Athlete Program. Just like our members, the USEF has a thirst for knowledge in order to help us continue to improve on our products and services, like our online Learning Center, which is stocked with useful content—videos, written material, and links to related resources—about everything from horse care to riding and training tips. In this issue, we highlight a new pair of videos featuring Olympic show jumper Anne Kursinski on riding without stirrups and finding a distance to a jump. We have heard from many of our members, and I can assure you that your voices have been heard and that we are making improvements every day. I encourage you to be an active participant in this sport we all love and to be an exemplary caretaker of our honorable equine partners. We rely on our horses to take care of us and to help us achieve our goals. Our horses rely on us to make sure they are safe, healthy, and sound. Enjoy the holiday season, and best wishes for a successful New Year.
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USEF NEWS
MICROCHIPPING: What You Need to Know If you’re planning to compete for points in hunter, hunter breeding, jumper, and hunter/jumping seat equitation classes not restricted by breed in USEFlicensed and USHJA-sanctioned events, then your horse or pony will need a microchip in order to receive points. This is the first of two implementation phases for the new microchipping rule. In the second phase, starting Dec. 1, 2018, microchips will be required for competition in those classes. Microchipping is quick and easy, and it has benefits beyond the show ring. To learn more about the process, watch the microchipping video in our online Learning Center at USequestrian.org/learn. Why microchip? The microchip number is entered into the USEF database and the database ties the USEF number and the microchip number together, which allows the horse or pony to compete for points and prize money and to be eligible for certain US Equestrian and USHJA programs and awards. Microchips are about the size of a grain of rice. They provide a reliable way to verify a horse’s identity, which can contribute to the well-being of a horse and support consumer confidence during horse sales. Microchipping is a standard of the Fédération Equestre Internationale, the international governing body for equestrian sport. Does my horse or pony need a particular kind of microchip? US Equestrian requires microchips to be ISO 11784/11785-compliant. This microchip has a unique 15-digit number assigned only to your horse. Microchips starting with the prefixes 900, 911, and 999 are not acceptable. Check your chip number before the microchip is implanted. Example of unacceptable chip: #900123456789012 Example of an acceptable chip: #977123456789012 20 WINTER ISSUE 2017
PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE
As of Dec. 1, 2017, the United States Equestrian Federation will require a microchip for horses and ponies competing for points in classes that require United States Hunter Jumper Association horse registration. Here’s our microchipping primer to help get you ready.
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USEF NEWS
MICROCHIPS ARE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A GRAIN OF RICE. Where can I find the rule for microchipping? The microchip rule is HU101, JP100, EQ103. How does the microchipping process work? The American Association of Equine Practitioners has determined that the implantation of a microchip is a veterinary procedure. The USEF recommends that a licensed veterinarian supervise this procedure. Before the microchip is implanted, the horse should be properly identified and checked for an existing microchip with a reader. The microchip should be implanted in the nuchal ligament, halfway between the poll and the withers on the left side of the horse. After the microchip has been implanted, it should be checked again with a reader to verify that it is still readable. How do I report my horse or pony’s microchip to the USEF? After microchipping, you can report your microchip number to the USEF through any of the following methods: • Online by signing in to your My USEF Member Dashboard and updating your horse or pony’s record. • You can fax your Microchip Reporting Form to (859) 231-6662 or email it to horseservices@usef.org. The form may be used to report multiple horses. • Completing the microchip field on a USEF Horse Recording/ID Application. Microchip reporting does not replace recording your horse with the USEF or registering your horse with the USHJA. If your horse is not yet recorded with USEF or registered with USHJA, you will need to complete an USEF Horse Recording Form and include the 15-digit ISO 11784/11785-compliant microchip number on the form.
22 WINTER ISSUE 2017
When will my horse’s microchip be scanned? Horses are subject to scanning at any time, such as at the time of measurement, during a drug test, or when showing in a USEF-licensed and/or USHJA-sanctioned championship event. What information does USEF read off the microchip? The only information contained on the microchip is the chip number. This number is tied to the information you provide to USEF on the USEF Microchip Reporting Form. How will competition secretaries know if a horse has been microchipped? The microchip number will be added to a horse’s USEF/USHJA certificate and verification, which is information available to competition secretaries. Should I have another microchip put in my horse if it doesn’t have a compliant microchip? Yes. You need to have a 15-digit microchip that complies with ISO 11784/11785. The microchip should NOT start with the prefix 900. Once a compliant microchip is implanted, if your horse has another microchip already implanted, you should report both numbers to the USEF. Who can I contact for more information? For more information about the microchipping requirement, contact USEF Customer Care by phone at (859) 258-2472, send an email to customercare@usef.org (please allow up to 24 business hours response time), or log on to USequestrian.org and choose Online Support to live chat with a representative. USEF Customer Care representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET.
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USEF NEWS
Know Before You Show:
New Rules for a New Hunter/Jumper Competition Year Competing as a hunter/jumper? Here are rules affecting competitions that take effect Dec. 1, 2017. Below are important rule changes that will be effective Dec. 1, 2017, for the 2018 competition year and will affect hunter/jumper competition. These important updates were developed with horse and rider well-being and safety, fairness of play, and enhancing the competitive experience in mind. Click here for a comprehensive list of hunter/ jumper-related rule changes that were approved in early 2017 and will take effect for the 2018 competition year. View the entire 2018 USEF Rulebook here or download the USEF Rulebook App from the App Store or Google Play.
Summary of Rule Change
Rule Number
Microchipping: These rule changes, originally approved in January 2016, set in place a requirement for some competition horses to be microchipped. The requirement will be phased in beginning Dec. 1, 2017, when horses competing in classes that require a USHJA Horse Registration will be required to be microchipped to receive points. Dec. 1, 2018, the requirement will be extended to all horses competing in classes that require a USHJA Horse Registration in order to compete.
HU101 JP100 EQ103
Amateurs and Clinics: This rule change clarifies that amateurs may organize, manage and host clinics.
GR1306.3
Distracted Riding: These rule changes now prohibit the use of any device with ear bud(s) while mounted in all Hunter or Jumper schooling areas in order to reduce distractions and promote safety.
HU154
Int’l Hunter Derby and Conformation Points: This rule change prevents points from USHJA International Hunter Derby classes from counting toward Horse of the Year Awards for Conformation Hunter sections. Adding a Junior and Amateur National Hunter Derby: With this rule change, competition management has the option to offer a second USHJA National Hunter Derby restricted to Juniors and Amateurs in addition to offering an open one. If a restricted National Hunter Derby is offered, an open National Hunter Derby must also be offered. Junior Hunters at Zone Championships: This rule change allows USHJA Zone Championships to offer a Junior Hunter 3’3” section without necessarily also offering a Junior 3’6” section in order to accommodate Championship competitors who may not be competing at Fall Indoor competitions held during the same timeframe as the Zone Championships. Equitation Championships by Points: This rule change defines how Equitation Championships may be awarded based on points alone, in addition to being awarded through a Championship class.
(Tracking No. 079-16)
(Tracking No. 083-16)
JP103.9 (Tracking No. 088-16)
HU191 (Tracking No. 149-16)
HU112 (Tracking No. 150-16)
HU119 (Tracking No. 151-16)
EQ106.8 (Tracking No. 152-16)
GR808.2 (Tracking No. 214-16)
USEF HOTY Awards Ceremony: This rule change allows the USEF flexibility to host HOTY GR1120 Awards at the USEF Annual Meeting or at another location or time that best suits the Federa- (Tracking No. 212-16) tion and its members. Judge’s Card: This rule change prevents the changing of class results after the completion of a Hunter or Hunter/Jumping Seat Equitation class unless an error is discovered on the judge’s card.
GR1033.17 (Tracking No. 213-16)
Isolation Protocol: This rule change requires that competition management have and provide GR1211.5 to USEF an isolation protocol for horses in the event a horse with an infectious disease enters (Tracking No. 270-15) the show grounds. 24 WINTER ISSUE 2017
Summary of Rule Change Junior/Amateur Jumper Splits: This rule change requires that Jumper classes with 15 or more Junior Jumper and 15 or more Amateur Jumper entries must be divided and prize money doubled, as opposed to basing it on the first class entries only. There is an exception for special classes such as Combined Classics or the highest prize money class of the section.
Rule Number JP117.5 (Tracking No. 274-16)
Amateur Jumper (Not Owner): These rule changes allow Amateurs, regardless of whether JP117.2 they own the horse they are riding, to compete at a nationally recognized high level, including (Tracking No. 281-16) the following fence heights: 1.20/1.25, 1.30/1.35, 1.40/1.45. These also create a HOTY category GR1133.3 for Amateur Jumpers. (Tracking No. 356-16)
Hunter Breeding Class Limits: This rule change limits the number of Hunter Breeding sections a competition may offer to count for National or Zone HOTY Awards to one and limits the number of Pony Hunter Breeding sections to count for Zone HOTY Awards to one.
HU185.5 (Tracking No. 283-16)
HU101.8 Adults on Ponies: These rule changes provide clarity on when adults may or may not ride ponies at competitions. Adults may not ride ponies in any classes when those ponies are also competing with a Junior in a rated Pony Hunter section, USEF Pony Medal or WIHS Pony Equitation. These restrictions do not apply to Pony Jumpers or at multi-breed/discipline competitions.
(Tracking No. 022-17)
HU108.1 (Tracking No. 284-16)
EQ103.4 (Tracking No. 295-16)
JP118.4 (Tracking No. 273-16)
HU111.1 Junior Hunter 3’3” Combining/Dividing: This rule change requires National and Premier com- (Tracking No. 285-16) petitions offering the Junior Hunter 3’3” section to offer it as two sections. HU119.2 (Tracking No. 023-17)
Horse Measurement Cards: This rule change allows horses to obtain a standard measurement card when the horse measures 16.2 hands or above, regardless of age. Exercise Area Sizes: This rule change increases exercise area sizes at competitions based on the number of horses entered at the competition in order to promote safety and welfare of horses and riders.
HU172.1 (Tracking No. 286-16)
HJ208 (Tracking No. 287-16)
Belly Bands in Equitation: This rule change prevents the use of belly bands and other types of bandages from being used anywhere other than on the legs in a Hunter/Jumping Seat Equitation class.
EQ105.5
Necropsy: This rule change requires that a necropsy be performed in the event a horse or pony dies while at a licensed competition.
GR844
Judges Requirements: This rule change reduces licensing maintenance requirements for recorded judges while maintaining rigorous standards.
GR1057.6
Schooling Supervisors in Hunters: This rule change requires that Hunter classes with $10,000 or more in prize money have their schooling areas supervised by a C1 Steward or Certified Schooling Supervisor.
GR837
USEF Farm Membership: This rule change creates a standalone “farm” membership category with USEF.
GR201
(Tracking No. 291-16)
(Tracking No. 347-16)
(Tracking No. 357-16)
(Tracking No. 376-16)
(Tracking No. 404-16)
USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 25
USEF NEWS
USEF Announces Two New Member Benefits: Online Horse Transfers and Farm Recordings As part of our commitment to member service, US Equestrian has launched two new features on USequestrian.org for your convenience: online horse transfers and lifetime/annual farm recordings. Online horse transfers are quick and easy through your My USEF account, and lifetime and/or annual farm recordings will allow horse owners to ensure that their horses who compete under a farm or business name will earn points from competition results with other riders or drivers. Online Transfers Simply log in to your My USEF account and select Transfer Horses under the Horse Options heading. Enter your new horse’s USEF number in the Horse ID field. You can also search by the horse’s name. When using the search option, be sure to verify that you have selected the proper horse, because there may be more than one horse in the database with the same name. After entering the number, you’ll receive notice of the horse’s current status and the amount needed for transfer. You can also upload your bill of sale or signed recording certificate. Please verify that your bill of sale includes the signature of the previously recorded owner. USEF Horse Services staff will review your request and send verification to you once they’ve processed the transfer. To read the US Equestrian rules regarding transfers, see GR1105 in the USEF Rulebook. Farm and Business Recordings Starting with the 2018 competition year, farms or businesses may be recorded on an Annual or Lifetime basis. Farms with a recording prior to December 1, 2017, automatically will receive a Life time Recording. For owners who are not competing equestrians themselves, but who own horses that compete in a farm or business name, the farm/business recording allows
26 WINTER ISSUE 2017
those horses to earn points in US Equestrianlicensed competitions even if the owner is not an individual member of US Equestrian. Owners who do ride or drive their own horses in US Equestrian-licensed competitions must still obtain a competing membership with US Equestrian to avoid paying a non-member fee. In cases of group ownership or partnerships, in order for a horse to earn points, at least one owner—business, farm, or individual—must be a US Equestrian competing member. To apply for a first-time farm/business recording, visit USequestrian.org: From the main menu across the top of the home page, hover your cursor over Join USEF. Click Competing Membership from the drop-down menu that appears. Follow the prompts to register. Annual and Lifetime recording options are available, and for those selecting an annual recording, we also now offer an auto-renewal option for your convenience. Please note: check with your breed or discipline organization regarding any additional requirements they might have for horses showing in the name of farms or businesses or owned by partnerships. To read the US Equestrian rules regarding farm/business recordings, see GR1106 in the USEF Rulebook.
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USEF NEWS
The Discover Dressage USEF/ USDF Emerging Athlete Program offers education and competition planing for qualified athletes.
28 WINTER ISSUE 2017
US Equestrian (USEF) and the United States Dressage Federation are pleased to announce the launch of the Discover Dressage™ USEF/ USDF Emerging Athlete Program. Aimed at providing strategic guidance and educational opportunities to athletes under the age of 25, the USEF/USDF program will provide access to educational opportunities and competition planning for qualified athletes. Discover Dressage, led by its President Kimberly Van Kampen, has stepped forward as title sponsor for the Dressage Emerging Athlete Program for the next four years. With a mission to “inspire and encourage American youth to discover dressage,” Discover Dressage’s partnership with the program is an exciting addition. The program launched with a High-Intensity Training Session from Friday, October 13, through Sunday, October 15, in Gladstone, N.J. Following the scheduled Training and Evaluation Sessions led by USEF Dressage Youth Coach George Williams and USEF Dressage Assistant Youth Coach Charlotte Bredahl-Baker, the Discover Dressage USEF/ USDF Emerging Athlete Program will select athletes for membership who have the likelihood of developing into a future team athlete. “I’m excited to see this new program launched,” says Williams. “I believe by establishing a clear pathway for our young athletes, we can help them to achieve even greater success.” In order to participate in the Training and Evaluation Sessions, athletes must have
competed at a minimum of three qualifying competitions for the USEF Dressage National Championships and FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships and/or CDI or CDIO-Y/J/P/Ch events over the course of six months. Wild card invitations will also be considered. Athletes in the U25 division who are not qualified for the USEF Dressage Development Program are also eligible for support and membership to the Discover Dressage USEF/USDF Emerging Athlete Program, as well as Children and Pony riders looking for educational opportunities. The Emerging Athlete Program will also recognize and work with organizations, clubs, or individuals that provide educational events and opportunities to youth dressage athletes through the development of the Discover Dressage USEF/USDF Emerging Athlete Partner Program list. Additional benefits of program membership include opportunities to participate in training sessions and clinics, select one-on-one coaching, access to USEF human and equine sports science and medicine educational programs, score analysis, assistance in competition age bracket transitions, and possible financial assistance towards agreed upon training and competition targets. Training and Evaluation Sessions will be conducted several times throughout the year, and athletes can apply online. Find out more about the Discover Dressage USEF/USDF Emerging Athlete Program online.
PHOTO: SUSANJSTICKLE.COM
USEF/USDF Launch New Dressage Pathway Program
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USEF NEWS
Join Us at US Equestrian’s Annual Meeting Registration is now open for the 2018 US Equestrian Annual Meeting, which will take place at the Hyatt Regency Lexington in Lexington, Ky., on Jan. 17-20, 2018. It’s easy to view the meeting schedule and register online at USequestrian.org/annual-meeting. Advance registration is $100 and must be received by Dec. 15, 2017, to qualify for the discounted rate; after Dec. 15, attendees must register on site. On-site registration ($125) will open on Jan. 16, 2018, at 11 a.m. at the Lexington Center. US Equestrian has secured a group rate of $153 plus tax for attendees, who can make room reservations at the discounted price by calling the Hyatt Regency Lexington (888) 421-1442 by Dec. 22, 2017, and asking for the “USEF Annual Meeting rate.” Attendees also can register online at our personalized reservation link, https://resweb.passkey.com/go/usef18. Among the 2018 Annual Meeting highlights are: The Pegasus Awards dinner takes place on Thursday, Jan. 18. This iconic event honors 30 WINTER ISSUE 2017
some of the great men and women of equestrian sport, including the Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Equestrian of the Year, and Junior Equestrian of the Year. Tickets are $100 per person. The Horse of the Year Awards dinner on Friday, Jan. 19. Tickets are $100 per person. The Welcome Reception on Wednesday, Jan. 17, at The Barrel House. Moderated forums on Wednesday, Jan. 17. The General Session on Thursday, Jan. 18. The 2018 US Equestrian Annual Meeting app. Search the App Store or Google Play for “CrowdCompass AttendeeHub.” After downloading the app, enter “2018 US Equestrian” in the event search and download the event information. Get updated schedules, speakers’ bios, sponsor links, local maps, and more. Compatible with both iOS and Android devices. Looking for things to do while you’re in Lexington for the meeting? Check out visitlex.com for the best places to eat, shop, play, and experience the best of the Bluegrass. We look forward to seeing you!
PHOTO: ADAM BRENNAN/PICTURESBYAB.COM
The meeting in Lexington, Ky., Jan. 17-20 features moderated forums, a new night for the Pegasus Awards, and more.
US EQUESTRIAN ANNUAL MEETING January 17 th - 20 th Lexington, Kentucky
TUESDAY - PRE-MEETING
Competition and Member Summit: Facing Challenges Together
WEDNESDAY
Moderated Forums: Crisis Management, Safe Sport, Coaching Register World Equestrian Games: The Latest News Welcome Celebration at the Barrel House in the Historic Distillery District
THURSDAY
General Session: President’s and Senior Team Presentations Council Meetings Pegasus Awards Dinner
FRIDAY
Affiliate Roundtable and Committee Meetings Horse of the Year Awards Dinner
SATURDAY
Collegiate and Scholastic Equestrian Summit Board of Directors Meeting
For details and full schedule visit usef.org/annual-meeting/schedule
SEEN & HEARD
In & Around the Ring “It felt like Rio all over again. In that situation, you fight to be the best you can be on the day – that is my job, particularly as anchor, to be able to handle that. I knew that the time was going to be the factor, so I tried to think about that on my round, and Azur performed beautifully.”
Will Coleman and Tight Lines, The Dutta Corp./USEF CCI3* Eventing National Champions, clear the Farm Yard Corners on their way to being the top U.S. finishers in The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International in Elkton, Md.
32 WINTER ISSUE 2017
Olympic eventer Boyd Martin, who rides with Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds, won the Gentlemen’s Hunter Under Saddle class with Right On Que on Hunt Night at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, Pa. “I had no idea what it involved, but it was brilliant!” Martin said. “I’ve never been to anything like this before. I got lent a horse and had a bit of training in the collecting ring and went in there and had a crack at the class. It was great fun.”
PHOTOS: SHANNON BRINKMAN PHOTO, © AL COOK - ALCOOKPHOTO.COM,
-McLain Ward, after his and HH Azur’s double-clear helped clinch the team silver medal in the Longines FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final at CSIO5* Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain
“It’s honestly a feeling that I can’t describe, to win on my own horse. I’ve never cried before, and I honestly cried. He’s a family horse. He’s not just a horse that you bring out to show. I’m kind of happier for my horse than I am for myself.” - Taylor St. Jacques, after winning the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund Washington International
PHOTOS: PICSOFYOU.COM, KIM MACMILLAN/MACMILLAN PHOTOGRAPHY.COM
Horse Show Equitation Finals with her horse Di Samorano in Washington, D.C.
Jennifer “Nifty” Hamilton and Makari Design led from start to finish to win the 2017 USEF Single Horse Combined Driving National Championship at the Kentucky Classic Combined Driving Event in Lexington, Ky.
Laurietta Oakleaf (right) shares a quiet moment with her Friesian stallion Niekele Fan Busentiz at the USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championships sponsored by Deloitte in Mill Spring, N.C.
USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 33
LEARNING CENTER
Anne Kursinski’s Exercises to Strengthen Your Leg and Eye Now in US Equestrian’s Online Learning Center Olympic show jumper Anne Kursinski (far right) hosts two new Learning Center videos.
34 WINTER ISSUE 2017
Winter is here, and that means less time spent at shows and more time dedicated to gearing up for the 2018 show season. In our most recent Learning Center videos, we caught up with five-time U.S. Olympic show jumper Anne Kursinski to discuss some of her favorite exercises for her students to help strengthen them both physically and mentally. One video, “Riding Without Stirrups,” covers exercises you can practice at home without stirrups, and the other, “Practice Finding a Distance,” breaks down one of Kursinski’s favorite exercises to help a rider practice finding a distance. In the first video she explains how riding without stirrups is “important, really, at every level of riding.” It helps with a rider’s position, balance, and strength. “Make a game out of it,” Kursinski advised. “It’s an exercise that you know in the long run will improve your riding.” Along with the strengthening benefits of riding without stirrups, Kursinski also suggests riders practice dropping and picking up their stirrups. “Get comfortable with that,” she said. Riding sans stirrups also corrects problems with a rider’s body alignment. “Most people are
crooked, whether it’s a bad habit or from an injury,” she explained. “When you’re crooked, you really affect the horse.” In “Practice Finding a Distance,” Kursinski outlines a jumping exercise to help riders practice finding a distance: it’s a counting exercise to help the rider’s eye, not the horse’s. “The horses are looking for the distance, the horses are looking for the jump—the horses don’t really need the riders,” Kursinski said with a laugh. “You put them in a jumping chute, you put them on a lunge line, they know more about finding the distance than you do.” The point of the exercise is to get the rider more in sync with their horse. “It’s about riding the rhythm—you’re dancing with your horse,” Kursinski said. Whether you have been riding for years or just want to find a cadence with a new horse, this is a great exercise to practice at home. As a valued member of US Equestrian, you have access to watch “Riding Without Stirrups” and “Practice Finding a Distance” in the Learning Center at USequestrian.org/learn. The center includes more than 45 videos featuring top experts in many different breeds and disciplines, as well as a vast library of other resources.
USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 35
LEARNING CENTER
WAYS TO BEAT MUD by Glenye Oakford
Mud is hard on human and horse alike, and many a barn manager undoubtedly has wished they could simply wave a magic wand to get rid of it. Reducing mud around the barn and pasture isn’t quite that easy, but there are things you can do to prevent it. We asked Dr. Stephen Higgins, director of environmental compliance for the University of Kentucky’s Agricultural Experiment Station in Lexington, Ky., for his top mud-prevention tips. “You have to be willing to try things and think out of the box,” Higgins said, “and sometimes you’ve got to be willing to break bad habits and traditions.” 1. Assess your horse’s daily environment. Taking your area’s climate and average rainfall into account, consider how water moves through your horse’s paddock or pasture. “Is there natural drainage going through their paddock? Is there a summit position? Is it well drained or does water pool?” said Higgins. “A lot of people will lay out a horse farm looking at aerial photography and planning on two dimensions, length and width. They look for areas to place square paddocks or large paddocks, but they don’t consider the drainage.” Ideally, gateways should be away from drainage areas—at the top of a slope rather than at the bottom, for example. Mud will be more likely in high-traffic areas, like gateways and spots where horses gather naturally, so it’s important
36 WINTER ISSUE 2017
to minimize that by shifting gates away from natural drainage paths. 2. Use pasture grass to help manage water flow. “You want to protect your pastures from excess water by having them in a full canopy of grass,” Higgins explained. “That’s crop science 101. You don’t want any bare spots or denuded areas, because rain can cause a lot of damage. “You want what we call sheet flow, where water flows as a shallow sheet across a big area. You want thick stands of forages or grasses to slow water down to filter it and hang on to it as much as possible” to prevent rapid soil run-off—and to water your pasture grass naturally, Higgins explained. 3. Control horse traffic. Keeping horses in for part of the day allowing a paddock to “rest” without horses for a time helps prevent overgrazing and soil compaction—both contributors to mud. During prolonged, heavy rain, consider stabling your horses to help prevent soil damage. “If they’re out in a field, they’re out there trampling it,” said Higgins. “Keep them confined and let the water perk in those soils, then turn the horses out.” 4. Control the flow from barn downspouts. Barn and arena roofs create a lot of run-off that needs direction, and horse activities—from washing to grazing—require water. That’s a marriage made in heaven, says Higgins.
PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE, INSET) DR. STEPHEN HIGGINS
Places where horses congregate and high-traffic areas like fencelines and gateways often feature bare, compacted soil.
“You need to harvest or manage every drop of water that falls on your farm,” Higgins said. “You need to manage water coming out of downspouts so it doesn’t create gullies and concentrated flows that end up eroding soil and moving soil away—which also creates mud areas.” Collecting roof water in tanks or via rain barrels under downspouts is another idea. “Then you can use that water to keep down dust in your arena or to water vegetation or any number of things,” Higgins said. “That reduces mud and also saves you money.” 5. Install pervious concrete. Unlike traditional concrete, pervious concrete captures water and allows it to filter down into the underlying soil, reducing run-off, mud, and erosion. “When you put water on that concrete, it actually goes through it,” Higgins said. “I’d definitely recommend it for a wash pad. You can also create a form and pour this stuff about a foot wide and 30 inches long, and it becomes a splash block under a downspout.” 6. Consider creating an all-weather pad. In unavoidable heavy traffic zones—like feeding areas, water troughs, and places where horses hang out as a group—Higgins advises installing a heavy traffic pad that creates an all-weather surface. First, choose a flat site with well-drained soil on relatively high ground. For geotextile material, Higgins suggests trying farm stores and even highway construction suppliers. Ask for non-woven fabric, which is more suitable for water management. Higgins has overseen installation of allweather areas in pastures using geotextile
fabric and 8” to 10” of compacted dense-grade aggregate gravel. It’s important to compact the gravel with a roller, Higgins said. “And the dust is essential, because it helps lock in the rock when it’s wet,” Higgins said. “I’ll have horse owners who complain about gravel, saying it’s hard on horses’ feet, but mud also is hard on their feet,” Higgin said. “If you do the rock correctly, it’s a moot point. “You want to hog out or remove the topsoil, probably 8” to 10” of it, until you get down to a compactable clay layer. Put the geotextile fabric in the bottom. It doesn’t go up on the sides or on the grass, just the bottom.” Then fill in 8” to 10” of aggregate and cover it with no more than two inches of Class I sand or agricultural lime. “That gives the horses sandy footing to stand on,” Higgins explained. “That soil you’ve removed will expand to 50% more than its original volume,” he added, “so you can use it to fill other problem areas, like holes or ditches, or you can sell it as topsoil and use that to pay for the all-weather pad project.” Also helpful: plastic gravel pave and grass pave interlocking matrix bases, which can help prevent wear and gulley erosion and also provide more traction in gateways, run-in sheds, around water troughs, and more. Higgins suggests that farm owners also contact their county conservation district and county extension office. “You might be able to use taxpayer dollars to help implement some of the suggestions on your farm through costsharing programs,” Higgins said.
Left: Mud isn’t just a nuisance. It reduces grazing areas and can cause injury to horse and human. Below: Interlocking matrix bases can help prevent wear and mud while providing additional traction.
USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 37
PRO TIP
Secrets to Brighter Whites
Christine “Chris” Knox Knox Farm Chesterfield, Idaho Knox Farm specializes in Connemaras and ConnemaraThoroughbred sport horses. Chris Knox is the current chair of the USEF Connemara Committee and USEF Breeders Committee. She also grooms for husband Philip when he competes in Fédération Equestre Internationale combined driving events with a four-in-hand team of homebred Connemaras. Knox uses two laundry products found in many grocery stores: Mrs. Stewart’s® Liquid Laundry Bluing and OUT™ White Brite® Laundry Whitener. She begins her ponies’ baths with a warm-water rinse from a hose and a onceover with a soft curry comb. “I put four to five squirts of bluing in a bucket of warm water as my wash water bucket,” Knox said. “Don’t put full-strength bluing directly on the coat or tail, or your horse will turn blue! I dip my sponge in the bluing water then put Orvus® Paste Shampoo on the sponge. I lather the coat and mane, and scrub out any dirt.” She finishes the routine by rinsing with a hose. Washing tails on her ponies requires a separate tried-and-true method. “I start by wetting the tail, then dip the tail in a bucket of bluing water, sponging some up onto the top of the tail,” Knox explained. “I follow that by lathering the tail with soap. Be sure to scrub down to the tail bone; it looks terrible to have a white tail that is brown at the roots. After washing thoroughly, rinse with a hose. “I then make a new bucket of water with White Brite. I don’t measure, but I’d guess it’s one-quarter cup of White Brite 38 WINTER ISSUE 2017
per gallon of water. Soak the end of the tail in the bucket and sponge some of the solution onto the top hairs, letting it sit for a few minutes. I don’t use White Brite on the body, because I think it’s too drying. After a bit, rinse the tail, then apply a creme rinse; I like Herbal Essence Long Term Relationship. Let sit, then rinse, and you’re done.” “Between the bluing wash and the White Brite rinse, I liberally apply ketchup to the lower, stained end of the tail, letting it sit for about five minutes before rinsing,” Knox said. “The acid in the ketchup helps cut the urine stain. It may leave the tail a bit pink, but that will whiten right up with the White Brite rinse.” For quick stain removal any time of year, Knox uses Grime Boss heavy-duty hand wipes, available from home-improvement stores. “They are extra-large, extra-strong baby wipes, but smell better,” she said. “They are made for mechanics and work on the worst grease, grime, manure stains, etc. One side of the wipe is softer for hands, and the other side a bit more rough for tough jobs.” In the winter, Knox uses the wipes on stains but also relies on currying and vacuuming.
PHOTO: PICSOFYOU.COM
Bluing and ketchup are in Connemara owner Chris Knox’s whitening and stain-removal arsenal.
White markings and white horses present a challenge for horse owners and grooms: how to keep them bright and clean? We asked three experts for their top tips— from ketchup to bluing to commercial products—for making a horse’s white spots, stockings, blazes, tails, and bodies show-ring sparkly.
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PRO TIP
Sally Robertson (right), head groom for eventer Caroline Martin (left), advises being familiar with bathing and whitening products’ ingredients to avoid an accidental positive at a competition.
40 WINTER ISSUE 2017
Robertson uses Cowboy Magic® Shine In Yellowout™ Whitening Shampoo in her bathing routine to keep white markings bright. Before horse inspections, she explains, “sometimes I like to wash their legs three or four times before the jog.” Another tip: keep a bit of stain remover and a damp rag handy in the moments before an inspection or class to remove any last-minute stains. “I know sometimes clipping the legs helps make them look a lot whiter, but I am careful with that,” said Robertson. “I like to do it, but there is a time and a place, because there can be boot rubs and boot slipping, so it doesn’t always help to clip them.” Robertson emphasizes good horsemanship and a simple routine to keep her charges looking top-notch. “I try to keep things a little more on the simple side, rather than going and using all the products,” she said. “There are so many easy fixes that people get caught up in that rather than going, ‘Hey, I have just got to put a bit of time and effort into it and keep them clean.’ I find keeping up with the regular cleanings keeps them white. You know, with tails and legs, if you think it doesn’t matter and you leave it for a couple of days, then you really have your work cut out for you to get their tails or socks white again—it just takes that much longer.” When considering commercial grooming products, Robertson recommends being aware of the ingredients. “I think people forget, now that there is so much stuff on the market, that we also have to be really careful with what we use, because you have to second-guess whether it is testable or not,” she said. Wintering in Florida makes bathing horses much easier, but the Southern setting poses its own set of challenges. “We have to be careful with the sand and the grime down here—we tend to get a lot of skin problems,” she said. “I think it is important to clean them on a daily basis. We wash all of our horses’ legs every day, towel dry them, and make sure they are dry before they go out. That a) helps keep them clean and b) has the benefit of preventing a lot of skin issues.” If a horse does develop skin issues, Robertson says, “I will use a medicated shampoo, once again being very careful of withholding time if they are competing and it’s a testable shampoo—some are—but a good go-to is Eqyss Micro-Tek Medicated Shampoo.”
PHOTO: SHANNON BRINKMAN
Sally Robertson Head Groom, Caroline Martin Eventing Reigelsville, Pa., and Ocala, Fla. A New Zealand native, Robertson began grooming at age 15, working with Australian show jumper Chris Chugg and New Zealander eventer Donna Smith early in her career. Since then, she’s groomed in the U.S. and Europe for U.S. eventers Sara Kozumplik Murphy and Clark Montgomery before joining Martin.
MCLAIN WARD MCLAIN WARD WITH HH AZUR WITH HH AZUR USA USA
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PRO TIP Kimmy Risser Hickory Manor Paris. Ky. Risser produces young horses for the hunter/jumper ring and competes in hunter breeding classes and Young Horse Show series. She currently serves on the United States Hunter Jumper Association Hunter Breeding Task Force and previously served on the USHJA Amateur Task Force. and make sure they have clean legs for photos. This trick also works if they have a blaze, in case their halter or bridle gets brown on their face.” For an extra layer of whiteness, Risser uses a color spray on chrome but reminds spray users to use a sweeping motion when applying color spray. “That way you don’t cake it on too thick in one place, and it doesn’t look so fake,” she said. “I carry makeup sponges in my show trunk at all times and use them to blend the white in so you don’t miss any spots.” Risser also mentioned the benefits of clipping white legs, saying, “In the winter, I know for show horses, you need to keep their legs clipped, but make sure to not clip them quite as short as you normally would, to help protect their skin from fungus that is more common in the wetter seasons.”
Kimmy Risser (right) uses her choice of whitening shampoo on horses of all colors to bring out the shine.
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PHOTO: COURTESY OF KIMMY RISSER
Risser has found a winning routine to keep her horses gleaming in the show ring. “I always use Shapley’s™ EquiTone™ Whitening Shampoo; not only does it get their legs super clean, but it also has light-reflecting ingredients to make their legs look even whiter,” said Risser, who says she finds the whitening shampoo helpful to put a shine on horses of all colors. To keep a horse’s chrome looking great, Risser calls Shapley’s Magic Sheen™ “one of my absolute musts” to keep white legs white after bathing. “The silicone prevents dirt from sticking, so once their legs are dry, you can just wipe any excess dirt off,” she said. “It’s a great trick to use right before going to the ring; you can wipe their legs off and get all the dirt from the schooling ring off
The United States Equestrian Team Foundation Gl a d s ton e • Ne w Jerse y • Un i t ed S tat e s
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JUNIORS’ RING
Check Out Youth Resources at USequestrian.org If you’re a young equestrian involved in one of US Equestrian’s recognized disciplines or breeds, you might be eligible for one or more of our affiliate youth programs. Whether you’re into reining, vaulting, or dressage, and whether you love Shetland ponies, Lusitanos, or Hackneys, these youth programs offer kids a variety of opportunities, including the chance to • receive awards • earn a scholarship • join a breed or discipline at a discounted membership rate • join a youth club • participate in special youth-oriented activities, challenges, and competitions or • take advantage of special educational opportunities. Learn more at our online youth resources page at USequestrian.org. While you’re there, explore our guide to Equestrian Riding Programs, an overview for middle, junior-high, and high-school students. Want to form an equestrian team or club? The guide will help you do it! Plus, there’s info on interscholastic riding programs and organizations, as well as on US Equestrian’s Lettering Program for students in grades five through 12.
Many US Equestrian affiliates, like the American Morgan Horse Association, offer youth programs.
Find schools and organizations that help make equestrian sport part of your college life, learn about scholarships and grants, and check out the US Equestrian Collegiate Handbook on our intercollegiate resources page. Scroll down for valuable programs and tools like our College Search.
USequestrian.org has a variety of resources to help you make horse sports part of your college lifestyle.
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For details on intercollegiate equestrian organizations, head to our Intercollegiate Equestrian Programs page, which has information about the American National Riding Commission, Intercollegiate Dressage Association, Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association, Intercollegiate Saddle Seat Riding Association, National Collegiate Equestrian Association, and United States Eventing Association Intercollegiate Eventing.
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF CARRIE MORTENSEN/AMHA, STEVE HENKE
Thinking About College?
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MY FIRST
Jill Stowe and her Thoroughbred Dundee tried eventing (left) for the first time at the 2017 Champagne Run at the Park Horse Trials at the Kentucky Horse Park, in Lexington, Ky. Earlier in the year, they also made their Fourth Level dressage debut (right) at the Kentucky Dressage Association Fall Classic I show.
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by Robin Roenker
As the calendar comes to a close on 2017, amateur rider Jill Stowe, 42, will look back on the last few months with gratitude – and a touch of surprise. During this year’s competition season, Stowe scored two significant firsts: she completed a Novice horse trial for the first time as an adult eventer, and she competed in her first-ever Fourth Level dressage competition. Neither accomplishment had been on her radar in January 2017. “Part of the reason this year meant so much to me is that the previous few years had been a little disappointing, horse-wise,” said Stowe, a professor of agricultural economics at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., and a busy wife and mom to two active sons. “Up until recently, I didn’t think we’d progress past Second Level in dressage.” Stowe’s horse, Dundee, a 10-year-old Thoroughbred she found via the Lexingtonbased New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, endured nagging health issues that derailed their usual six-day-a-week riding routine for months. But this past spring, Dundee’s health returned, and “everything suddenly came together,” Stowe said. “It’s been really fun. He’s had a really good year.” Stowe adopted Dundee as a three-year-old, just weeks removed from his racing career. At the time, she had been out of competitive riding for almost 20 years. “You either get bit by the horse bug or you don’t, and I was bit,” said Stowe, who stepped away from riding to play volleyball and basketball in college, then to pursue her graduate degree and career. “Shortly before I adopted Dundee, a graduate student invited me to go riding with her—it was the first time I had been on a horse in years—and I remembered immediately how much I loved it and how much riding fed me,” Stowe said. “That afternoon inspired me to get back into the sport.” Fast forward seven years and countless hours of training, and the pair has begun to settle into a fine-tuned partnership of a caliber Stowe never experienced as a young rider. Stowe works with Dundee at her 12-acre farm in Nicholasville, Ky., where she’s set up a small arena, a few jumps, and some trails. She started competing Dundee
PHOTOS: XPRESS FOTO, KEIRA WICKLIFFE BERGER/ASTER DREAMS PHOTOGRAPHY
My Year of Firsts
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Above: Jill Stowe with her Oldenburg colt Chip, the first foal she has bred-another “first” in 2017.
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in dressage in early 2012 and has worked with coaches Reese Koffler-Stanfield and Linda Strine. This year has been a breakthrough year. “We worked all summer to prepare for Third Level Test 3, and it went really well, so we went ahead and pushed for Fourth Level just a month later,” said Stowe. “When I stopped competing in dressage at age 17 to go to college, I’d only advanced to Third Level. So moving past that threshold after all these years was a big deal for me,” she said. While dressage is and will remain Stowe’s focus, she has included jumping activities in Dundee’s training all along, believing it’s important “to keep things mixed up for the horse, both mentally and physically,” she said. Plus, she feels training for both sports is mutually beneficial: “The strength he was building from jumping helped us do the more collected work that we do in dressage,” she said. After giving up eventing as a 13-year-old when fear of a bad fall kept her from pursuing higher jumps, Stowe gathered up her courage this year and arranged for lessons to help improve the quality of Dundee’s jumping. With support from her coach Megan Lynn, Stowe and Dundee successfully tackled their first Novice level event in July, an accomplishment that was, for
Stowe, as much about overcoming a mental hurdle as a physical one. With Dundee, Stowe feels blessed with just the right horse for this stage of her life. “He’s a hard-working horse. He wants to please. This sort of riding is about partnership and communicating very subtly,” she said. “When you’re an amateur rider and you work full time and have kids, you want a horse that you can have fun on. You don’t want to have to worry that they’re going to be difficult or fight you. This is my fun, and it needs to be fun, not stressful.” Buoyed by the success of this year, Stowe hopes to keep advancing and eventually show Dundee at the Prix St. Georges level in dressage. And while she and Dundee continue to fine-tune their already close horse/rider connection, Stowe has another partner already waiting in the wings: Chip, a bright bay Oldenburg foal, was born in June and is the first foal that Stowe has bred. His birth—which Stowe got to witness, alongside her husband and sons—was the emotional high point of a truly breakthrough year. Chip is the first foal Stowe has owned. “My husband said he knew watching the birth would be special, but it was even more amazing than he expected,” Stowe said. “It means a lot to me to have a family that’s so supportive of this passion of mine.”
PHOTOS: XPRESS FOTO, KEIRA WICKLIFFE BERGER/ASTER DREAMS PHOTOGRAPHY, (LEFT) SUSAN BLACK
MY FIRST
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HOT LINKS
US Equestrian Links You Up Your Knowledge Source Our online Learning Center at USequestrian.org offers more than 45 videos and a library of additional resources. Get expert training tips for a variety of disciplines, learn more about US Equestrian’s 29 breeds and disciplines, find out more about microchipping, horse anatomy, and safety topics like concussion. To access the Learning Center, renew your US Equestrian membership or join now!
US Equestrian’s Annual Meeting: Register and Get the App Celebrate equestrian achievement, have your say about issues that matter to you, meet up with fellow equestrians, and learn from our expert speakers at the Annual Meeting in Lexington, Ky., Jan. 17-20. Register online at USequestrian.org/annual-meeting by Dec. 15 to get the discounted advance rate of $100; after that, attendees must register on site ($125) at the Lexington Center starting Jan. 16, 2018. And don’t forget to download the US Equestrian Annual Meeting App.
#JoinTheJoy
Get Social @USequestrian Join the conversation by following US Equestrian on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. Come behind the scenes to meet U. S. athletes and their horses, keep up to date on events and promos, and discover the joy of horse sports. And don’t forget to use #JoinTheJoy on Instagram and Twitter for a chance to be featured in our free Equestrian Weekly digital newsletter.
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PHOTOS: ADAM BRENNAN/PICTURESBYAB.COM (RIGHT), TERRI MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY (BELOW LEFT)
Kristina Huff and her draft-cross gelding, Max.
FEEL THE
Photo: © Elena Lusenti
at USequestrian.org
Bringing the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible.
#FeelTheJoy
HOT LINKS
The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event streams live on USEF Network April 26-29, 2018.
COMING UP ON USEF NETWORK To access live streams, on-demand coverage, and many other member benefits, join US Equestrian today at USequestrian.org. And keep an eye on the site’s USEF Network page for newly added streams! USEF George H. Morris Horsemastership Training Session Jan. 1-7, 2018 Wellington, Florida
Jan. 17-20, 2018 Lexington, Kentucky Live Oak International Combined Driving Event March 15-18, 2018 Ocala, Florida Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event April 26-29, 2018 Lexington, Kentucky All broadcast times and locations are subject to changes/cancellations. Please visit USequestrian.org/network to view the most up-to-date schedule.
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PHOTO: NEILSON BARNARD ON BEHALF OF JAGUAR LAND ROVER
US Equestrian Annual Meeting
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TRENDING
Happening Apps Harness technology to make your equestrian life simpler and more convenient There’s a whole world of apps for equestrians now that can help you do just about anything in your equestrian life: access updated USEF competition rules, find a trail, keep track of your equine expenses, even decide which blanket your horse needs. Here are a few to add to your download list. The USEF Rulebook App
PonyApp
Now you can view—and search—the entire 1,200-page USEF Rulebook right from your phone. View chapter by chapter or filter results by keywords, chapters, or divisions. And access recent Presidential Modifications and Drugs & Medications documents, too. The Rulebook app also features the latest rule and regulation updates for all 29 USEF-recognized breeds and disciplines, plus an archive of past Rulebooks for the last 10 years.
Co-founded by Olympic show jumper Lucy Davis and hunter/jumper competitor Lindsay Douglass, the PonyApp helps equestrians keep track of their horses’ registration information, vaccination records, and daily activities with custom horse profiles. The app also lets you set reminders for appointments or activities and make notes about each horse; create, send, and pay invoices; and more. There’s also a news feed. PonyApp is designed to be flexible and useful for equestrians and people who work in the industry, whether they have one horse in their care or 100.
Cost? Free Available in: App Store & Google Play
The USEF Annual Meeting App US Equestrian’s Annual Meeting is right around the corner! Stay in the loop at the Jan. 17-20 meeting in Lexington, Ky., with our Annual Meeting App. Get schedule updates, a map of Lexington and a list of things to do around town, connect with other attendees, and more.
Available in: App Store. Coming soon for Android devices and the web.
Horseware Turnout Guide App and SmartPak’s SmartBlanket App
It’s like Uber or Lyft for horses: download the app, create your horse’s profile and give his or her location, select the type of ride your horse needs (rush, planned, or pool), choose your destination, and accept a fare. Equo connects horses with drivers, and their concierge service also can help you arrange health certificates and Coggins paperwork.
Don’t stress about which blanket your horse needs tonight: check an app! Horseware’s Turnout Guide App considers details about your horse’s age, breed, condition, and coat status (clipped or not), factors in the next three days of weather forecasts, and tells you which Horseware turnout will best suit the conditions and your horse. SmartBlanket provides customized blanketing recommendations based on data you provide about your horse and on local weather conditions, so you won’t be left guessing whether the medium- or heavyweight blanket is best on any given night.
Cost? Free
Cost? Free
Available in: App Store & Google Play
Available in: App Store & Google Play
Cost? Free Available in: App Store & Google Play
Equo
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Cost? Free
TRENDING
USRider Roadside USRider Equestrian Motor Plan members can use this free app to request emergency roadside assistance electronically 24/7, and the GPS-enabled technology lets USRider pinpoint your location to ensure the most accurate dispatch service. Cost? Free with USRider annual roadside assistance plan, which starts at $139 with a $29 activation fee. US Equestrian members get $15 off their first-year membership fee through our MemberPerks program. Available in: App Store & Google Play
JumpFax A good go-to app for FEI show jumpers. JumpFax ’s calendar, show directory, and results functions offer everything from downloadable entry forms to FEI classes’ start times, from international show schedules and venue features to real-time results, and more. It even provides emergency numbers for show vets and farriers. Cost? The basic app is free; go premium for full access & services for about $10 a month. Available in: App Store & Google Play
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BarnManager Made by barn managers, for barn managers! This app lets you schedule lessons and appointments; plan and track shoeing, vaccine, and other dates; store and locate unlimited records; easily transfer written records; sync employee calendars; and more. Cost? Subscriptions range from $33.20 to $66.40 per month, but 501(c)(3) horse rescues and therapeutic riding centers can apply for a free subscription. There is a 14-day free trial. Available in: App Store & Google Play
HorseTrail E age r to f i nd new trails? HorseTrail lets you find available trails added by a network of users, as well as add your own recommendations. Its features include ratings and reviews, plus a useful “report” function that allows users to update trail conditions, difficulty, and accessibility. There’s also a “text your location” function, and more. Cost? $4.99 Available in: App Store & Google Play
Staller This app matches up horse owners looking for stall space with barn owners with stalls to spare. Whether you’re looking for a short stay or an entire season, you’ll find options for single stalls or entire facilities, along with a dedicated customer support team that can guide you through the process. The app features stall prices, available inventory, and an easy payment system that can help both horse owners and barn owners. In addition to the downloadable app, Staller also offers web and mobile versions. Cost? Free Available at: StallerApp.com
CELEBRATE THE
Photo: Howard Schatzberg
at USequestrian.org
Bringing the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible.
#CelebrateTheJoy
HORSE HEALTH
Know Your Ringworm from Your Rain Rot Hagyard Equine Medical Institute’s Dr. Luke Fallon tells you everything you need to know about several common skin issues—rain rot, ringworm, warts, and hives—including tips on prevention and treatments.
Skin problems can affect almost any horse anywhere, whether you live in a tropical climate with year-round heat and humidity or are preparing to start blanketing your pony against autumn rains and winter snow. Luckily, most are straightforward to treat—but it’s helpful to know whether your horse’s particular issue is caused by bacteria, fungus, virus, or an allergic reaction. We got the skinny—plus some treatment and management tips—from Dr. Luke Fallon at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.
A severe case of rain rot.
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Rain Rot – Caused by bacteria “You’re most likely to see rain rot start somewhere along the top line, from the withers all the way back to the tail head,” said Fallon. “It may occur along the shoulder and neck region, too, and it typically will have a miliary appearance, which just means that it’s dispersed in a bunch of crusty or scab-like lesions, in sort of a shotgun pattern.” Bacteria causes rain rot, but that doesn’t mean you need to reach for antibiotics immediately. “Typically, you can pick off or debride those scab-like lesions, and I find that it’s better to do that, followed by treating the horse’s skin topically with a medicated shampoo, which can then get directly to the area that needs to be treated,” Fallon said. Medicated shampoo isn’t the only weapon in the arsenal against rain rot. “I’ll often treat those horses not only with medicated shampoo, but we also use lime sulfur or a shampoo with lime sulfur and captan that also has soothing aloes in it,” Fallon said. Also good: shampoos that contain iodine, betadine, or chlorhexidine. “Betadine scrub is great because it’s an antimicrobial,” Fallon added. “Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes, and then wash it off completely, always being careful around the horse’s eyes.” If the horse is sensitive and objects to having the scabs peeled, scraped, or scratched off before shampooing or another topical treatment, Fallon has some suggestions for softening the scabs to make them easier to remove. “You might be better served to treat the horse topically with shampoo and wait after a treatment or two before you tackle the lesions,” Fallon said.
PHOTOS: TAYLOR PENCE (TOP LEFT), COURTESY OF DR. NAT WHITE
by Glenye Oakford
“If you do two or three bathings, a lot of times you’ll take that soreness out of the scabs and you can go on and debride them away.” Another hint: apply baby oil directly to the scabs for a day or two before attempting to remove them during a medicated bath. (If your horse is troubled by dew poisoning—another form of dermatitis also known as scratches—on his pasterns or fetlocks, bandaging over a medicated salve or cream can also make it easier to remove the scabs or hyperkeratosis.) Rain rot can occur at any time of year, and, despite its name, its appearance doesn’t necessarily have to do with a prolonged period of wet weather. “Most often, it is associated with wet weather, but I’ve also seen it in dry times,” Fallon explained. “I’ve also seen it on horses that are overblanketed, when there’s too much moisture trapped underneath the blanket and the hair coat isn’t getting to dry out or allowed exposure to light.” That’s one reason it’s so important to make sure your horse is completely dry before tossing on a blanket. “Beyond making sure you’re blanketing appropriately, you also want to maintain a healthy hair coat,” said Fallon. Here are a few tips to help prevent rain rot: Never share brushes or blankets between horses. Disinfect brushes regularly (for tips of the best way to disinfect brushes, buckets, and stalls, see this Equestrian Weekly article). If your horse has sweated excessively, even if he’s only been standing in his paddock, bring him in, let him dry off, and bathe him to get rid of the irritating salty residue. Keep your horse’s blanket cleaner than you keep your own barn coat! Give a preemptive antimicrobial bath if horses around yours are coming down with rain rot. In more severe cases, your veterinarian might need to prescribe systemic antibiotics. “Typically, if they’re very irritated or if there’s a lot of pus underneath when you pick off those scabs or crusts, I’ll quite often put them on something, such as sulfa drugs,” Fallon said. “Used with the shampoo, that will typically kill the bacteria. “If it’s severe enough that you think the horse might need antibiotics, then I recommend having the vet look at it,” Fallon added. “You might not need to put the horse on systemic antibiotics, and you don’t want to encourage antibiotic-resistance in your barn or your herd. If you can get away with treating it with just antiseptic soaps, you’re better off.” Less serious cases with smaller, more dispersed scabs typically resolve with topical treatments alone in a week or 10 days, said Fallon.
Ringworm – Caused by fungus Ringworm’s name is misleading: it’s caused by a fungus, not a worm. Like other skin diseases, it can spread easily from horse to horse, but ringworm also can pass from horse to human—so good hygiene when handling an affected horse is a must. “Equine ringworm doesn’t typically affect humans, but there have been cases,” Fallon said. Where rain rot typically has a scattered appearance, ringworm lesions are usually more distinct patches of raised skin, often round, which have lost hair and can become scaly or crusty. Ringworm isn’t uncommon in populations of younger horses, like weanlings and yearlings, but it can also affect horses in training, where it sometimes begins at the site of a girth rub or other places where tack has chafed the skin. “It doesn’t always present itself as a circular lesion,” Fallon noted. “I’ll sometimes see it where a horse will shed out all over a large portion of their face or neck. If it’s on the flank or hindquarters, it’s typically a more well circumscribed shape that can vary from the size of a dime up to silver dollar-sized raised plaque. They’re often very sore, and they can crop up overnight. The whole plaque or affected area will come off.” The treatment for ringworm is much the same as for rain rot, and, in fact, many of the antimicrobial shampoos—including those that combine lime sulfur and captan (captan is a fungicide)—on the market today will work for both. But you do want an antifungal component to your treatment if the diagnosis in ringworm, Fallon said. “There are some topical antifungal shampoos that contain miconazole or itraconazole, too,” he added. “A lot of times people want to treat
Ringworm sometimes appears as circular hairless patches. Below: Ringworm lesions aren’t always circular, as in this case on a horse’s head.
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HORSE HEALTH it systemically with antifungals, but I find that, by and large, by the time you treat them systemically, the topical treatments probably would have been as effective as treating them systemically.” Systemic antifungals, which can be administered orally or intravenously, also can have some sideeffects. They can affect liver and kidney function and can cause changes in behavior and appetite. “These are things to consider when using systemic antifungals, so please consult your vet,” Fallon said. Keeping tack clean and disinfected—and not sharing these items between horses—can help prevent the fungus from spreading. “If your horses are sharing brushes, you’ll see that ringworm run right through the barn, if you’re not careful,” Fallon cautioned.
The hives can get pronounced enough that they weep. “At that point, you probably should have the horse looked at,” advised Fallon, “because that’s a pretty severe reaction.” “It’s a systemic allergy, and that can be due something they’re eating, something they’re inhaling, or some kind of insect bite,” Fallon explained. “It’s usually environmental. Did you just get new bedding in, for example? Think about where it’s occurring on the body, and that might lead you to the culprit. Is the horse turned out in a new paddock? Did you start him on new feed? Take into account what is new in the horse’s life or environment.” Banamine and oral antihistamines can be the horse owner’s first line of defense, but, as always, be sure to call your veterinarian before medicating—and certainly get veterinary advice before administering steroids.
Hives can be the result of an insect bite or an allergy, among other things.
Hives – Caused by allergen A horse can get hives for a variety of reasons, from an insect bite to a contact or food allergy. And while hives aren’t a true skin disease, they’re worth mentioning here partly because they can be hard to distinguish from rain rot or other skin problems. “There can be a lot of edema [swelling] with ringworm when it first pops up, too,” said Fallon. “I’ve had experienced horse owners or managers tell me, ‘I don’t know whether we’ve got hives or ringworm.’” Hives are localized swelling, fluid-filled bumps that can break out in multiple sites on a horse’s body, “similar to what you get when you get stung by a bee or bitten by a mosquito,” Fallon said. “There’s typically not a scab associated with a hive unless it’s an insect bite. Hives will respond to antihistamines, anti-inflammatories, or steroids.”
Want horse health articles, practical tips, and US Equestrian news delivered to your inbox every week? Sign up for the Equestrian Weekly email newsletter at USequestrian.org/tune-in/equestrian-weekly. It’s free! 60 WINTER ISSUE 2017
Warts like these typically are caused by a papilloma virus and often appear on the muzzle or in the ears.
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF HAGYARD (LEFT), COURTESY OF DR. NAT WHITE (RIGHT)
Warts – Caused by virus Warts can sometimes appear around the muzzle or eyes, as well as in the ears, and while they aren’t necessarily a serious problem—unless they are located where the bit rests—they can be unsightly. “Typically, it’s a papilloma virus that causes them,” Fallon explained. “You can treat them topically.” Treatment generally involves getting your veterinarian to scrape the warts away, which causes them to bleed—and causes the horse’s own immune system to step up its response to the virus. “Within about three weeks, they usually will shed the warts on their own,” Fallon explained. Other topical treatments include glycerin or specialized anti-wart formulations.
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“Now more than ever, this issue of the land disappearing is critical for horsemen to be aware of,” says Holley Groshek, executive director of the Equine Land Conservation Resource.
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SAVING GROUND FOR EQUESTRIANS
Equestrian facilities are getting creative and building partnerships to keep green space and indoor venues open for equestrian sports
PHOTO: COURTESY OF ELCR
by Glenye Oakford
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The 5,600-acre Fair Hill venue in Maryland offers three-day eventing, endurance, combined driving, flat race training, and steeplechase racing, among other things.
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As urban sprawl threatens to close land to horse sports in many areas around the country, some organizations and facilities are finding success in a different kind of development: building partnerships with each other and with communities to show how keeping venues open for equestrian activities is mutually beneficial. That could be a model for other equestrian areas hoping to develop facilities and preserve horse-friendly green space. “Now more than ever, this issue of the land disappearing is critical for horsemen to be aware of,� said Holley Groshek, executive director of the Equine Land Conservation Resource and a rider for more than 20 years. “They need to know how to get involved in their communities and to be advocates for horses in their communities. The landscape is changing, and
Groshek also reminds horse groups that land access and preservation are long-term issues; a united advocacy group can help keep equestrians at the table for future discussions. “You need some organization there that’s constantly advocating for the horse people,” she said. “That’s one of the challenges, because often there’s not one local organization that’s representing all of the horse groups. Partnerships—between equine groups, between horse organizations and local communities, and between equestrian facilities and state or local government—are an important ingredient in building a sustainable future for equestrian land and facility use, as exemplified by several success stories around the nation.
PHOTO: SHANNON BRINKMAN PHOTO
we’re afraid that it’s going to impact our industry because young people won’t be exposed to horses anymore.” The ELCR, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Lexington, Ky., offers guidance and a host of resources for equestrians seeking to preserve land and horse access. And Groshek has two initial pieces of advice: unify to advocate for equestrian sports in your area and start early, before land or facilities come under threat of development or closure to horse sports. “People think it’s overwhelming and that they can’t fight a development or don’t know how to do things to advocate for horses, but it’s not as overwhelming if they have the tools and resources,” Groshek said. “That’s what we’re doing as an organization: providing those tools and resources.”
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PHOTO: KENTUCKY HORSE PARK/COURTESY OF ELCR
Building partnerships with land managers, local or state government, and community stakeholders is crucial to helping keep public land open for equestrian use or for creating equestrian parklands, like the Kentucky Horse Park (shown).
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Below: The Arabian Horse Association— whose U.S. Nationals show has a $26 million to $30 million economic impact to Tulsa—is part of a successful three-way partnership with the Tulsa Covention and Visitors Bureau and Tulsa Expo Square.
PHOTO: THESE SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN THE GUTTER, BUT THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS IN FEATURES TO CREATE LEGIBILITY
Right: Arabian Horse Association testimonials helped secure $30 million in improvements to Tulsa fairgrounds, including a new barn, winter facilities, and expanded stall space at Tulsa Expo Square, which hosts the AHA’s U.S. Nationals show.
An Equestrian Community Unites to Grow Fair Hill in Elkton, Md., has hosted equine activities since at least 1925, the year William DuPont, Jr., established his property in Cecil County with thoughts of using it as a cattle farm, nature preserve, and equine sporting paradise for his beloved Thoroughbred racing and foxhunting. Today, Fair Hill offers high-quality three-day eventing, endurance, combined driving, flat race training, and steeplechase racing, among other things, at the 5,600 acres now owned by the state of Maryland. By rallying together around what is literally their common ground, Fair Hill’s varied equine-related interests— and other non-equestrian groups who use the property—have developed a cooperative spirit that cuts across disciplines and has smoothed the way for a major facilities improvement project. “The wonderful thing about our project is that it’s not just us,” said Carla Geiersbach, executive director of Fair Hill International, which hosts The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International CCI2* and CCI3*, the The Dutta Corp./USEF CCI3* and CCI2* Eventing National Championships, and the USEF Young Horse National Championship, among other titles. “It’s us, it’s steeplechasers, it’s the training center across the street, it’s the Cecil County Fair, it’s Fair Hill Races. There are a whole bunch of us who are working together on the improvements to the special events area of Fair Hill.”
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“The Department of Natural Resources does a phenomenal job of maintaining this property. They’ve been great to work with,” Geiersbach added. “We’ve also been very lucky to be working with the Maryland Sports Commission. The depth and breadth of their knowledge about everything from engineering studies to construction to how you run a major event has been fantastic as we work on these infrastructure improvements.” As Fair Hill and other horse sports facilities show, equestrian sports can aid rural development without sacrificing community green space. “Fair Hill is a beautiful property, and it was started for equestrian disciplines,” she said. “One of the reasons we’re so excited about having been designated as the field event zone is that it really maintains the true nature of the area. We’re not building a coliseum in the middle of beautiful steeplechase country. We’re taking advantage of the natural beauty and terrain and keeping with the nature of what the land was intended for.” Business Ties in Tulsa Competition facilities typically are in rural areas or on the outskirts of towns, but Tulsa Expo Square—home to the Arabian Horse Association’s U.S. National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show—is different. Once suburban, it’s
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF TULSA CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
One thing that helped pull the group together, says Geiersbach, was their service on a task force that evaluated a study of Maryland’s statewide system of horse parks. As part of that study, Fair Hill also earned official status as a field event zone for the state’s equestrian sports. “We all got to be good friends,” Geiersbach said of the task force members, who were drawn from different equestrian and sporting backgrounds. Teaming up with the National Steeplechase Association, Fair Hill’s flat racing trainers, and other disciplines has helped at a time when Fair Hill is undertaking an estimated $8 million to 10 million in improvements. “We realized that we could all benefit from the improvements if we all worked together,” Geiersbach said. This kind of multi-use thinking can help lift equestrian endeavors collectively, and also serve to promote each sport to new audiences. “What’s good for one discipline is good for the others,” Geiersbach said. “And we think we’ll be able to cast a wider net and welcome a whole new group of people to the sport, without sacrificing the heart and soul of eventing: those long gallops and terrain that make cross-country so spectacular. And if you love to watch steeplechasing, you’ll enjoy watching three-day eventing.” The fact that Fair Hill is a public park also helps, Geiersbach points out, because it allows non-equestrian visitors to encounter horses and horse sports, too.
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PHOTO: KEITH MOUNTAIN/ELCR
“The landscape is changing, and we’re afraid that it’s going to impact our industry because young people won’t be exposed to horses anymore,” says ELCR executive director Holley Groshek.
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Equestrian venues like Great Meadow in Virginia (shown) are building close partnerships and community ties to keep land and facilities open for a variety of horse sports.
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now close to Tulsa’s city center, thanks to urban expansion over the last several decades. Its urban location has helped make local businesses, eateries, and gas stations well aware of horses’ positive economic impact. But that awareness is about more than location. It’s also the product of a close three-way partnership between the Arabian Horse Association, Tulsa Expo Square, and the Tulsa Convention and Visitors Bureau. That relationship—and the city’s awareness of the horses’ importance to their economy—contributed to $30 million in improvements to several local fairgrounds, including Tulsa Expo Square’s horse show facilities and barns, as part of a larger tax renewal package. “We partner all the time,” says Ray Hoyt, the Tulsa Convention and Visitors Bureau president. “Equine and agri-business are such large industries here in Oklahoma that equestrian events are a perfect fit.” The U.S. Nationals are one of Tulsa’s largest events of the year, with an estimated $26 million to $30 million total impact on Tulsa’s economy, Hoyt said. “These people are renting homes, they’re staying in hotels, and they bring handlers and staff,” Hoyt said. “The owners are entertaining buyers and potential clients in our restaurants. Several veterinarians come and set up shop, everyone is driving large vehicles that pull trailers and need fuel, and a lot of other people fly in, which
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During the lead up to the tax renewal vote, “we asked folks from the Arabian Horse Association to come and talk about the importance of Tulsa’s venues,” said Hoyt, who noted that the AHA also has hosted show-related tours and behind-thescenes experiences for civic and business leaders. “All of that helped us create civic pride about how Tulsa Expo Square is a benefit to the citizens and how those imported tax dollars support our police, our firefighters, and our community prosperity. If the equine folks hadn’t helped us educate the community, then when it came time for the vote, that would have been a hard sell.”
Diversity and Community Relations Great Meadow near The Plains, Va., is located in the rapidly developing areas around Washington, D.C. But the 500-acre venue remains one of the country’s major sites for three-day eventing (Great Meadow is home to the Great Meadow International and hosted the only FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing series competition outside of Europe for the second time this year). And despite its proximity to Northern Virginia’s urban sprawl, Great Meadow also has gained some advantages from its location. The area is rich in both American history and foxhunting, both of which have helped protect Great Meadow and its environs from builders, says Great Meadow’s executive director Teresa Condon, a three-day eventer herself. “Fortunately, Great Meadow is located in an area so steeped in foxhunting,” Condon explained. “We have 11 or so hunt clubs just around us that all have their own territories, and people keep their farms preserved in conservation to allow foxhunts to go through it. The Civil War was fought here, so this is about historic preservation, too. It’s very unique in this area, with Civil War history, foxhunting history, wineries, and more. “Urban sprawl is coming,” she added. “We’re in Fauquier County, which is a little more rigid in their development and zoning laws, but Northern Virginia is growing at a rapid pace. If we let it continue, we won’t see any green, open space.”
PHOTO: COURTESY OF GREAT MEADOW
means they’re using our air transportation services. A lot of them are here 14 or 15 days, so the depth of the community engagement they have is pretty extreme.” The Tulsa example shows the blue-sky potential when horse groups and communities understand the benefits each brings to the table and then work together to achieve more. Among the take-home strategies for horse groups:
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The Great Meadow Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of open space for community use, has been key to the venue’s success, starting with land acquisition that dates back at least as far as Great Meadow founder Arthur W. “Nick” Arundel. He bought the first parcel of what would become Great Meadow—a bankrupt dairy farm called Fleming Farm—in 1982, saving it from development. Arundel’s immediate concern was to find a permanent home for the Virginia Gold Cup steeplechase race, but his long-term vision, as described on the Great Meadow Foundation’s website, was “a multi-purpose park dedicated to the preservation of open space and the potential to show others why that was so important. … He saw a calendar full of events for all who embrace the great outdoors.” Thanks to the Great Meadow Foundation, more valuable land is now in preservation. “We’ve acquired more land just in the last couple of years through an incredible group of donors who are huge supporters of eventing and of preserving open space in Virginia,” Condon said. Great Meadow has taken the “community” part of Arundel’s vision seriously, and diversifying its event list also has helped it thrive at a time when other area properties have gone under pavement. Great Meadow holds the Virginia Gold Cup, as well as Twilight Jumpers and polo (including the Polo Classic, which benefits the nearby National Sporting Museum & Library) from late spring until early fall, but it also hosts the Virginia Scottish Games, an Independence Celebration, and film viewings. “We want everyone to have an incredible time in a beautiful facility,” Condon said. That has helped foster good community relations and garner support for Great Meadow—and, along with conservation, that community support is crucial to any venue’s long-term success. “It’s all been put in conservation,” Condon said of Great Meadow. “So this property will certainly last far beyond my lifetime, which is inspiring. It will stand the way it is for lifetimes. My grandchildren will be able to come here and watch horses compete at the high-performance level over a beautiful open space preserved just for this use.”
Seven Ways to Prepare Holley Groshek of the Equine Land Conservation Resource advises local equestrians to start planning early for potential land access challenges. Here are some steps to take to get the ball rolling in your area. Form a unified advocacy group. Horse sports are highly segmented by breed, by discipline, and by whether their participants compete or simply ride for pleasure. Having an umbrella organization representing all equestrian users in a land-access issue adds power to the effort. Stay informed. Be aware of land coming up for sale, proposed zoning law changes, changes to public land policy, and other things that might impact land or facility availability. Learn from others. The ELCR has numerous resources at its website, elcr.org, and also offers in-person guidance and consultations. They also can help you network with specialists and about 700 local groups nationwide involved in equine advocacy and conservation. Involve local businesses connected to horse sports. Tack shops, hay producers, farriers, veterinarians, and businesses like gas stations near equestrian facilities can all be strong allies. Back pro-equestrian candidates. “If you don’t have people on your city council or in your planning and zoning commission who understand the value of land for horse sports, you won’t stand a chance,” said Groshek. Don’t forget your history. Historic sites and longstanding competitions like USEF Heritage Competitions might partner with land trusts or historical societies or seek a special designation that can offer protection from development. Community outreach is key. “This is huge,” said Groshek. “We have a section of our website dedicated to benefits horses bring to communities with educational information and tools you can use to help non-horse people understand the value of equestrian sports. A lot of people don’t understand the impact horses have on a community—not just economic, but even the environmental benefit for open land for horses. It often raises property values and quality of life.”
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A selection of shoes at Fraley Equine Podiatry at the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky. Horses’ hooves evolve, “so as a practitioner you have to keep evolving, as well,” said one equine podiatrist. 76 WINTER ISSUE 2017
Shoes for the
Equine Athlete Farriers have more options than ever today, from glue-on shoes to impression material to diagnostic imaging. That’s helping them fine-tune what each horse or pony needs for its particular discipline.
PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE
BY SARAH E. COLEMAN
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Glue-on shoes, like this one by Easyboot, are becoming more popular for horses in a variety of sports, says equine podiatrist Dr. Bryan Fraley.
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Fewer Nails, More Glue-Ons Dr. Bryan Fraley is the owner of Fraley Equine Podiatry, an affiliate of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky. Fraley cares for many breeds and disciplines in his practice, and he shoes many sport horses who compete at the Kentucky Horse Park and nationwide. Fraley has noted a rise in shoes that don’t require nails in the last few years. In the past, these glue-on shoes were reserved for horses that were not competing, for endurance horses, and for horses that had bad feet--but no more. Fraley notes that many riders and farriers are finding that their sport horses are going well in shoes that don’t require nailing through the hoof wall. Direct glue-on shoes are the more traditional of the no-nail shoes. Made of aluminum or Polyflex®, they are glued directly to the horse’s hoof wall. Easyboot Glue-On shoes are becoming a popular option, as well, and one Fraley particularly likes; these shoes are glued onto the inner cuff of the hoof and can be seen over the bottom rim of the hoof wall when the horse is standing. A benefit to these shoes is that the entire bottom of the shoe is solid, supporting the frog. “A lot of these [competition] horses have been looking for frog support,” Fraley explained . In horses, the frog acts as both a shock absorber and as a pump that helps push the blood back up the leg every time a horse takes a step. If the horse has frogs that are unhealthy and constricted, he will not be comfortable, nor will his circulatory system be functioning at peak performance. Occasionally, adding frog support, whether through a therapeutic shoe or the addition of some cushioning material, can keep the proper amount of pressure on a horse’s frogs so that less force is placed on the structures of the leg. While many riders associate Easyboots with the endurance discipline, Fraley reminds riders that if the boot can hold up to a 100-mile ride, it definitely can hold up to riding in a show arena. Fraley places a polyester felt pad in the bottom of the shoe, touching the sole, to wick moisture away from the sole while the horse is wearing the shoe. This prevents thrush and footing buildup between the shoe and the sole. This shoe is a great alternative for horses that live outside 24/7, as well. But Fraley notes that while the shoe is easy to apply, the trimming of the hoof is the most important part. No shoes will compensate for a poor trim job, which can hinder a horse’s comfort and way of going, potentially making him uncomfortable or even lame.
PHOTOS: TAYLOR PENCE (LEFT), ©ESI PHOTOGRAPHY (RIGHT)
Much has changed in the world over the last decade, and the horse show world is not immune to the changing tides. Many changes have brought wonderful outcomes in the form of additional comfort to riders (think sport-material show shirts and zippers in boots) and advances in equine medical and pharmaceutical technology, including higher-resolution imaging and new drugs to alleviate equine ailments and issues. Changes in shoeing and caring for the athletic horse are no different: the past 10 years have shown advances in the foot and limb care of almost every breed and discipline US Equestrian recognizes. Here are just a few ways farriers and podiatrists are working to keep sport horses sounder, longer.
Dressage horses often tend to be larger horses who need larger shoes and more support, says equine podiatrist Dr. Raul Bras.
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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF AMHA (LEFT), COURTESY OF DR. BRYAN FRALEY (RIGHT)
The horse’s discipline, conformation, general hoof condition, and competition schedule can all factor in to decisions about his shoeing.
Conformation and Imaging Dr. Raul Bras, a podiatrist with Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, is keenly aware of the wear and tear of show horse life. His goal in shoeing these athletes is injury-prevention. Bras notes that there are variables that all podiatrists and farriers must keep in mind: the type of rider, the discipline the horse participates in, the type of show schedule, and the footing where the horse will be asked to perform. All of these factors added together, along with the animal’s conformation, will help determine whether a horse may be prone to certain injuries. When it comes to shoeing, sport-horse farriers are still somewhat limited as to what shoes are traditionally used in that discipline (for example, dressage horses use wider-web shoes—shoes that are wider on their branches—while hunter horses tend to be shown in aluminum shoes). Dressage horses often tend to be larger horses and therefore need larger shoes and more support. Taking into account a horse’s conformation is key to keeping a horse sound, Bras notes. “With sport horses, you can’t always fix them— you try to maintain them,” he explained. Every horse is an individual and should be treated as such, said Bras. He first watches a horse standing in a static position, then fits in the pieces of the animal’s discipline, rider, and schedule. He also takes note of the season: “Horses’ [feet] in winter are not the same as in summer,” he said. “The feet are constantly evolving, so as a practitioner you have to keep evolving, as well. If the feet change, you have to change the shoes and stay ahead of the game.” Bras, like Fraley, agrees that glue-on shoes are now showing up more in the sport horse world instead of being relegated to therapeuticonly use. What he feels has changed the game are the advances in diagnostics. The ability to see hoof structures and soft tissue has allowed farriers a better understanding of how the foot and limbs function—and how farriery affects these structures and movement. And the importance of balancing the foot—not the horse—is beginning to take hold, says Bras. “Your goal is to be able to … assess the horse and try to facilitate the horse based on how he is built,” he explained. “What looks out of balance as a whole may be in balance for him. There is not a perfectly straight horse.”
Left: The ability to see inside the hoof capsule—as in this radiograph of a horse wearing a glue-on shoe—helps farriers assess hoof function, limb structure, and how farriery affects those. Below: Impression material is a useful shoeing tool that can help increase horses’ comfort.
Support from Hoof Capsule to Sole Dave Scheffel of Paris, Ky., has been shoeing Arabians, Morgans, American Saddlebreds, and Hackney ponies for 27 years, in addition to hunters, jumpers, and Western horses. Gaited horses are shod differently than the hunters he works on. While hunters are flat-kneed and “daisy cutters,” gaited horses are bred to have more action up front. The shoeing techniques Scheffel uses accentuate how the horses naturally move; they do not make it a burden for the horse to move. Most horseshoes used on American Saddlebreds weigh between 12 and 24 ounces, depending on the size, way of going, and maturity of the horse. This is a comparative weight to a man’s paddock boot and less weight than many tall boots worn by jumper and dressage riders. In no way should the horse’s shoe weight be a burden to the horse, for a “labored way of going” is penalized under United States Equestrian Federation rules. In shoeing gaited horses, Scheffel notes, farriers add height as well as length and leave as much natural foot length as they can (five inches is not unheard of). The metal bands that are used to keep the pads in place on many gaited show horses actually keep the strain off the hoof; used on shelly or fragile feet, they take the stress off the nails at breakover , the point at which the horse’s heel lifts off the ground and rolls over the toe as his foot leaves the ground. Scheffel noted that, in recent years, adding support to the shoe (in the form of bands as well as
length of hoof) has become increasingly important as show schedules have become longer; some horses now show 10 months a year instead of the four or six months of previous decades. The use of impression material also has increased, as it has been found to increase comfort, and gaited horse farriers are using more impression materials that are also used in sport horse disciplines. The impression material is used in the place of pine tar or oakum under the shoe, and it helps keep the foot expanded even when the weather gets hot and dry, when most hooves tend to contract. The impression material is redone every time the horse has his feet trimmed; it makes an exact match to the bottom of his hooves, ensuring a good fit and added support. USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 81
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A balanced hoof/pastern axis helps reining horses slide well but also control their hind ends better during circles and lead changes, as performed here by Casey Deary and Reeboks Run.
PHOTO: WALTENBERRY
Shoeing for Soundness and Performance Rob Spencer of Equine Podiatry Services in Versailles, Ky., has been shoeing horses for 30 years and is now beginning to see a change in how reining horses are shod. Reining has seen a true paradigm shift in shoeing recently, Spencer says, all focused on keeping competition horses sounder, longer. In the past, horses were shod long and low, with the thought process that a horse that had a long toe and underslung heel would slide farther, explained Spencer and Bobby Menker of Bobby Menker Horse Shoeing in Lexington, Ky. Now, however, the focus is more on having horses slide on the center of their foot. To accomplish this, Spencer focuses on the hoof/pastern axis, which, when in balance, prevents extra strain to the hocks and suspensory ligaments. “We get them to slide just as far, but with minimal strain on structures,” Spencer said. “They [horses] can still stop well, but they can control their hind end better in their circles and lead changes,” added Menker. “If the horses were too long in the toe, they had a tendency to slip a lead [cross-cantering] behind in their large, fast circle.” Spencer was fortunate to radiograph every foot he shod for almost a decade. From that, he gained a detailed understanding of the soft tissue structures and the mechanics of horses’ feet. That has informed his shoeing techniques. Through his more detailed understanding of limb structures and function, on horses with toe-out conformation behind, Spencer began rotating the reining plates to face forward as much as possible. This small adjustment allows the horse to slide with his feet straight forward in a track in line with his body, instead of having his legs spread while in a slide, which eventually would cause them to jump up out of the dirt. This keeps the reiners’ hind feet on the ground longer and reduces the strain on the hind end, Spencer says. Advances in shoeing—like those in medicine, apparel, ring surfaces, and many other aspects of equine competition and ownership—have improved rapidly in recent years, with many more changes on the horizon. One of the keys to a sound, healthy equine partner is not only to find a quality farrier, but to use one who is up-to-date on the many new techniques and products that are continually adding science—and more options—to the farrier’s art.
Background by Pieter Estersohn from his book, Kentucky: Historic Houses and Horse Farms. Summer 2014 issue. TH E PR E MIE R MAGA Z IN E
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Hearing Committee Rulings and Administrative Penalties OFFICIAL NOTICES
Contributed by the Regulation Department unless otherwise indicated. The following official notices are only intended to give penalty information for a given case and not to disclose the factual basis for each violation or penalty. The Hearing Committee decides each case based on the evidence presented at the hearing and takes into account many factors that may raise or lower a given penalty. For example, the Hearing Committee takes into account such things as whether the violation was intentional or unintentional, the nature of the violation, the credibility of witnesses, penalties in similar cases, past violations of Federation rules by a respondent, and many other mitigating factors. US Equestrian members can access and search the United States Equestrian Federation Suspension List online at USequestrian.org. Hover over the Compete tab on the homepage. In the menu that appears, click Suspension List under Rules & Regulations. To read complete Hearing Committee and Administrative Penalty rulings online, hover over the Compete tab; under Rules & Regulations, click Rulings & Findings. Hearing Committee rulings and Administrative Penalty rulings also are searchable by name. For information on US Equestrian’s Equine Drugs & Medications Program, best practices, and how to avoid drug violations, visit our online Learning Center.
HEARING COMMITTEE RULINGS Below are the official rulings reached by the Hearing Committee following hearings held in these matters and/or plea agreements made. This is official notice of actions taken by the United States Equestrian Federation, Inc., Hearing Committee on April 19, 2017. CHRIS and DAKOTA REIS E R , o f S i m p s o n v i l l e , K y. , violated Chapter 13, GR1306.4f, GR1306.4g, and GR1307.6, of this Federation, in that in connection with the Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show held on August 20-27, 2016, Chris Reiser allowed his son, Dakota Reiser, to compete in class 115 (Amateur Gentlemen’s 3-Gaited) on the horse ON HIGHER GROUND, for which Chris Reiser receives remuneration for training. Before reaching their decision, the Hearing Committee noted the proof in this case demonstrated that DAKOTA REISER exhibited the horse ON HIGHER GROUND in an Amateur Gentlemen’s 3-Gaited class when his father, CHRIS REISER, received remuneration as trainer from the owner of the horse. The respondents did not contest that Federation rules were violated, and they acknowledged that Chris Reiser received remuneration for training the horse. Based on the evidence in the record and live testimony presented at the hearing, the Hearing Committee ruled unanimously that 92 WINTER ISSUE 2017
the following penalties were appropriate for the violations. Fo r h i s v i o l a t i o n o f t h e rules, the Hearing Committee members present directed that pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1b and GR703.1f, CHRIS REISER be found not in good standing, suspended from membership, and forbidden from the privilege of taking any part whatsoever in any Licensed Competition for one month, and is excluded from all competition grounds during Licensed Competitions for that period: (1) as an exhibitor, participant, or spectator; (2) from participating in all Federation affairs and activities; (3) from holding or exercising office in the Federation or in any Licensed Competition; and (4) from attending, observing or participating in any event, forum, meeting, program, clinic, task force, or committee of the Federation, sponsored by or conducted by the Federation, or held in connection with the Federation and any of its activities. The one-month suspension shall commence on August 1, 2018, and terminate at midnight on August 31, 2018. Any horse or horses, completely or in part owned, leased, or of any partnership, corporation, or stable of his, or shown in his name or for his reputation (whether such interest was held at the time of the alleged violation or acquired thereafter), shall also be suspended pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1c, for the same time period. The Hearing Committee further directed that CHRIS REISER be fined $500 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j.
For his violation of the rules, the Hearing Committee members present directed that DAKOTA REISER be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a, and that he must return for redistribution all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won by ON HIGHER GROUND in the aforementioned class, and must pay a $300 fee to the competition in connection with this penalty pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g. T h e H ea r i n g Co m m i t te e further directed that DAKOTA REISER shall forfeit his amateur status for the period of one year from the date of the violation, after which time he may reapply for amateur reclassification, assuming that he becomes qualified under Chapter 13, GR1306. ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTIES This is official notice of the imposition of Administrative Penalties pursuant to Chapter 4, GR412, and/or Chapter 6, GR616, offered by the Federation and accepted by the following parties, and approved by the Hearing Committee in lieu of hearings: TAYLOR BROOKS of Vars, ON, CANADA violated Chapter 4, GR410, of this Federation, in connection with WEF 1 Horse Show held on January 11-15, 2017, in that she, as trainer, exhibited the horse DEBONAIR after it had been administered and/or contained in its body flunixin in a plasma concentration exceeding the maximum permitted level. For this violation it was d e t e r m i n e d t h a t TAY L O R
BROOKS be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a, and fined $1,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. This fine was enhanced due to the level of flunixin detected. It was further directed that for this violation of the rules, all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won by DEBONAIR at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g. YVONNE BRYAN of Jacksonville, Fla., violated Chapter 4, GR410-411, of this Federation, in connection with the WEF 2 Horse Show held on January 18-22, 2017, in that she, as trainer, exhibited the horse WICKLYN’S SEA PEARL after it had been administered and/ or contained in its body prednisolone and prednisone. The facts and mitigating factors in this case supported the following penalty, even though it is below the suggested range for Category II Violations outlined in the Drugs and Medications Penalty Guidelines. For this violation it was d e t e r m i n e d t h a t Y VO N N E BRYAN be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a, and fined $750 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. It was further directed that for this violation of the rules, all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won by WICKLYN’S SEA PEARL at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g. MONICA HUNT of Haverhill, Mass., violated Chapter 4, GR410-411, of this Federation,
in connection with the Ocala Winter Celebration Horse Show held on March 14-19, 2017, in that she, as trainer, exhibited the horse CUBA after it had been administered and/or contained in its body hydroxyzine and cetirizine. The facts and mitigating factors in this case supported the following penalty, even though it is below the suggested range for Category II Violations outlined in the Drugs and Medications Penalty Guidelines. For this violation it was determined that MONICA HUNT be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a, and fined $1,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. It was further directed that for this violation of the rules, all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won by CUBA at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g. BRADLEY SPRAGG of Atlanta, Ga., violated Chapter 4, GR410, of this Federation, in connection with WEF 4 Horse Show held on February 1-5, 2017, in that he, as trainer, exhibited the horse, PERSPECTIVE, after it had been administered and/or contained in its body flunixin in a plasma concentration exceeding the maximum permitted level.
For this violation it was determined that BRADLEY SPRAGG be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a, and fined $750 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. It was further directed that for this violation of the rules, all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won by PERSPECTIVE at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g. TINA YATES of Wellington, Fla., violated JP119.1 of this Federation, in connection with the Showpark Ranch & Coast Classic Horse Show held May 9-14, 2017; the Tryon May 4 Horse Show held May 24-28, 2017; the Blenheim June Classic II Horse Show held June 14-18, 2017; and the Blenheim June Classic III Horse Show held June 22-26, 2017, in that she competed in the U25 Jumper Division; however, she was ineligible. For this violation, it was determined that TINA YATES be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a. It was further directed that TINA YATES must return for redistribution all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won in the U25 Jumper Division at said competitions and must pay a $300 fee to the competition in connection with this penalty pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g.
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