by Christine Sweet

Over 130 entries that included Connemaras, Irish Draught, and Irish Sport Horses competed at the second annual Irish Horse Extravaganza held at the Thunderbird Show Park near Langley, BC, on March 16 and 17.

Irish judge Phillip Scott from County Mayo had a challenge in judging such a combination of horses and ponies, but did an excellent job scoring the assortment of in-hand, hunter, and jumper classes.

However, Scott was a bit surprised to discover that he would be judging 10-month-old twins in the lead-line class. The cute twins were appropriately attired in their riding helmets, jodhpurs, and riding boots, and sported an entourage to ensure that they stayed perched on their pony.
continue reading "Thunderbird hosts Irish Horse Extravaganza"

Taylor Bland of Calgary, AB, has been named the 2006 Junior Equestrian of the Year by Equine Canada.

The Gillian Wilson Award is given annually to a junior competitor who has made outstanding contributions to equestrian competition and who has exemplified exceptional talent, sportsmanship, and dedication to the sport.

Taylor was a prime example of each of these qualities in 2006. The 13-year-old rider qualified for the annual FEI Children’s International Jumping Final, open to riders aged 12 to 14, after finishing third at the Eastern Qualifier and fifth at the Western Qualifier.
continue reading "Alberta rider awarded Junior Equestrian of the Year"

by Monty Gwynne

Cochrane is your choice if you are looking for some nice hunter schooling shows in the Calgary area.

The Cochrane Agriculture Society has hosted a hunter schooling series for the past three years, the brainchild of a few parents who were looking for a local show venue for their children.
continue reading "Cochrane creates fun schooling shows"

by Tara Gamble

Amberlea Meadows hosted one of the first hunter and jumper schooling shows in the Edmonton area on February 10 and 11. Attendance was spectacular and the ambiance was great for competitors and spectators alike.

We offer classes and divisions for all levels of riders, said co-owner Ellen Drews-Ortlieb. “And this year is going to be a special one, it’s our 25th year of operation,” she said. Drews-Ortlieb has also noticed a growing trend towards more preparation for competitions, which is steadily increasing the calibre of horsemanship each year.
continue reading "Amberlea Meadows hosts First Show of the Season"

Seven of the ten young athletes who were awarded Jump Canada bursaries in the amount of $1,000 each are from western Canada, and include:

Hailey Flemming, 18, of Sherwood Park, AB, has spent the last two years competing at the 4’ to 4’3” jumper level, in addition to training her young horse in the hopes of progressing to the higher jumper levels.

In the future, she hopes to move up to the 4’6” level. Her educational goals include attending the University of Alberta to obtain the necessary qualifications before applying to the University of Saskatchewan for Veterinary Medicine.
continue reading "Western Canadian Young Riders receive bursaries"

The final leg of the 2006 Canadian Performance Futurity classes were run with dressage and hunter classes held during the International Horse Show at the Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, British Columbia.

The Thunderbird International Show is an Indoor show that features multiple disciplines such as hunter, dressage and show jumping. It is also host to several qualifiers and championships, and drew contestants from the lower mainland, Vancouver Island, and the British Columbia interior.
continue reading "Canadian Performance Futurity Wraps up First Year"

by Karen Briggs

Training horses has always been a controversial process. Each faction of the horse world has cultivated its own methods and beliefs, and when the camps face off, those methods and beliefs will often be defended to the death.

In any discipline, though, one of the most hotly disputed topics is the use of training aids, and one of the most popular of these aids is draw reins.

Draw reins are particularly popular with those schooling hunters and jumpers (for some show jumpers, they are almost standard equipment) but at some time they appear in nearly everyone’s barn from dressage to Western to saddle seat.

To use draw reins or not to use them? What are the advantages, and what are the dangers? How often and by whom should they be used? Two Canadian trainers debate the uses and misuses of draw reins.
continue reading "The Use and Misuse of Draw Reins: Two Canadian Trainers Debate"