“Life In the Doghouse,” the emotionally satisfying movie about Danny and Ron’s dog rescue, will come to the Cranford Cinema, 25 North Ave.,on Jan. 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Danny Robertshaw and Ron Danta, both respected in the hunter industry and beyond, have gained national fame with their dog rescue that is very much a personal crusade.
They were honored with the 2008 ASPCA Humanitarian Award for their unwavering dedication and unique approach to dog rescue and adoption during hurricane Katrina.Ten years and 10,000 dogs later, their unique approach to life and dog rescue is well worth watching!
The eventing competition that was such a hit at the Winter Equestrian Festival for three years won’t be held there in 2019. It wasn’t presented in 2018 either, and for the same reason–the FEI World Equestrian Games.
“Basically, we put all our resources into the Games,” explained Michael Stone, president of Equestrian Sport Productions, which runs the WEF in Wellington, Fla., and staged the WEG in Tryon N.C., during September.
Who could ever forget the horses taking a jump while galloping through the VIP tent at the event in Wellington, as Boyd Martin did here on Welcome Shadlow.
“We didn’t do anything about it and it got too late to make it happen. Unfortunately, there isn’t a huge sponsorship interest in it. But now we have a whole year to work on it,” Michael said today, hopeful it can happen in 2020
“Basically, we didn’t start working on it until October, and that just wasn’t enough time.” After the huge expense of the WEG, and all the effort that went into it, Michael said, “We’re trying to have a year where we’re stable.”
The event drew a big crowd and new fans when it was held on the grounds of the Global Dressage Festival.
“Show jumping owners who had never even seen eventing got involved,” said Michael.
The Budweiser Clydesdales’ appearance at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation Dec. 1 drew a crowd of about 600, eager to get close to the horses they know from so many creative commercials. Presented by Sergeantsville Feed & Grain and Purina Animal Nutrition, it was an opportunity for the public to see these gorgeous giants up close and in action around the arena.
The event in Gladstone, which included a demonstration of hitching the horses to their Studebaker wagon, benefited A Home for Every Horse and the USET Foundation, which raises funds for competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of the country’s elite and developing horses and athletes, in partnership with the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
The lack of “any realistic bids” for the 2022 FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2022, has led the international equestrian federation to open bids for individual world championships “with preference being given to multi-discipline bids.”
Instead of eight separate world championships, there are now seven, with dressage and para dressage being combined at the same venue. The championships are key for the Olympics disciplines and Para because they qualify countries for the Olympics and Paralympics.
Considering the problems involved in running a WEG, well-illustrated by the 2018 edition in September, it is surprising to note that FEI President Ingmar De Vos said the call for individual or multiple championships does not necessarily mean the end of the WEG, and the organization will consider WEG bids for 2022 and 2026, along with the individual/multi-discipline world championship bids.
Accepting a bid for WEG 2022, which seems unlikely to appear anyway, would be unwise because the winner couldn’t be awarded until November 2019, which would be less than three years before the Games. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
It’s time to be realistic and just scrap the WEG concept for 2022, focusing instead on the separate or multi-discipline world championships.
The horrendous fires in California have created life-threatening havoc for everyone, animals and humans alike. Help is badly needed to rescue, treat and relocate horses.
Meanwhile, Devon Maitozo,, head of the FACE vaulting club, is creating a fund to provide feed and veterinary support to horses affected by the fires, as well as support for the local trainers who have lost their place of business and are struggling to support horses and do business until they find a new home.
“I know so many who have been affected,” said Devon.
“FACE Vaulting Club (www.facevaulting.com) is also currently in need of a new location to operate, and in the wake of the current fire, this effort has become exponentially more difficult. Local ranches that were in consideration to be our potential new home have now been destroyed or cut off, and with access to our current location becoming very difficult, as well as continuing fire danger, we have had to halt all operations indefinitely. I am asking for help to not only support our horses in this very difficult transition, but to assist me in helping other horses and desperate horse trainers/owners who have been effected by this devastating fire storm.
“Any support from the equestrian community and horse lovers in general would be so appreciated,” he continued.
“My first payment will go to local feed suppliers to provide support to those in greatest need, as well as our local equine veterinarians to support their effort to treat horses injured by the fire and smoke.
“There have been numerous equine casualties in the wake of this fire, and I want to do my part to help prevent any more. I also want to ensure the continued top care for our two horses Maximillion and Corentine in our relocation efforts. Thank you for your help however big or small. It takes a village!”
Melanie Smith Taylor, who won a 1984 Olympic team gold medal on the famous Calypso, will be giving a clinic with Master Horsemanship Clinician Greg Eliel Nov. 16-18 at Bow Brickhill Stables in Milford.
Melanie Smith Taylor is an expert on groundwork as well as show jumping and flatwork. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
The program, being presented by 3 Pillars Equestrian, will offer participants a chance to combine groundwork with flatwork and jumping.
Registration for the clinic is $650 per person, with those taking part having the choice of a cavaletti class during the morning and jumping in the afternoons each day. Spectator auditing is $25/day at the facility at476 Milford-Mt. Pleasant Road, Milford.
In addition to Melanie’s show jumping record, which included victories in such major competition as the American Gold Cup and the American Invitational, she also is an author and a broadcaster who has commentated on the Olympics and FEI World Equestrian Games.
In June, Greg Eliel [EE-lee-ul] co-founded 3 Pillars Equestrian, along with master horseman and clinician Peter Boglioli [Bo-yo-lee] and director/trainer Donna Vroom on Route 519 in Baptistown, Hunterdon County. For more information, go to 3pillarsequestrian.com, email 3pillarsequestrian@gmail.com or call 908-328-4999.
The Turkey Trot pleasure ride, a fall fixture at the Horse Park of New Jersey for 20 years, will be held Nov. 18. The event is sponsored by the Horse Park and the Eastern States Combined Training and Dressage Association.
The closing date for mail and email entries is Nov. 11, but post entries are accepted on competition day. The ride runs from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., with awards at 3:45 p.m.
The divisions offered are Senior (55 years and over), Junior (18 years and under), Family (those in that section must be related to each other), or Open (to be ridden in pairs). There is a choice of Long or Short course for each
There is a new Open division for those who are new or whose horses are not fit enough for the longer courses.
Entries must include the names of riders (the course is to be ridden in pairs) at $45 per rider. Post Entries (entry received after Nov 11, 2018 or on competition day)are $60 per rider. Entry forms are available from the secretary, the Horse Park at this link or ESDCTA’s website at ESDCTA.org. Those interested can also call the Horse Park at (609) 259-0170 or via email at HorseParkOfNJ@aol.com. There is a $5 discount for members of the Horse Park or ESDCTA.
Draw checks to “Horse Park of NJ” or provide credit card information. Fax entries will not be accepted.Entries MUST be legible and include credit card information or check.Entries must include current negative Coggins. Include your cell phone number and carry their phones on the course in case they get lost and organizers need to contact them.
The short course will be about 5 miles and the long course about 6.5 miles. The new Intro course will be 2-3 miles.The courses will all start and finish from the Horse Park and will travel in and around the Horse Park and the Assunpink Wildlife Management. Area.
There are awards for first place and eight ribbons for each division.
There are lots of clinics for hunter/jumper riders, eventers and dressage enthusiasts in New Jersey, but it’s rare to find one that focuses on western, trail and pleasure riders.
The Alexandria Equestrian Association is taking care of that group on Nov. 17 with a clinic on trail, patterns and cones. It will be given by Heidi Bergmann-Schoch at the Alexandria Township Park Indoor Riding Arena, 242 Little York Mount Pleasant Road, Milford. Private lessons are $50, while semi-private lessons are $35 and auditors are welcome.
Complete the registration form at https://aeanj.com/clinics. For more information, contact Bonnie Beasty at 908-303-9392.
The Horseshoe Bend Park Benefit Trail Ride in Kingwood Township will be held from 9 a.m.-noon Nov. 4. You can choose whether you want to do four, eight or 12 miles (if it’s either of the latter two, you have to get on the trail by 11 a.m.)
The area has a mix of terrain, and you can ride alone or in a group of up to four people. Innovations this year are a raffle and a tack swap/sale. The fee is $40 or $35 for members of Friends of Horseshoe Bend Park. Pay at the event, but for planning purposes, please register beforehand with megsleeper@icloud.com.
Get on Horseshoe Bend Road off of Spring Hill Road. Do not get on Horseshoe Bend Road off Route 12, as there is a narrow bridge going that way,
Are you up to date on what’s happening in scientific research involving horses? Catch up at the Rutgers Equine Science Center’s Evening of Science and Celebration Nov. 8 at the Cook Student Center on the G.H. Cook Campus at 59 Biel Road in New Brunswick.
The keynote presentation by Dr. Burt Staniar of Penn State Univeristy involves a visual tour of how fiber affects the equine gut. His research focuses on equine nutrition, pasture and gastrointestinal health.
The evening begins with dinner at 6 p.m. and continues at 7 p.m .with the keynote presentation, an update on equine muscle physiology and awards. The Spirit of the Horse will go to Kennis “Buttons” Fairfax, while John Crater and Mortonhouse Farm in Long Valley has been designated the Gold Medal Horse Farm.alley, NJ
Admission is $15 for students, and $35 for adults, which includes dinner, other refreshments and dessert. To register, click on this link
