Features:
Syndication! ~ By Sinead Halpin
A common topic of conversation around the Eventing Campfire has been Syndication. Syndication in racehorses has been a huge way for the average joe to gamble at a the dream of being involved in something great.. We see it every year during the "race to the Triple Crown" the stories of horse that was to small, to slow, to fat and a small town group of people that believed in that little horse and it became a champion. I really believe if we could make it affordable and uncomplicated for people to get involved in Eventing they would. If we could show them that they could be a part of "the dream and story" that all of us die hards live everyday we could grow and become what the racing industry is today.
With that in mind I created( well i scripted and my amazing web designer and marketing extraordinaire Carol Hill designed) a Simple easy to follow "Guide to Owning an Event Horse".
At first I thought I should keep this for just myself and possible owners/sponsors of mine ( competitive nature kicking in).. but then I realized that is such a short sighted vision. If people got excited by realizing they could own a part of one of Philips horses and 2 parts of one of Karen's horses and half of one of Bucks( pretty much guaranteeing themselves a horse at WEG'S) then maybe they would decide to get involved in some of the up and coming horses and riders as well ( hopefully a horse of mine and some of my piers)..
So I am making an effort to send this Brochure out to the masses. I must make it clear this is an first time attempt at this so there are flaws and it definitely needs improvement but everything has gotta start somewhere! So please if you are a rider and in need of a horse to get you to your goals think outside the box and get creative, show your supporters they can really get involved... and if you are a patron and a lover of the sport know you really can be on the team with your riding idol or help make that small town horse/rider or struggling professional that you love and support get to there goal of being the best they can for a small contribution.
Check out my stab at it "Syndication".
Thanks and as always any feedback is greatly appreciated and ideas so we can keep Eventing on the path to bigger and better things! ~Sinead
Editor's note: Sinead Halpin, an international competitor and trainer, has been riding at the Advanced level since 1999. She excels in the training of young horses and bringing those with talent successfully through the ranks of the sport. She is an ICP certified trainer with the USEA and is one of the original board members of PRO (Professional Riders Organization), which utilizes the country’s top professional event riders to connect with fans and raise awareness of the sport. She is actively bringing on new students at every level and accepting clinic dates around the country.
Hart Farm in Gladstone, New Jersey is home to Sinead Halpin Eventing. A character filled 11 stall bank barn comes complete with a state of the art new indoor and beautiful outdoor arena. Off a quiet road nestled in some of New Jerseys most scenic terrain the horses and riders look forward to a days work at the farm. Hart Farm backs onto a local Eventing Park with hundreds of acres of hacking and cross country jumps. It truly is the ultimate training facility. Website
A Non-Horse Person’s Guide to Eventing~ By Ed Camelli
This is it! This is for all of you who think that a martingale is a game show host; a little more leg is what you see when your shorts ride up. It is written for those parents, siblings, significant others, etc. who came to eventing because they wanted to witness this powerful force that could make someone invest so much time, energy and money. This guide, hopefully, will help you understand what’s happening at an event and more importantly, how not to get on an already frazzled rider’s nerves.
OK, what is eventing? Think of it as a triathlon for a horse and rider consisting of three disciplines: dressage, stadium jumping and cross country.
The first portion is dressage (rhymes with Taj, as in Mahal, not Sages, as in the spice rack) is sort of like the compulsory figures in ice skating. The horse and rider must follow a precise pattern of straight lines, diagonals and circles. They will use three gaits: walk (slow), trot (faster) and canter (fastest). The pair will need to stop and go and change pace while following a predetermined course. 
Don’t even attempt to understand how dressage is scored. It is based on an ancient Ming Dynasty formula figured on an abacus. The important thing to remember is the lower the score the better (all you golfers will understand this). There is no way that your untrained eye will be able to tell how your loved one is doing, so after it is over just politely clap and ask how it went. By the way, one doesn’t ride, they go. So it’s proper to ask someone if they had a good go. Other phrases that you will want to throw around casually are: “His half pass was nice.” “She looked a lot rounder on this go.” “You really nailed that salute, huh?”.
The next phase, stadium jumping and is spectator friendly. The horse and rider get to go over a series of fancily decorated jumps set in a contained arena so that all of the action can be seen by the spectator. The jumps are numbered sequentially and are arranged singly, in pairs or in triplicate. They vary in height and width. Scoring is easy. Making all the jumps in the correct order is the objective and mandatory to continue to the next phase (knocking down any rails- not so good). Making all the jumps in the allotted time is better; no penalty points are added. A downed rail is five points and a quarter of a point is added for every second late. Remember the lower the score the better. Words to toss around are Swedish Oxer, Triple and Liverpool.
The third and most exciting phase of eventing is cross country. This tests the horse and rider’s courage, speed and endurance. They must negotiate a course of jumps spread over several miles of countryside. The big difference cross-country jumps and stadium jumps are that cross-country jumps don’t fall down if you hit them. They are things like logs, hayracks, bounces and tables bigger then a football training camps. The galloping duo must jump into and out of water, up over and down steep banks. They must jump ditches called coffins (very poor choice of a name) and they must do all this within an allotted time. Scoring is easy. If you get around the course over all the obstacles in the time permitted, there are no penalty points accessed. If the horse stops at a jump, then 20 points are added and ¼ of a point is added for every second over the time. There is absolutely no style points awarded! The horse can crawl over a jump with the rider hanging on its neck. As long as duo remains together there is no penalty or extra credit awarded for unusual style. The cross-country phase of the event is the most spectacular from a spectator’s viewpoint. You get to see the horse gallop at full speed over a gorgeous landscape and make these breathtaking leaps. The downside is that you will probably miss it all because you will have your eyes closed if it’s your loved one performing these dramatic maneuvers.
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Editor's note: Ed Camelli, is owner of Trail Creek Outfitters and loving, supporting husband of event rider Stacey Simpson Camelli!
Callan Solem Show Stables Relocating to Chester Springs, PA 19425
Phelps Media Group Inc., is pleased to announce that Callan Solem Show Stables will be relocating to Chester Springs, PA. Solem, a successful grand prix rider, is excited to be opening her new business with the support of native Philadelphians and equestrians, Virginia and Collin McNeil.
“I’m really happy to be moving forward and have my own place in the industry,” noted Solem. “I am very grateful to Carol Thompson for her support over the past decade at Quiet Winter Farm,Colts Neck, NJ and I am excited about this next step. I feel that the McNeils and I have a lot of common goals. They are great people and they are very enthusiastic about the sport, so I’m thrilled to be affiliated with them.”
Solem has been the professional rider at Quiet Winter Farm for the past 14 years, and has won numerous grand prix classes at HITS Saugerties, HITS Ocala, the Fairfield Hunt Club and Old Salem Farm. She has been on the Nations Cup Team in Rio de Janeiro, Rotterdam, Lummen and Falsterbo, and was a member of the winning Super League Team in 2005. More recently, Solem earned the Leading International Rider title at the 2008 Syracuse Sport Horse Invitational/National Horse Show.
In the hunter divisions, Solem has earned championship tricolors at the Devon Horse Show, the Hampton Classic, and Capital Challenge. She has also won circuit champion awards with Canterbury and Friar Tuck, and was the winner of the Limited Pro Division during the Legacy Cup.
Solem is currently competing in Ocala, FL and will move to Chester Springs, PA after wrapping up the winter circuit on April 1st. Solem’s operation will be located at the 90-acre Upland Farm in Chester Springs, the McNeil’s home base. The facility features a Bart Poels outdoor arena, grass jumping field, two barns, equine treadmill, and extensive riding trails. Besides the McNeil’s state-of-the-art facilities, a neighboring barn with an indoor will also be utilized. This spring Solem will travel to HITS Culpeper in hopes of qualifying for the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix at HITS Saugerties in September. Solem is also aiming to add more international competitions to her resume this year, and is looking ahead to the 2010-2011 World Cup season and the Winter Equestrian Festival in 2011.
Callan Solem Show Stables will be accepting riders of all levels, from pony hunters through grand prix at the new facility.
In addition to Solem, trainer Martha Redman, will be coaching and teaching new students. Redman is relocating to Chester Springs from Millbrook, NY where she owned and operated a successful show barn for the past 10-years.
Callan Solem believes the key to a good program is happy horses and organized riders. “The horses need to be happy to do a good job and keeping them healthy is key,” she explained. “For the riders I think it is important to be organized and have a systematic approach so that they’re always ready when they advance to the next level. I also think it’s truly important to build a solid foundation so that as riders moves up through the ranks they feel confident.”
For more information about Callan Solem and Callan Solem Show Stables please call 610-827-9003 or visit www.callansolem.com
MidAtlantic Horse Rescue is Recipient of ASPCA’s Million Dollar Rescuing Racers Initiative
Major Grant Will Save More Retired Racehorses!
Chesapeake City, MD—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced the Million Dollar Rescuing Racers Initiative—a major initiative made possible by a generous donor—that will aid in the rescue of retired racehorses from neglect, abuse, and slaughter. Six equine rescues and sanctuaries across the country were selected to take up the challenge of saving more thoroughbreds than ever before. MidAtlantic Horse Rescue in Chesapeake City, MD, was chosen as one of those grantees, and will receive a grant for $100.000 over three years.
Co-founders Beverly Strauss and Virginia Suarez are thrilled with the announcement. “The rescues selected for this initiative are among the top thoroughbred programs nationwide. We are honored to be selected and are the only organization in the group that regularly buys ex-racehorses from kill pens in order to find them homes as riding and sport horses. We are perhaps the smallest operation selected but we work extremely hard to place these wonderful, intelligent horses in good homes,” Strauss said.
“Many thoroughbreds rarely live out their final days in peace and comfort when their racing careers are over,” said ASPCA President & CEO Ed Sayres. “Too often, they end up at auctions or worse, are sent to slaughterhouses where their lives come to a brutal end. These grants will enable organizations devoted to equine rescue the ability to save more horses and further advance their mission.”
“We met with visionaries who were extremely grateful to be selected for this opportunity to responsibly build their capacity and save more racehorses,” said Jacque Schultz, Senior Director of ASPCA Community Outreach. “The thoroughbred that has given its all on the racetrack deserves to live out his life free of pain, fear, and suffering.”
MidAtlantic Horse Rescue has big plans in place in order to rehome more rescued thoroughbreds. Later this month they are moving their base of operations to the nearby historic Woodstock Farm, birthplace of the great racehorse Kelso, and home of the late Mrs. Allaire duPont. Mrs. duPont was one of the first in the country to speak out about the welfare of thoroughbreds after their racing careers. She co-founded Thoroughbred Charities of America with Herb and Ellen Moelis of nearby Middletown, DE.
In addition to utilizing this grant for a new marketing campaign promoting thoroughbred adoption, MidAtlantic Horse Rescue is launching a pilot program called “On the Right Track” in which new adopters will receive vouchers worth up to $200- for lessons or training with a professional of their choice for their MAHR horse. Strauss is excited about this innovative program. “Bringing a new horse home can be intimidating for many people. There is often an adjustment period while the horse and rider develop a partnership. The On the Right Track program is designed to facilitate a smooth transition between our rescued horse and his new owner in order to reinforce a successful placement. We could not have started this program without the support of the ASPCA Rescuing Racers Initiative.”
Founded in 2002 as a division of Paws for Life, Inc., a 501c3 non profit dog rescue, MidAtlantic Horse Rescue has placed over 450 rescued thoroughbreds in new homes. In addition, they have purchased another 500 horses for other rescues across the country. For more information or to adopt a horse, please visit MidAtlantic Horse Rescue
A WAY FOR RACEHORSES TO RETIRE IN COMFORT
By Amy Worden Inquirer Staff Writer Posted March 24, 2010
Wrapped in a windbreaker, horse trainer Kate DeMasi stood on the rail at Philadelphia Park on a recent morning, bracing against a raw drizzle and watching an exercise rider work his mount on the muddy track.
DeMasi, a major trainer at the Bensalem track, was taking stock of her latest prospect, a 6-year-old stallion named Slate.
A few yards away in DeMasi's busy barn, Rumrunnin Purgy, a 3-year-old, playfully nipped at the grooms walking horses past his stall. After three races and one fifth-place finish, a tendon injury had abruptly ended Purgy's career.
Now the dark brown colt was taking up expensive space in the racing barn and needed to move on.
In the past, that often meant being sent to a livestock auction - and, eventually, the slaughterhouse. "Kill buyers" used to drive their vans right onto the track grounds.
Not anymore. "It's a comfort," DeMasi said, "when you've got a horse with an injury, or who is not talented, to not worry about where they go down the line."
That's because, in 2008, Philadelphia Park launched something unusual for a horse track: a zero-tolerance policy on slaughter-auction sales, and a horse-retirement program known as Turning for Home.
"We needed to respond to a PR nightmare," said Mike Ballezzi, president of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, which represents owners and trainers at Philadelphia Park. "We needed to find a humane outlet for these horses."
Other tracks donate money for rescuing retired thoroughbreds, but none has a comprehensive, carrot-and-stick approach to dealing with unwanted horses. Instead of simply banning sales of horses to slaughter auctions, Philadelphia Park has a full-service adoption program, supported by trainers, jockeys, the horsemen's association, and the track management.
Turning for Home began with $100,000 in seed money, split between the horsemen and the park. Under the program, trainers must kick in $10 per horse per race; jockeys, $5 if they win or finish second.
Those mandatory contributions were easier to make, Ballezzi said, because times were good at the track. The Parx casino, right next door, is a glittering reminder of a big reason why: legalized slot machines at Pennsylvania tracks have tripled purses and have been a boon to the industry.
The horsemen's association acts as the retirement program's administrator, equine social-services agency - and cop. Trainers caught sending horses to auction get their licenses pulled and are banned from racing at Philadelphia Park, Ballezzi said.
So far, 350 horses have been placed in the program, the vast majority finding new homes and new jobs as show or polo horses or as pasture pets. Many are sent across the Delaware to South Jersey Thoroughbred Rescue and Adoption in Medford, which works with Turning for Home.
Not every retired racehorse can be saved - about 6 to 8 percent of the horses had to be euthanized because of the extent of their injuries. Administrator Barbara Luna estimates that at least 80 percent of the track's retiring horses go through the program, but says it's hard to know an exact number because horses are so frequently moved from track to track.
"This is the first constructive thing thoroughbred racing has done to address slaughter," said Christine Berry, founder of the Equine Protection Network, a Berks County-based group that lobbies for state and national horse-cruelty laws.
Other track operators are eyeing Turning for Home as a possible model. Penn National, owner of seven tracks in six states, is "in discussions about starting a similar program," said Karen Bailey, a company spokeswoman.
Little Cliff's legacy
Philadelphia Park's no-slaughter rule is in part the legacy of a horse named Little Cliff.
In 2005, as a 2-year-old, he sold for $350,000. Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito touted him as a Kentucky Derby prospect; Little Cliff earned $200,000 in his racing career, which ended in March 2008 with his last run at Philadelphia Park.
Eleven days later, members of a horse-rescue group found him in the so-called "kill pen" at the New Holland livestock auction in Lancaster County. They identified him from the tattoo that is under every registered thoroughbred's lip.
Zito and his wife put up money to help save Little Cliff. Back when they'd sold him, the couple placed a sticker on his papers imploring future owners to call them if the horse needed a home.
The incident brought a heap of unwanted attention to Philadelphia Park.
"That probably pushed us over the edge and wouldn't happen today," said Luna. "You can't just give away your horses to any Tom, Dick or Harry with a trailer."
Debate has raged over horse slaughter in the nation for decades. Animal-welfare activists see it as cruelty; many in the horse-breeding and agriculture industries say slaughter is a necessary means of disposing of unwanted horses.
Never popular on U.S. menus, horse meat has long been consumed, even considered a delicacy, in countries such as France and Japan - thus creating a demand for what slaughterhouses can supply.
In 1990 alone, 315,192 horses were slaughtered in the United States. By 2007, when the nation's last slaughter plant closed amid legal challenges, that number was down to 58,443, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But as recently as 2008, more than 100,000 horses were shipped to Mexico and Canada for slaughter, the USDA says.
Anti-slaughter activists want Congress to ban shipping horse meat for human consumption. But some in the racing industry say that without slaughter, more horses will inevitably wind up abandoned or subject to starvation and neglect. "Regulated slaughter should be considered," DeMasi said, adding that while she would never sell a horse at a livestock auction, there are only so many homes for unwanted horses.
"Obviously, we need more responsible ownership," said Alex Brown, a Chester County exercise rider who runs the Web site Fans of Barbaro, the cyber hub of the anti-slaughter movement. "And we're only going to get that if we stop slaughter."
A home in Burlco
Rumrunnin Purgy's next destination is Burlington County, where Erin Hurley, operator of South Jersey Thoroughbred Rescue and Adoption, tends to about 20 Philadelphia Park retirees at a time. Those no longer fit to ride live out their days as pasture ornaments.
Others in better shape, such as Purgy, will get some R&R before Hurley evaluates them and begins retraining them for the show ring, or for pleasure riding.
"They have such athleticism and ability, they can go on to any discipline," said Hurley, who places horses with the stipulation that they come back to her if it doesn't work out.
Her Web site, where you can see Purgy's picture, reads like the promo page of a cyber dating service, full of happy stories of horse lovers finding their perfect equine match in the ranks of retired thoroughbreds.
DeMasi, for one, is pleased Purgy has a chance for comfortable retirement.
He could have raced again at a cheap track somewhere, DeMasi said, but she recommended retiring him before he suffered a more debilitating injury.
Purgy "has a compassionate owner," she said. "He just told me, 'Find him a good home.' "
Here is a video that was featured in the New York Times last year:
Where do Race Horses Go?
FITS- Launches a New Color and Expands Into The Hunter Jumper Market
Many of you may already be familiar with the Original FITS brand of breeches. You may happen to own one or many pairs, you could just lust after owning one or maybe you have seen them on someone in your barn. The All Sesaon Full Seat Breech, or funky butt breeches, as they are sometimes referred too, provide the rider with a full seat without extra binding where you do not need it. The breech features the following attributes. 
A fellow boarder in my barn, who was first skeptical of their appearance now thinks they are one of the "most comfortable full seat breeches" she has ever owned.
Continuing in the FITS tradition of providing superior technical products the company has just launched a breech to appeal to the hunter and jumper market. Ok, now you may be thinking to yourself patches for hunters, NO WAY! Well you are right! Hunters and Jumpers are all about tradition. FITS new BEKA Knee Patch Breech is a side zip and provides the following traditional features. 
2010 MD Equine Census
Posted March 22,2010
Most people are aware that in 2010 the United States will be taking a census of the population. However, many Marylanders are unaware that the Maryland Horse Industry Board (MHIB) has commissioned the United States Department of Agriculture to conduct a census of the Maryland equine population starting in May 2010. The importance of the findings of the Maryland Equine Census cannot be overstated. Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance focused on the importance of this census when he said "The [2002 Maryland Equine] census reinforced that horses of all kinds are remarkably important to Maryland’s agricultural sector, jobs, economy and land base. With the 2010 count, we will learn how the industry has changed, which can in turn help us determine what policy or economic development activities might be needed.” While some people fear what the information collected will be used for Jim Steele, the Chairman of the MHIB and Manager of Shamrock Farm in Woodbine stated “It is important that everyone who receives a questionnaire respond. Whether you own a single horse for your family’s recreational use or run a large breeding or training facility, we need your input. Anyone concerned about submitting personal or financial information should know that by law, all such information is strictly confidential. I am going to submit my survey and so should you.” So what should you do?
· If you receive an equine census questionnaire in the mail, please complete the form and return it promptly.
· If you are involved in equine activities and don’t receive a questionnaire by May 1 call the toll free number 1-800-675-0295 and request a questionnaire.
· For more information about the Maryland Field Office of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service or the 2010 Maryland Equine Census, visit:
WHAT IS A HUNTER PACE?
A Hunter Pace is a low-key competitive event derived from Foxhunting. Originally organized in the off-season, they serve as a reason for members of the hunt to come together to ride. Before the event is held, one or more persons ride an imaginary hunting scenario, describing the path and any obstacles to be taken. The time that he/she rides it in is kept a secret from the participants. Participants ride the same scenario attempting to make the same time as the secret rider(s). The participant who finishes closest to the secret time is the winner of the event.
The Pair or Team Pace developed from the Hunter Pace. It is a team event in which a Member and a friend(s) ride cross country together over terrain and obstacles which are meant to simulate the riding conditions encountered during a Foxhunt. The obstacles vary according to ability level. It is up to each team to guess what the organizers of the Pace have decided is the ideal time to complete the course and to adjust their progress accordingly.
Most Hunter Paces are divided into two divisions, with different ideal times. There is often a "field hunter" division offered for those experienced in the hunt field who wish to take the course at a faster pace with larger jumps, and a "trail rider" division for those who wish to travel more slowly. Although jumps are found along the course, taking them is always optional for the trail rider divisions.
The winners of the various divisions of a Hunter Pace are not the fastest, rather the winning teams are the ones closest to the secret official time for their division. This secret official time is determined by having several riders take the course before the show and average their times. A Hunter Pace is not a race. Even though there is a competitive aspect to them, most riders simply regard it as an enjoyable way to spend a day in the countryside with their mounts and congenial company. The outcome is almost secondary, and many good stories are shared over the traditional breakfast or tailgate party afterwards.
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