Iron Spring Farm’s legendary KWPN stallion Contango passed away unexpectedly on April 17, 2007. Retired from competition, the handsome dark bay stallion died peacefully in his pasture. He was 18 years old and the only Preferent stallion in North America. He leaves a lasting legacy of numerous sons and daughters reaching the grand prix ranks in both dressage and jumping. “Even though he was getting older, you’re never ready for something like this,” said Mary Alice Malone, who rode Contango to...

Alexandra Flynn and Kalu's Can't Stop the Magic (Howard Schatzberg) Lexington, KY—Alexandra Flynn, age 17, of Tampa, FL, riding Kalu’s Can’t Stop the Magic, was crowned champion of the 2006 USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final, held November 18, as part of the UPHA/American Royal National Championship Horse Show in Kansas City, MO. The USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final was determined through a two-phase competition that required both rail work and patterns. Twenty-eight riders competed in...

Horses Unlimited, one of the premier sport horse breeding establishments in the United States, hosted three inspections this fall for the Oldenburg Registry of North American/International Sport Horse Registry (OLD/ISR,) the Rheinland Pfalz Saar International (RPSI) and the American Hanoverian Society (AHS.) “We are very fortunate to be able to host these inspections,” said the CEO of Horses Unlimited, Anne Sparks Whitten. “The inspectors are always willing to share their knowledge and...

The American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) is pleased to announce that the famed Morgan horse Santa Fe Renegade (Gradell’s Vigilante X Sable N’ Mink) and his trainer, Eitan Beth-Halachmy, will be the main attraction during the closing ceremonies of the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, on September 3. Santa Fe Renegade is owned by Bernice Ericksmoen of Granite Bay, CA. The event-filled ceremony will take place before 50,000 spectators and be televised worldwide in more than 140...

Michael Desiderio from Chester, NJ, won the Arabian Horse Association (AHA) 2005 MD Barns High-Point Amateur Award by earning 594.5 points in the Amateur Achievement Awards program. The 15-year-old competed in both amateur and open classes, including working hunter, working hunter under saddle, hunter hack and hunter seat equitation not to jump and over obstacles. His younger brother, Anthony, was also among the Top Ten with 301 points. Desiderio earned 10 championships, two reserves and six...

Show jumping fans from around the world gathered for opening day of the final week of action at the 2006 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington and were greeted with beautiful sunny skies and mild temperatures. The CN Wellington Finale CSIO*****, the last week of show jumping before the festival moves on to Tampa for the final two weeks of competition, got underway on Wednesday at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club. Wednesday’s mid-morning featured event was the 1.45 m Time First Round...

The Mid-Atlantic Lipizzan Association (MALA), based in the mid-Atlantic region, named Holly Covey of Greenwood, DE, to the MALA 2005 Trainer Appreciation Award for 2005. Covey has handled both the champion and reserve champion Lipizzans at the 2005 Dressage at Devon breeding show, and also handled the champion Lipizzan at the 2005 Fair Hill DSHB Show. In addition, she helped coordinate Lipizzan horse entries, groom and assisted MALA members in the barn area at the shows. ~~~

Lexington, KY – Ashley Alden, 17, of Deer Park, Illinois, riding American Saddlebred LA Blues, was crowned champion of the 2005 USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final, held November 19, as part of the UPHA/American Royal National Championship Horse Show in Kansas City, Missouri. Judges for this year’s final included Sandy Sessink of Eugene Oregon, Brent Jacobs of Georgetown, Kentucky, and Lewis Eckard of Hildebran, North Carolina. Smith topped the class of 24 entries in the two-phase...

As the 2005 Samsung Super League series moves to Dublin, Ireland, next Friday the home side lie last on the leaderboard despite a gallant effort in Hickstead last week. The Dutch are only 0.5 points ahead of them while the Belgians have just a single-point advantage. So much could change after this sixth leg of the series, which is drawing to an exciting climax. Following last Friday''s bruising encounter at the British fixture, it is the Germans who hold pole position, and they are likely to...

Britain has been experiencing a heat wave in recent weeks, but the temperature is set to rise even further next week when the 2005 Samsung Super League series resumes at Hickstead on Friday, July 29. It's been a fascinating season so far, with the Americans dominating at the opening leg in La Baule and the British showing their class in Rome. The double Super League champions from France headed the line-up in St. Gallen, and then the Swiss swept to victory in Rotterdam before the series took a...