Cornerstone Cowboy Challenge Series
Cornerstone Horsemanship announces the 2010 Cowboy Challenge Series at their farm in Reva, Virginia. The first Challenge of the series will be July 3, with a cookout afterwards. Cowboys and cowgirls will compete to prove their horsemanship skills against obstacles of all kinds.
The course will be different for each event and made up of natural and man-made obstacles designed to challenge your skills and the skills of your horse. The Challenges are open for riders of all ages and for any breed of horse or mule. To keep the events competitive there are open, amateur, and youth divisions.

Each individual event will have a 50% payback, and points will accumulate for year-end trophies and prizes in each division. Open and amateur entry fees are $25, and the youth (18 & under) entry fee is $15. Participants must wear casual western attire and boots with heel. Western tack and a cowboy hat or a helmet is required. Horses over 5 years old must be ridden one handed with a shank bit.

The events will be held on the following dates: July 3rd, August 7th, September 4th, October 9th, and November 6th. Each will begin with a walk through of the course at 9:30 A.M.
For more information contact Charles or Michele Pellham at 540-292-5213 or go to the website at www.cornerstonehorsemanship.com.


Public Lesson Program at Frying Pan Park
A program offering riding lessons to beginners was launched in early May at Frying Pan Park in Herndon. Frying Pan Park, which has an indoor arena used for equestrian and other events, is well known for its farm animals, hayrides, and annual 4-H fair. Tawny Hammond, director of Frying Pan Park, reports that the program is filled to capacity and has a waiting list for the next several sessions.

Instruction is provided by Spirit Open Equestrian Program (www.spiritequestrian.org), a local non-profit organization that teaches both able-bodied and therapeutic students. The series of four 90-minute lessons includes safety instruction, horse anatomy, horse physiology, psychology, and basic horse management as well as riding skills. As beginning riders, the students work in pairs, one mounted and one leading. Each student team also has a volunteer helper. Two instructors guide the class through activities to develop each rider’s skills. The various aspects of the program work together to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of riding. Students learn how to build a relationship with their horses and by understanding physiology and how the horse moves, they gain an appreciation for how they affect the horse when they ride.

A long-time advocate for establishing public riding lesson facilities on Fairfax County parkland, Fairfax4Horses assisted Tawny Hammond in bringing this program to Frying Pan Park and is currently working to raise funds for an equestrian center at Laurel Hill Park in Lorton.
Fairfax4Horses, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working to ensure that all Fairfax County residents have access to affordable public riding lessons at county park facilities within a reasonable distance of where they live. For more information on Fairfax4Horses, visit www.fairfax4horses.org

Horse Farm Tours offered during WEG, IEF and Year-round!
HorseCapitalTours.com, a subsidiary of Horse Capital Productions, LLC, has partnered with leading tour companies in Kentucky to offer the first online ticketing system for tours of the world's most famous Thoroughbred farms, with all-breed farm tours coming on board in phase II. Tours are available throughout the year, with special tours created to run during the World Equestrian Games and the International Equestrian Festival. Visitors will experience up-close-and-personal tours of farms throughout the Bluegrass, some of which are home to recent Kentucky Derby winners.

Many well-known farms and attractions are a part of Horse Capital Tours, including Three Chimneys Farm, home of 2007 and 2008 Kentucky Derby winners Smarty Jones and Big Brown. Tourists to the farms can expect to see distinctive rolling bluegrass fields and stately homes, as well as all the operational elements of a working horse farm, such as the elegant stables, breeding sheds, and high tech training facilities.

Equine veterinary facilities such as Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and KESMARC, a rehabilitation facility, are also included in Horse Capital Tours packages. Tourists will go behind-the-scenes to see what it takes to keep horse athletes healthy and happy.
For tickets and more information on Horse Capital Tours, please visit www.HorseCapitalTours.com. For World Equestrian Games information go to www.alltechfeigames.com. For information about the 2010 IEF festival, visit www.InternationalEquestrian Festival.com.

Equine Extravaganza is now on Facebook!
We invite you to become an Equine Extravaganza Facebook Fan and be the first to receive our latest news, see photos, and learn about new and exciting activities we have planned for this year's Equine Extravaganza, October 29-31, 2010, at the Meadow Event Park, Doswell, VA.
Invite your friends to become fans, and if you've been to Equine Extravaganza before, post your photos from the event! For more information on the 2010 Equine Extravaganza go to www.equineextravaganza.com or call 410-349-9333.

There’s a new ministry in town!
Horsemen's International Ministry (HIM), established by Charles and Michele Pellham, is a non-denominational, Spirit filled Christian ministry based in Reva, Virginia. HIM is there to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ through clinics, seminars, public and private worship, retreats, and Cowboy Church. The message reaches across denominational boundaries to empower and encourage believers in their walk with Christ. Using horses in demonstrations and presentations, it is the intent of HIM to introduce people to the joy and adventure of serving Jesus Christ.
Charles and Michele regularly include Cowboy Church in conjunction with events scheduled for Cornerstone Horsemanship at their farm in Reva, and volunteer to hold Cowboy Church at any other events they travel to. Everyone is welcome to attend any event. Wednesday evening Cowboy Church services will be held thru the summer and fall, starting at 7:00 pm.

Charles and Michele are available to come to your church or event. See the Ministry website www.horsemensministry.org or call 540-292-5213 for their current schedule and more information. Horsemen's International Ministry is a 501(c)(3) non-profit tax-exempt organization.

Photos Needed for USPC Wall of Fame
The United States Pony Clubs, Inc., (USPC) is producing a Power Point presentation to be displayed at our booth and in the USPC office during the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. We hope to reach as many of our graduates as possible. As part of this presentation, we would like BEFORE AND AFTER photos of our members who have ridden at upper levels in any equestrian disciplines. We envision the before photo showing "Suzie," a D-2 from XYZ Pony Club, riding Snowball" and the after photo showing "Susan," a graduate B from XYZ Pony Club, eventing at Intermediate level at Radnor."

Visitors to the USPC booth at the WEG who watch the PowerPoint will see graduate members active in a full range of equestrian pursuits, as well as members who have achieved recognition in other fields, such as our Academy of Achievement inductees and their professional achievements.
Photos are needed by July 30th to give us time to design the presentation. Digital images are preferred, 4" x 6", 300 dpi if possible, either color or black and white. Please identify member name, rating level and Pony Club. Send images by E-mail to communications@ ponyclub.org or mail them to USPC Wall of Fame, 4041 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511. All submissions are welcome; not all photos may be used if space becomes an issue.

Regenerative Medicine conference features top VT researcher
Dr. Jennifer Barrett, assistant professor of surgery at Virginia Tech’s Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center and top biomedical researcher, recently addressed the first-ever North American Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Conference in Buellton, Calif. Regenerative medicine is still an emerging field which has the potential to optimize healing of many injuries, with an ultimate goal of scar-free healing.

Researchers and practitioners at the conference received new knowledge of innovative therapies and were provided an introduction to the concepts of regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy. “Much of our work focuses on how to regenerate and repair tendons and ligaments, since injuries to these structures can cause chronic lameness,” Barrett explained. A diagnosis of lameness, which cannot be resolved, can often lead to a horse being retired or unwanted.
Barrett takes stem cells and progenitor cells from the body and studies the cells as they grow in specially prepared nutrient solutions in the incubator. Studying how well the cells grow into specific types of tissues helps Barrett and her team to develop ways to influence stem cells to make new tendon. “Ultimately, we hope our findings will lead to treatments that will regenerate tendon as well as treat an assortment of other injuries and diseases in the future,” Barrett said.
At the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, stem cell therapy is currently being offered to treat tendon and ligament injuries as well as some joint injuries. For more information go to www.vetmed.vt.edu/emc.

Morningside Training Farm offers clinics
Morningside Training Farm in The Plains, Virginia aims to provide the regional and national horse community with top quality training facilities for multiple disciplines including; three-day event, show jumping, show hunters, steeplechase, flat racing and polo. Their top-notch facility includes a cross country course, polo fields, indoor and outdoor arenas, training track and even a lake which has a designated swimming area for horses. The facilities are open to the public for a ship-in fee by appointment only.

Make sure to check their website frequently, they have an impressive line-up of clinicians scheduled for this year. On July 2nd, Nina Fout will offer a Cross Country Jumping Clinic. All disciplines welcome. Must be able to jump at least 2' 6" comfortably. Groups will be determined according to level of riders and horses. $100/horse.

On July 24th and 25th there will be a Katie Prudent Clinic. Groups will be formed according to level of participants and horses. All jumping disciplines welcome, hunters, foxhunters, jumpers, equitation! The cost is $250/horse/day or $475/horse/both days. $40 per day to audit. Registration deadline July 9th.

For more information call Erin at 540-347-4777, or email erin@morningsidetrainingfarm.com. Also go to www.morningsidetrainingfarm.com.

College Night at Old Dominion Horse Show
On Friday July 23, 2010 at 6:30pm there will be a college night during the Old Dominion Horse Show in the Club House of the Deep Run Hunt Club, Manakin-Sabot, VA. For all students who are considering a college or university and may wish to ride on an intercollegiate team, or enroll in Equine Studies, the USEF “AA” Old Dominion Horse Show (July 21-25, 2010) will host a special evening presentation by approximately 8 colleges offering great riding programs in addition to their academic curriculum. You and your family are invited to view and listen to the coaches and recruiters information on their respective schools. Learn about IHSA, NCAA, IDA AND ANRC teams and scholarship opportunities. There will be ample time for one on one questions and meetings with the representatives and current team members. Participating schools include Centenary College, NJ; Converse College, NC; Hollins University, VA; Sweet Briar College, VA; Cazenovia College, NY; Savannah College of Art & Design, GA; University of Findlay, OH; and Goucher College, MD. A number of coaches may be scouting riders during the horse show and available to meet with you.

A summer evening buffet will be served poolside at the Deep Run Hunt Club. This special event is offered to all prospective junior riders and provided at no charge to junior exhibitors competing at the Old Dominion Horse Show. As space is limited and this event was standing room only in 2009, mark your calendars now and make your reservations early. For further information and reservations go to www.olddomionhorseshow.com, email theodhs@gmail.com or call 434-242-8937

VA Horse Show Association News
The Virginia Horse Show Association (VHSA) has announced that the VHSA Associate Finals Show will expand from three (3) days to four (4). Thursday’s schedule will only utilize the Coliseum. At the present time they plan to run the Green and Open Working and possibly a section of the Pleasure Horses on Thursday. Friday, Saturday and Sunday they will use both the Coliseum and the East Complex for the remainder of the schedule. The show is scheduled for November 11 through 14, 2010. For more information go to: www.vhsa.com.

The Virginia Horse Shows Association’s Special Events Committee is very pleased to announce there will be a Karen Healey Hunter and Hunter Seat Equitation Mounted Clinic on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at the Virginia Horse Center. This is a great opportunity for riders to enhance their performance at the VHSA Medal Finals which will be held at the Lexington National Horse Show later that week.

Ms. Karen Healey, based in Westlake Village, California, was named the 2007 Hunter/Equitation Horseman of the Year by The Chronicle of the Horse. Her winning system has led clients to great successes in the show ring time and time again. Karen’s clients have earned top honors in the hunter divisions, all the major equitation finals, and many have gone on to be successful Grand Prix riders.

Currently there will be three two hour sessions - two at 3'0" and one at 3'6". Anyone interested in having a session at 2'6", please send in the Registration Form and write in 2'6" and if there is enough interest they will accommodate this height as well.
For more information and an entry form, please go to www.vhsa.com.