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Milne Feeds News provided by KER

Nicholson Scores Top Finishes at Weston Park Horse Trials

Andrew Nicholson had a win with Quimbo in the Advanced Section J at the Weston Park Horse Trials in Shropshire. The gelding moved into first place when William Fox-Pitt, the leader after the dressage phase, dropped in the standings because of cross-country time penalties added to his score. Quimbo also had time penalties but finished in first place by two points.

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.

Sponsored Riders Finish Well at Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

In a demanding competition in which fewer than half the starters completed all three days of the event, riders sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER) and its Team Members claimed four of the top twelve spots when the final results were posted.

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.

Sponsored Rider Near Top of Eventing Rankings

New Zealand event rider Andrew Nicholson holds second place in the HSBC Rankings, 59 points behind leader William Fox-Pitt and 146 points ahead of Piggy French. The ranking system is based on points earned in the previous 12 months of competition, so riders lose points gained from events that occurred more than a calendar year ago.

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.

Nicholson Rides Two of Top Five at Belton

At the Belton Park One Day Event in England, sponsored rider Andrew Nicholson won the Advanced division with Avebury. After leading with a dressage score of 25.9, Nicholson added a few cross-country time faults for a final score of 39.9. Nicholson also claimed fifth place in the division with Mr. Cruise Control.

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

Sponsored Riders to Compete at Rolex Kentucky

Record numbers of horses are registered to compete in this year's Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event to be held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington in late April. The international field of riders includes several past Rolex Kentucky champions, Olympic Games veterans, and top national and international eventers. This year's competition will serve as a selection trial to choose the U.S. eventing team for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

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.

Sponsored Rider to Compete at Badminton Horse Trials

Riders from 12 countries have qualified to compete at the 2012 Badminton Horse Trials to be held in early May. Horses are selected according to the number of points they have won over the past two years in FEI events at the three-star and four-star levels. Only 85 horses are accepted and other hopeful riders and horses are put on a waiting list.

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.

Nicholson Collects Honors at Aldon Event

At the Aldon British Eventing one-day event in Somerset, Andrew Nicholson rode several horses to excellent finishes. This competition was the first big event of 2012 for the southwest England eventing calendar.

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.

Nicholson Claims Top Spots at Tweseldown

Andrew Nicholson had good rides at the Tweseldown Horse Trials near Newbury, England. Nicholson rode Avebury to a first-place finish and Calico Joe to second in an Open Intermediate division. The event was held in early March 2012.

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.

Nicholson on New Zealand High Performance Squad

Andrew Nicholson has been chosen as a member of the 2012 High Performance squad in eventing by Equestrian Sports New Zealand. Topping the British Eventing points list for the second year in a row and holding the number-three ranking in the world in 2011, Nicholson and the other three riders on the squad are in the running for selection on the New Zealand team that will compete in the Olympic Games in London later this year. Nicholson is sponsored by Bluegrass Horse Feeds, a Kentucky Equine Research Team Member. One of the feeds Nicholson uses, Re-Solve Low GI Cube, is formulated to provide energy from fat and digestible fiber rather than totally from the feed's starch component. This formulation results in a lower glycemic response to feeding, eliminating excessive variations in the horse's energy supply during exercise.

Bluegrass Horse Feeds Celebrates Win by Bloomfield Ollie

Bloomfield Ollie claimed the RDS Dublin Horse Show Supreme Hunter Championship. The gelding by Crosstown Dancer was bred by Daphne Tierney from County Wicklow, Ireland, and ridden by Jane Bradbury.

The chestnut horse began his string of successes at the recent event by winning the Goffs Country Property Hunter Championship, and then added the middleweight crown to his credentials.

When champions from all the weight divisions were called back into the arena, the judges first had to pick their four-year-old winner, and Bloomfield Ollie was called forward to pick up this accolade. His combined honors allowed Bloomfield Ollie to step into the top slot, taking the title of Supreme Hunter Champion.

Bloomfield Ollie has been raised from a foal and prepared for the show ring on Bluegrass Horse Feeds products including Bluegrass Cool 'N' Condition Cubes. Bluegrass Horse Feeds is a Kentucky Equine Research Team Member.

Eventing Win for KER Team Member Bluegrass Horse Feeds

New Zealand eventer Andrew Nicholson finished in the top two spots in the British Eventing Open Championship at The Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe aboard Nereo and Avebury, respectively. Nicholson's horses are fed by Kentucky Equine Research Team Member Bluegrass Horse Feeds.

"They are both good horses and I knew they could go well," Nicholson told show organizers. "Nereo made it feel very easy."

Bluegrass Horse Feeds joined Kentucky Equine Research as its exclusive Irish manufacturer in 2002. The Bluegrass Horse Feeds range is underpinned and complemented by KER's world-renowned research and expertise, and consists of specialized products for every stage of a horse's life.

Follow The Plan Wins Guinness Gold Cup

In the Grade I Guinness Gold Cup at the Punchestown Festival, Follow The Plan came from behind to win the race after the leading horse dumped his jockey over the final brush fence. Ridden by Tom Doyle and trained by Oliver McKiernan, Follow The Plan began the race at odds of 20-1. The dark bay horse looked fresh and strong throughout the contest, steadily passing tiring horses over the last few obstacles to finish in first place by several lengths.

Commenting on the horse's performance in the race, trainer McKiernan said, "Follow The Plan was suited by the fast gallop today, as he failed to settle early at Aintree on his latest run. We were hoping he wouldn't be out of his depth today." Obviously the horse was ready to best all other entrants in this last race of the steeplechasing season.

To fuel the winner's training and racing schedule, McKiernan chose Bluegrass Racehorse Cubes, a feed formulated by Kentucky Equine Research (KER) and manufactured and distributed by Bluegrass Horse Feeds, a KER Team Member. This product is designed to meet the nutrient requirements for horses in intense exercise and those competing at a high level. With a mixture of ingredients including super-fibers and soluble carbohydrates, Bluegrass Racehorse Cubes provide an immediate release of energy as well as support for exercise of a longer duration such as a steeplechase or hurdle race.

Equine Nutrition Research Covered At KER Team Member Short Course

Equine nutrition research, feed manufacturing guidelines, and digital marketing were among the topics covered at the recent Kentucky Equine Research (KER) Team Member Short Course at the KER Research Farm and Training Center in Versailles, Ky.

Team Members are feed manufacturers who look to KER for the scientific knowledge, innovation, and experience necessary for them to produce competitive, top-of-the line feeds.

Nearly 70 attendees heard lectures on new equine nutrition research, global feed manufacturing and safety guidelines, ration evaluation and formulation, equine growth tracking, and marketing. Multiple lecture tracks allowed attendees to select a program tailored to their needs.

Team Members represented at this conference included:

Representatives of numerous dealers and partners also attended.

International guests also toured many area attractions, including Coolmore's Ashford Stud, the Kentucky Horse Park, and Woodford Reserve, as well as attending the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.

When horsemen purchase a feed that has been scientifically formulated by the nutritionists at KER and produced at a KER Team Member's manufacturing facility, they can expect the best: the highest quality vitamin and mineral packages, the choicest ingredients, and the most stringent quality-control measures.

KER-formulated feeds are available through Team Member dealers and merchants. To locate one near you, visit our Team Member page.

Bluegrass Feeds Fuel Cheltenham Festival Winners

It has been a successful Cheltenham Festival for Bluegrass-fed horses this year with Gordon Elliott having two winners on Wednesday with Chicago Grey winning the first race and Carlito Brigante taking the Coral Cup. Elliot also ran Jessie's Dream, beaten by a neck in the Grade I RSA Chase.

Elliot's other Cheltenham runners, Plan A and Beautiful Sound, ran well and finished fourth in their respective races.

Paul Nolan also scored with Nobel Prince, winner of the Grade II Jewson Novice Chase in the first race on St. Patrick's Day.

Zemsky, running for Ian Ferguson and Derek O'Connor, sprang a major surprise to claim victory in the Christie's Foxhunter Chase at odds of 33/1, bringing the Irish tally to twelve for the week.

Other notable Bluegrass-fed horses included the 5-year-old Rubi Light, trained by Robbie Hennessey, who was only beaten three lengths for third in the Grade I Ryanair Chase.

Philip Rothwell horses also ran well with Rathlin finishing sixth in the Grade I Supreme Novices Hurdle and Divine Rhapsody finishing seventh in the Grade I Champion Bumper.

Cheltenham Winners Fueled by Bluegrass Horse Feeds

A top trainer who favors products from Bluegrass Horse Feeds has posted good results from the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire, England.

Gordon Elliott had a particularly good day on March 16 when Chicago Grey finished first out of a field of 16 in the 141st National Hunt Chase Challenge. Track commentary reported that the 8-year-old gray gelding appeared "a brave and willing horse" in the race. Chicago Grey has started 24 times and has claimed first, second, or third place in 17 of those contests.

In the Grade 1 RSA Chase, Elliott watched his charge Jessie's Dream finish second by a neck.

The Coral Cup saw Elliott's Carlito Brigante take the lead over 21 other contenders, winning the Grade 3 Handicap Hurdle.

Another Elliott-trained horse, Plan A, finished fourth in a huge field of 23 in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. 

Coming back to the track on March 17, Elliott had to be pleased with the effort of one of his less experienced horses when Beautiful Sound swept into third place at the end of the Byrne Group Plate, a Grade 3 Handicap. Standing out in a field of 20 jumpers, the horse impressed the race commentator who wrote, "The eye-catcher of the race was Beautiful Sound. He jumped poorly the first round but was making up ground hand over fist near the line. He's not the most experienced over fences, but he'd be a fascinating contender in 12 months' time."