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Detectives from "The Glades" on a crime scene in a Florida sugar cane field./Photo courtesy A&E
TV Guide magazine gave me the heads-up. The 9/12 episode of A&E’s “The Glades” will be set on a Florida horse breeding farm. So, you know what that means ….
The Horse Movie Drinking Game LIVE!
Read more for the deets.
Tags: A&E's "The Glades", Florida horse breeding, Horse Movie Drinking Game, horses in movies, horses on TV, The Glades
I know - you don't see any books in the picture. But there are plenty of horse souvenirs in Kentucky, including horse books. Gift shop in Louisville airport. October 2009/Photo by Rhonda Lane
Some of the sturdiest, easy-to-pack souvenirs are books. Unless you go overboard and buy too many, but I wouldn’t know anything about that.
When you go to the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (or any other event in Kentucky), you’ll be able to find equestrian gifts galore at the Kentucky Horse Park, the venue for the 2010 WEG.
However, if you’d like to get around the area a bit, you’d probably like to know where to go. Especially to find unusual horse books.
Please keep in mind that things can change, especially within a year, which was the last time I was in Kentucky.
Also keep in mind that I’m mentioning these places because I’ve had good luck shopping there. In other words, no one is compensating me for mentioning their establishment here.
Tags: 2010 World Equestrian Games, 2010WEG, Joseph Beth Bookseller, Keeneland, Kentucky Derby Museum, Kentucky travel, KYWEG, Old Friends
See where you can stand to watch racehorses train? Close enough to feel the thunder of passing hooves. At Lexington's Thoroughbred Center on Paris Pike/Photo by Rhonda Lane
While I was leaving a lengthy blog comment on Discover WEG with Fran Jurga, I realized I could be talking about that stuff here, too.
Don’t get me wrong – I love this Discover Horses blog about the upcoming World Equestrian Games. I plan to visit regularly (brace yourself, Fran). She thinks of things I don’t, and she finds great stuff that slips below my radar.
But I’m an expat Kentuckian who goes back to play tourist. I can also offer some cool, helpful tips and insights on seeing Kentucky.
But, despite the timeliness of the World Equestrian Games being just around the corner, I’ve been oddly quiet about sharing what I know about having been a tourist in Kentucky.
Keep reading to see why and to pick up the first in a series of Kentucky tourist tips.
Tags: 2010 World Equestrian Games, Kentucky horse farm maps, Kentucky tourist tip, Kentucky travel, KYWEG, scenic drives in Kentucky
Zippy Chippy without his fly mask/Photo by Rhonda Lane
My mini camcorder and I stumbled upon a fun side story at the Grand Opening at Old Friends at Cabin Creek.
Resident retiree Zippy Chippy is famous for his record of 0-100. During his racing career, he gathered many fans across the northeast.
When CBS Sunday Morning visited Zippy and his owner-trainer Felix Monserrate and put them on national TV, Zippy’s fame and fan tally bloomed across the US.
Felix’s love for Zip, despite his record, and his continued effort to look out for the horse charmed horse-lovers, too.
On opening day at Old Friends, I was roaming the grounds and recognized Felix approaching the gate to Zippy’s turnout.
My heart raced in a fangirl moment, then I spotted the plastic bag of feed he carried. That’s when my heart said, “Zippy will be right here soon,” and my newspaper-trained mind screamed, “Photo op!”
I whipped out my camera in hopes of a charming reunion. What I got was more fun. Enjoy!
Tags: Felix Monserrate, Old Friends, Old Friends Cabin Creek, Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center, retired race horses, Saratoga Springs, Zippy Chippy
This is part of a series depicting my day at the Grand Opening for the Old Friends at Cabin Creek: Bobby Frankel Division equine retirement facility. You can read Part 1 here.
Zippy Chippy, famous for his record of 0-100, takes in the crowd with farm co-owner JoAnn Pepper and his former owner-trainer Felix Monserrate (behind Pepper) on Grand Opening Day/Photo by Rhonda Lane
A couple of hours after the Little Silver Charm Mini-Golf Tourney wrapped up, the festivities moved out to the farm in Greenfield, NY.
Dedications and reminiscences of the farm’s benefactor’s, the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel have been covered in other articles.
Then, the farm offered up one of the experiences that Old Friends does like no other in the Saratoga area.
A chance for the “just folks” race fans to get up close to the horses, Kentucky-style.
Tags: Bobby Frankel, equine tourism, Funny Cide, Old Friends, Old Friends at Cabin Creek, Saratoga racing, Saratoga Springs, Saratoga tourism, Zippy Chippy
Three of the jockeys participating. From left to right, Edgar Prado, Julien Leparoux and Rajiv Marah/Photo by Rhonda Lane
The Grand Opening celebration and dedication of the Old Friends at Cabin Creek near Saratoga Springs, NY, kicked off – er, teed off — with a celebrity pro-am, of sorts.
The biggest celebrity of them all wasn’t there, but attended in spirit – Cabin Creek’s namesake and benefactor, the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel.
But first, some of the most competitive people on earth had the generosity of spirit, time and humor to play mini golf with some of the world’s most excited race fans.
My friend Toni played in jockey Julien Leparoux’s group. I was in Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado’s group.
I managed to keep a lid on the fangirl giddiness. (As in, Holy Derby roses, Batman! It’s Edgar Prado!) After all, there was a game to be played. And I needed to multi-task by taking still photos and shooting video.
I’m not sure that I did anything well, but I had a great time. Come on along to play some mini golf, then visit the farm in a subsequent post.
First: A very special “Thank You” to Sasscer Hill, the author of racing mystery FULL MORTALITY, and Barry Wiseman who helped me with a crucial detail. As the kids say, you guys rock!
Now, on to the fun!
Tags: Calvin Borel, charity event, Edgar Prado, Julien Leparoux, Old Friends, Old Friends at Cabin Creek, Rajiv Marah, Saratoga Springs NY
Video showing Little Silver Charm enjoying his preferred sport – soccer
Remember the days when celebrities names were attached to golf tournaments?
What used to be the Bob Hope Desert Classic is now the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. Near here, what once was the Sammy Davis Jr. Greater Hartford Open, is now the Travelers Championship.
But unless you were a pro golfer or had the deep pockets to play in the pro-am, regular folks couldn’t tee up in those famous tourneys.
However, in the upcoming Little Silver Charm Miniature Golf Tournament, anyone can play. Plus, you can celebrate the Grand Opening of Old Friends at Cabin Creek, the Bobby Frankel division of Old Friends. Read the rest of the article to see more.
Tags: Old Friends, Old Friends at Cabin Creek, Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center, Saratoga 2010 season, Saratoga racing, Saratoga Springs
It’s just about time for the Lexington Junior League Charity Horse Show at the Red Mile. The link to the live pay-per-view stream is below.
AND …
Hey, saddlebred and Kentucky horse scene fans – how many photos can you recognize?
Video tour of the pictures on the wall at Fennell’s tack shop, located near the Red Mile
Tags: American Saddlebred, Big Red Mile, Fennell's, Flip camcorder, FlipShare, Lexington KY, R.E. Fennell Co, saddlebreds, tack shop
"It's done, but it's not ready."/Photo by aquasolid of iStockphoto
The stats are daunting.
Only three per cent of the people who begin writing a novel finish, according to professional ghostwriter Victory Crayne.
That statistic includes the first trip all the way through the story, often referred to as a first draft.
After years of writing, research, blocks, travel, craft classes and colored sticky notes arranged on sketchbook pages, I recently finished the first draft of my not-a-horse mystery novel.
And, yes, it’s the first draft of my first completed novel ever.
So, I’ve been told by my peers that I am now among the 3% – even though I have a lot of work yet to do.
Having a completed first draft of a book is like finding a complete skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex half-buried in the Montana soil.
Tags: first draft of a novel, milestone, novel first draft, the writing life, writing a book
Photo courtesy Jeri Westerson/Shutterstock
With renaissance faire season in full flower, we have a guest post from medieval mystery author Jeri Westerson.
Jeri's latest - Now a finalist for the 2010 Macavity for the Sue Feder Historical Mystery Award to be presented in October.
Now, it’s time to, well, get medieval. Take it away, Jeri.
Man and horse was a formidable force in the Middle Ages, galloping across Europe and beyond to conquer, to destroy, to impose their will on their neighbors. And a mounted knight still cuts a romantic figure in our imaginations today, regardless of whether that knight upheld the chivalric ideals that legends like King Arthur have told us they do.
First, they were chevalier, horsemen (a horse is a cheval in French). These ancient horsemen evolved into the ruling class. Being a knight was an expensive proposition.
Tags: charger, Crispin Guest, Crispin Guest mysteries, destrier, Jeri Westerson, jousting, knight, medieval history, medieval horsemen, palfrey
