At the Southern Pines Combined Driving Event in Raeford, North Carolina, Shelly Temple claimed second place out of 10 competitors in the Preliminary Single Pony division. Combined driving competition includes a dressage test, a marathon (cross-country course with obstacles), and a cones course that combines precision and speed. Temple drove Duralin, an eight-year-old pony owned by Ted Bliss, to the placing.

Temple is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research. She said, "I am pleased to use KER-Flex oral joint supplement for my horses. Carriage driving can be hard on a horse's joints. KER-Flex is crucial to managing their health and helping to minimize problems."

U.S. national champion pony driver Shelly Temple had a good finish at the recent Southern Pines CDE. She and Duralin, a German Riding Pony, finished in second place in the preliminary single pony competition.

In May, Shelly will attend the 18th Kentucky Equine Research (KER) Conference in Lexington, Kentucky. Shelly is sponsored by KER. She is also a selector for the 2012 U.S. Four-in-Hand World Championship team.

Future carriage driving events for Shelly include judging the Delmarva Pleasure Show in Denton, Maryland, in May; the Hickory Knoll CDE in Fitchburg, Wisconsin; and the Green Mountain Horse Association CDE in South Woodstock, Vermont, later in the summer.

Shelly's Morgan gelding, Cooper, will continue his training and conditioning to defend his title at the Kentucky Classic in October.

Sign up to win a free driving lesson with Shelly Temple, three-time national pony driving champion! This opportunity is open to all horse enthusiasts, whether or not they have a background in driving. The lesson can be with one of Shelly's horses, or the winner can bring a personal horse to participate in the lesson. The training session will be held in Windsor, South Carolina, on a date agreed upon by Shelly and the winner. The contest ends May 31, 2012, so sign up today and let your friends know about this opportunity as well.

To enter the drawing for the free lesson, visit http://www.ker.com/shellytemplecontest/ and sign up to receive health and nutrition newsletters from Kentucky Equine Research.

Duralin, a young pony driven by Shelly Temple, is beginning his first competitive season. Knowing that equines need show ring experience to gain confidence, Shelly is bringing him along by getting him out frequently into the competitive arena.

In late February, Duralin competed in the Little Everglades International CDE in Florida, showing in the preliminary single pony class. He had a good day, earning a score of 49.11 in dressage. The pony's next competitive outing will be the Live Oak International CDE in Ocala, Florida, in late March.

In the Little Everglades FEI single pony division, Shelly and her more experienced pony Cooper won the dressage competition with a score of 44.16. Shelly and her ponies are sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research.

Driving a pony in sandy soil is a great way to get the most conditioning out of each mile, and Shelly Temple is taking advantage of this fitness routine for her pony Cooper. Sand is soft enough to cushion each footfall, reducing concussion, but this slightly yielding surface also makes a pony work a little harder to move the weight of a vehicle and driver.

Jeff Legg, an assistant at Catalyst Driving, reported, "During the offseason Shelly has been working on Cooper's fitness in preparation for spring shows. She is also continuing her training of several horses and working with her student group. Currently, Cooper is gaining fitness in the sands of Aiken, South Carolina. Our training regimen changes between cardiac and endurance fitness and the roundness and suppleness needed for FEI-level dressage. Fortunately, Cooper likes to have a job. He continues to be healthy, happy, and sound!"

Shelly, who has recently been named to the High Performance Driving Committee of the USET, is looking forward to attending the spring nutrition conference at Kentucky Equine Research (KER). She is sponsored by KER and says she is excited about having the opportunity to obtain the most current and accurate information on equine feeding and nutrition.

Plans for February include a by-invitation USET driving clinic that features training with Michael Freund; the Salute to Driving in which Shelly and Cooper will participate in a pas de deux demonstration with Olympic eventer Phillip Dutton, who is also sponsored by KER; and the Little Everglades International CDE, an FEI-level competition in Florida.

Shelly Temple has been appointed to a seat on the United States Equestrian Federation's Driving High Performance committee. She is excited about supporting the sport of driving in this role, as driving is less well-known than some other equine disciplines.

Shelly, a driver sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER), reports that she is giving her competition pony Cooper some down time after a busy fall schedule. Many horses in training benefit from a vacation during the winter months, and Shelly knows Cooper will come back into spring training with a fresh and eager attitude. Cooper won't be completely inactive, as Shelly still plans to do some pleasure driving with him through the winter months.

Though there are few if any driving competitions scheduled right now, Shelly will stay busy training her new ponies. She also has a number of students in the Aiken, South Carolina area and will continue to work with them as they progress.

Shelly's website features the KER products that she uses to keep her equines in top condition. She says, "I have been using KER and KERx products for many years, and I depend on them to keep my horses healthy and feeling good so they can train and compete at their best."

"Some products I use on a regular basis and recommend are KER-Flex, an oral joint supplement; Preserve, a vitamin E and selenium supplement; Synovate HA, a liquid hyaluronic acid supplement; Restore and Restore Paste, great electrolyte supplement; Hemabuild, a trace mineral and B-vitamin supplement; and Nano E, a unique vitamin E supplement."

"I'd be happy to answer any questions about how I use these products. I'm very proud to have KER as a sponsor. I have visited KER's facility and was most impressed with its staff, innovative research and attention to detail. Visit www.KER.com to access a wide variety of research papers and to subscribe to the company's electronic newsletters, which are filled with helpful information to keep you informed and up-to-date on the latest horse care subjects."

Rochelle "Shelly" Temple was honored with the designation "America's Favorite Equestrian" for 2011. The announcement was made during the Alltech National Horse Show recently held in Lexington, Kentucky.

Representing the discipline of driving, Temple was one of eight horse enthusiasts chosen for the designation in a program conducted by the United States Equestrian Federation and The Equus Foundation. The other disciplines considered were dressage, endurance, eventing, jumping, para-dressage, reining, and vaulting. 

The program was established by the two organizations to recognize outstanding competitors in equestrian sport and to build support within the equestrian community for the many charities supported by The EQUUS Foundation on behalf of horse welfare. Winners were chosen on the basis of total votes placed by equestrians across the country.

Temple and her pony, LR Ami B-Line ("Cooper"), were recently named the Single Pony Champions in Combined Driving, and Cooper also won the USEF's Horse of the Year-Single Pony Driving. In addition, the U.S. pony driving team, including Temple and Cooper, won the bronze at the 2011 FEI Pony World Driving Championships in Lipica, Slovenia. In the same competition, Temple finished just outside the top 10 individually, with Cooper, ending up 11th on a score of 130.97.

To support Cooper's winning efforts, Temple, who is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER), uses KER supplements, including Preserve, a source of vitamin E and selenium; Hemabuild, for trace minerals and B vitamins; Restore powder and paste electrolytes; Synovate HA, a liquid hyaluronic acid supplement for the support of healthy joint function in horses; and Nano•E, a water-soluble natural-source vitamin E supplement for horses.

After returning to the United States from her competition at the FEI World Driving Championships in Slovenia, Shelly Temple is giving her pony a well-deserved break from hard training and performance. LR Ami B-Line (barn name "Cooper"), a Morgan gelding, is winding down after his season, according to Shelly. "He is doing more relaxed training and driving," she reported.

Shelly and Cooper were recently named the Single Pony Champions in Combined Driving, and Cooper also won the USEF's Horse of the Year-Single Pony Driving.

Shelly, who is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research, credits the company's nutritional supplements for contributing to her pony's success. Nano•E, a natural-source vitamin E product, is always a part of Cooper's feed management program. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that keeps free radicals from forming and potentially weakening cells and tissues. In addition to its antioxidant responsibilities, vitamin E is vital to immune, cardiovascular, circulatory, and neuromuscular functions. It is particularly helpful to heavily exercised horses, especially those in a training and competition schedules that limits their access to fresh grass and forage.

Though her pony will be taking a break from active competition, Shelly finds herself with little free time on her hands. She is training two newly arrived German riding ponies; instructing individual drivers in the Aiken, South Carolina area; and coaching her students who are preparing to show at the Katydid Combined Driving Event in early November. Shelly is a member of the Katydid organizing committee, handling team awards and the advertising campaign. KER is providing support for the Katydid competition by donating products and merchandise such as hats and an embroidered cooler.

The U.S. pony driving team, including KER-sponsored driver Shelly Temple, won the bronze at the 2011 FEI Pony World Driving Championships in Lipica, Slovenia. The team's three-phase total of 402.3 guaranteed bronze behind the driving powerhouse nations, Germany and The Netherlands.

Individually, Temple finished just outside the top 10 with LR Ami B-Line, ending up 11th on 130.97. She was also a member of the 2007 U.S. bronze-medal team.

Temple uses KER supplements, including:

• Preserve, a source of vitamin E and selenium;
• Hemabuild, for trace minerals and B vitamins;
• Restore powder and paste electrolytes;
• Synovate HA, a liquid hyaluronic acid supplement for the support of healthy joint function in horses;
• Nano•E, a water-soluble natural-source vitamin E supplement for horses.

Shelly Temple, a combined driver sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER), has qualified to represent the U.S. at the World Pony Driving Championships in Lipica, Slovenia, September 22-25.

Temple hopes to build upon her success as a member of the 2007 U.S. bronze-medal team and individual silver in dressage. She and her Morgan gelding LR Ami B-Line (Cooper) have been working with U.S. driving coach Michael Freund for the past year to qualify for the team and prepare.

"I am thankful for the USEF's support and the training and instruction from Michael Freund over the past year," Temple said. "Michael's coaching has been instrumental at improving all aspects of my driving."

Temple uses KER supplements, including:

• Preserve, a source of vitamin E and selenium;
• Hemabuild, for trace minerals and vitamin B;
• Restore powder and paste electrolytes;
• Synovate HA, a liquid hyaluronic acid supplement for the support of healthy joint function in horses;
• Nano•E, a water-soluble natural-source vitamin E supplement for horses.

Coverage of the World Pony Driving Championships will be available online.