"Beautiful Music and Breathtaking Horses" take center stage in the The Symphony of Horses 2006. The Marion Therapeutic Riding Association (MTRA) is producing its third amazing evening of world-class horses and riders performing to the Central Florida Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Dr. Susan Robinson. The production of 2002 and 2004 thrilled sold-out crowds to the benefit of the non-profit therapeutic horseback riding program. The 2006 performance will be held Sunday evening, December 10,...

Mike Ferrara (Leslie Lurkin of Rochester, MN, after his win with Melissa LOA in the Half-Arabian Mare Breeding Saddle Pleasure AAOTH at the 40th Annual U.S. National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show. ) The 40th annual U.S. National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (U.S. Nationals) bid a final farewell to Louisville from October 12-21, 2006, at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, KY. It was the last time the show will be held in this particular venue....

The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is proud to announce the newest inductees to the USEA Eventing Hall of Fame. The official induction will take place during a gala dinner at the USEA Annual Meeting and Convention in St. Louis, MO, on December 8, 2006. The ceremony will honor eventing greats, both horse and human. The USEA is proud to include Edward “Denny” Emerson, Michael Page, Karen Stives and the horses Kilkenny and Biko into the Hall of Fame. Edward E. “Denny” Emerson is a...

Flat tires are the leading cause of disablements involving horse trailers. USRider is involved in a research project with Dr. Tomas Gimenez to test the benefits (if any) of using air vs. nitrogen to inflate tow vehicle and horse trailer tires. An electronic air pressure monitoring system is being used to assist with the research. During the research, Dr. Gimenez and USRider have noted significant safety benefits resulting from using this system. “At USRider, we are all about safety when it...

Endurance riders from around the country will face the test of time and terrain when they compete for national titles at the 2006 American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) National Championship in October. The championship, sponsored by Gulf Coast 4 Star Trailers, will be held October 20-22 in Fort Valley, VA, on the trails of the historic Old Dominion Endurance Ride. The Old Dominion, first held in 1973, is considered by many to be the most prestigious endurance competition in the eastern...

The finals for the Long Island Horse Show Series for Riders with Disabilities (LIHSSRD) will be held on Monday, August 28, of the Hampton Classic Horse Show. The LIHSSRD finals mark the first time in the horse show’s three-decade history that competition will be held on Monday. Admission will be free on this day when all of the shops in the Hampton Classic’s popular Boutique Garden and Stable Row will be open for business. The show series, created by HorseAbility, was founded to provide riders...

Humane Equine Aid and Rapid Transport, or HEART, debuted its new state-of-the-art equine ambulance earlier this month at the Devon Horse Show. “The new ambulance will help HEART deliver quicker and more effective care to any injured horses,” said Robin Sweely, President of HEART Equine Ambulance. “The type of care provided in an emergency can mean the difference between life and death for a beloved horse, and we hope that the new trailer will bring owners and riders some peace of mind that...

Waltenberry (Kelly Zweifel and Master Snapper) After turning in a spectacular performance that earned a masterful score of 232 (that’s an average of better than 77), Kelly Zweifel, Italy, won the Open, Intermediate Open and Limited Open divisions of the 2006 NRHA Derby on Master Snapper (Snapper Cal Bar) owned by Impresa Agricola Cuoghi. Zweifel is the first woman to win the Open Division of this prestigious event. And, while Master Snapper is not the first European-owned Derby Champion,...

Marc Manning (Darren Chiacchia and Windfall II) Call it a day! The dressage phase of the 2006 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Farnam ended with a second day of unprecedented beautiful weather and sun-kissed crowds who were witness to two days of the expert dressage tests. And with American riders siting in seven of the top 10 placings, it was a particular triumph for the U.S. eventing world. 2004 Modified CCI**** Rolex Kentucky Champion Darren Chiacchia and his black Trakehner...

To enhance the safety of horses and those who travel with horses, USRider has worked with Drs. Tomas and Rebecca Gimenez, experts in large animal emergency rescue, on a research project to gather and analyze data about horse trailer accidents. Conclusions and recommendations from this study will be released to the public soon. However, during the course of the study, USRider and Drs. Gimenez noticed a hazardous trend involving gooseneck horse trailers, of which they want to caution the public...