St. Louis, MO—September 15, 2011—Arenus Ambassador Barbara Crabo and her 12 year-old gelding, Eveready, were sitting in third after cross-country but jumped a beautiful double-clear show jumping round to win the Advanced Division of the 2011 Nutrena/American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Bit of Britain, September 8-11, 2011 at Chattahoochee Hills in Fairburn, GA.

“It’s really rewarding.  I still have Ready’s mom, who is twenty-five now.  She was my first Advanced division horse.”  Barb and Eveready’s final score (0/32.40) put them ahead of close contenders Buck Davidson and Ballynoecastle RM (0/32.80), and Doug Payne on Running Order (1/34.80).

Barb hails from Scottsdale, AZ. where she has operated an eventing program, Four Peaks Farm, for over 10 years.  Eveready, (aka "Ready" around the barn) is a home-bred horse that she has brought along from the beginning.  The pair’s biggest prior outing was competing at Rolex in 2009. 

“I’m pretty proud of my pony and myself,” Barb says.  “Ready did have a fairly serious injury to a lower hind suspensory ligament.  It’s exciting that he has come back so fabulously, but I can’t tell you how stressful it is every time he competes or just gallops at home.  I spend more time staring at that ankle!  We definitely did a shotgun approach to getting the ligament to heal, including stem cell, shockwave, RevitaVet treatments and, of course, feeding STEADFAST^® Equine for three months.  That, on top of lots of rest, then miles and miles of hand-walking, and it just kept looking better.  It was about a year from the injury to when he was back in full work.  He wasn’t fit enough at that time to run Advanced, but he was jumping and doing full dressage.  His first Advanced run was about thirteen or fourteen months after the injury.” 

“All I used on Ready was STEADFAST Equine, which I also use on my Preliminary horse, Over Easy.  I have two young colts that are on the STEADFAST Equine Growth.  Another product I use, on the two competition horses, is a few of the BOTANICAL ANIMAL^® Flower Essences.  Both horses are quite spooky and it really helps them focus through the toughest distractions.”

The Nutrena/USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Bit of Britain are the national championships for the sport.  Amateurs, juniors, and professional riders can compete at any level from Beginner Novice through Advanced to test their mettle against the best in the country, and vie for prizes, cash, and the chance to be named the best in the nation at their respective levels.  The AEC traditionally attracts more than 650 entries and 20,000 spectators from more than 40 states.

 

Joints, bones, tendons, ligaments and soft tissues are all put to the test when an athlete performs.  STEADFAST Equine was developed by veterinarians and Ph.D. nutritionists specifically to provide total structural support for horses with a high-demand lifestyle.  Featuring the exclusive ingredients NEM^® (an eggshell membrane) and TelaFIRM^® (bioavailable trace minerals), STEADFAST Equine provides relief from occasional joint discomfort associated with daily activity while promoting normal mobility and healthy connective tissues, and is great for competing horses of all ages when structural integrity is essential for continued performance.  STEADFAST Equine will also benefit horses on hiatus due to decreased performance and decline in joint mobility and give them back a spring to their step.