Monday News and Notes from Fleeceworks

Beau and his kitty friend, Duplicat. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld. Beau and his kitty friend, Duplicat. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Just a few more weeks until Daylight Savings Time (don’t worry they will fly by), but the days are already getting longer and there’s been light enough to linger at the barn until almost 6:00 p.m. Here’s hoping the beautiful, weirdly warm weather we’ve experienced this winter (except in New England…which is suddenly getting record snowfall) makes a smooth transition into spring and we don’t go straight from a fake winter to mud season.

US Weekend Action:

Rocking Horse Winter II H.T. [Website] [Results]

Paradise Farm H.T. [Website] [Results]

Fresno County Horse Park CIC & H.T. [Website] [Results]

Monday News and Notes:

The USEA Classic Series Committee is looking for your input! Whether or not you’ve ever competed in a long-format competition the committee asks that you take five tiny minutes to complete this 5-question survey. Your answers will help determine how to offer the most exciting and educational experience at a long-format competition at all levels and identify specific needs to encourage organizers to host long-format events at the Preliminary level (there is only one at the country right now). [Take the Survey]

Tamie Smith will receive $1000 as the highest placed SCES rider in each of the CIC divisions at Fresno County Horse Park CIC and HT this weekend. Southern California Equestrian Sport pledged to award $500 in prize money per FEI division at Fresno and will offer the same prize at Aspen Farms HT in June. SCES is a non-profit organization designed to help athletes and owners expand their financial resources to train and compete. Learn more on the SCES website. [SCES to Award $2,000 in Prize Money]

A group of researchers from the University of Maryland, Baltimore and the University of Kentucky College of Public Health has organized bilingual training materials to improve occupational safety and health for horse farm employees and managers. The Thoroughbred Worker Health and Safety Study was a five-year research project that included input from horse farm employees, managers and owners [Study Aims to Improve Safety of Horse Farm Workers]

The ARK at JFK International Airport will be fully operational by summer 2017. Four years in the making, the ARK at JFK was constructed to meet the needs for importing and exporting animals through JFK. For horses, the ARK is a holding and rest area equipped with 23 individual 12-foot-by-12-foot’ stalls. Phase 1 is officially open and Phase 2, a full-service Import-Export Center featuring equine quarantine/import, a grooms’ lounge, and The ARK Aviary, is coming soon followed by Phase 3, which will include a full veterinary clinic, a veterinary blood laboratory, and pet boarding and grooming facility. [The ARK at JFK Equine, Livestock Export Center Now Open]

Best of the Blogs: Clipping My Way Through School

Monday Video: We recently reported that Clark Montgomery’s Universe is enjoying competing in the jumper ring at HITS this winter. Watch Clark and “Buzz” in a jump-off!