Week in Review - U.S. Equestrian

Four West Coast Riders Advance to 2005 FEI World Cup Show Jumping Final; Simpson, Gatlin, Spooner and Salick to Vie for Championship Title

The USEF is pleased to present the four West Coast show jumpers who will represent the nation during the 2005 FEI World Cup Show Jumping Final in Las Vegas, April 20-24. They are: Nicole Simpson of Thousand Oaks, CA, Joie Gatlin of San Juan Capistrano, CA, Richard Spooner of Burbank, CA, and Gabriella Salick of Thousand Oaks, CA.

USEF Approves New Helmet Rule for Combined Driving Events

On March 15, the Executive Committee of the USEF approved an extraordinary rule change to Rule DC147.2, for Combined Driving Events. Effective April 1, 2005, all drivers competing in obstacles on the marathon must wear protective ASTM/SEI certified headgear.

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Metropolitan National Horse Show Cancelled for 2005; ASPCA Maclay National Finals Moves to Farm Show Arena in Harrisburg

The National Horse Show Association of America, Ltd., announced that the 2005 edition of the Metropolitan National Horse Show has been cancelled. The association also announced that the ASPCA Maclay National Horsemanship Finals will be held at the Farm Show Arena Complex in Harrisburg, PA. Those finals will not be held in conjunction with the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, but instead will be held on the most suitable date that offers the least conflicts for exhibitors and for trainers.

Study Finds That 97% of Performance Horses Have Some Type of Ulceration in the Digestive Tract

Recently published research has revealed the presence of ulcers in the colons of performance horses. According to the study, conducted by Frank Pellegrini, DVM, 63% of horses involved in competition sports—ranging from dressage to racing—suffered from colonic ulceration.

The USEF Executive Committee met Tuesday March 15, 2005, and approved a few extraordinary rule changes. These changes can be found at www.usef.org/documents/rules/ruleChanges/2005/ApprovedEC3-15-05.pdf

Over 10,000 enthusiastic show jumping fans watched another hurricane race through Wellington, FL, however, this one was of the equine variety, and the weather couldn’t have been more spectacular. Hurricane, owned by Turnabout Farm and ridden by Argentina’s Ramiro Quintana, stormed to victory on Sunday, March 13, in the $100,000 U.S. Open Jumper Championship CSIO Four-Star presented by CN, as the curtain came down on the South Florida leg of the 2005 Winter Equestrian Festival. This was the final Sunday of show jumping action at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club.

Badminton and Burghley Horse Trials to Embrace New Cross-Country Format in 2006

British Eventing’s proposal for the world’s most famous horse trials, Badminton and Burghley, to adopt the modified cross-country format in 2006 has been agreed upon by both events after over a year of consultation and worldwide trials. British Eventing's chairman Michael Tucker said, "Last year we wanted to take time to evaluate the implications of the international changes of removing the Roads & Tracks and Steeplechase phases, and after much debate, the new format has emerged as the preferred way forward for the sport at present. We feel that it is right to adopt the Olympic, World and European template to give our riders the best chance of medals in the future."

USEF Names Kentucky Equine Research as Official Equine Nutritionist

The USEF is pleased to name one of the world’s foremost equine nutrition specialists as the Federation’s Official Equine Nutritionist. Kentucky Equine Research (KER), based in Versailles, KY, boasts more than 15 years of innovative research in the field and now brings its vast reservoir of information to the Federation and its members. In fulfilling this role, KER will provide nutrition seminars for High Performance athletes and staff, as well as nutritional and ration evaluations to High Performance long-listed riders. KER will also coordinate feeding programs and provide on-site nutritional support to USEF High Performance teams when they compete abroad, and will assist with the logistics of transporting feed.

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The March feature item of the month is the Blue Ribbon dog jacket by Royal Riders. Available in numerous color palettes and sizes, there’s one that will surely fit your canine friend. Click here to order this item.

From now until March 31, purchase $50.00 or more on USEF merchandise and you will receive a USEF Sport Bottle for 50% off the regular retail price – a savings of $5.50! Please enter the word sportbottle in the coupon code section when checking out to receive this special limited offer.

Young Irish Team Jumps to Victory at Samsung Nation's Cup; U.S. Team Takes Home Fifth

In a night that would prove golden for our Irish friends, a young team led by famed chef d’equipe Eddie Macken set the standard for the Samsung Nation’s Cup at the CSIO Wellington on March 11, shutting out even the closest contenders by a roomy eight points. Riders Darragh Karrins, Jennifer Crooks, Conor Swail and Kevin Babington earned the Gold medal with a team total of 12 faults, split between two rounds. Babington and It’s Morado were in fact the only horse and rider pair able to maneuver the course well enough to bring home a double clear round.

From the March 2005 issue of EQUESTRIAN magazine: Roster of Champions Grand National Champions

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) congratulates our Grand National, National, Zone, Regional, and District Year-end Award winners, as well as Silver Stirrup Award winners. Each horse, rider, driver, handler and owner pictured and listed in EQUESTRIAN represent the culmination of many hours of training and conditioning. They represent the very best our sport has to offer. We applaud their determination and salute their success!

To see the photo gallery of the 2004 Grand National Champions in the USEF's Horse of the Year program, click here for the full story in PDF format.

The annual convention of the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) was a resounding success. Nearly 350 people went west to enjoy this weeklong event held in Phoenix, AZ, February 7-12, 2005. The week was filled with exciting demonstrations and captivating seminars, as well as the AMHA Board of Directors quarterly meeting. The annual stallion service auction brought in more than $50,000, which for the most part goes to support the Association’s 10 regional shows.

Beate Kuska-Shart and Luciano of Malibu Equestrian Estates in Acton, CA, rode the only double clear rounds to claim the jackpot of the Lucky Sevens $77,700 Grand Prix, sponsored by Nutrena and Michelob. The grand prix was the highlight of the Winter Series finale, with a starting field of 40 tough competitors vying for top honor in this tournament of champions. Renowned course designer Michel Vaillancourt produced what at first glance appeared a rather uncomplicated layout, however it required a bit of endurance. The $77,700 question became how to go clear on the 520 m first round but conserve enough stamina for a wicked turn-filled 280 m jump-off course. Only Shart and three others found that answer.

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After its debut last year at five East Coast competitions, the 2005 United States Eventing Association (USEA) Young Event Horse Series has expanded to a whopping 17 events, representing eight USEA Areas, on both coasts and in between.

Real savings for USEF members through USEF Purchasing. For more information, call USEF Purchasing toll-free (877) 576-6872.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) are once again available through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). These grants are available to livestock facilities, including horse farms, ranches and other equine operations.

The United States Eventing Association (USEA) announced that starting this year competition results of USEA registered beginner novice horses and beginner novice riders who are USEA members will be tracked in the association’s database, and a Top Ten Leaderboard will be maintained.

ASHA Driving Challenge Details Announced; Wisconsin Futurity Horse Show Awarded ASHA National Pleasure Equitation Class; National Pleasure Horse Champion Season Underway

Qualifying classes for the finals in the 2005 American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) Junior Exhibitor Driving Challenge at the Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show August 21-27 have resumed with a slew of upcoming shows. The complete schedule of qualifying classes can be found at www.asha.net/Youth/DrivingChallenge.pdf.

Richard Spooner, the leading career prize money winner at the Indio Desert Circuit, continued his winning ways as he captured the $45,000 Grand Prize in the $150,000 Ford Grand Prix of the Desert. Spooner and Ezrah were the only team to jump cleanly within the time allowed at the concluding event of the six-week long 2005 Indio Desert Circuit.

The Kentucky Horse Park has announced its Youth Riding Program schedule for 2005. The program will introduce kids and teens, ages 10-18, to a sport that could bring a lifetime of enjoyment. Participants in the Youth Riding Program will learn to catch, lead, groom and tack horses. They will also learn the basics of stall management and balanced seat riding.

The vision of USEF is to provide leadership for equestrian sport in the United States of America, promoting the pursuit of excellence from the grass roots to the Olympic Games, based on a foundation of fair, safe competition and the welfare of its horses, and embracing this vision, to be the best national equestrian federation in the world.