2004 Olympic Show Jumping Gold Medalists: McLain Ward, Beezie Madden, Chris Kappler and Peter Wylde. (Photo by Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com) Wellington, FL – It was a perfect star spangled afternoon in the Internationale Arena at the Palm Beach Polo and Equestrian Club as Silver turned to Gold when the 2004 Olympic Team Gold medals were awarded to the United States Show Jumping Team. The 2004 Athens Olympic team of Peter Wylde, residing in Maastricht, The Netherlands; McLain Ward of...

Aaron Vale and Serval, owned by The Serval Group, led the victory gallop in the $25,000 HITS Ocala Grand Prix on Sunday, January 29, posting the only double-clear round out of a class of 22 horse-and-rider combinations. Course Designer Jerry Dougherty set a first-round course that saw only four riders advance to the jump-off. Derek Petersen opened the jump-off with Heaven Bound, a 10-year-old former dressage horse he brought over from Germany in 2004. Had it not been for an unlucky rail at the...

Dr. Rebecca Gimenez and Dr. Tomas Gimenez are preparing a book on technical large animal ermergency rescue for Blackwell Publishing in Oxford that is scheduled for publication in 2007. This book will reflect the increasing demand for proper techniques and standardized procedures for use by veterinarians, horse owners and professional emergency responders on equine incident scenes, both in emergencies and disasters. Throughout the book, emphasis will be on understanding prey animal behavior and...

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Scott Hassler as the National Young Horse Dressage Coach, as part of the highly successful Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program. The establishment of this coaching position is an illustration of the Federation’s continuing initiatives to support and emphasize structured development of future FEI-level dressage horses and riders. Hassler is the Training Director at the...

Federico Sztyrle on Fatalis Fatum edged out Margie Engle by less than a half second to win the Palm Beach Toyota’s $25,000 Grand Prix at Littlewood on January 22, 2006. Engle came in second place riding Canaille and third riding Hidden Creek’s Charlie Brown. Fourth went to Andres Rodriguez on Indien D’ Adriers. The spectators enjoyed the complimentary buffet with wine and beer provided by Palm Beach Toyota. The crowd filled the tent with every table and chair occupied and spilled out...

Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ: CENT) announced that it has agreed to acquire the stock of Farnam Companies, Inc., for approximately $287 million, plus $4 million for the purchase of related real property. Based in Phoenix, AZ, Farnam is a leading manufacturer and marketer of innovative health care products primarily for horses, household pets and livestock sold through over-the-counter and veterinary channels. In addition to the internationally recognized Farnam umbrella brand, Farnam’s...

The 2005 USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage National Championships turned into a landmark for the ISR-Oldenburg Registry N.A. and its breeders. The prestigious FEI final of the five-year-old dressage horses was dominated by U.S.-bred and even more by ISR-Oldenburg N.A. horses. In the past, most of the horses which made it to the National Finals were imported. For the first time ever in 2005 the majority of the finalists were U.S.-bred horses (eight of 13). "I think I was more excited about the...

Stephen B. Macfarlane, 59, died following surgery in Louisville on January 11. Macfarlane had spent his lifetime as a multi-faceted horseman, winning championship titles in American Saddlebred, Roadster, Pony and coaching competitions. Macfarlane had just returned to Kentucky from his winter home in Ft. Meyers, FL. He had been taking blood-thinning medication for a diagnostic procedure scheduled later this week, when he suffered a head injury resulting in edema that could not be controlled...

PhelpsPhotos.com (Brentina and Debbie McDonald) (Cincinnati, Ohio)—Among the regalia of the United States Equestrian Federation’s (USEF) annual meeting and black tie gala, Dressage Champion Brentina was named the inaugural Farnam®/ Platform™ • USEF Horse of the Year, the first time one horse has been selected among all breeds and disciplines as the year’s most exceptional horse. Owned by Peggy Thomas of Hailey, Idaho, Brentina is one of the most successful horses in the history of U.S. Dressage...

Peter Wylde and the nine-year-old Holsteiner mare Quo Vadis, owned by Sagamore Farms, Inc., have recently been making their mark on the international show jumping stage. They finished second at the FEI World Cup Grand Prix at CSI-W Geneva in December, beating out Marcus Ehning of Germany, the current leader of the FEI Gandini World Rankings, and 2005 World Cup victor Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, also of Germany. “It was a huge thrill," said Wylde. "I am especially proud as I have had this horse...