News Briefs From around the region Caitlyn Rains Is High Point Buckaroo Eleven-year-old Caitlyn Rains of Proctor, AR won a saddle as High Point Show of Champions Buckaroo this summer. Caitlyn shows in western pleasure, slow and ladies gaited, showmanship, halter and horsemanship, hunter under saddle, barrels, poles, flags, and keyhole. In her brief show career at AQHA, NECA, and CCSC shows, she has won: Pony under Saddle 2010 State Champion at the Arkansas State Show; first in slow gaited and numerous other awards at the Arkansas-Missouri Show of Champions; seven first place ribbons at the 4-H Regional show; and two first place awards at the 4-H State Show, along with three seconds, and a third. She qualified for the 2010 Youth World and 2010 Racking World. Caitlyn is the daughter of Wendy Rains. Pony Club Ratings At Brewer Equestrian Center, Tupelo, MS, Chandler Head, age 10 and Ansley Caldwell, age 9, both of Tupelo, earned their D2 USPC rating in October. Claire Hall-Crandell, of Red Bay, AL, age 11 earned her D1 USPC rating. Alexis Pannell, Tupelo, MS, was the examiner. Brewer Equestrian Center will hold its first event derby on December 11, 2010. Closing date is December 1. For information, call organizer Will Montgomery (662) 507-1515 or the Center (662) 255-2698. Brewer will host two Christmas Break camps, December 27-28 and 29-30. For more information, visit their website: www.brewerequestriancenter.webs.com/ Jim Wofford Eventing Clinic Jim Wofford Clinic, December 4-5 in the Memphis, TN area, offering Cross Country and gymnastics. Contact info: Cindy Marsh (901) 262-0066 or email: cmarsh@winterpastfarm.com Check out Winterpast Farm on Facebook for updates. Wofford, a 3-time Olympian, is one of the best-known Eventing trainers in the world today. His first book, Training The 3-Day Event Horse And Rider, is back in print. His second book, Gymnastics: Systematic Training Of The Jumping Horse has been met with wide spread approval. His next two books, Take A Good Look Around, and 101 Eventing Tips, are both available. He also writes a monthly column for Practical Horseman. FOSH Sound Horse Conference On Soring Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH) hosts the third Sound Horse Conference on November 5 & 6 in Louisville, Kentucky. The purpose of the conference is to end Soring, which is the illegal and cruel practice of using chemical and mechanical methods to create pain in gaited show horses’ front feet to exaggerate their animated step. The Conference encourages actions and educates stakeholders and the public on the issues surrounding ending Soring. Information will be presented by veterinarians, trainers, government enforcement leaders, attorneys, professors, humane association professionals, and individual volunteers and horse people on topics ranging from current soring observations, cultural objections to the practices, technologies and methods for enforcement, to initiatives in progress. A keynote speaker will be Madeleine Pickens, wife of billionaire T. Boone Pickens. Ms. Pickens has been instrumental in supporting animal welfare efforts, and is especially known for her crusade to save the American Mustang. In 2005, the couple led the fight to close the last horse slaughterhouse in the United States. Their work resulted in the passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. Ms. Pickens will be introduced by Senator Joseph Tydings, the "Father of the Horse Protection Act." Senator Tydings sponsored the bill that became the Horse Protection Act (HPA) of 1970, making it a Federal offense to intentionally sore a horse and tasking the USDA with enforcement. Another Keynote Speaker will be legendary natural hoof care pioneer Jaime Jackson - lecturer, author, and researcher on wild and domestic horse hooves, and how hoof care affects overall health. He first wrote about natural hoof care in The Natural Horse: Lessons from the Wild (1992). Rick Lamb, host of the weekly television program "The Horse Show" on RFD-TV, will be the Master of Ceremonies for the Sound Horse Conference. For conference information and registration, visit www.soundhorseconference.com. For information about FOSH, visit www.fosh.info or call (800) 651-7993. Polo and Conservation The Memphis Polo Club teamed up with the Wolf River Conservancy and Shelby Farms Equestrian Alliance to raise funds for these charitable organizations at their matches October 17 and 24, respectively. Memphis Polo has benefitted several other charitable organizations with its summer matches, including Girls, Inc. and Fayette Cares. In addition to watching the fast-paced polo action, the events are always fun social gatherings with delicious tailgating foods to share. Support Memphis Polo when they start their new season in 2011. Event schedule will be available at: http://www.memphispoloclub.com/. The Wolf River Conservancy (WRC) is a land trust conserving and enhancing the Wolf River corridor and watershed as a sustainable natural resource. It has protected over 18,000 acres along the Wolf River. The Wolf River a major drainage basin and recreational river; it is also in the recharge zone for the Memphis Sand Aquifer, source of drinking water for west Tennessee. Find out about WRC at: http://www.wolfriver.org/. The Shelby Farms Equestrian Alliance (SFEA) is a volunteer organization representing diverse equestrian organizations and individuals with horse related interests. SFEA organizes equestrian activities in Shelby Farms Park and works to preserve the natural environment of the Park for future generations. An important event the Alliance holds yearly is training first responders how to handle horses in an accident or other emergency situation. Find out about SFEA at: http://www.sfeaonline.org/. NATRC Convention in NashvilleThe North American Trail Ride Conference 50th Anniversary National Convention will be held in Nashville, TN February 10-13, 2011. Speakers and topics include: Dr. Troy Nelson, Equine Chiropractic; Dr. Nancy Loving, DVM on Caring for the Competitive Horse; Linda Salinas on Animal Communication; Dr. Ken Marcella on Conditioning the Distance Horse; Dr. Jim Blackford, on Inside Colic Surgery; Tony Stromberg on Awakening the spirit of the horse within yourself; and Mike Davidson on Trailer Maintenance. There will also be a Vendors Market and a raffle for a specialized saddle. There are early bird registration deals available if you register by November 1. Accommodations are available at the Embassy Suites Nashville Airport Hotel. For more information contact Kim Coward at (678) 773-6038 or email her at KCNeverRestRanch@gmail.com.