Serio rode Corvine, a five-year-old horse owned by Timothy Wicks, in the class, and won the blue ribbon despite the fact that she had not competed on Corvine prior to this show.

The Hunter Derby series is sponsored by Hallway Feeds, a Team Member of Kentucky Equine Research (KER). KER Sport Horse Nutrition is a sustaining sponsor of the Hallway Feeds Kentucky Spring and Summer Horse Show Series.

At the same event, Jones claimed a first-place finish on Kirby Park Irish Empress in the Equitak Excel CIC*.

Jones is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research.

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."

Adding to her list of accomplishments, the Olympic silver medalist established Kirby Park Stud in South Australia, which focuses on breeding, training, and competing high-quality performance horses. Among the horses at Kirby Park Stud is Kirby Park Irish Jester, named Equestrian Federation (EA) South Australia Eventing Horse of the Year and leader of the FEI World Rankings in 2009.

Megan feeds her horses KER-formulated Barastoc feeds from Ridley AgriProducts, as well as nutritional supplements by KER. Megan is a great supporter of KER products, "Full-fat, no grain, plenty of energy. I can't rave enough about Equi-Jewel! Kirby Park Irish Jester was diagnosed with stress founder from international travel in 2010, but he has now returned to work and competition at the four-star level. He did it on Equi-Jewel and Barastoc Competitor feed. He gets all of the energy he needs from those feeds, and I have no fears of him foundering again."

The Endurance Festival and competition was broadcast to a global audience though a live webcast. International officials were offered a unique opportunity to partake in the Australasian Endurance Forum held in conjunction with the festival and competition. Peter Huntington, B.V.Sc., KER's director of nutrition, presented the latest research in endurance horse nutrition during this forum, and KER nutritionist Clarissa Brown-Douglas, Ph.D., attended the festival and competition to provide on-the-spot nutrition advice for riders.

Meg spent 30 days in a coma and six weeks in intensive care after falling from her horse. Meg's accident left her with permanent brain injuries, with doctors concluding at the time that she may never ride again. Despite the grave prognosis, Meg was determined to get back in the saddle. In 2010, Meg rode in her favorite event, the Tom Quilty Gold Cup. She rode five kilometres of the event, which allowed her to maintain a very important promise to herself: to not let a near-fatal accident keep her out of the saddle.

Amongst her many accomplishments, Meg has three team World Championship bronze medals, has been named Australia's Endurance Rider of the Year nine times, and has won the Tom Quilty Gold Cup four times. Currently, Meg and her partner run Castlebar Endurance Arabians, where they take great pride in breeding and producing internationally competitive endurance horses. Meg said, "Feeding is a major part of the management, so this is where we use KER's expertise."

Coolmore has enjoyed a multitude of remarkable accomplishments since commencing operations in Jerry's Plains, N.S.W., in 1996. Not only do they have the number-one sire in Australia, Encosta de Lago, they have raised seven sires with Grade-I-winning foals and eight with the potential to sire Grade-I winners. Some of the stallions standing at Coolmore include Choisir, High Chaparral, Duke of Marmalade, Henrythenavigator, Fastnet Rock, Spinning World, Haradasun, and Uncle Mo. In addition to this impressive list of stallions, champion racehorse So You Think will be added this year.

Recently, outstanding filly Invest (Dehere) became the 33^rd individual Grade-I winner to have been bred at Coolmore Australia. Top race filly Unearthly recently enjoyed success along with top-class performers Gathering, Dariana, Trusting, and One Last Dance.  All were bred at Coolmore and fed by KER.

KER has nearly 25 years of experience in designing nutrition programs for breeding farms that improve health and productivity. KER-formulated custom rations are proven successes.

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.

Nicholson claimed second place with Nereo in Advanced Section L after a single show jumping rail dropped the pair out of first place. 

He also finished in second place in Advanced Section A on Avebury, one of his possible Badminton entries. 

Nicholson is sponsored by Bluegrass Horse Feeds, a Kentucky Equine Research Team Member.

Karen O'Connor rode Mr. Medicott, a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, to fourth place in the event. In fourth after the dressage phase, O'Connor had a few time penalties on the cross-country course to drop to fifth at the end of the second day. Her double-clear stadium round helped her advance to a final fourth-place standing. An experienced horsewoman who has won the event in the past, O'Connor is hoping to ride for the United States in this summer's Olympic Games in London. She is sponsored by KER and also by Pennfield Equine Feed Technologies.

New Zealand rider Andrew Nicholson finished in seventh place on Qwanza, a nine-year-old CDE mare. Nicholson, who is sponsored by KER Team Member Bluegrass Horse Feeds, stood in 24th place after dressage. He rode double-clear rounds in both the cross-country and stadium phases, moving him up to seventh position.

Another rider who moved up considerably because of excellent cross-country and stadium rounds was Phillip Dutton, who placed tenth on Mighty Nice and twelfth on Fernhill Eagle. Both horses are Irish Sport Horse geldings. Though he had stadium rails down with each horse, Dutton finished with fewer penalties than many riders because of his fast and accurate rides in the cross-country phase of the event. Dutton is sponsored by KER.

Experienced riders, but novices at reining, Olympic three-day event medalists David and Karen O'Connor will compete with other celebrities as well as some of the world's leading reining riders in the $25,000 World Championship Freestyle Reining at the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup on April 28. The O'Connors are also sponsored by KER.

The reining competition will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.

The first event will be part of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show schedule in early May followed by the second class that will take place during the Kentucky Spring Classic a week later. At the conclusion of the series, the Leading Rider Awards for the entire series will be presented. The $15,000 Hallway Feeds Leading Rider Award will consist of a $10,000 cash prize to the professional rider accumulating the most points in the six classes that make up the series. The amateur rider and junior rider accumulating the most points will each receive a $2,500 cash prize.

KER Sport Horse Nutrition is a new joint venture between Kentucky Equine Research (KER) and Hallway Feeds, a Team Member of KER. This partnership brings together the technological and nutritional expertise of KER and the globally recognized horse feed manufacturing reputation of Hallway Feeds, which is the title sponsor for the show series. Premier performance horse feeds formulated by KER and produced by Hallway Feeds are designed to meet the nutrient and energy needs of elite equine athletes competing at the top levels in a range of equestian disciplines.

Jones' next event is the Australian national Olympic team selection event in Sydney. She is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research.

As detailed in an article from The Horse Magazine's website, Chugg is working with the stallion on all phases of riding as well as manners under saddle and on the ground. While Baluga is already mannerly, it's important to reinforce the rules when working with a stallion, especially one that is used in an active breeding program. Dressage, trotting poles, and jumping both in the arena and outside are all worked into the training routine. Getting a young horse used to seeing and being around other horses at home will help with relaxation and confidence at shows, according to Chugg.

Crandell, who is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research, counts on RiteTrac, a digestive tract conditioner, to help Heraldic stay in good health as he trains, travels, and competes in top-level endurance events.

The first section of the two-part workshop held at the Carlisle Academy was a week-long session of para-equestrian rider training. Ten riders, several of whom will be riding in the upcoming United States Paralympic Selection Trials, worked intensively with international judges and professionals in preparation for the London Paralympic Games. KER supported this training camp by providing saddle pads for the riders who participated.  

Interspersed with riding sessions, an array of unmounted camp activities included stretching and strengthening classes; therapeutic sports massage for athletes and their horses; consultations with occupational therapists; discussions about equine nutrition; and lectures on various topics in sports psychology and para-equestrian theory.

After the week-long riding section of the workshop, the weekend featured a Train the Trainer program. This event was designed for local and regional trainers who wanted to increase their skills and knowledge of working with competitive and recreational para-equestrians. Classroom and lecture time on Friday evening set the stage for live riding demonstrations on Saturday to highlight the different levels of the sport based on riders' physical disabilities. Jordan rode in this demonstration to acquaint trainers with the Grade 4 level of para-equestrian riding.

The 2012 USEF Paralympic Selection Trials and 2012 USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championship will take place June 11 to 13 at the USET Foundation Headquarters in Gladstone, New Jersey.

After helping Lawrence warm up for her dressage test, in which she rode to a fourth-place standing, Jones' advice for cross-country day consisted of many helpful tips but was summed up in a simple final tip: "Don't fall off, and jump all the fences!" Obviously this was a good plan, and horse and rider had an excellent round.

Lawrence had one rail down in the stadium jumping but she finished in second place overall, a very commendable result for a first effort at the three-star level.

Jones is sponsored by Barastoc and Kentucky Equine Research (KER). Barastoc is a Brand Alliance Partner of KER.

Ferrero Mangimi SpA's philosophy is to provide its customers with technologically up-to-date feeds combined with first-class technical assistance. This includes a country-wide network of veterinarians and agronomists with no equal in Italy.

The company was founded in 1959 by Giacomo Ferrero in Farigliano (CN). The company has expanded many times in the subsequent years to include mills in Cavallerleone (CN), Fossano (CN), Fasano (BR), and Urgnano (BG). Today the national feed manufacturer is owned by Dr. Massimo Ferrero.

"We are excited to add Ferrero Mangimi SpA as a brand alliance partner," said Joe Pagan, Ph.D., president of Kentucky Equine Research. "Dr. Ferrero and his company bring manufacturing and sales experience and an excellent reputation into this partnership. Kentucky Equine Research brings world-class equine nutrition innovations and science to the partnership. We look forward to working with Ferrero Mangimi SpA to develop a line of feeds that not only meets, but exceeds, the high standards of Italian horse owners."

For more information about Ferrero Mangimi SpA, contact the company at Via Fornace, 15-12060 Farigliano (CN), e-mail info@ferreromangimi.com, or call 0173-76143.

Kentucky Equine Research is an international equine nutrition, research, and consultation company serving both the horse owner and the feed industry. Founded nearly 25 years ago by Joe Pagan, Ph.D., the company's goal is to advance the industry's knowledge of equine nutrition and exercise physiology and apply that knowledge to produce healthier, more athletic horses at all stages of life. For more information, contact Kentucky Equine Research at 3910 Delaney Ferry Road, Versailles, KY 40383; 859-873-1988; e-mail info@ker.com. Visit our online library of nutrition and health articles at www.Equinews.com.

Photo courtesy of Lorraine Callows

KER All-Phase was recommended in order to provide Morgan with all the essential nutrients and trace minerals he requires in a convenient, low-dose balancer pellet. Because it was likely that Morgan's bloating and discomfort occurred as a result of a condition known as hindgut acidosis, the time-released hindgut buffer EquiShure was recommended to improve these signs.  

"The diet has been really easy to feed, no bits of this and spoonfuls of that," remarked Lorraine. "Thank you for giving me the opportunity to improve my horse's life, and I'm sure Morgan is also most grateful. I know he is much more comfortable."

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.

Rankings may change after the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event to be held in late April. Fox-Pitt has one horse entered, while Nicholson has listed three entries in the challenging competition.

Nicholson is sponsored by Blue Grass Horse Feeds, a Kentucky Equine Research Team Member.

The New Zealand native is sponsored by Blue Grass Horse Feeds, a Team Member of Kentucky Equine Research.

Phillip Dutton rides for the United States. He is a three-time Olympic veteran with two team gold medals (1996 and 2000) for his native Australia. Dutton was the 2008 Rolex Kentucky CCI**** champion. He is listed to ride Fernhill Eagle and Mighty Nice. Dutton is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER).

Karen O'Connor also rides for the United States. She is a three-time Olympic veteran with team silver (1996) and bronze (2000) medals. She was the 1999 Rolex Kentucky CCI**** champion and two-time Rolex Kentucky CCI*** champion (1991 and 1997). O'Connor is listed to ride Mr. Medicott and Veronica. She is sponsored by KER and is also a Promise Partner of Pennfield Feeds, a KER Team Member.

Bruce "Buck" Davidson, Jr. rides for the United States. Davidson was a member of the 1999 Pan-American Team and also competed at the World Equestrian Games in 2011. He is listed to ride Titanium and Absolute Liberty. He is a Promise Partner of Pennfield Feeds, a KER Team Member.

Andrew Nicholson rides for New Zealand. He is a six-time Olympic veteran with team silver (1992) and bronze (1996) medals. Nicholson is listed to ride Calico Joe, Shady Grey, and Qwanza. He is sponsored by Blue Grass Horse Feeds, a KER Team Member.

An additional attraction at the Kentucky Horse Park on Rolex weekend is the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup. This is the only three-star reining competition currently scheduled in the U.S. in 2012, and it is expected to draw horses and riders from around the globe. Lisa Coulter, a veteran of the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games who rides for Canada, will compete in the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup. Coulter is sponsored by KER.

Gupta is a professor at Murray State University, where he heads the toxicology department. He is scheduled to speak at the Kentucky Equine Research Conference to be held in May 2012 in Lexington, Kentucky.

Andrew Nicholson has qualified two horses, Shady Grey and Mr. Cruise Control, for the competition. Nicholson has ridden the challenging Badminton course many times and is looking for his first win there. He is sponsored by Blue Grass Horse Feeds, an Irish company that is a Kentucky Equine Research Team Member.

Weber is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER) and is also a Promise Partner of Pennfield Equine Feed Technologies, a KER Team Member.

After competing at the Southern Pines Horse Trials in North Carolina, Dutton will send some of his horses back to Pennsylvania. Those competing at The Fork will return to Aiken, South Carolina, for two more weeks. 

Dutton, who is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research, counts on products formulated by this company to meet the requirements of horses in intense training.

To keep her horses sound and prevent the sour attitude that can come from overtraining, Coulter, who is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER), pays careful attention to their work schedules, nutrition, and overall health. She uses KER's supplements EO-3 and Synovate HA to minimize problems with inflammation and support connective tissue and joint function. 

In the Advanced Intermediate section, Nicholson led after the dressage phase but slipped to fifth place when Mr. Cruise Control had just one show jump down.

He had a better finish on Viscount George in the first of two Open Intermediate sections, beating Irish international Austin O'Connor by two points. 

A single show jump down placed Tristar in the third spot for Nicholson in a second Open Intermediate section. Tristar was returning to competition after being out for two years.

Nicholson is sponsored by Blue Grass Horse Feeds, a Team Member of Kentucky Equine Research.

The first teleseminar, "Nutrition and Dental Care of the Senior Horse," featured an equine dentist, Dr. Geoff Tucker, who explained that poor dental health can have a damaging effect on a horse's well-being, requiring changes in the types of feeds offered and how they are processed. Because senior horse dental care starts before the horse is a senior, this event offered useful information for all horse owners. The event was recorded so that late-registering participants can listen at any time.

As founder of Summit Equine Nutrition LLC, Thunes talks with horse owners about a variety of topics related to equine nutrition and wellness. She also consults with and distributes nutritional supplements formulated by Kentucky Equine Research (KER) as part of the KER Champions program. 

To register for the series of teleseminars, visit www.summit-equine.com/teleseminars.

Further information about Summit Equine Nutrition LLC may be found at www.summit-equine.com.

Braun joined professional riders from the disciplines of dressage, eventing, hunter, jumper, and polo to participate in various activities before an enthusiastic audience. Braun was part of a team of riders and drivers that won a timed relay race. Braun is sponsored by Hallway Feeds, a Team Member of Kentucky Equine Research.

The Equus Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life of horses, fostering the use of horses to enrich the lives of people in need, and educating the public about the horse's unique ability to empower, teach, and heal. The Foundation has awarded nearly $2 million in grants to equine charities across America, provides academic and equestrian scholarships to reward volunteerism, and has achieved national recognition as the primary organization in the equine world solely focused on both horse welfare and fostering the horse-human connection in the therapeutic, recreational, and sport communities. Funds raised by the Fete Cheval will be used for programs that secure homes and useful lives for horses and enrich the lives of people who benefit from horses therapeutically, recreationally, and competitively.

Baffert also trained the winners of the race in 2010 and 2011. Lookin at Lucky, the 2010 victor, went on to win the Preakness Stakes. The Factor, victorious in 2011, is still in Baffert's stable and has most recently won the San Carlos Stakes (Grade II) in February.

To fuel their training and performance efforts, Baffert chooses feeds manufactured by Hallway Feeds, a Team Member of Kentucky Equine Research. 

Buchanan manages the Brazos Valley Equine Hospital in Navasota. The hospital was founded in 1987 and has a staff of ten veterinarians and three interns. It also has branches in Stephenville and Rockdale.

Equine sports medicine is the major focus for the practice. Lameness exams, orthopedic surgery, cardiac exams, respiratory workups, treatment of sick horses, and intensive care of ill foals are all part of the hospital's services.

Many horses competing in the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas and the National Cutting Horse Association Futurity in Fort Worth are also seen at the clinic each year before and during these important competitions.

Buchanan takes a special interest in the training of young vets, offering a fellowship/residency program in large animal emergency and critical care.  He has served as chairman of the Equine Practice Committee of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association, a role in which he helped negotiate legislation to regulate equine dental practitioners. He was a founding board member of the Texas Equine Veterinary Association of which he is now serving as vice president.

Kentucky Equine Research is a gold-level sponsor of the Texas Equine Veterinary Association.

Weber and his four-in-hand team of horses won the Sunshine State CDE and the Little Everglades CDE earlier in 2012. Last year he was selected as a United States Equestrian Federation Equestrian of Honor, and was also the recipient of the Becky Grand Hart Trophy. A European tour kept him in the winner's circle with first-place finishes at CAIO Veces, CAI Altenfelden, and CAIO Riesenbeck.

Weber has served as chef d'equipe to the United States Pony and Pony Pairs teams at the 2011 World Pony Driving Championships as well as the USEF Board of Directors, the High Performance Driving Committee, and the Driving Safety Committee. He also served as chairman for the Active Athlete's Committee and the Dressage Search Committee.

His next major competition will be the CAI Live Oak International in late March. "This year marks Live Oak's 20th year of competition," Weber said.  "While I am proud of the event that we have created, I am also proud that Live Oak provides a service to the community as the proceeds from the event will benefit the Marion Therapeutic Riding Association."

Topics such as governance, horse show consistency, stewards, and a pipeline for developing riders were the main focus of the discussion. O'Connor stated that he wanted to concentrate on the strategic process of improving the sport and the tactical side of accomplishing these goals. About 30 USEF officials, riders, owners, trainers, course designers, judges, and stewards attended the meeting.

Hallway Feeds is a Kentucky Equine Research Team Member.

The $15,000 Hallway Feeds Leading Rider Awards will present a $10,000 cash prize to the professional rider accumulating the most points in the six classes that make up the series. The amateur rider and junior rider accumulating the most points will each receive a $2,500 cash prize. Riders will receive points on their highest-placed horse in each of the classes. The awards will be presented at the conclusion of the Hallway Feeds class at the KHJA show on August 25. 

For more information on the show schedules and classes, go to www.kentuckyhorseshows.com or call 859-233-0492.

Karen O'Connor, who is also a Pennfield Promise Partner, rode to first and fifth honors in the Open Intermediate division, and was fifth and tenth in the CIC***division.   

Jordan earned qualifying scores for the 2012 USEF London Paralympic Selection Trials, putting her one step closer to this premier international event.

Jordan is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER). At home in Florida, she trusts KER products to keep her horses performing at their competitive best.

Nicholson, who is from New Zealand, is sponsored by Blue Grass Feeds, a Kentucky Equine Research Team Member that serves Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Earlier in this spring's eventing season, Nicholson had a top placing with Tilikum in the Novice division at the Moreton competition's first day. He also placed fifth with Uron, seventh with Joey Clerk, and ninth with Thornton Jones in the same division before heavy rain forced the cancellation of competition at the start of the second day.

Crandell, who is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research, counts on RiteTrac, a digestive tract conditioner, to help Heraldic stay in good health throughout the demands of training, travel, and competition. The equine stomach and hindgut of a heavily trained horse are subject to imbalances related to stress, large grain meals, and feed management practices. RiteTrac is designed to protecting the stomach lining and restore the normal gastric environment. It also prevents hindgut acidosis that can lead to compromised health and decreased performance.

Ligon is listed among the top-40 event riders on the world Olympic ranking. If she and her horse compete in the Olympic Games, she will be the first Asian female to ride in the prestigious international competition. As part of her preparation, she and her mount Tipperary Liadhnan are currently training to enter the Fair Hill International Three-Day Event in April.

To fuel the demands of strenuous training and performance, Ligon has chosen feeds manufactured by Pennfield Equine Feed Technologies, a Team Member of Kentucky Equine Research. Ligon uses Fibregized, Cool N Lite, and All-Phase, feed products formulated to meet the needs of horses in strenuous work. These feeds provide the energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals to support performance and tissue maintenance without overloading the horse's digestive tract with large amounts of starch.

A number of activities, demonstrations, and clinics were offered during the Salute to Driving. A dinner, competitions, and a chance to meet top drivers and trainers were highlights of the event, which was held to benefit USEF High Performance Combined Driving. The High Performance program is dedicated to helping train the best drivers and equines to represent the United States in international competitions. The Salute to Driving helps raise public awareness and appreciation of the discipline of driving.

Eileen Phethean, business manager at KER, led the tour and explained the use of the high-speed equine treadmill and heart monitor in studies of exercise physiology and nutrition research. Thoroughbred gelding "Pi" was used to demonstrate treadmill exercise.

A light supper will be provided and attendees will be able to watch the riding, running, and shooting phases of the women's selection trial.  Pony Club CEO Kevin Price will address the gathering on the topic "Pony Club--Where We Are Today and Plans for the Future."

Kentucky Equine Research is an educational partner of Pony Club, a national youth organization that teaches riding and horsemanship through a formal educational program.