Denise Wilson and Elenor (Photo by Flashpoint Photography ) The opening week of the 2010 Jacksonville Winter Series kicked off with a warm welcome to competitors, especially Denise Wilson of Dousman, WI, and her brilliant mare For Elenor who won Saturday evening’s Naders $10,000 Jumper Classic. Wilson and the nine-year-old flashy Hanoverian chestnut For Elenor are no strangers to winning, with more than a dozen top five placings in 2009, including the victory lap of the $20,000 Showplace...

The first Spalding Labs/United States Eventing Association (USEA) Young Event Horse (YEH) competition of the year is being held February 3 in sunny Ocala, FL. The competition will run in conjunction with the YEH judging seminar at the beautiful Longwood Farm. This is the first in a series of three YEH competitions offered this winter in Florida. The next venue will be Rocking Horse Stables on February 27 with the final series competition at the Florida Horse Park on March 9. The March...

The qualifying period for the biggest grand prix in America is about to get under way with the start of the three HITS Winter Circuits in Ocala, Thermal, and Arizona. This winter, HITS horse shows will offer 36 opportunities to qualify for the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix, which will take place on September 12 at HITS Saugerties. HITS Ocala Winter Circuit — January 20-March 21 East Coast riders will have their first chance to get in on the action at the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit in Ocala,...

Organizers of the Queen City Classic announced several big changes for the new season, beginning with the event’s move to the South Carolina Equine Park in the horse friendly town of Camden. The Queen City Classic will present the Camden Spring Fling April 7-11 at the newly renovated horse park. The grounds include two 250 x 150 outdoor arenas with new all-weather footing, one covered ring with a sand-clay mix footing and expanded schooling rings that measure 250 x 300, plus another schooling...

EVENT: The Ninth Annual Challenge of the Americas Competition and Gala WHAT: A Grand Prix international musical freestyle and team quadrille dressage challenge featuring a special polo sweepstakes and four-bar show jumping challenge. The Challenge Gala, an elegant evening of dinner and dancing, will get under way immediately following the "The Challenge of the Americas" competition. An awards presentation will be featured and guests will have the chance to meet and socialize with riders and...

Equine Affaire will return to the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, OH, April 8-11 and feature an extensive program of clinics by yet another power-packed lineup of the nation’s most-respected coaches, competitors, horse trainers, and equine management experts. Over the four days of the event, Equine Affaire’s legendary educational program will include more than 200 different clinics, seminars, and demonstrations on a broad range of equine disciplines and horse-related topics. While clinics...

Steve Davis of the University of Vermont Morgan Horse Farm recently was selected by his peers as the 2009 American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) Professional Horseman Award winner. This award, which began in 2008, is awarded yearly to a professional who supports and promotes the Morgan breed, and who volunteers to mentor personally through clinics, raising the standard of training and education. Most of all, through longevity and success, this person encompasses in every sense of the word,...

The schedule for the 2010 American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) Annual Convention, to take place in Lexington, KY, from February 17-20, is now available. There is something for everyone at this year's event, from a guide to Morgan judging, a historical look at the breed, safety inside the show ring, how to write equine contracts, the Annual Meeting of Members, and of course, the always popular Train the Trainer series, with a discussion on equitation, hunter pleasure, park, and more. To see...

The equine racing year has come to an end, and the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) is proud to recognize individuals who experience success racing their Breed of Choice...the Appaloosa! The association annually honors owners, breeders and trainers for their accomplishments with the fastest color breed on the tracks. Please join us in congratulating the following individuals who were honored in 2009: • Dr. John White of Fort Collins, CO, the leading owner based on the number of wins earned by...

"Why did gorgeous horses like those need new homes?" is a question frequently asked by disbelieving park visitors about the stunning black Arabian horses that recently arrived at the Kentucky Horse Park. An Arabian stallion and mare came to the park through a partnership with the Kentucky Equine Humane Center (KyEHC) and will soon go to work promoting the park's next international blockbuster exhibition, the $2.35 million "A Gift from the Desert: The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian...