What's Happenin'

Canopus Interagro, a striking buckskin stallion by Tufão Interagro, is one of the horses to be presented at the auction. He has been started under saddle and his outstanding temperament and color accent his 3 excellent gaits. (Photo courtesy of Tupa)

Itapira, Brazil (May 16, 2012) – Interagro Lusitanos of Brazil recently announced that their two annual auctions, The Lusitano Collection^® International Horse Auction and The Interagro Collection National Auction, will be combined this year to provide buyers a single destination to choose from weanlings and yearlings, young horses under saddle, and horses who are more advanced in their training. Coudelaria Rocas do Vouga, Interagro’s partner in past Lusitano Collection^® auctions, will be a special guest at the combined auction, and both farms will be offering a selection hand-picked Lusitanos.  The combined auctions will take place at Interagro Lusitanos in Brazil on August 25, 2012.

The 2012 Lusitano Collection^® International Horse Auction is comprised largely of young horses between four and six years old who have begun their training under saddle.  The Interagro Collection National Auction offers weanlings and yearlings, as well as a small group of young horses who have started their under saddle training.   One of the exciting features of the National Auction is the unique bidding experience where two weanlings are paired and bid on with a single bid.  The winning bidder then gets to select from the two, and the next highest bidder has the choice of the second horse or bidding on another lot.  Because both of these auctions were scheduled to be held just eight weeks apart, the decision was made to combine the events to make it easier for international buyers traveling to the auction from other countries. The combined format also offers local buyers a broader selection of horses.

Interagro Lusitanos of Brazil recently announced that their two annual auctions, The Lusitano Collection® International Horse Auction and The Interagro Collection National Auction, will be combined this year to provide buyers a single destination to choose from weanlings and yearlings, young horses under saddle, and horses who are more advanced in their training. (Photo courtesy of Tupa)

“Interagro is proud to host both auctions, and holding them simultaneously in Brazil will give all of our clients a chance to experience a different facet of Interagro,” said Cecilia Gonzaga, Managing Director of Interagro Lusitanos.  “Those who have attended our national auction will be able to view horses who are further along in their training, while guests who regularly attend the Lusitano Collection^® Auctions will experience a different bidding format and will be able to bid on yearlings as well as adult horses.  And any new clients will get an all encompassing taste of Interagro, from viewing the farm and the horses to experiencing both auctions at once!”

Both auctions feature horses that are evaluated from the time they are born until they are presented, and all of the horses who have started their training under saddle include full veterinary exams, are negative for piroplasmosis, and have clean x-rays.  Interagro also manages all of the paperwork and exportation procedures to ensure horses purchased at the auction reach their new homes quickly and efficiently.  Buyers coming from outside Brazil have an added incentive to bring home a Lusitano, as Interagro will reimburse their plane ticket up to $1,500 USD in the event that they purchase a horse during the auction.

The Interagro horse is a modern Lusitano, a horse that excels in the traditional equestrian disciplines, from dressage and driving to jumping and working equitation. Interagro horses can be seen driving, working, and training on the farm in Brazil everyday. Interagro is committed to preserving the pure bloodlines of the Lusitano breed, and Interagro bloodlines include some of the most respected bloodlines in the breed such as Farao (JHC), Nirvana Interagro, Ofensor (MV), Xique-Xique (CI) and Yacht (SA).

Gonzaga also shared that Interagro is gearing up for the 2013 Lusitano Collection^® International Horse Auction, where they plan to offer a selection of horses that have advanced in their training.  “Our clients have expressed interest in Lusitanos who have progressed further in their training,” said Gonzaga.  “This trend seems to be universal in the sport horse market, so were are preparing a selection of athletic horses with excellent temperaments who are farther along in their training and some who will have had show experience. We have started such a large number of young horses over the years, that our team has a good track record for advancing a horse’s training at just the right pace for that individual.  We will never rush a horse. In fact, some horses are inevitably held back from the auction each year to be offered at the next year’s auction when they are farther along in their training.  We are excited to bring these horses to auction, and we would like to thank our partner in the Lusitano Collection^® auctions, Coudelaria Rocas do Vouga, and all of our sponsors for their support, including Guabi Feed.”

To learn more about Interagro Lusitanos, and the horses in the auction or to obtain details about attending the August 25^th auction, visit their website at www.lusitano-interagro.com. To watch a video about Interagro Lusitanos on Youtube, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXEVa6t0m6E.

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About Interagro Lusitanos

Founded in 1975 by Dr. Paulo Gavião Gonzaga to preserve the Lusitano breed, Interagro Lusitanos is now recognized as the world’s largest breeder and exporter of Lusitano horses. Dr. Gonzaga started with a small band of four mares and one stallion imported to Brazil from the breed’s native Portugal; to date nearly 800 horses populate the 1200-acre ranch outside São Paulo. Today, Cecilia Gonzaga manages the farm and operations. Interagro Lusitanos are handled, prepared, and evaluated from birth, with a handful of the best stock presented at auction each year.

Pegasus Therapeutic Riding. 1- Georgina Bloomberg (center) with two of the Pegasus volunteers who staff The Rider's Closet: Judy Williams of Patterson, N.Y. (left), and Kim Dow of Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. (right). PHOTO CREDITS: © Christine Fitzgerald

Brewster, NY – May 16, 2012 - Nearly 70 guests enjoyed a premium view of the $25,000 New York Welcome Stake during a Grand Prix Luncheon hosted by Georgina Bloomberg and Pegasus Therapeutic Riding at Old Salem Farm on Friday, May 11.

Sponsored in part by Ariat, WAG magazine and Gentle Goodbye, the luncheon included a live-model fashion exhibition by J.McLaughlin, a viewing of the St. Petersburg Collection’s new Carousel Egg by Theo Fabergé, and artist Marcia Spivak’s elegant metal equine sculptures.

Bloomberg first partnered with Pegasus in 2010 via her charitable venture, The Rider’s Closet, which is managed by Pegasus staff and volunteers. Founded in 2006, Bloomberg’s program provides quality donated equestrian apparel to therapeutic riding programs, pony clubs, intercollegiate riding programs and riders who are in need. A PATH International Premier Accredited Center, Pegasus offers equine-assisted activities and therapies to people with special needs at five chapters in New York and Connecticut.

Proceeds from the Grand Prix Luncheon will benefit both The Rider’s Closet and Pegasus. In addition, Russ Oliveri of RVO Construction built and donated a custom-designed wooden display to showcase Rider’s Closet merchandise at horse shows and other events.

Further information about The Rider’s Closet and Pegasus is available at www.pegasustr.org .

Pegasus volunteers and staff model apparel by J.McLaughlin.PHOTO CREDITS: © Christine Fitzgerald

Wellington, FL – May 14, 2012 – The Shapiro-Pertnoy Companies is pleased to announce the launch of their newly revamped website. The site has been in the making for several months, and was designed by Rosston Meyer from Rosstamicah Design. The new layout incorporates several new features that will benefit potential and current clients including testimonials, a full photo gallery, easily accessible social media links and much more. To visit the new and improved site, please visit www.shapiropertnoy.com.

The website is easy to navigate, with a full toolbar extending down the left side with numerous tabs available to customers for perusal. There are now extended bios of each of the four principals: Steven Shapiro, Ronnie Pertnoy, Kevin Shapiro and Josh Pertnoy. This section allows the viewer to gain a more in depth look into each of the principals, as well as helping to dictate who is the best to contact for their specific needs.

With a wide array of photographs, the website is sure to feature designs that will resonate with both the residential and commercial client. The Shapiro-Pertnoy Team has tremendous pride in their reputation for crafting unique homes through thorough planning, unrivaled quality of construction, and meticulous detail. Since 1982, the Shapiro-Pertnoy Commercial Group has developed, owned and operated a myriad of retail plazas, office buildings, and industrial parks in Palm Beach County alone. As one of the first commercial builders in Wellington, FL, their business has only expanded over the last 30 years. Today the Shapiro-Pertnoy Companies have interest in dozens of companies including real estate development and construction, brokerage, building management and lending, and a handful of non-real-estate-related ventures. A list of past and current developments can be found on the new site to provide further insight into their commercial side.

To further the possibilities to provide a personal experience for clients, the Shapiro-Pertnoy Companies created an area on the website where they walk viewers through the building process. They also have added several tips for finding the right builder, and the keys to finding a builder that will continue to have a sustained relationship throughout the duration of construction and thereafter.

For those interested in viewing the philanthropic efforts of the Shapiro-Pertnoy Companies, videos and photographs are available from the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Shapiro-Pertnoy MLK Day of Service, held annually in West Palm Beach.

The new website also makes connecting with the social media tools very efficient and effective. With a simple click on the Facebook icon located on the bottom of the toolbar available on all pages of the site, customers can stay up to date with all of the Shapiro-Pertnoy Companies’ recent happenings. To see the improved Facebook page, please visit http://www.facebook.com/ShapiroPertnoyCompanies.

For more information regarding the Shapiro-Pertnoy Companies and their advertisements, magazine articles, awards and recognitions, and press releases, please visit their updated website at www.shapiropertnoy.com.

Principals of the Shapiro-Pertnoy Companies - Steven Shapiro, Kevin Shapiro, Josh Pertnoy and Ronnie Pertnoy.

For 34 years, the Shapiro-Pertnoy Companies have been the choice of discerning homebuyers throughout South Florida. From a spectacular 30,000 square foot residential compound in Jupiter, to the equestrian communities of Wellington, and from luxury lifestyles in the mountains of North Carolina to a new professional office complex in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, and the 25,000 square foot two-story commercial building in Boca Raton, FL, the Shapiro-Pertnoy Companies remain in the forefront of development in the upscale residential and commercial markets. For more information about the Shapiro-Pertnoy Companies, please visit www.shapiropertnoy.com

"Nice Stephanie, pictured with Courtney Vince of Canada, was sold by Belgium's Ashford Farm and Jos Lansink Horses to Penelope Leprovost of France." Photo Credit -- www.1clicphoto.com

Lanse, Belgium — Enda Carroll and Courtney Vince of Ashford Farm, in partnership with Jos Lansink Horses, have sold the horse Nice Stephanie to Penelope Leprovost of France.

Ashford Farm, based in Lasne, Belgium, bought the eight-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare (Cardento x Ralme Z) in June of 2011 in partnership with  2006 World Champion Jos Lansink of Belgium. Purchased as a sales investment, Nice Stephanie competed under Vince of Milton, Ontario, Canada, before being sold to Leprovost in April of 2012.

“When we first tried ‘Stephanie’, she had all the qualities that we look for in a young horse; she was careful, scopey and had blood,” said Carroll, who has represented his native Ireland in Nations’ Cup competition as well as at the 2005 European Young Riders’ Show Jumping Championship.”We concentrate on buying the best young horse prospects and producing them, and I had wanted to invest in a horse with Jos not only because he is well-respected in the industry as a rider, but also as a dealer. ‘Stephanie’ presented us with the ideal opportunity.”

In 2011, Vince competed with Nice Stephanie in the young horse divisions, qualifying for the World Young Horse Breeding Championships held at Zangersheide in Lanaken, Belgium.Of the 206 horses competing in the Seven-Year-Old Division at the World Breeding Championships, Nice Stephanie was one of only 23 horses to jump clear in both qualifying rounds.

This winter, Vince moved Nice Stephanie up to the 1.45m international division, competing in their first CSI2* Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain. Following that event, the horse was sold for Leprovost to ride.Ranked 16th in the world as of May 1, Leprovost is a regular competitor on the international show jumping stage representing her native France.Leprovost and Nice Stephanie made their debut together at CSI4* Antwerp, Belgium, held April 26-29, where the mare competed in her first 1.50m competition.

“I am thrilled that ‘Stephanie’ was sold to Penelope; I have so much respect and admiration for her,” said Vince, who has been based at Ashford Farm since 2010.”‘Stephanie’ is a very special horse.She has so much scope, she is so careful, she has an unbelievable mind, and she truly has a heart of gold. She is incredibly sweet and easy to work with. We will miss having her in the barn and hearing her nicker, both to us and to her stable mates.”

In addition to Nice Stephanie, Ashford Farm has sold several top horses over the past few years.Wilton Porter has experienced great success riding Patriot (formerly named Calvin K), owned by the Porter family and Sleepy P Ranch, while Cara Raether of Trelawny Farm, the Harrison family of Double H Farm, and Ali Wolff through her trainer, Michelle Grubb, have all recently purchased horses from Ashford Farm. Two-time Canadian Show Jumping Champion Ainsley Vince has also purchased several horses through Ashford Farm including Utopie des Hautes and the promising new eight-year-old mare, Darling.

A full-service training center, Ashford Farm specializes in organizing a complete European horse show package for North American customers. Customized to suit each individual’s preferences, services offered range from flight arrangements, horse import paperwork, airport and competition transport, all horse show arrangements and entries, board with full use of facilities, training, accommodations, truck and mobile home rental, and experienced grooms.

For more information, please contact Enda Carroll at +32 474 083 498 or Courtney Vince at +32 474 081 437, e-mail info@ashfordfarm.net mailto: info@ashfordfarm.net, or visit www.ashfordfarm.net

"Webster" photo by Debbie Garside‘

‘It is 4:30am on the third day of this, my second expedition to Sable Island. Even though I lay in bed in the relative comfort of my second story room at the coast guard station, I have taken to wearing long johns under my pajamas with a down sweater on top. A powerful “nor’easter” blew in last night and the moderately well-built sleeping quarters are no match for it. The doors rattle and no matter how high I push the thermostat, the north side of the house is cold. I can hear a thumping noise downstairs, and yesterday’s talk of the ghosts of thousands of shipwrecked sailors comes to mind, but I dismiss it. The banging persists, so I unzip my sleeping bag and go downstairs where I find the back door wide open and swinging wildly. It takes both hands for me to close it. As I look outside the first crack of light can be seen in the east, but mainly the sky is covered in heavy dark clouds that are moving fast across it…’

Through the camera lens and personal journals of renowned wildlife photographer Debbie Garside, we are given a rare insight to the lives of over 350 wild horses, one of the few herds which are unmanaged and not subject to any interference of any kind.

"The Band" photo by Debbie Garside

Sable (French for sand) Island is 100 miles off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. Barren, entirely comprised of sand, small pools of water and grassy meadows, with no trees to protect the horses from the often cruel weather, the island is best known as the “Graveyard of the Atlantic”, with over 200 documented cases of ships that have run aground on the surrounding shoals.  The island, which is fog-enshrouded a third of the year, is in the path of most storms in the Atlantic that track up the North American coast. In fact, after 1991’s Perfect Storm, the emergency radio beacon, fuel tank and an empty life raft from the doomed fishing vessel Andrea Gail washed up on its shore.

Originally, it was thought that the horses were survivors from these shipwrecks, but it was Thomas Hancock, a Boston merchant, who actually shipped 60 horses to Sable in 1760 in an effort to “establish ownership” of  the island

"Flirt" photo by Debbie Garside

‘a great deal has been written about the horse’s heritage, genetic origins, and breed, but by my own observations, a wide range of types exist here, some with the dished faces common in the Arabian breed, others with regal ‘roman’ or convex profiles suggestive of old European bloodstock, still others with the bone and fine build associated with the North American Thoroughbred. On average their sizes range from 13.2 to 15.2 hands and vary in colour from light chestnut with dark flaxen mane and tail, browns and blacks. No grays or horses of colour are here as they were at one time considered ‘inferior’ and culled out by settlers. History shows that ‘improvement’ sires which included Drafts, thoroughbred and Warmbloods, were brought to the island in the 1900’s…’

The horses had been protected under the Sable Island Regulations of the Canada Shipping Act.

However, last year the Island has become a National Park and will receive a higher level of protection from the control of Parks Canada

The Canadian Coast Guard Station, meteorologist and a few personnel are the only human inhabitants on the island.

For more information on SableIslandand Debbie Garside, visit True North Fine Images http://www.truenorthfineimages.com/galleries.html

Brad Turley & Pati Martin celebrate the 2nd annual So8ths/Nikon Three-Day Event in the Heart of the Carolinas

The second annual So8ths/Nikon Three-Day Event in the Heart of the Carolinas took place May 3-6 at Southern 8ths Farm in Chesterfield, SC.  Riders, grooms, officials, spectators and guests were clearly impressed by the facilities, the show grounds, the social functions and the quality of clinicians who came to educate participants about the finer points of Long Format competition.

Bonnie Mosser aboard Isbond won the Training division

The event drew 38 competitors from beginner to Olympic level, with the more experienced riders using the weekend to give their lower-level horses mileage.  International four-star competitor Bonnie Mosser of Davidson, NC, who has competed numerous times at the prestigious Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, won the Training division aboard Isbond with 31.60 penalty points.  Risa Moon of Gray, ME, was second on Lily B (37.10), and British rider Lindsay Staiano Williams of Marshville, NC, finished third with Triumph II (39.20).  Risa and her husband, Richard Moon, shared the Best Turnout Award for the Training division

Elliott Blackmon won the Novice division riding Tully Cross Prescott

Elliott Blackmon of Wayne, IL, won the Novice division on Tully Cross Prescott with a score of 26.10, electing to miss her college graduation ceremony in order to compete at the event.  D.C. McBroom of Floyd, VA, placed second on Twain (33.20), followed by Kindell Billingsley of Wesley Chapel, NC, on Keeneland in third (36.10).  D.C. also won the Adult Amateur Low Score award and Best Turnout for Novice division.

Trae Meder & Direct Flight took the Beginner Novice division

The three top finishers in the Beginner Novice division maintained their dressage scores throughout with clean rides in the endurance and stadium jumping phases.  Trae Meder of Danville, VA, won on Direct Flight with 30.70 penalty points, followed by Sarah Zimmer of Martinsville, VA, on Mardi Gras in second (32.60) and Jamie Miess of Indian Trail, NC, on In The Zone in third (32.80).

Southern 8ths was the first Long Format three-day event for Trae, who won the Best Turnout award for the Beginner Novice division.  “I loved competing here, especially being able to do Roads & Tracks and Steeplechase,” he said. “It went really well right from the start, and the clinicians were awesome.”

Bonnie Mosser, whose horse won the Best Conditioned award, concurred.  “The educational clinics made this a learning experience for riders at every level, but it was also a very competitive event from day one,” she said.  “It was well run, on time and a friendly and supportive atmosphere where you could learn what you need to do to get the job done.”

Instrumental in arranging the clinic program was Cindy Deporter of Oxford, NC, the Adult Rider Coordinator for the U.S. Eventing Association (the sport’s governing body).  The clinicians, all of whom donated their time, included an array of international Eventing stars: Will Faudree, a World Equestrian Games veteran who came to Southern 8ths directly from competing at Rolex Three-Day in Lexington, KY; Holly Hudspeth and Susan Beebee, who also made the trek from Rolex; Charlie Plumb, winner of Fair Hill and son of eight-time Olympian J. Michael Plumb; Tremaine Cooper, FEI “I” rated course designer, and Rebecca Howard of Canada, a Pan American Games team silver medalist, among others.

Rebecca, who has experienced other amateur-level Long Format three-day events, found the quality at Southern 8ths “really a notch above.”  She added, “It’s great that people can come to this event both to compete and learn.  It benefits everyone – the riders, the horses and the sport.”

Dr. Debbie Williamson, a world-renowned equine veterinarian who has officiated at the Olympics, was the FEI Chief Veterinarian for the event and also served as a clinician.  “Southern 8ths is a beautiful facility with some of the best Roads & Tracks you can find anywhere.  They go all out to make this a top event,” she said.  “This was a whole weekend of education, and the riders got individualized attention from some of the top riders in the world without having to pay anything in addition to their entry fee.  That is truly remarkable.”

Michael Lindsey of Chicago, who had horses entered in the Training and Beginner Novice divisions, expressed similar sentiments.  While he elected not to complete the event after determining that the condition of his mounts was “not optimum,” Michael said he found the clinics and time on the course invaluable.  “I got a lot from my time at Southern 8ths – education, experience and a reminder about how much work the Long Format is for everyone involved.”

No one worked harder toward that end than Southern 8ths Farm owner Brad Turley, who was seen doing everything from grooming the footing on Roads & Tracks to helping set fences on the show jumping course to hosting the evening social functions.  His hands-on work was undertaken in tandem with a team headed by Southern 8ths Farm Facility Manager Eric Dusa.

Brad lauded the USEA for its vision in sanctioning the event, a move that enabled competitors to earn national points for their performances over the weekend.  “A special thanks to the USEA and especially Jo Whitehouse and Brian Sabo, who helped us set a standard for the future of the Long Format at the lower levels,” he said.

Pati Martin of Southern 8ths, Brad’s life partner and cohost of the event, said her greatest joy was that all the horses and riders enjoyed a safe competition with no injuries.  She described the long weekend as “good weather, good fun, good friends.”

Robert Stevenson, an R-rated dressage and event judge who served as President of the Ground Jury , remarked on how well run the event was.  “I judge about six Long Format events every year, and this one was truly amazing in its quality and in how much fun the competitors were having,” he said.

Nikon Parade of Hats

A highlight of the Southern 8ths “fun factor” was the Nikon Parade of Hats, a contest that unfolded throughout the event.  In honor of the annual hat-fest at the Kentucky Derby, which took place the same weekend, Pati created a hat contest, with prizes provided by the equestrian event’s title sponsor, Nikon.  She provided all the ingredients, including basics hats and decorating materials, which were out on a table all week so competitors, grooms and event volunteers could work on their creations whenever time permitted.

Brad had two huge flat-screen TVs installed in the indoor arena, where the Saturday evening party was held, so guests could watch the running of the Kentucky Derby.  The Nikon Parade of Hats contest followed, accompanied by show tunes by a live band that stayed on throughout the party.  Contestants donned their creations and paraded, danced and sashayed past the reviewing judges.

The winners were:  Bonnie Mosser for most frightening; Dana Norquist for most beautiful and Chris Cox for most original.  Chris also won the overall event Sportsmanship award.  After driving all the way from Citra, Florida, she decided to voluntarily withdraw her horse before the competition started.  Nonetheless, Chris stayed throughout the entire event and helped other competitors.

Nikon provided the winners of each division with a D3100 Outfit with 18-55MM VR Lens, valued at $650! WOW! This is Elliot Blackmon with hers.

Nikon Fun Photo Contest

Nikon provided 24 Coolpix consignment cameras for participants to use in the Nikon Fun Photo Contest.  Riders, trainers, grooms and event volunteers created images in three categories:  funniest photo; best portrait or posed shot, and best candid.

Gigi Joseph of Mint Hill, NC, who competed in Beginner Novice, won the portrait category with a photo of her horse in the wash stall proudly displaying the word “Nikon” spelled across his side in soapsuds.

Donna Freyer won for funniest photo with her image of Robert Stevenson, chief of the ground jury, standing on his head in the indoor arena under a Nikon banner.

Training division winner Bonnie Mosser won the candid category for a series of photos that included:  a mounted portrait of two riders hacking off with the Nikon sign attached to their backs; a group shot of riders on the cross-country course positioning their bodies in the shape of letters to spell the word “Nikon,” and a photo of a four-foot long snake “running away” from a Nikon sign on a path on roads and tracks.

Nikon provided the winners of each division with a D3100 Outfit with 18-55MM VR Lens, valued at $650.  The company also gave laptop bags to the second- and third-place finishers in each division; the winners of the Nikon hat and photography contests, and the event Sportsmanship award winner.

Other sponsors included Breyer, who provided crystal horses for the winners of each division and model horses as other prizes throughout the weekend. Mane Street Horse and Pet donated a monogrammed cooler and goodie bucket for the Best Conditioned Horse.  Additional gifts came from Dover Saddlery, SmartPak, Cavalor and Trailers of the East.

Lexington,Kentucky– The SSG Riding Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion, offering $30,000 in bonus money, will be offered at the 2012 Kentucky Horse Shows held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.  Riders wearing SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves with the SSG horse head logo clearly visible during all rounds of competition in designated events are eligible for the bonus.

The first show to feature the SSG Riding Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ bonus promotion will be the Kentucky Spring Horse Show CSI3* scheduled for May 9-13, 2012.  The designated SSG Gloves classes will be Friday’s $50,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic, Sunday’s $10,000 Junior Jumper Classic, and Sunday’s $75,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix.  Both of the grand prix classes held during the Kentucky Spring Horse Show are part of the 2012 U.S. Show Jumping Team Observation Events.

The following week of competition, the Kentucky Spring Classic CSI2* from May 16-20, features the SSG ‘Go Clean for the Green’ bonus promotion for Thursday’s $32,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic, Saturday’s $75,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix sponsored by Audi of Lexington, and Sunday’s $10,000 Junior Jumper Classic.

“The SSG ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion has become very popular in Wellington over the past two seasons, and we are looking forward to expanding the program to Kentucky,” said Ed James, President of SSG Gloves.  “With six weeks of top competition in Kentucky, which allows any bonus money not awarded to carry forward to the next show, we hope to build the same level of momentum and popularity that we have experienced in Florida.”

The following classes are included in the SSG Riding Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ bonus promotion:

Kentucky Spring Horse Show CSI3* – May 9-13, 2012

Friday, May 11 – $50,000 HagyardLexingtonClassic

Sunday, May 13 – $75,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix

Sunday, May 13 – $10,000 Junior Jumper Classic

Kentucky Spring Classic CSI2* – May 16-20

Thursday, May 17 – $32,000 HagyardLexingtonClassic

Saturday, May 19 – $75,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix

Sunday, May 20 – $10,000 Junior Jumper Classic

Summer Horse Show – July 25-29

Thursday, July 26 – $25,000 HagyardLexingtonClassic

Saturday, July 28 – $50,000KentuckySummer Grand Prix

Sunday, July 29 – Junior Jumper Classic

Summer Classic – August 1-5

Thursday, August 2 – $25,000 HagyardLexingtonClassic

Saturday, August 4 – $50,000 Rood & Riddle Grand Prix

Sunday, August 5 – Junior Jumper Classic

Kentucky Bluegrass Classic – August 15-19

Friday, August 17 – $25,000 HagyardLexingtonClassic

Sunday, August 19 – $50,000BluegrassFestival Grand Prix

Sunday, August 19 – Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic

Kentucky Hunter Jumper Horse Show – August 22-26

Friday, August 24 – $10,000 HagyardLexingtonClassic

Sunday, August 26 – $30,000 KHJA Grand Prix

Sunday, August 26 – Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic

In the designated grand prix events, a $2,000 bonus will be awarded to the winning rider if they are wearing SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves in all rounds of competition.  If the bonus is not awarded, it will carry forward to the next grand prix event, bringing the total bonus offered to $4,000, $6,000, etc.

In the designated junior and junior/amateur-owner events, a $1,000 bonus will be awarded to the winning rider if they are wearing SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves in all rounds of competition.  If the bonus is not awarded, it will carry forward to the next event in the series, bringing the total bonus offered to $2,000, $3,000, etc.

Bonus money won in the SSG Riding Gloves  ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion will be presented directly to the winning rider during the award presentations in front of the SSG Riding Gloves signature sponsor jump.

For more information on the SSG Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion, please visit www.ssgridinggloves.com or contact promotion manager, Jennifer Ward of Starting Gate Communications at contactus@startinggate.ca.

         DEVON, Pa.—The always exciting Open Jumping at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair will have an extra fillip of tension thrown in this year as 14 of the competitors who are long-listed for the show jumping team at the London Olympics will be competing in two of the Observation Events that will decide the eventual team.

         Devon, which runs May 24 to June 3, benefits Bryn Mawr Hospital, to which it has donated over $14 million during the 10 decades of their association.

         Among the 14 long-listed competitors are four Olympic or World Championships medal winners.

         Leading the list are McLain Ward of Brewster, N.Y., and Beezie Madden of Cazenovia, N.Y., both with two Olympic team gold medals and a World Championships team silver, and Laura Kraut of Wellington, Fla., with one Olympic team gold medal.

         Margie Engle, also of Wellington, has a World Championships team silver medal, and another of the long-listed riders, Mario Deslauriers of New York, N.Y., is an Olympic and World Championships veteran.

         In all, 31 riders have qualified to show at Devon, including Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, N.J., who has been Leading Open Jumper Rider at Devon for four of the past six years, always battling it out for that honor with Ward, who has won the Grand Prix  at Devon six times.

         This will be a particularly tension filled event for Ward, as he had to skip the selection trials in Wellington in March because he had fractured his kneecap when a horse fell with him in January at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington.

         He and Sapphire, his Olympic partner in the Athens Olympics and the Beijing Games held in Hong Kong, both have to demonstrate that they are both in good condition and will be able to compete at the top of their game.

         Ward is also bringing Antares, a horse he competed successfully on in a number of Nations Cup classes inEuropelast summer.

         Open Jumpers begin Tuesday evening, May 29, with the two Observation Events, the $100,000 Wells Fargo Grand Prix of Devon held at 8:00 p.m. Thursday and the $50,000 Idle Dice Stakes at 4:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon, as the two highlights of the show.

         Junior Jumpers compete on Friday and Saturday, with last year’s Leading Junior Jumper Rider, Charlotte Jacobs, returning to defend her title.

         Pony Jumpers compete on Sunday, May 27, in the afternoon and evening, and Lucy Matz, daughter of Michael Matz, who trained Barbaro to win the Kentucky Derby and had Union Rags in the Derby this year, will compete on Wise Guy.

         Adult jumpers compete Sunday and Monday, and on Tuesday and Wednesday there are classes for five-, six-, seven- and eight-year-old Young Jumpers.

         The Country Fair offers boutiques and rides and delicious foods for every palate, plus there are contests for hats, dresses and dogs, plus special back barn tours, so there are special events for each member of the family.

         Boutiques offer a vast selection of goods from trendy clothes to men’s and women’s sports wear, often appliquéd with a horse or dog design, handbags, shoes, hats, belts, blankets, Alpaca coats and wraps, beautiful gold, silver and turquoise jewelry, fine paintings, prints and sculptures, antiques, designer eyewear, children’s clothes, toys and games, needlework, pottery, home décor, souvenirs and collectibles as well as, of course, tack shops.

         At the Country Fair, from the Ferris wheel high above the show grounds, to carousel horses and rides of all description to classic games of shoot the duck and throw the ball, there are rides and games for children of all ages.

         Hot dogs and hamburgers vie with pizza and soft drinks and ice cream, while in the Garden Cafe every afternoon and evening there’s a different selection of gourmet foods, including fine wines, that can be enjoyed in comfort in the pavilion.

         Then, of course, there’s the famous Devon fudge and lemon sticks.

         The ticket office opened April 9, tickets may be ordered by phone at, 610-688-2554, or online at www.devonhorseshow.org.  General admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under and seniors 65 and over. Reserved grandstand tickets are available ranging from $12 to $55 depending on the performance.