Harold Chopping and Jenn Johnston were married at National Golf Club in Pinehurst, NC on December 5, 2009 in front of 100 people. They then went on to honeymoon in Turks and Caicos the following week.

Catching up: Jumper rider Jenny Harris and her west coast trainer, Marian Nelson of Riverside Equestrian Center, took time away from the Petaluma CA stable for a trip to Niarobi, Kenya over the holidays. The dynamic young ladies left the comforts of the farm to brave the trip where they gave money for food, medical supplies and housing for the poverty ridden community and children of the By Grace Disabled and Orphans Centre. It is better to give than receive!

Ho Ho Ho... Peter Leone must have been ultra "nice" last year, because Santa, aka American Show Jumpers LLC, had a very special Christmas present that wouldn't fit under the tree at Lionshare Farm - a lovely bay gelding named Pastis des Palieres. The French bred jumper will make his US debut with Peter in the irons during the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

Rumors abound about Stanford University's Red Barn, which we featured in our January issue. After the swift "departure" of a longtime riding instructor to make room for the addition of Buddy and Vanessa Brown's A-circuit program caused a furor of negative press for the university in local papers, new information is circling about other well known trainers taking up residence. Time will tell if the facility is large enough for multiple pairs of big britches. . .

Congratulations to Lucy Davis - as the only US rider competing, she WON the European Younger Cup at CSI Frankfurt in Germany on December 20, beating the best 26 riders under 25 in Europe!

Our artists have been busy this winter: Patricia Powers will have a number of large and small paintings and prints exhibited at the fourth annual "Wild Things" Art Show and Sale, including some never before seen works, on Sunday, February 21, at 5:00 PM Pferdekamper Studio, on Collecting Canal Road in Loxahatchee Benefiting the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation (www.rarespecies.org.) For information contact Karen McGovern at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Patricia at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Another of 'our' artists, Joan Jannaman had her portrait of Beech Grove Hunt's MFH Elese Alsup and her hunt horse Justabob on the cover of COTH. Artist Janene Di-Rico Cable's "Triple Threat", a wonderful bronze, was selected as the trophy for the United States Equestrian Federation EQUUS Foundation Humanitarian Award. The inaugural presentation took place at the USEF Pegasus Awards Dinner during the Federation's Annual Meeting in January.

Beverly Zimmer is making the official jewelry for WEG - Beverly does wonderful work, and her designs make a perfect higher-end "souvenir" for the WEG. The jewelry pieces will use the Horse Capital Productions logos for the International Equestrian Festival....Do check it out when you are in Florida.

A certain big, big name East Coast rider was recently overheard complaining about his famous clinician stature as he headlined a certain high profile West Coast clinic. Moving on to a private clinic with an eager family didn't interest him either - "I don't know who the riders are, they all look the same" he was overheard as saying. Sounds like some people need to learn when to pack it in. Negativity is catching, sir!

Hillary Dobbs' victory in the $50,000 Holiday & Horses Grand Prix on Quincy B at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center was just one thing the Harvard senior had to celebrate. That same night, or more accurately at 1:30 the next morning, her parents Debi and Lou Dobbs were woken to even bigger news from their 21 year old daughter. She and her boyfriend Roy Wilten, an agent with Stable Wilten-Sporthorses in Holland, had become engaged following her win in the World Cup Qualifier! The young couple is looking at a 2011 wedding, as Hillary will be kept a bit busy at this year's Winter Equestrian Festival working to qualify for the World Equestrian Games, representing her new sponsors Cavalor and Parlarti, and when not in the show ring, studying hard for her final Harvard exams before graduation!

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