Ardverness Almira

Ardverness Almira, a two-year-old filly owned by Marie Kukawski, won the led part-bred Andalusian youngstock class at the 2011 Royal Melbourne Horse Show in Australia. The filly is by the national champion PRE (Pura Raza Espanola) stallion Pagan MF and out the Anglo-Arabian mare Abbeyance Almira.

Ardverness Almira joined stablemate Zorra MFI (also by Pagan MF) as a Royal Show winner. Zorra MFI claimed victory in the led purebred class and was also named the reserve champion led purebred at this year's event.

Both horses were given a variety of Kentucky Equine Research (KER) supplements in preparation for the horse show, including All-Phase, Equi-Jewel, Bio-Bloom, and Restore. In addition to these, they were fed Barastoc Groom, which is a blend of high-quality protein meals, oils, live yeast culture, vitamins, and minerals. Barastoc Groom is  manufactured by KER Team Member Ridley AgriProducts.

The broodmares at Kukawski's farm are typically fed All-Phase from the time they are bred through early lactation, and then are fed Low GI Cube throughout the remainder of lactation.

The Royal Melbourne Horse Show is the largest breed show in the Southern Hemisphere, attracting over 1,000 competitors to the annual event. The next major events for both horses will be The Victorian State Championships to be held in March this year.

Kukawski is employed by KER as the Australasia marketing manager.

Brook Dobbin and Belcam Advisor

Talented Victorian rider Brook Dobbin held off a strong field to convincingly win the Equestrian NSW World Cup Qualifier held at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre on December 12 aboard the 11-year-old gray gelding Belcam Advisor.

Brook and Angela Dobbin own the scopey Australian-bred gelding by Belcam Agassi and have high hopes for him on the World Cup circuit. Created by the renowned course designer Leopoldo Palacios from Venezuela, the challenging track at the event asked many questions of the riders and horses.

Brook and Belcam Advisor are members of the Equestrian Australia National Jumping Development Squad and are currently sitting in second place on the Australian World Cup leaderboard.

Brook and Angela run Glenwood Park in Yarra Glen, Victoria, a picturesque breaking and training facility for performance horses. Brook and Angela are well known for their ability to breed, break and train top-class jumpers with many reaching World Cup level. Glenwood Park uses a variety of KER and KERx products including Low GI Cube, Equi-Jewel, Glucos-A-Flex, EquiShure, Restore, and Neigh-Lox.

Australian show jumper Chris Chugg has been selected to represent Australia at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games with his horse Vivant. Chugg is one of several WEG competitors proudly sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER).

Chugg and Vivant have been based in Europe for the past year, where they have collected a number of wins and placings on the Grand Prix and World Cup circuits.    

Chris and his wife Helen have been vigilant with Vivant's diet and have ensured that he is never without his supplements, which include KERx EquiShure, KERx EO·3, Glucos-A-Flex, Restore, and Preserve.

Everyone at KER would like to wish Chris and Vivant every success at the WEG.

Other KER equestrians competing at WEG include eventers Phillip Dutton and Karen O'Connor, driver Chester Weber, and para-dressage riders Grace Bowman and Mary Jordan. Australian eventer Megan Jones was also selected but her horse is unable to compete.

The 38 Australian horses taking part in the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games will have a place in history as the first equine athletes to participate in this new global effort to introduce young people to the Olympic values.

Australia's Glen Haven Park was charged with recruiting and training the horses for the event, which will include individual and team jumping competitions. The competitors select the horse on which they'll compete through a random draw. See a video of the horses arriving and settling in to the Singapore Turf Club Riding Centre. 

Kentucky Equine Research Team Member, Barastoc (Ridley Agriproducts) is the official feed supplier for these horses for the 12 months leading up to and during the event. The horses receive nutritionally balanced diets with Barastoc feeds and KER supplements to bring out the best in each horse.

KER has worked closely with the trainers and staff at Glen Haven Park to ensure that the transition of horses from Queensland, Australia to Singapore has been as seamless as possible. The horses have been gradually acclimatized during their 12 months of training in lead-up to the games. Their diet and condition been carefully monitored throughout each stage of their preparation. These diets include:

Equestrian uniforms for the Youth Olympic Games.

• Barastoc Calm Performer
• Barastoc Cool Command
• KER Restore ™
• KER Hemabuild™
• KER Equi-Jewel™

With little time between the horses' arrival and return to peak competition fitness it has been imperative that everything, from the hay and water was taken with them whilst in transit to ensuring that their usual feed and supplements were at the venue for when they landed, to make sure the journey has been as stress free as possible. All the horses travelled extremely well and landed in excellent condition and have since begun their rigorous training schedule in lead-up to this week's competition.

Learn more about the equestrian events of the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games.

Olympian Karen O'Connor has set her sights on this fall's Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, reports veteran groom Max Corcoran. O'Connor, who is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER), holds one of 16 spots on the 2010 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team Short List with longtime mount and Olympic partner Mandiba.

Their next steps in qualifying for WEG will include dressage training with Oded Shimoni and competing in jumper classes at the HITS Culpeper Spring & Summer Show Series. Their next event will be the Richland Park Horse Trials in late August, before heading to the official selection trials, the Land Rover/USEA American Eventing Championships at Chattahoochee Hills.

Corcoran is responsible for O'Connor's top horses, and works with Karen and consultants at KER to assess each horse's different nutritional needs. Each one has to be catered to differently in order to perform its best.

"The most important elements leading up to a competition are overall health of the horse, starting with nutrition," Corcoran said. "Without proper nutrition you cannot have a healthy horse and a healthy horse is a sound horse. My priorities until that time are fitness and soundness as well."

KER products used by O'Connor team include EquiShure™, Restore™, DuraPlex®, Nano•E™, Triad™, Bio-Bloom™, and Hemabuild™, while feed is provided by KER Team Member Pennfield Equine Feed Technologies.

Summer is sizzling, and Kentucky Equine Research (KER) has the products your horse needs to perform its best.

To celebrate the season, KER has activated discounts on four of its premier products: Equine Ester 100™, KER•Flex™, Restore™, and Bio-Bloom™. The following discounts apply:

• Equine Ester 100™ (50% discount)--an antioxidant rich in natural vitamin E
• KER•Flex™ (30% discount)--oral joint supplement contains glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate
• Restore™ (15% discount on 40-lb bucket, 25% discount on pastes)--replenishes electrolytes at optimal levels without unnecessary sugar
• Bio-Bloom™ (15% discount)--dual-action hoof and coat supplement

Order online or call 859-873-1988 for assistance.

Shipping and handling charges apply. Offer only available within the continental United States. Good through September 30, 2010, or while supplies last.

Show jumping rider Chris Chugg achieved the best finish ever by an Australian when he claimed seventh place at the Rolex FEI World Cup Final in Geneva, Switzerland. Riding his 12-year-old stallion Vivant, Chugg had a clear first round, a few rails down in intermediate rounds, and a perfect final round over the challenging courses of obstacles. Vivant produced a strong effort in spite of jumping out of his stall and suffering minor injuries soon after arriving at the competition venue.

Chugg, who is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research, will train and compete in Europe for the summer and is hoping to represent Australia at the World Equestrian Games to be held this fall in Kentucky. He uses Endurance feed from St Hippolyt, KER's Team Member affiliate in Germany, and has selected KER products Restore™, Glucos-A-Flex™, EquiShure™, EO•3™ and Preserve™ to support his horse's training and performance. "This horse just keeps getting better," Chugg commented after finishing the World Cup competition.