Honey Creek Farms

Solar Horse Farm And Pine Terpene Manufacturer

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Joan Robertson

Uncle Mo Filly Racks Up Another Victory for Eclipse-Winning Owner

COGNITIVE (f, 3, Uncle Mo–Dream Sweeper, by Salt Lake), backed down to 6-5 to carry the famed pink and green silks of Thursday evening’s Eclipse Award-winning owner Juddmonte Farms to victory, ran to the money with a stalk-and-pounce trip. Settling in just behind the speed while saving ground, the $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga grad tipped out turning for home as Spend Spend Spend (Majestic Warrior) assumed command with a strong move. Spend Spend Spend dug in gamely in the run to the line, but Cognitive’s kick was relentless and she wore her rival down late by a half-length in 1:05.08. The winner was produced by a stakes-placed half-sister to MGISW Dream Rush (Wild Rush)–the dam of GISW Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Ind) and stakes-winning young sire Atreides (Medaglia d’Oro)–and is a half-sister to multiple stakes-placed Dreams to Reality (Lookin At Lucky). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0.
O-Juddmonte Farms. B-Dr Rod Orr (Ky). T-Bob Baffert.

 



Organic Farming in the Philippines: Living Asia Channel Documentary Organic Negros Occidental

Organic Farming in the Philippines: Living Asia Channel Documentary Organic Negros Occidental


Negros Occidental showcases its top Agri Tourism sites and showing why it is the Organic Food Bowl of the country in this 2014 Living Asia Channel Documentary.

INTRODUCTION:

Organic Farming, more than a method, has become a movement that has been around for more than a century.

Today it’s often associated with Sustainable Agriculture, Health Advocacy and Agriculture independence.

As the movement continue it’s struggle… But a new avenue may provide the means to branch out further to Farm tourism, with the intention to bring together Sustainable Agribusiness and Eco tourism.

Can the growing organic industry bridge the best of both worlds?

One such province in the Philippines is daring to take on this big ambition.

Join us as we explore the farm tourism industry of Negros Occidental and meet the people willing and open to share their business insights.



Top ‘Gun’ Lands Horse of the Year

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.–The 47th Eclipse Awards were held Thursday evening at Gulfstream Park’s Sport of Kings Theatre, and Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm’s Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) took home the highest honor as 2017 Horse of the Year. With the speedy chestnut’s final career race looming in Saturday’s GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream, the award took on added meaning for his connections.

“This is bittersweet, knowing that in a week, Gun Runner won’t be part of our racing stable, but it’s a great honor and pleasure to stand here and be part of his career and legacy,” said Ron Winchell while accepting Gun Runner’s earlier honor as champion older dirt male.

After sharing the microphone with co-owner Goncalo Borges Torrealba of Three Chimneys Farm, Winchell later added, “Every year, I look at every horse and dream of which one could get a little bronze trophy at the end of the year. I never dreamed that I could get a gold trophy.”

“The memories Gun Runner has allowed us for the year that he’s had, they will stay with us forever,” added trainer Steve Asmussen, who became the first trainer in Eclipse Award history to train four Horses of the Year.

Nick Luck began the evening with a few good-natured barbs at trainers Steve Asmussen and Chad Brown while roaming the crowd and interviewing Brown, the trainer’s family, bloodstock agent Bradley Weisbord and jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. Minutes later, Keeneland’s Bill Thomason dished it right back to the charismatic host, joking that Luck may have enjoyed himself too much at the pre-show cocktail hour.

Clearsky Farms took home the award for outstanding breeder for a season that was capped by the achievements of standouts Arrogate (Unbridled’s Song) and Abel Tasman (Quality Road). Bernard Cleary of Clearsky credited the award to his team back at the farm and his late father, Eamon, who he said put in 16 hours of work every day after founding Clearsky, despite being ill.

“That’s why this is quite meaningful to me and my family,” he said. “We don’t feel like it’s our award, we feel like it’s his.”

Keeping with the theme of Arrogate, Juddmonte Farms notched its second-straight and fourth overall Eclipse Award for champion owner on the heels of a season that saw them take home nine North American Grade I races.

Gary and Mary West’s West Coast (Flatter) was honored as champion 3-year-old male and Gary West was quick to credit racing manager Ben Glass and the rest of his sales team for making shrewd purchases in the auction ring–an aspect of racing that West likened to the NFL Draft. He also credited the patience shown by trainer Bob Baffert with the later-developing colt.

“If there’s one piece of advice I have for anyone new in this game, it’s to have patience with horses,” West said. “If a trainer tells you the horse isn’t ready to run, they’re not ready to run…We’ve waited 40 years for this award and if we’d won in our first 5-10 years, it wouldn’t mean nearly as much as this does.”

China Horse Club and Clearsky Farm’s Abel Tasman landed the Eclipse Award for champion sophomore filly and a large group was on stage to celebrate the award.

“Tonight, many in Asia and China were waiting to see if Abel Tasman would be recognized,” said Teo Ah Khing of China Horse Club, who was joined by Allen Chastanet, Prime Minister of St. Lucia, while mentioning a new racetrack project he is developing on the island nation.

Charles Fipke’s homebred Forever Unbridled (Unbridled’s Song) was crowned champion older dirt female after a memorable 2017 season that wrapped up with a victory in the GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

Sheep Pond Partners’ Lady Eli (Divine Park) claimed a well-deserved first ever Eclipse Award as champion female turf horse, providing a fitting conclusion to her storied career. Co-owner Sol Kumin, who noted that Lady Eli was named for his wife Elizabeth, thanked both trainer Chad Brown and his team and jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., while Jay Hanley gave a special thanks to Lady Eli’s farriers for devoting themselves to her recovery from Laminitis.

“She really forever changed my life and my family’s life,” Kumin said. “We fell in love with this sport on the journey she took us on. People talk about the highs and lows of horse racing, and I never really knew what that meant until I had Lady Eli.”

Live Oak Plantation homebred World Approval (Northern Afleet) captured three Grade I turf miles to close out his 2017 season, good enough for recognition as champion male turf horse.

The first award of the evening, champion female sprinter, went to recent GI La Brea S. winner Unique Bella (Tapit) in a tightly contested division. The fleet-footed gray became the first 3-year-old to win the award since Indian Blessing in 2008.

“Our family has a long history and tradition in our home country of Chile,” said Don Alberto’s Carlos Heller. “We had a dream of racing and breeding at the highest level in America and tonight, we have confirmation that our dream has come true.”

Roy H (More Than Ready) took home the male sprinter award on the heels of a five-win campaign from six starts that culminated with a victory in the GI Twinspires.com Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Co-owner David Bernsen and trainer Peter Miller accepted the award, with the latter delivering a heartfelt thank you to both his owners and help.

“Without the people backing you up, you’re nothing,” Miller noted.

Famed announcer Tom Durkin provided some mid-evening comedic relief, joking that people need to put their Eclipse Awards in perspective before revealing his own statuette he was holding behind his back and talking about sleeping with the award. He also gave Winchell advice on how to polish and maintain it.

The awards for champion 2-year-old male and female went to Good Magic (Curlin) and Caledonia Road (Quality Road), respectively. Caledonia Road gave her sire his second Eclipse of the evening, following in the footsteps of Abel Tasman, and became the first Eclipse winner for trainer Ralph Nicks. The award was accepted by Luc Paiement, who reached the stage with the aid of crutches after recently rupturing his Achilles tendon.

Bob Edwards of e Five Racing Thoroughbreds also became a first-time Eclipse Award winner and credited co-owner and breeder Barbara Banke of Stonestreet Farm and his bloodstock agent Mike Ryan, among others, to contributing to the championship season.

“All I do is just bring the luck,” Edwards said with a laugh.

Scorpiancer (Scorpion {Ire}) was honored as champion steeplechaser despite an abbreviated two-start campaign.

Chad Brown was named champion trainer for the second consecutive year and stressed how the award is more a reflection of his entire team than him as an individual. Jose Ortiz claimed his first Eclipse award as champion jockey and got emotional while dedicating the award to his brother and competitor Irad Ortiz, Jr. Southern California-based Evin Roman took home the award for champion apprentice jockey.

Frank Stronach received the Eclipse Award of Merit and spoke of the challenges faced by horse racing while outlining the goals of The Stronach Group to bring about positive change in the industry.

“I can only imagine what this game would have been like without him,” said The Stronach Group CEO Tim Ritvo as he introduced Stronach.

“We as horse people need to sit down and think, ‘Where are we going?’ In life, you have to know where you’re going,” Stronach asserted. “Horses are alike all around the world. There are no politics involved, no religion.”

Eclipse Special Award: Courage in the Face of Tragedy
Special Eclipse Awards were handed out to the first responders to both the San Luis Rey Downs wildfire and Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico’s Camarero Racetrack, recognizing their efforts to provide relief to horse and human populations alike under dire circumstances.

“We cannot thank everyone, but the spirit of this award is all-encompassing,” Gulfstream Park announcer Pete Aiello noted in a video message that recounted heroic relief efforts in response to both tragedies. Nick Luck went on to note that the racing community has raised nearly $900,000 in donations to aid the San Luis Rey relief efforts.

Kelly Stobie and Shelly Blodgett of Caribbean Thoroughbred Aftercare Inc. accepted the special award on behalf of the first responders in Puerto Rico, thanking their colleagues for their continual efforts while stressing that the situation requires ongoing attention. Blodgett thanked TDN‘s Sue Finley among others for raising awareness of the catastrophe in its aftermath. She also thanked Charlotte Weber, the TRF and “countless individuals” who donated.

Peter Miller, who lost five horses in the San Luis Rey blaze, took the stage next and delivered a heartfelt speech that emphasized the contrast between the devastation of the fire and the “sheer kindness, selflessness and generosity of horsepeople from around the world” in response to the tragedy. Miller specifically thanked his grooms and hotwalkers for risking their own well-being to save the stable.

“San Luis Rey is a special place. It’s more than a training center–it’s like a family, a community,” said Miller.

“We’re there for each other, we care about each other and we help each other.”

Miller concluded that the response to the fire “Restored my faith in people–especially horse people.”

A second Eclipse Award of Honor was given to the NTRA for their efforts advocating for new IRS regulations in favor of horseplayers on Capitol Hill.



Valiant Minister Retired to Bridlewood

Baoma Corporation’s Valiant Minister (Candy Ride {Arg}–Spooky Minister, by Deputy Minister), a $680,000 OBSOPN buy, has been retired and will stand stud at Bridlewood Farm in Florida for a fee of $2,500 S&N.

“Valiant Minister could have been any kind, everything about him suggested he was a serious racehorse,” said George G. Isaacs, Bridlewood general manager. “He showed at both OBS and Santa Anita that he was a special talent, but unfortunately had a significant stall accident that cut his career short. I believe Florida breeders will be the benefactors now, because this horse has quite a lot to offer. He’s a great blend of Candy Ride and Deputy Minister: big, strapping physical, very well made, a lot of substance, and Candy Ride is on fire with a lot of exciting colts going right now.”

Valiant Minister made just one start for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, graduating by 2 1/4 lengths on debut at Santa Anita Jan. 14 of last year. The now-5-year-old completed that six-furlong test in 1:08.84 and earned $32,400.

Valiant Minister is a full-brother to GISP Moe Candy and GSP Holy Candy. His second dam is GISW Lunar Spook (Silver Ghost).

 

 



The legendary Arabian horse is Egypt’s pride

The legendary Arabian horse is Egypt’s pride


From the ancient deserts of the Middle East comes one of the best known horses: the Arabian. As they say, My kingdom for a horse and these horses have fired up the passion of equestrians all over the world. One famous stable in Egypt is ensuring the genetic purity of these horses.



Heiligbrodt Strikes Again at OBS

Under the banner of his East Hickman Racing, owner William Heiligbrodt purchased the two top-priced offerings at the 2017 OBS Winter Mixed Sale, going to $110,000 for a daughter of Shanghai Bobby–Yankee Victoria (Yankee Victor) and $90,000 for an Into Mischief filly out of Maren’s Melody (Unbridled’s Song). The Texan was forced to go a little deeper, but succeeded in landing the priciest lot during Wednesday’s renewal of the sale, going to $200,000 through agent Susan Montanye for hip 30, a filly from the third crop by boom sire Violence from the consignment of Gem Racing Inc.

Despite a preferred portion of the catalogue that was about a third larger than last year, the turnover of $3,567,000 was well more than double that of 2017, while the average of $24,772 and median price of $14,000 represented strong gains of 42.1% and 40%, respectively.

“I thought the went very well,” said OBS’s Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “I’ve always said that when our consignors bring us good stock, the buyers reward them and that’s how it played out today. There was good activity at all levels. We saw a rise in the median and that’s a good thing.”

One especially pleasing statistic was the buyback rate of 31.1%, which compared very favorably to last year’s 43.5%. “There’s a liveliness to the stock market and the economy and I thought the quality of horses was higher,” Wojciechowski reasoned.

Lot 30 was bred in Florida by Georg and Sharon Maharg’s Maharg Management from the mare Carphonic (Lion Heart), winner during her racing days of the 2009 Joe O’Farrell Juvenile Fillies for trainer William White and Gem Racing Inc, who consigned Wednesday’s top lot. Lot 30 is the second foal from the mare, whose now 3-year-old daughter Sauce On Side (Violence) broke her maiden at Santa Anita Jan. 5 and was runner-up in her first start against winners 15 days later. Montanye, who operates SBM Training and Sales, had a high opinion of the March foal from the start.

“I went through and gave [Mr. Heiligbrodt] a list of my top five horses and we evaluated all of them, went over the notes and at the end of the day she was my top pick of the sale,” Montanye commented. “She’s a big strong filly with very good bone, a great walk and a very good mind. She’s extremely well built, she had all the right angles to her and I loved everything about her. She is the kind that looks like she could go very fast, but at the same time, it looks like she’ll stretch out and go long. She looks like an Oaks-type filly.”

The Winter Mixed Sale was off to a fast start when hip 5, a filly by More Than Ready, fetched $170,000 from de Meric Sales, and with that in mind, Montanye knew that the horse that she had assessed to be superior to that filly would not come cheaply.

“I thought this filly was going to definitely be the top horse in the sale,” she said. “The More Than Ready was a beautiful filly as well, and when we saw what she made and comparing the two horses, we thought we might have to stretch a little.”

Montanye said her purchased would be sent to the farm “to be a horse again” and that a decision about her future will come at a later date.

Carrie Brogden elected to retain hip 5 when she was led out unsold on a bid of $55,000 at the Keeneland November sale two months ago, and the decision was validated Wednesday.

“She grew a lot [over the last two months],” Brogden said. “We sent her to Michelle Redding and she just blossomed, she really grew up. When I saw her when I got here, I was blown away with how much she improved. We’ve had a lot of luck with the de Merics. We’re thrilled, the reserve was very low, but she had 12 scopes and she was very well received.”

Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield agency consigned the session’s top broodmare in the form of hip 21, the 9-year-old Hard Hat (Hard Spun), who was purchased by Gainesway for $62,000. A half-sister to Grade I winner Albert the Great (Go For Gin), the bay was offered in foal to Broken Vow, the sire of the mare’s 2015 produce–a filly–who realized $145,000 as a weanling at that year’s Keeneland November sale. Hard Hat’s current 4-year-old daughter Honey Jade (Harlan’s Holiday) is now a three-time winner from five starts on the dirt in Japan, including an impressive last-to-first victory at Kyoto Jan. 8. Among the underbidders on hip 21 was Chris Knehr’s Catalyst Bloodstock, which sold Hard Hat carrying the aforementioned Broken Vow filly ($60,000 ’14 KEENOV) and Honey Jade as a yearling at FTKJUL in 2015.

Trainer Eddie Plesa paid $110,000 for the 3-year-old filly Bring Joy (Twirling Candy) to top the horses-of-racing-age section of the Winter Mixed Sale. The former $100,000 Keeneland September yearling, a half-sister to SW Courtside (Cindago), was consigned by Eisaman Equine, agent, and worked three-eighths of a mile in :32 4/5 during an under-tack preview Jan. 22.

The Winter Mixed Sale continues with an open session Thursday beginning at 10:30 a.m. For full results visit www.obssales.com.



G8/P5: Irrigation types for GS3 & Fertilizers, Organic Farming

G8/P5: Irrigation types for GS3 & Fertilizers, Organic Farming


Language: Hindi, Topics Covered:
1. Factors of agricultures: irrigation
2. Irrigation level in the country
3. Types of irrigation in the country
4. Canal irrigation
5. Tank irrigation
6. Tube well irrigation
7. Canal irrigation
8. Problems of canals
9. Under-usage of canal water
10. Reason for under-usage of canal water
11. Command area development prog
12. Tank irrigation
13. Tanks in south India and its decline
14. Tube well and Ecological problem involved
15. Status of various irrigation technique
16. Sustainable irrigation technique
17. New schemes by govt. for irrigation development
18. Factors of agricultures: nutrition
19. Source of Soil-nutrition
20. NPK: imbalance
21. Soil health card scheme
22. Problems of chemical fertilizers
23. Organic farming:
24. Paramparagat Krishi sinchai yojana
25. Green manure
26. Vermin-compost
27. Benefits of vermi-compost

Powerpoint available at http://Mrunal.org/download
Exam-Utility: UPSC CSAT, Prelims, Mains, CDS, CAPF
Faculty Name: Ms. Rajtanil Solanki
Venue: Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration (SPIPA), Satellite, Ahmedabad, Gujarat,India



Bolt d’Oro, Good Magic Top TJC Juvenile Rankings

Multiple Grade I winner Bolt d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro) and GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Good Magic (Curlin), both finalists for Eclipse champion 2-year-old honors, were ranked co-toppers of The Jockey Club’s 2017 annual Top 2-Year-Old Rankings. The rankings were formerly known as the Experimental Free Handicap.

Both colts were listed at 126 pounds, three pounds ahead of GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy). GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filles winner Caledonia Road (Quality Road) was the top-rated filly on the list at 123 pounds.

The Jockey Club’s annual Top 2-Year-Old Rankings are a weight-based assessment of the previous year’s leading 2-year-olds, with the weights compiled for a hypothetical race at 1 1/16 miles. All 2-year-olds of 2017 who started in graded or listed stakes races run in the United States and Canada are eligible to be weighted.

The racing secretaries on the weighting committee were P.J. Campo of the Stronach Group, Ben Huffman of Churchill Downs and Keeneland, Steve Lym of Woodbine Entertainment, Martin Panza of The New York Racing Association Inc., and Thomas S. Robbins of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.

Kentucky-foaled juveniles outranked all other states and provinces with 149 weighted males and 132 fillies; Florida was second with 18 males and 18 fillies. Ireland led foaling countries outside of North America with 16 fillies and nine males. Scat Daddy was the leading sire of weighted males with six and Malibu Moon led fillies with five.

The complete rankings can been on the resource section of The Jockey Club’s website.



Arabian Horses swimming in the Horse Swimming Pool, Sharjah Equestrian Club, UAE

Arabian Horses swimming in the Horse Swimming Pool, Sharjah Equestrian Club, UAE


Two Arabian Horses – ” Muntasser ” (14 Years) and ” Murjana ” (3.5 Years) belonging to Mr. Abd Al Nasser Kojak – swimming in the Horse swimming pool at Sharjah Equestrian Club, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. 15.06.2012.

Video by: Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf-von Jaffa.

With Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 Video Camera.




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