Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

To view pictures from this upcoming season, click the link – http://abc.go.com/shows/the-bachelorette/photo-details/night-one-gallery/965755

Prince Harry and a magnificent white horse play polo in Surrey, England.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

Directed by Simon Wincer (FREE WILLY, LONESOME DOVE), THE CUP is a gripping and inspiring true story about brotherly love and the triumph of the human spirit. It takes place during the 2002 racing of the Melbourne Cup – easily one of the most important horse races in the world – when the hearts of racing fans around the globe were captured by jockey Damien Oliver and his horse Media Puzzle as they beat all the odds to win.

Born into a legendary racing family, jockeys Damien Oliver (STEPHEN CURRY) and his brother, Jason (DANIEL MACPHERSON), were destined for greatness. However, tragedy struck when Jason was in a tragic riding accident just days before the prestigious Melbourne Cup race. Damien considered bowing out of the race and wondered if he would ever ride again, but with the encouragement of famed Irish horse trainer Dermot Weld (BRENDAN GLEESON), he realized that racing was the one way he could pay tribute to the memory of his beloved brother.

Follow The Cup on Facebook – www.facebook.com/TheCupMovie

Showtimes!
May 11, 2012 – THE CUP THEATRICAL RELEASE

LOS ANGELES
Laemmle’s Music Hall 3
9036 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211

MIAMI
Ocala Center 6
2021 E Silver Springs Blvd
Ocala, FL 34470

Delray Square 5
4809 W Atlantic Ave
Delray Beach, FL 33445

TAMPA
University 16 Theatres
12332 University Mall Ct
Tampa, FL 33612-5552

PHOENIX
Camelview 5
7001 E. Highland Ave.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251

SEATTLE
Admiral Theatre
2347 California Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98116

HOUSTON
Studio Movie Grill City Centre
805 Town & Country Lane
Houston, TX 77024

ATLANTA
Studio Movie Grill Holcomb Bridge
2880 Holcomb Bridge Road
Alpharetta, GA 30022

MINNEAPOLIS
AMC Block E
600 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55403

May 18, 2012 – THE CUP THEATRICAL RELEASE

DALLAS
Highland Park Village Theater
47 Highland Park Vlg # 200
Dallas, TX 75205

May 25, 2012 – THE CUP THEATRICAL RELEASE

LOS ANGELES
Cinemas Palme d’Or
72840 Us Highway 111
Palm Desert, CA 92260-3313

www.equestrianproblemss.tumblr.com

“When NERN was formed two years ago to assist the equine welfare community in saving and caring for at-risk horses, our goal was to make an immediate impact,” noted Shirley Puga, NERN Founder and Executive Director.

“Low-cost gelding clinics held in partnership with equine veterinarians were an obvious way as they require a relatively small financial commitment while producing major results by impacting the number of horses that might be neglected or abandoned in the future,” she said.

Since the average privately owned stallion will sire five foals in its breeding career, every stallion and colt gelded at these clinics reduces the future equine population by that number. According to Puga, this series was part of NERN’s continuing pilot program to provide a model for these clinics throughout the country. The traveling gelding clinic series was a partnership between Shirley Puga, Director of NERN, Dr. Eric Davis, DVM, Founder of Rural Veterinary Experience Teaching and Service (R-VETS), and his partner Cindy McClinn, RVT, who work together to bring quality care to animals that might not always get professional veterinary treatment. In addition to gelding 100 stallions and colts through this recent series, Puga and Davis plan to partner on future clinics throughout California.

NERN also continues to refine the low-cost gelding program for distribution to rescue sanctuary operators and other equine welfare advocates throughout the country. “The need to reduce the country’s equine population, a key component in ending equine slaughter, has never been greater and NERN will take a leadership role in this aspect of that solution”, Ms Puga stated. She is also working with other segments of the country’s horse welfare community to convince the commercial equine industry to practice more selective breeding and provide for aftercare for their horses to eventually eliminate equine slaughter.

The eight-day traveling series held eight gelding clinics in eight cities; covering more than 1,000 miles in the heavily horse populated central part of California. The clinic locations were Salinas, King City, Lodi, Auburn, Petaluma, Woodland, Orland and Cottonwood.

Participating equine rescues were the SPCA of Monterey County, Valley View Ranch Equine Rescue, Oakdale Equine Rescue, The Shiloh Foundation, Sonoma Action For Equine Rescue, and Safe Haven Horse Rescue. Contributing sponsors for this series of clinics were One Horse At A Time and Redwings Horse Sanctuary. Professional photographer Jim Westin volunteered his time to document the entire event on film.

In addition to providing this much needed service to horse owners, the clinics also served as an important training experience for a group of UC Davis vet students who traveled with NERN and R-VETS. In April, NERN has four, one-day, gelding clinics scheduled – April 7th in Oakdale, April 15th in Ramona, April 21st in Bishop, and back in Oakdale on April 28th. Clinics are in the works for May and June as well.

Interested parties can check NERN’s website at www.nationalequine.org for future clinics. Ms Puga said planning is underway for the first out-of-state clinic, to be held in Western Washington State in late Spring/early Summer. The states of Nevada and Texas are under consideration for the Fall. “We are proving that the equine welfare community is willing to step up to the plate to do its part in reducing our country’s horse population and therefore eliminate the need for equine slaughter and we hope the commercial breeding and racing industries will accept their responsibility also” Ms Puga concluded.

NERN’s goal for 2012 is to geld 250 stallions and colts this year, representing a future population reduction of 1,250 horses. They are well on their way. With financial assistance, they could likely do even more.

Photo “NERN R-VETS” (left to right) – Cindy McClinn, Dr Eric Davis, Shirley Puga

Photo “Team” – NERN, R-VETS, & UC Davis Students

For Immediate Release

Contact: Shirley Puga 760-419-2462