January 21 –

When the Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard marched in the Presidential Inauguration parade on Thursday in Washington, D.C., it was accompanied by the memory of the 22 Connecticut soldiers killed in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Last Sunday, the Second Company held a somber ceremony at its stables on the campus of Fairfield Hills honored the Connecticut men and women who have died in Iraq or Afghanistan. With some of the family members of those fallen heroes on hand, the parade blanket of each horse was adorned with a black ribbon inscribed with a soldier’s name, rank and branch of service.

“We felt it was appropriate to dedicate our ride to those who have lost their lives,” said Major Janis Arena, commandant of the Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard. “We are honored the Connecticut soldiers who have given their lives for freedom.”

Major Arena was joined in the dedication by state representative Julia Wasserman and Major General William Cugno.

February 25 –

For only the second time in the 129-year history of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show a German shorthaired pointer has been named America’s top dog.

Ch. Kan-Point’s VJK Autumn Roses – aka ‘Carlee’ – was picked as the Best In Show at Westminster on Tuesday, February 15. Michelle Ostermiller showed the five-year-old bitch, owned by L. Stark, R. Stark and V. Nunes-Atkinson.

The last time a Germans shorthaired pointer won Best In Show was in 1974 when Ch. Gretchenhof Columbia River, owned by Richard P. Smith, took top honors. For ‘Carlee,’ this is her ninth Best In Show title.

The Neapolitan Mastiff, Black Russian Terrier and Glen of Imaal Terrier made their first appearance at the show.

March 11 –

Doyle New York’s annual Dogs in Art auction, conducted February 15, resulted in competitive bidding and new world records for three artists.

Coinciding each year with the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, the auction offers two centuries of canine paintings, paintings, prints, bronzes and other objects by a variety of artists.

Highlighting this year’s sale were two rare paintings from Cassius Marcellus Coolidge’s 1903 series of dogs playing poker ($30/50,000). After in-tense bidding, the pair sold to a private collector from New York City for $590,400, setting a new world auction record for the artist.

April 1 –

 

Fairfield Equine Associates in Newtown has taken another step forward in its treatment of horses … and is looking to take many more.

The company was founded in 1989 and has developed a reputation as one of the finest equine medical facilities in the world while it has served the United States Equestrian team at international events – including the Olympics – for the past 14 years.

“Our business is very unique,” said Mark Baus, DVM and managing partner at Fairfield Equine Associates, “and a lot of people in town may not even know we’re here.”

In 2000, Fairfield Equine opened its 14,000 square foot facility on Barnabas Road in Newtown and since then has continued to make strides in the treatment of horses. Last fall, the hospital took another step forward in that treatment with the addition of a new Hallmarq MRI machine. The MRI – or magnetic resonance imaging – provides the veterinarians the most advanced form of diagnostic tool available to identify the causes of lameness in horses. It is in addition to imaging tools such as X-ray, ultrasound and nuclear bone scans, which offer different perspectives of an equine limb.

The MRI installed at the Fairfield Equine Associates hospital is one of a half dozen operating in the United States (practices in Brewster and New Jersey also feature MRIs).

April 15 –

 

For members of Canine Advocates in Newtown, dog training is not really dog training but people training.

Last Saturday, Pat Charla and Adria Henderson, both dog trainers and Canine Advocate members, began a series of training sessions for the walkers to learn to give consistent training commands to the dogs at the Newtown Pound, using the same hand signals and giving the same verbal commands.

The focus is to teach the dogs to sit on command, walk without pulling or dragging, and to respond to positive reinforcement of food or praise. These behaviors may help to get the dogs adopted more quickly into their new homes.

Ms Charla brought her own obedience-training dog Murphy, and also enlisted the help of Rufus, one of the Pound dogs. Murphy is an old pro at this, and went through his routine even before signals were given. Rufus, a beginner, loved being the center of attention and performed very well. Clyde, another Pound dog, is looking forward to volunteering for the next round of training.

After the training lesson all three dogs enjoyed a session of chasing, racing, rolling, and just plain fun.

Members who participated in the Saturday session included Liz Wilson Moore, trainer Adria Henderson, Mayra Mesa, Phil Vail, Jackie zVon, pound keeper Carolee Mason, trainer Pat Charla, AnnMarie Testanero, Matthew Ziem, Virginia Jess and Municipal Animal Control Officer Gerri Breyan.

April 22 –

 

The Women’s Fellowship of Newtown Congregational Church held its annual potluck dinner in its Great Room on West Street and it gave Nina and Jeff Kellogg – with their brood black Labrador Nicki – a chance to tell people about Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

The Kelloggs have volunteered with the organization for the past l0 years and now as ambassadors enjoy telling others the joys of working with these exceptional animals.

Nicki has many puppies, which are now working as guide dogs, broods or studs. The Kelloggs have volunteered as puppy raisers, as socializers providing experiences in their own home for three to five days, providers of a loving foster home for broods, and home littercare to broods and their litters of puppies in their own home.

The Breeding and Placement Center is on Route 164 in Patterson, New York and the Training Center is at 611 Granite Springs Road in Yorktown Heights, New York. The puppies from these locations are living and working from Maine to North Carolina.

May 6 –

 

Claire Collier, 43, of Stamford has been riding at Corgi Hollow Farm in Newtown for the past eight months and will be the subject of a Today Show segment on Friday, May 13. Collier is battling ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) as well as battling for social security disability benefits and a Today Show crew was out at Corgi Hollow this past week filming the segment. Collier works weekly with an instructor and physical therapist on maintaining balance, circulation and muscle strength and has weekly swim and traditional therapy sessions. Although she is limited to a wheelchair, riding a horse gives her the opportunity to feel her body move freely through space and gives her a sense of control as she steers her horse through a simple obstacle course.

May 20 –

 

The Post University Equine Resources Committee in Waterbury conducted a seminar at the State Police Training Headquarters in Meriden on May 6 for about 30 Connecticut officers who might have to deal with these situations. Led by Melissa MacDonald, a graduate of the Equine Management program at Post, and assisted by Sharon Gallagher and Susan Mik, both current students, they outlined some basic information on horses.

This covered evolution and anatomy to explain equine behaviors. Also covered were approaching and leading a horse and how to restrain it in an emergency situation. This information explained possible horse reactions that might be obvious to experienced horse people, but not so easy to understand for those unfamiliar with horses on a regular basis.

A video on horse rescue, which covered such things as trailer accidents, water rescues and fires was shown. There was also a large component on horse abuse – how to recognize it and what to do about dealing with it.

July 29 –

 

The Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard held its annual Horse Show last Sunday at its facility on the grounds of Fairfield Hills. The show is recognized by the CHSA (Connecticut Horse Shows Association) and CHJA (Connecticut Hunter & Jumper Association) and is a major fundraiser for the troop.

September 2 –

 

Barn and stable fire prevention and safety was the subject of the August meeting of the Newtown Bridle Lands Association.

Bob Nute, Newtown’s Fire Prevention Officer and state-certified fire instructor, presented a program focusing not on code but on prevention, safety, planning, what ifs and what to do.

Mr Nute began his career in 1972 as a member of the Newtown Hook and Ladder and since 1978 has been a member of the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire and Rescue. Besides being a state-certified fire instructor, he is a certified Juvenile Firesetter Interventionist and investigator, a Life Safety Educator, a training officer and chairman of the pre-plan committee for Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire and Rescue.

He discussed the misuse of extension cords in the barn and overloading circuits; the need for using a “water” fire extinguisher or grabbing a hose when you see a non-electrical fire; understanding lightning and the need for lightning  rods; the need to have smoke detectors with health batteries; and the need to have a well-marked home and barn.

September 30 –

 

Paul Mazzara of Newtown, a Milford police office and a staff sergeant with the Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard, is taking his military service to the next level – the Connecticut Army National Guard.

Mazzara, 33, enlisted in the Army National Guard and has already begun his training at Camp Rell in Niantic. He will be leaving for Fort Benning, Georgia, by the end of the month to complete basic training and will remain in Georgia until February.

Mazzara made his decision several weeks ago, deciding that he was in good enough shape to compete with recruits half his age. Mazzara has been a volunteer member of the Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard for 15 years and held positions in the Troop such as Squad Leader, Riding Instructor, Horse Officer, First Lieutenant and Platoon Leader.

This past year he was voted Trooper of the Year.

October 7 –

 

Sunnybrook Farm riders competed in the Nutmeg Benefit Horse Show at the 4-H Cooperative Extension system in Bethel recently and took home several ribbons and awards.

Kelsey Phillips, riding Mystery, won the year-end award in Beginner Hunter, a division dedicated to those lost on September 11. Lainey Audet, riding Summer Cash, brought home the year-end award in Walk/Trot, a division dedicated to four-legged friends, companions and teachers. Also competing were Stephanie Ross, Aaliyah Brodeur, Courtney Claypool, Maggie Eaton, Liz Cole, Meghan Barbour, Lauren Lasher, Jenna Guarneri, Emily DeMarco, Lillie Jane Smith, Isabelle Gallant, Taylor Russo, Haley McNulty and Sarah Fisher.

November 11 –

 

Leslie Hudson-Tolles of Newtown will be among the many presenters at the Equine Affaire event opening this week at the Eastern States Exposition grounds in West Springfield, Massachusetts.

Her first clinic, entitled Drawing Horses: A How-To With A Live Horse For Children and Beginner Artists of All Ages, will be held Friday, from 3 to 4 pm, in the Arabian Horse Association Youth Pavilion. And then on Saturday, in the GLC 5500 Demo Ring of the Mallory Arena, Ms Hudson-Tolles will present You, Your Horse and a Sketchbook: Laying the Foundations of Equine Art from 1 to 2 pm.

Ms Hudson-Tolles has been a fixture at the Equine Affaire since 1999 and has been exhibiting art all over the region for the past eight years. Her most recent exhibition opened in August at the New England Carousel Museum in Bristol – Invitation to Ride: Horses of Wood, Horses of Warmth.

November 18 –

 

Some 200 riders took to the Mount Nebo Farm course for the annual Frost on the Pumpkin Hunter Pace sponsored by the Newtown Bridle Lands Association on Sunday, October 30.

While some riders attempted to get as close as possible to the official time in the Pleasure, Hunt, Western and Junior Division other riders had the opportunity to find bargains at the second annual Tack Tag Sale (many new items were donated by Dan Reilly of All The King’s Horses in Ridgefield).

My Place Restaurant catered the afternoon luncheon. There were awards presented during the afternoon, including The Peanut Award (sponsored by All The King’s Horses) for the youngest horse and rider and the Best Costume Award (sponsored by Bit Of Tack in Newtown).