Latest news with #horsebackriding
CBS News
2 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Horses and riders from around the world come to Pennsylvania to compete at Devon Horse Show
The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair is well underway in Chester County, Pennsylvania. "I started showing here as a little kid doing leadline, and my mother was a trainer," John French said. The Maryland native showed at the Devon Horse Show more than a dozen times. "This is definitely one of the most prestigious shows to win at, outdoor horse shows," French said. And win he has. Officials say around 1,000 horses will show during the event this year. "This is the last of the really big boutique, special, really hard to qualify and get into horse shows," Philip DeVita, the co-manager of the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, said. Professional rider Tara Metzner is from California. "From the second Devon ends, to the end of the qualifying period, that's what most of us riders are working towards," Metzner said. The Devon Horse Show is the country's biggest and oldest outdoor multi-breed horse show. It attracts the top talent from around the world. "It's been around a long time, so I think from the moment I started competing, it was always a goal," Metzner said. While riders certainly come from all around the country to show, other riders are lucky enough to have this in their backyard, like Kennett Square native Chrissy Serio. She has been with Hollister the horse for three years, but the 41-year-old has been competing here since she was a child. "Devon is magical. It's such an honor to be able to come and see these animals and be a part of it," Serio said. Being here, she said, is still a "pinch me" moment. "Every time I get to go in the ring," Serio said with a smile.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Seeing double! Sam Armytage's fans go wild as she shares pictures of her lookalike sister: 'You guys are twins'
Samantha Armytage has sent fans wild after sharing pictures of her lookalike sister Georgina during a trip to the UK. The Golden Bachelor star, 48, took to Instagram this week to post a series of photos showing the pair horse-riding in Wimbledon Common, located in south-west London. The sisterly duo looked chuffed to be in each other's company for the quant outing, with the pair beaming broadly as they posed on horseback. Samantha and Georgina could be mistaken for twins in the images, with the pair looking almost identical in their near-matching riding helmets. It was a fact not lost on Samantha's 257,000 followers, with many pointing out the striking similarity. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'Twins? You look like twins!' one fan offered while another chimed in with a similar, 'You and your sister look like twins.' 'I told you that both of you look alike,' a third offered summing up the sentiment of many. Others were quick to point out just how happy Samantha looked to be in the company of her sister. 'What Fun To B Together Xx U Look Sooo Happy,' one fan swooned. Another offered: 'You look great up there! So good to see you so happy. You deserve it.' Captioning the images, Samantha revealed that she and Georgina had been indulging in their passion for horses since childhood. The Armytage sisters have come a long way since Adaminaby Pony Club in the 80's/early 90's. 17,000kms to be precise,' she wrote. 'Probably the first time Daryl Braithwaite has belted out across Wimbledon Common ~ but what fun to womble our way around this morning with Honey, Rosie, Fudge- the -Shetland & the gang. She continued: 'Pls note Georgie's "hands & heels"; a throw back to our PC days…& my Honey; at 17 hands ~ not bad for an old girl with a new hip - the both of us (no wonder I need the steps.' Samantha's UK jaunt comes after she announced her shock split with husband Richard Lavender late last year. Sam and Richard's separation was planned to be leaked to a Sydney newspaper in December, but sources confirmed the news to Daily Mail Australia in advance. 'Yes Richard and I have separated. All breakups are hard, but it's somewhat lessened by the fact it's amicable and we wish the best for each other,' Samantha told media following the revelations. 'I appreciate you respecting our privacy. I won't be making any further comment.' It is understood Samantha's television presenter friends had been comforting the star behind the scenes for some time. Samantha is no longer followed on Instagram by Richard's two daughters, Sascha and Grace, although the former couple still follow each other. Samantha started dating Richard in April 2019, and they announced their engagement in June 2020, before tying the knot at his property in rural NSW six months later. Sam certainly hasn't been resting on her laurels though, with the popular presenter currently filming the anticipated Nine reality series The Golden Bachelor. Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed Barry 'Bear' Myrden, a 50-something infrastructure engineer and passionate sailor from Sydney, has been handpicked as the leading man for the upcoming Australian adaptation. In exclusive pictures, Barry was seen filming the show in Sydney in March, and his cast of leading ladies have since been spotted arriving at the Sydney mansion where filming will take place. Unlike The Bachelor and The Bachelorette which feature young men and women, the Golden Bachelor is targeted at a more mature audience eager to watch how those who have already experienced great love and loss are chasing companionship in their next chapter. 'Bear is not your usual reality TV type,' an insider told Daily Mail Australia. 'He's charming, intelligent and has really lived a full life. He's been through love, loss and now he's ready to open his heart again. Women are going to adore him.'
Irish Times
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Thrill-seeking in middle age: the spirit is willing but the pelvic floor is weak
I've always seen myself as a bit of a thrill-seeker. As a child, I cut my teeth on many a big roller coaster in the United States on family holidays and was the first to volunteer for things like abseiling, rock climbing, or white-water rafting. I started horse riding at the age of nine and, for the next 26 years, I couldn't get enough of galloping through forests, across fields, and over show jumps. I'd had my fair share of falls, too, hitting the deck more times than I could count, but always dusted myself off and got back up. In my early 30s, I even tried my hand at rugby, launching myself full force into the thrill of tackling and, despite breaking my ankle so badly that the snap could be heard on the sideline of a match, I still came back the next season for more. (Although I decided it might be best to draw a line under my rugby career when I dislocated my shoulder three times.) Since I became a mum, my white-knuckle ways have taken a bit of a back seat, and I'm much more conscious of ways my boys can injure themselves, jumping off things or doing something risky that I might have done as a youngster. But while my life is less punctuated by daredevil moments, I still like to think of myself as a gung-ho thrill-seeker at heart who would happily do a skydive or bungee jump given the opportunity. However, what I've come to realise is that, at the age of 42, my perception and reality don't always align, in much the same way I still think the 1990s were 10 years ago. If your mind is stuck in the same groove as mine, then I regret to inform you that the 1990s were 30 years ago and if my beloved Back to the Future was remade today, (do not do it, Hollywood) Marty McFly would be going back to the year 1995. [ The most important muscles you never target with a workout Opens in new window ] This all hit home very recently when I stood on top of La Tour Infernale (The Towering Inferno) 13m up in the trees, ready to hurl myself into the air, down a 130m-long zipline with my five- and eight-year-old boys, on holiday in France . READ MORE My two children were leaping with excitement and probably a small percentage of fear as they got their harnesses fitted. From the ground looking up, the top of the tower was high, but not off-putting. If anything, I was excited to get to indulge my inner thrill-seeker again, after a few years in the slow lane. It had probably been a good 10 years since I had done anything like this. We got our safety briefing and walked up the long spiral tree staircase, leaving my other half on terra firma. We paused every now and then mid-climb as the people in front had their turn, to sounds of thrilled screams. 'This is going to be so cool, Mum!' beamed my eight-year-old. 'Mummy, I'm sooooo excited, but also a little bit nervous,' chimed in my five-year-old. 'No need to be nervous, guys, it's going to be brilliant. I cannot wait,' I assured, as we inched closer to the top of the tree tower. Behind us we could hear some children starting to get a little upset at the prospects of reaching the top. I focused on trying to quell my own anxiety over my children's safety rather than worry about my own fears. I was an adrenaline junkie after all, right? Giving birth to two babies with big heads in the space of three years was always going to leave its mark As our turn approached, my boys dutifully headed over to their spots on the three-person-wide zipline and followed the instructions of the guide. I had been so focused on making sure they were both okay to go, that it only really hit me that it was our turn once they were hooked on. I walked over to the wire and looked down at the ground below me. Suddenly I felt more nervous than excited, which was all wrong. There was always an element of anxiety in these things, but it had never before outweighed my excitement. What was happening here? I wasn't afraid of heights or a jolt of adrenaline. Were my thrill-seeking days behind me after all? Had I left it too long to seek some adventures? Was I past it? Surely not. Puzzled at my reaction, I watched my children whizz off the tower and shriek with delight on their descent to the bottom at light speed, while I remained standing there as if I didn't know where I was or what I was supposed to be doing. 'Go!' the instructor impatiently yelled at me, motioning to the ground. Dutifully I hurled myself off the edge, hoping to regain my glee midway down. Sure enough, I opened my eyes and yelled 'Woo-hoo'. I absolutely loved it, and was relieved that my random blip had passed. Yet as I made my way to the ground, I couldn't ignore that physically it all felt very different from my pre-children days of thrill-seeking. The truth was that while my spirit was more than willing, my pelvic floor was weak. All my years of horse riding probably took their toll, and giving birth to two babies with big heads in the space of three years was always going to leave its mark. But the most damaging thing of all was getting almost no education on how important my pelvic floor was and how to look after it. I was probably in my 20s before I heard people talking about kegels, and I didn't really pay much attention. Oh, how I wish I had because I never truly understood the importance of my pelvic floor until it took a battering. [ My kids and I put a message in a bottle. What happened next restored my faith in humanity Opens in new window ] Still, over the next five days, I happily went on multiple ziplines, across forests and over lakes, ariel adventures in trees, over suspended bridges, ladders, monkey bridges, wobbly logs, and cargo nets that would put Ireland's Fittest Family to shame and you couldn't wipe the smile off my face. By what felt like the 20th zipline on our last day, and umpteenth of the whole holiday, I felt like I'd got my thrill-seeking groove back somewhat. I'd managed to just about hold the pelvic floor together, I hadn't dislocated my shoulder for a fourth time or let down my eight-year-old son with any more strange and sudden onsets of acrophobia. As I swung my legs over the side of the final zip line, I hesitated for a moment, more from utter exhaustion than anything else. 'You can do this, Mum, you're doing great. You've got this,' cheered my eight-year-old from the tower on the other side of the lake. There are moments in parenthood that take you off guard and there's nothing more humbling when you hear the mini versions of yourself trot out your own words with the exact same inflections and mannerisms as you. Often, it's the cringeworthy stuff that rolls off their tongue; parroting your giving-out style or God forbid the odd swear word or two. But I felt an undeniable sense of pride hearing the same words of encouragement I give to my kids, come out of my eight-year-old's mouth just when I needed it. By the end of our adventures, I was fit for nothing but sitting in traction for a week, and felt muscles I didn't even know existed, but I can confirm that I am still very much a thrill-seeker and that doing your kegels is really bloody important.
Times
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
A horseride to church in cowboy boots
Eve Taylor, 40, and Nicolas Clarke, 43, both company directors, were married on February 26, 2025, at St Michael and St Lawrence church in Fewston, near Harrogate Eve and Nick like to do things their own way at their own pace. Eve waited until Nick and her four boys (ranging in age from two to 16 years old) had left for their local church before she pulled on her cream-coloured cowboy boots and set off on her horse to ride to her wedding. 'It was lovely,' she says. 'I was in my own little bubble.' Two friends followed behind by car with the hazard lights on. It was freezing but Eve, who rides English and Western style, did not feel cold. Dude, her
