We went from just having a horse show in the arena to having vendors, arena activities, educational demonstrations, reenactments and much more. In addition to carriage rides and live music, the festival also featured performances by the Fayetteville Fiddle Choir and the Kids Corral, along with live entertainment by the One Arm Bandit Gang, Boston Mountain Gun Slingers and the Mounted Fury Medieval Exhibition. In addition to carriage rides and live music, the festival also featured...

RICHMOND - Officials on Thursday lifted a quarantine on equine facilities throughout the state that was put in place in February to prevent the spread of equine herpesvirus. About 145 horses were quarantined to try to contain a possible outbreak of the EHV-1 virus. At least six horses tested positive for the virus, including at least one that had to be euthanized. It is spread from infected horses through nasal fluids and bodily secretions. The virus poses no known health threat to humans,...

Thoroughbred racing is much more popular and financially lucrative than harness racing. The state has mandated that any California track that annually hosts more than four weeks of thoroughbred racing install a new synthetic racing surface by the end of this year. This could mean a farewell to harness racing at the Sacramento venue, which has been that sport's sole California address for seven years. In the interim, Northern California thoroughbreds need a place to race, or they'll likely...

Jackson County sheriff's deputies are still searching for the owners of the Grass Lake Township farm where 69 malnourished horses have been impounded by county animal control. They advertised they specialize in barrel racing horses. A woman who answered at a Grass Lake number listed for Mercier said he no longer lives there, and then hung up when the horse farm was mentioned. The men bought, sold and bred horses, and collected stud fees, according to their Web site, www.turn3ranch.com....

Hundreds of prep cowboys and cowgirls from across the state will attend the event, competing for points and prize money. Long is in third place in barrel racing. Irwin is the points leader in pole bending and is fourth in barrel racing. Several local competitors will be trying to improve their ranking in the season-long points standings. He's the individual leader in calf roping and steer wrestling. Clint King, who is second in steer wrestling, is ninth in the all-around standings. Young...