VOL. 26 • NO. 9 The Mid-South Equine Newsmagazine Since 1992 MAY 2016 2. May, 2016 • Mid-South Horse Review www.midsouthhorsereview.com ON THE C OvER : ilario, a belgian Warmblood, ridden by HHoorrssee RReevviieeww may 2016 isabel Dlabach, shown in the Junior Equus Charta, LLC Hunters at the WtHJa Spring Show, Copyright 2016 ContentS • v ol . 26 • n o. 9 TRENDING NOW: HORSES april 7-10, 2016. 6220 greenlee #4 p.o. box 594 arlington, tn 38002-0594 901-867-1755 PUBlISHER & E DITOR : Tom & Dr. Nancy Brannon STAff : Andrea Gilbert WEBSITE : www.midsouthhorsereview.com E- MAIlS : midsouthhorsereview@ yahoo.com [email protected] fACEBOOK : (left) Caitlyn Massey on Zassafrass and (right) C.D. Uptown Girl at the Bunny Arkansas Derby winning jockey Ri - The Mid-South Horse Review Hop Dressage Show. ( Nancy Brannon photos ) See article p. 20 cardo Santana, Jr. aboard Creater says, ARTIClES & PHOTOS “Thank God and thanks to the owner and the trainer. This is a really nice horse.” WElCOMED: (Coady Photography ) See article p. 22 We welcome contributions from writers and horse people, but cannot guarantee features : publication or return of Summer HorSe CampS 6 manuscripts or photos. reproduction of editorial arkanSaS Derby 22 content, photographs or HorSeS at HarlinSDale 24 advertising is strictly CmSa C HampionSHip 28 prohibited without written ut m artin roDeo 31 permission of the publisher. EDITORIAl POlICy: events • shows : the opinions expressed in articles Hunter /J umper 16 do not necessarily reflect the DreSSage 20 opinions or policy of the Mid-South Horse Review . West Coast Chick (right) eases ahead to win the fifth race over Kathballu at the raCing 22 expressions of differing opinions Keeneland Spring Meet. ( Grace Clark photo ) See article p. 23. CoWboyS & C oWgirlS 28 through letters or manuscript submissions are welcome. departments : DEADlINE for book nook 4 JUNE ISSUE: MAy 25 HorSe HealtH Care 6 MSHR ENvIRONMENTAl young riDerS 15 STATEMENT the Mid-South Horse Review strives to training /p erformanCe 25 lighten our environmental footprint. We reuse, greener paStureS 32 recycle, compost, and seek the most environ - mentally friendly processes and materials for bulletin boarD 36-37 our newsmagazine. printed on recycled con - alenDar of ventS tent newsprint with soy ink and no binding, the C e 38-39 mSHr is 100% recyclable. ClaSSifieDS 39 our printer strives to be environmentally benign with recycling, using eco-friendly Many thanks to all the contributors printmaking inks and solvents, and no press - to this issue and to all our advertisers room voCs (volatile organic compounds). who make this publication possible! Please let our advertisers know SUBSCRIPTIONS to the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Championship action at Tunica, MS. you appreciate their support of the Mid-South Horse Review are (Nancy Brannon photo ) See article p. 28 Mid-South Horse Review . available by first class mail for $35 annually. PlEASE lIKE US ON fACEBOOK To subscribe, send payment to: deadline : fOR P.O. Box 594, Arlington TN Scan QR Code with Smartphone QR App & learn more about the MSHR 38002-0594 JUNE ISSUE : M Ay 25 Phone: (901) 867-1755 fIND MUCH MORE ON fACEBOOK & OUR WEBSITE : www.midsouthhorsereview.com www.midsouthhorsereview.com May, 2016 • Mid-South Horse Review 3. 4. May, 2016 • Mid-South Horse Review www.midsouthhorsereview. com Book nook yes, unquestionably. While the iroquois Where can the book be purchased? Fierce Rivalries & is but one race on the national steeple - the book – published by event logis - chasing circuit, it very much has its own tics, inc. – will be available at this year’s personality, traditions, and attractions. the iroquois on may 14. it will also be for sale Enduring Friendships setting has long been hailed by many as on the iroquois Steeplechase website at Fierce Rivalries & Enduring Friend - perhaps the most beautiful course in www.iroquoissteeplechase.org. ships: 75 Years of the Iroquois Steeple - america due to the natural amphitheater chase charts the rise of middle discovered by foxhunter and steeplechas - tennessee’s equestrian rite of spring from ing enthusiast marcellus frost back in its humble roots in pasture racing to the 1936. it’s also significant that the iroquois present-day world-class steeplechasing grew from relatively humble beginnings: event. interviews with key figures the men and women who dreamed up the throughout the race’s history come to life iroquois had been holding informal pas - alongside photos and memorabilia gath - ture races on each other’s land and fox - ered from family photo albums and news - hunting together for years. today the paper archives. Harrowing tales of spills iroquois is a world-class event attracting and thrills can be found throughout the the best horseflesh and more than 25,000 pages, as well as narratives on local visitors each year, but it still retains a very steeplechasing icons who dedicated them - infectious, welcoming charm due to how About the author : kathleen mcWhirter selves to ensuring the future of this pre - organically it has grown over time. is a writer and historian based in mier annual event. Is there a favorite story that you nashville, tennessee. She holds an m.a. author kathleen mcWhirter began dis - came across while doing your research? from the university of york (uk) in mod - cussing the logistics of producing a book i don’t want to share too much, but ern History. Her most recent projects in - last summer. after consulting a few key there’s a great tale from the early days that clude collaborating with the national trust figures, she began researching and writing showcases how much the event has for Historic preservation and the music in - in earnest by late winter. the book will be less of whether or not you’ve got a horse evolved throughout the years. because dustry Coalition on efforts to preserve officially released at the drawing for post in the race, few springtime activities com - there was only brush to separate spectators nashville’s iconic music row, and serv - positions at this year’s race meet (thurs - pare to packing a picnic and heading out from the track for many years, let’s just ing as the lead historian and scriptwriter day, may 12) and she will be on hand to to percy Warner park for an exciting day say that some attendees had a greater sense for a program highlighting nashville’s his - sign copies. the book includes photos of steeplechasing. of awareness about where the horses were tory during times of military conflict. taken at past iroquois steeplechases by the What can people expect to learn from supposed to be versus where they actually more of her work can be found at Mid-South Horse Review . this book? were. thankfully, there were no injuries to www.kathleenmcwhirter.com. We talked with author kathleen i really wanted to focus on the people report. mcWhirter to learn more about the up - who make this event possible each year. coming release of Fierce Rivalries & En - early chapters chart the progression of during Friendships , which chronicles the horse racing in middle tennessee before history of nashville’s iroquois Steeple - delving into the colossal impact foxhunt - chase. ing and hunt clubs around the area had in This year marks the 75th anniver - creating the iroquois. mason Houghland sary of the Iroquois Steeplechase. What and his son, Calvin, were instrumental in makes it something that people keep both the founding of the event and ensur - coming back to, year after year? ing it remained a premier steeplechasing it’s a number of components, really. event. While the 1970s and 1980s were a When researching the trajectory of the difficult time in horseracing and many event, what became evident very early on steeplechases fell by the wayside during is how dedicated people – be they owners, that era, the leaders of the iroquois suc - trainers, riders, volunteers, or spectators - cessfully honored tradition while also are to the iroquois. Comparing the first modernizing the event and finding inven - race program from 1941 to the most re - tive ways to attract both the steeplechas - cent, many of the same family names still ing community and spectators. appear among the ranks of supporters and Will readers get a sense of what volunteers. it’s also very much a rite of makes the Iroquois unique from other spring for the city of nashville. regard - races throughout the country? 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Hidden Hills farm and Saddle Club , Camps 5900 edgemon road, ooltewah, tn it’s time for summer camp, and there 37363 offers 9 weeks of summer camps. are many summer horseback riding camps Camps are organized at various levels ac - offered throughout the mid-south area. cording to riding experience; for boys and following is a sampling of horse-related girls; monday through friday, 9:30 am- camp activities, listed in alphabetical 1:30 pm; $300/session. the 2016 Summer order. every attempt has been made to Camp dates and forms are listed on their verify the accuracy of the information website: www.hiddenhillsfarm.com.