ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 8, 2015)—Idle one day shy of a year, trainer Doug O’Neill’s Birdlover broke sharply from her outside post under Elvis Trujillo and registered an impressive gate to
wire win in Sunday’s $75,000 Wishing Well Stakes for older fillies and mares at 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course. A 5-year-old English-bred mare, Birdlover prevailed by a half length and got the distance in 1:13.22.
| Carl Hester, Ashley Holzer and P.J. Rizvi to Judge Tonight’s American Equestrians Got Talent Auditions |
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Wellington, FL – February 4, 2015 – The fifth round of auditions for American Equestrians Got Talent features a star-studded lineup of celebrity judges from the sport of dressage. Carl Hester, Ashley Holzer and P.J. Rizvi will be on hand at The Grille Fashion Cuisine from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. tonight to provide commentary as contestants give it their all.
Hester, team gold medalist for Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympic Games, was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his accomplishments representing his country on the world stage. He has earned numerous medals at the World Equestrian Games and European Championships and is the longtime coach and mentor of triple world record holder Charlotte Dujardin.
(Carl Hester on Nip Tuck at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Photos by Mary Adelaide Brakenridge.)
 Holzer is a fixture of the Canadian dressage team and a four-time Olympian. She won team bronze at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea, as well as multiple Pan American Games medals. The highly regarded trainer and athlete is getting an inside view of Hollywood as her teenaged children, Emma and Harry, have embarked on successful acting careers. Holzer also publishes an equestrian news magazine, Today’s Equestrian.Rizvi’s own Breaking Dawn was Holzer’s mount for the 2012 London Olympic Games. An avid dressage competitor who is easily spotted with her trademark big smile, Rizvi is now campaigning Breaking Dawn at Grand Prix and rode in the inaugural Central Park Dressage Challenge. Breaking Dawn is named after one of the Twilight movies in a nod to Rizvi’s husband Suhail’s investments in Summit Entertainment, the film studio that produced the Twilight Saga.
(Ki-Juan Minors is among the contestants who have earned a place in the March 15 AEGT final)
The judges’ main role in AEGT auditions is to comment on each performance, leaving the audience to determine the evening’s winner through their applause. But the panel may have to step in to break a tie if it is too close to call.
Thus far, the March 15 AEGT final is dominated by singers, as Ayden Uhlir, Ki-Juan Minors, Teaghan James and Taylor Hughes have all earned their tickets to compete. That may change this week as dancers and even a fire baton twirler take the stage. Each of the competitors in tonight’s auditions will be vying for the $500 PSdressage.com-sponsored prize as well as a place in the final, where a $5,000 grand prize sponsored by Robert Ross, P.A., Luxury Equestrian Realtor for Keller Williams, is up for grabs. (Ashley Holzer on Tiva Nana)
 Auditions are held Wednesdays every week through March 4. Sign up to audition by contacting Robert Dover (Rdover2@aol.com).Several sponsors, led by Robert Ross, Kim and Fred Boyer, Equestrian Sport Productions, Tuny and David Page, and PSdressage.com, are supporting this exciting event. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact Sara Ike (908-234-1251 or sara.ike@uset.org) or Robert Dover (Rdover2@aol.com).
American Equestrians Got Talent Fast Facts
Spearheaded by U.S. Dressage Team Chef d’Equipe Robert Dover, American Equestrians Got Talent is the third annual East Coast fundraiser to benefit USEF High Performance Dressage programs through the USET Foundation.
Contestants audition to earn their place in the season finale. Celebrity judges will be on hand at each audition to critique the performances, and the audience’s applause will determine who moves forward to the finale and who goes back to the barn.
Auditions
When: 7:30-10:00 p.m. every Wednesday evening from Jan. 7 through March 4, 2015 ( P.J. Rizvi on Breaking Dawn)
Prize: PSdressage.com is sponsoring prizes of $500 to be awarded to the top performer at each audition.
Participants: Auditions are open to the entire equestrian community, including riders, grooms and others involved in any discipline from dressage and hunter/jumpers to polo and Western. Please sign up in advance by contacting Robert Dover (Rdover2@aol.com). Walk-ins accepted if space is available. Season Finale When: March 15, 2015 Where: The Stadium at PBIEC (Global Dressage Festival show grounds), 13500 South Shore Blvd., Wellington, Florida Prize: The winner, who will be named America’s Most Talented Equestrian, will receive a grand prize of $5,000 sponsored by Robert Ross, P.A., Luxury Equestrian Realtor for Keller Williams.
Press Release Courtesy of Phelps Media Group |
TEN KENTUCKY DERBY QUALIFYING POINTS TO BE AWARDED TO WINNER
ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 4, 2015)—Separated by just a head in the Grade I Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 20, Dortmund and Firing Line renew their rivalry in Saturday’s Grade III, 1 1/16 miles Robert B. Lewis Stakes, a race that has attracted a field of six sophomores and is an important steppingstone to the Grade I, $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 4.
In addition to Dortmund, who is trained by Bob Baffert and Firing Line, who is conditioned by Simon Callaghan, trainer Peter Miller will be represented by talented Rock Shandy, who comes off a second place run to his stablemate, highly regarded Calculator, in the Grade III, one mile Sham Stakes on Jan. 10.
Iroquois Steeplechase Set for May 9, 2015
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 28, 2015 — Nashville ushers in the spring season as only Music City could—with a chorus of revelry from the fields around Percy Warner Park, home to the annual Iroquois Steeplechase. This year marks the 74th year of this premier Southern steeplechase event, which benefits Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
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$35,000 International Hunter Derby in Upstate New York |
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Mumford, NY – February 3, 2015 – After rave reviews following its inaugural year, The Derby at the Genesee Country Village & Museum (GCV&M) returns to Mumford, New York on June 6-7, 2015. The standalone United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) event features both a $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, to be held on Saturday, and a $35,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, to be held on Sunday. |
Wellington, FL – February 3, 2015 – Riders will want to get their entries in quickly for the second annual Hunter Derby Days at The Ridge at Wellington. On Friday, February 6, 2015, The Ridge at Wellington will offer their first-class $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby and $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby. Entries are filling fast as the top hunter riders in the nation gather for a battle of the best on the turf. Part of the Ridge at Wellington’s Turf Tour, the International and National Hunter Derbies are the perfect fit into the Wellington Winter Circuit as riders prepare for the steadily approaching hunter derbies at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF).
On February 6 and March 20, 2015, the hunters will take over The Ridge at Wellington. Both the sand ring and the open derby field will be reminiscent of the traditional hunt field with natural obstacles and tasteful adornment. The $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby kicks off the day at 8:30 a.m in the sand ring and the second annual $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby will begin on the grass at 1 p.m.
This year, the derby courses will be designed by Kenneth Krome. A host of highly esteemed judges will be evaluating the top hunter derby horses in Wellington, including Linda Andrisani, R. Scott Fitton, Mindy Minetto and Dee Thomas.
Last year professional hunter rider Jennifer Alfano rode 2012 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals Champion, Jersey Boy, to the first place finish in the 2014 $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby. Peter Wylde and Smoking Gun claimed the second International Hunter Derby with a phenomenal two rounds on The Ridge at Wellington’s derby field.
The prize list for the hunter derby is available here. <<http://www.theridgefarm.com/documents/2015-HUNTER-DERBY-PL-jan12.pdf>>
The Ridge at Wellington Hunter Derbies are the epitome o
f what the show world strives to accomplish. With unparalleled hospitality, and the careful and knowledgeable minds of Olympian Nona Garson and George D’Ambrosio, the Hunter Derby Days are a horse show run by horsemen for horsemen.
In the world of hunter derbies, The Ridge at Wellington provides an exhilarating opportunity for riders of all levels. As a stand-alone derby day, the national and international classes are fully dedicated to showcasing and perfecting the derby classes with ideal turf that rivals the traditional fox hunting fields, reveling in the sport and athleticism of the horse.
The Ridge at Wellington is a premiere state-of-the-art facility that offers the best of the equestrian sports with varying competition levels. Their shows offer a wide array of classes, as well as generous prize money and sponsorship opportunities. Located only two miles from the prestigious Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, the Ridge at Wellington offers one of the most centrally located horse shows in Wellington.
For more information about the Ridge at Wellington please go to www.theridgefarm.com. For up-to-date information please follow the Ridge at Wellington on Facebook athttp://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ridge-at-Wellington/219358376264. For more information please e-mail info@TheRidgeFarm.com.
Stalls are limited, please submit entries no later than February 2, 2015 to ensure stall reservations.
Website: www.TheRidgeFarm.com
GEORGETOWN, KY – FEBRUARY 3, 2015
The online fashion auction, “Hats off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby”, continues today with a fifth handcrafted Derby chapeau on the virtual auction block to raise money for Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, KY.
This new hat was inspired by Old Friends retiree Williamstown, the 25-year-old son of Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew who has been pensioned at Old Friends since 2007. A graded stakes winner, Williamstown captured the Withers Stakes at Belmont Park in 1993 and marked one of the fastest miles in the history of the oval.
For additional information contact Maggie Mae Designs® at sally@maggiemae.com
For more information about Old Friends see their website at www.oldfriendsequine.org or call the farm at (502) 863-1775.
Maggie Mae Designs® Custom Millinery offers magnificent hats for all occasions – from glamorous racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and the Royal Ascot to stunning bridal wear and handsome cocktail fashions. Every hat is carefully handcrafted by milliner Sally Faith Steinmann from her home base in South Harwich, MA. Salons of her fashions can been seen on her website atwww.maggiemaedesigns.com
PHOTO CAPTIONS Rosie Napravnik and Joe Sharp with Williamstown. Rosie models the Williamstown hat. Dress by Bella Rose Boutique, photo © and courtesy of EquiSport Photos
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