Oldham County Saddle Club is hosting four summer shows at the Oldham County Fairgrounds for the 2010 season.   The Kentucky Horse Council has sponsored class #11, KHC Natural Pleasure in our show bill for all four shows.

Shows will be May 22, June 19, August 28, September 18. All shows will start at 4pm.

Please visit the Saddle Club's website for the most current show bill, registration form, show rules, and participant release.

INTERNATIONAL BLOCKBUSTER EXHIBITION OF

ARABIAN ART OPENS IN MAY

Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation Presents "A Gift from the Desert"

LEXINGTON, KY (March 9, 2010) The largest and most comprehensive collection of exotic Near Eastern and Arabian equine art and artifacts ever assembled will soon be on view when A Gift from the Desert: The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse is presented May 29-October 15 in the Kentucky Horse Park's International Museum of the Horse - a Smithsonian Affiliate.

A Gift from the Desert will be the first major exhibition to explore the impact of the horse on Near Eastern civilization, with particular emphasis on the Arabian, the first true breed of horse. It will concentrate on the Near East, covering the modern states of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Kuwait, Bahrain, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Algeria, Turkey, India and Iran. It will begin with the arrival of the first horses in the Near East and culminate in the spread of the Arabian breed throughout the world and the renaissance of purebred breeding in its ancestral homelands today.

This breathtaking exhibition, presented by the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation, will feature nearly 400 artifacts and works of art from 25 museums and private lenders including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the British Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Oxford University, Ashmolean Museum, Carnegie Museum of Art, National Museum of Warsaw, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, American Museum of Natural History, and many others.
A Gift from the Desert is one of Kentucky's two biggest events in 2010, alongside the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, and one of the most prestigious art events in North America.

Tickets are $21 for adults and $11 for children. For information on the exhibition or the museum, contact the International Museum of the Horse, 859-259-4232 or go to www.agiftfromthedesert.com. For group tour information, contact Ali Mihankhah, 859-259-4225 or ali.mihankhah@ky.gov.

Spring Run Horse Trials – 32 Years and Going Strong

06.26.2008

This weekend of June 14 and 15 Susan and Blake Harris hosted the 32^nd annual Spring Run Horse Trials at their family farm in Prospect, Kentucky. The last event I went to was Rolex and as always it was an amazing experience, with the crowds, the vendors, and the best of the best competing. But, it was driving into Spring Run that I remembered why most of our members, from me, whose goal is to get to Novice again, to many of those now competing at Rolex, fell in love with the sport.

From the very beginning when you arrive you feel a part of the Spring Run family. When you first pull in you drive across the cattle gate, down past the trailers of those who have hauled in for the day, on through the woods and park in front of the family’s home. Next you are greeted by an amazing group of volunteers. From the secretaries to the score runners to the dressage ring stewards all are friends, family, or students at Spring Run and volunteered to spend their weekend helping Susan and Blake because they simply love being there. One such volunteer, Patti Naiser, put together the program, assisted the secretary, and competed for the first time at Beginner Novice at the event. It is these type of individuals that help make our sport possible.

Another Spring Run family member that I had the pleasure to meet was Janet Zoller. Janet began her riding career as a Pony Clubber, achieving her B rating, and riding in the same club as Susan Harris, when both were growing up. Then, as happens to many of us, riding was put on the back burner, as she went through college, then med school, got married, began a family, and developed a successful practice. After a twenty-four year hiatus she is back, and having as much fun as ever. She now enjoys the sport competing along side of her daughters Rachel and Alice. It is with Rachel’s previous Advanced level horse, Ben Starr, that she completed the Training Level Rider division at Spring Run this year. Adding nothing but time penalties to her dressage score, Janet finished in eighth place. Janet also won the 2008 Spring Run Poco Award! This award is presented to the highest placed finisher with the greatest combined age of horse and rider. Janet and Ben’s ages added up to 77. (I’m not telling the individual ages.)

Thank you to everyone at Spring Run, and to all of USEA’s organizers, that put these events on for the love of the sport!

Louisville Equestrian Center Highlighted in the February 2009 RoundAbout

Helen McKinney, contributing writer for the RoundAbout, highlights the Louisville Equestrian Center in the February 2009 issue of RoundAbout. The facility is now under construction in eastern Jefferson County.

Betsy Webb's stables will become part of the new Louisville Equestrian Center, located at 2612 S. English Station Rd in Eastern Jefferson County. The center will be adjacent to the 21st Century Parks project along the Floyd’s Fork Corridor. This center is being designed as a year-round facility able to accommodate 100 horses and 500 clients in the saddlebred community.

Helen has written several fine articles on the Oldham County equine community and her current story includes insights of many in the Oldham County equine community.

April 29, 2008

Governor Beshear Names Three from Oldham County to Kentucky Horse Racing Authority

Governor Steve Beshear has appointed five new members to the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority, including three prominent Oldham County horse people.

Lexington attorney Robert Beck, Jr. of Stites & Harbison, is the new chairman. Beck is the founder, director and president of the American College of Equine Attorneys. Also appointed is Lexington standardbred breeder Alan J. Leavitt, the owner of Walnut Hall Ltd.

The three new members from Oldham County are Oldham County Equine Council members Ned Bonnie and Betsy Lavin, and veterinarian Foster Northrop.

Read the Press Release from the Governor's Office
Read the Lexington Herald-Leader story from April 29.

Congratulations to these leaders of the Oldham County equine community!