Week in Review - U.S. Equestrian

Storms threatened but the sun hung on Sunday June 17 at the final day of the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions and so did Christopher Hickey and Regent making them the final champion of the Festival and putting them at the top of the list of four named for Pan American Games Selection. The top three combinations from today’s competition are named to the team pending the USEF High Performance Working Group, the Executive Committee and USOC approval and the fourth place finisher is picked as the alternate and travels all the way to Brazil with the squad.

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King Wins the Day but Peters Best Overall in the Grand Prix, Barteau Holds on to Young Rider Lead and Sammis Takes Middle Leg of Pan Am Selection

It was a busy day at the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions on June 16th, the Freestyle – the third and final part of the Grand Prix, the second part of the Intermediaire I Pan American Games Selection Trial and the finale of the Young Riders Championship made for plenty of spectating in unsettled weather at the USET Foundation Headquarters.

The finale of the Grand Prix closed out the third day of competition and the Freestyle and the perfect weather attracted large crowds and provided plenty of entertainment. The weather had been beautiful all day until a storm began to roll through as Steffen Peters began his test. The storm held until just before Kristina Harrison-Naness was set to start her test and the competition was then delayed for 60 minutes.

U.S. Representatives Named for FEI/WBFSH World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Dressage

The United States Equestrian Federation is pleased to announce the US representatives to the FEI/WBFSH World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Dressage, to be held August 2 – 5, 2007 in Verden, Germany.

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) will be looking to crown a new reining champion on June 30th at 6:30 p.m. at the 2007 Adequan/USEF Open Reining National Championship. This event draws top reiners from around the country and is hosted by the Clayton Woosley Hall of Fame Reining at the Kentucky Horse Park.

The USEF is thrilled to report huge success for the Developing Young Rider Tour at the CSIO4* in Hamina, Finland. The show jumping squad made up of Brianne Goutal (Onira), Sarah Segal (True Love), Eliza Shuford (Larentino) and Georgina Bloomberg (Mila) impressively won the Nation’s Cup on June 17.

The United States Equestrian Federation is pleased to announce the following combinations have been named to the team for the 2007 FEI World Combined Pony Driving Championships, July 18-22 in Knabstrup, Denmark.

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The Eventing High Performance List has been changed and the following horse/rider combinations have been named to the Squads. These horse/rider combinations will be invited to participate in training sessions to be held at various locations throughout the country. These sessions will be conducted by USEF Three-Day Eventing Coach Captain Mark Phillips and are currently being scheduled.

Attention all junior pony riders interested in competing at the 2008 Adequan/USEF National Pony Jumper Championships held during the 2008 USEF Pony Finals: please review the 2008 criteria and qualifying period for your zone or United States Pony Club (USPC) at www.usef.org/documents/disciplines/jumper-nat/PdSCriteria2008.pdf.

Please direct questions to Jennifer Haydon, Director of Show Jumping, National Programs, at jhaydon@usef.org or (859) 225-6911.

Make Your Best Deal with John Deere, Then Take an Additional Savings up to $2,000*

Up to $2,000 off current model 5003 and 5005 series tractors or 0% for 36 months.

Membership has its advantages. As a member of the USEF, you now have the opportunity to really save big on select John Deere equipment with sizzling hot summer savings on John Deere 5003 and 5005 series tractors. Depending on the 5003 or 5005 in-stock model (excludes 5603) and options you choose, you can save up to $2,000 on these utility tractors full of John Deere reliability and performance OR get 0% interest for 36 months.

As an USEF member, you also will receive a discount coupon for additional savings. For the 5003 and 5005 series tractors, you receive a $250 discount coupon. Coupons are available for other John Deere models as well. But to take advantage of these best offers of the summer, you’ve got to visit your participating John Deere dealer by July 31 and purchase a 5003 or 5005 tractor from stock. Certain restrictions apply, and the offer runs out as soon as the tractors are gone. So see your dealer for details. To find out more information, call us at (877) 576-6872 or visit www.usef.org.

*Offer limited to USEF MemberPerks members. Program begins June 15, 2007, and remains in effect until July 31, 2007.

Select John Deere agricultural products include: 5003 series tractors and 5005 series tractors, excludes model 5603. See dealer for details.

AMHA and USEF Board Member Georgie Green Honored with the National Pedigree Livestock Council's Distinguished Service Award

Georgie Green, member of the Board of Directors for The American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) for 27 years, was honored with the National Pedigree Livestock council’s Distinguished Service Award at the annual meeting of the National Pedigreed Livestock Council (NPLC) in Fort Worth, TX, on May 9, 2007. The NPLC offers executive officers of the various non-profit breed associations of dairy, horse and pony, sheep, goat, swine and beef species the opportunity to interchange ideas and learn from one another. Being awarded the NPLC’s Service Award is an honor extended to those whose dedication to their chosen breed is exhibited through extensive altruistic endeavors.

The new Ariat

USA

“Look of the Team” merchandise is now available at the USEF online store. Visit the store online to check out the latest Ariat USA men’s and women’s polos and vests!

It will be Belgium's turn to be first into the ring Friday afternoon, June 22, as the fourth leg of the 2007 Samsung Super League with FEI series kicks off in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

The teams were drawn in the following order:
1. Belgium
2. Germany
3. Sweden
4. USA
5. The Netherlands
6. Switzerland
7. France
8. Great Britain

The USEF announced today the show jumping teams which will compete in at CSIO Falsterbo, Sweden July 19-22 and at the two Samsung Super League CSIOs at Hickstead, UK July 26-29; and Dublin, Ireland August 8-12. Selection for both teams was based on rider rankings on the June 8, 2007 USEF Computer List and availability. Melanie Smith Taylor will serve as chef d’equipe at all three competitions.

Remember to take advantage of the USEF MemberPerks Program. USEF MemberPerks offers substantial cost savings on products and services from John Deere, Dodge, Office Max, UPS and many more!

For more information, please call (877) 576-6872 or fax (859) 422-9407, or visit USEF.org's MemberPerks page.

The deadline for the first phase of ticket sales for the Beijing Olympics is approaching. Those interested in attending the Olympic Games can request tickets by JUne 30, 2007. Tickets will be available for purchase on a “live” basis later this year (currently an October launch of the Live Sales phase is anticipated). Additionally, hospitality packages (which include guaranteed tickets) and accommodations packages are currently being sold and will continue to be sold on a live first-come, first-serve basis.

For more details, visit www.cosport.com.

The United States Pony Clubs (USPC), Inc., will continue with its half-a-century tradition of educating young people in horsemanship at the Ninth Triennial Festival to take place July 24-31, 2007, in Lexington, KY. Held at the Kentucky Horse Park, the USPC Festival is the culmination of years of training and qualifying competitions for about 4,000 lucky members, and is the most popular and best-attended Pony Club activity.

A barn fire killed 25 American Saddlebreds and one half-Saddlebred at 3-T Stables, owned by the Tabor family in Scottsville, KY, on the morning of Tuesday, June 19. By the time the fire was noticed just before 7 a.m. at 3-T’s broodmare barn, it had become a “raging inferno,” according to 3-T Stables’ Paige Tabor. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

Production East Video, along with leading online broadcaster MediaZone, announced they will be presenting live webcasts of the Lake Placid Horse Shows, including the Lake Placid Horse Show, to be held June 26-July 1, as well as the I Love New York Horse Show, to be held July 3-8. Live from the beautiful Adirondack Mountains, these webcasts are produced by Productions East Video and will be available by logging on to www.ProductionsEast.com or www.MediaZone.com/Channel/Equestrian/index.jsp.

The Nigerian internet fraud, which has pounded U.S. e-mail accounts touting to make large money transfers in exchange for fees, has taken on a new spin with internet horse trailer sales. The increasing growth of equestrian websites offering free classified ads has provided an effective catalyst for the Nigerian scam artists to test their new scheme. Horse trailers have been targeted because they are high-ticket items.

United States Dressage Federation/United States Equestrian Federation Young Rider Graduate Program Dates Confirmed

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced that the USDF/United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Young Rider Graduate Program will be held at the Hilton Palm Beach Airport Hotel in West Palm Beach, FL, January 18-20, 2008.

The USDF/USEF Young Rider Graduate program, with funding support provided by The Dressage Foundation, is designed to bridge the gap between young rider status and the professional world of international competition, teaching, training and equine business management. The format is a two-day educational seminar, focusing on fundraising, sponsorship, grant opportunities, insurance, ethics, business management, international competition, goal setting and leadership.

Hagyard Challenge Series Showcases Top-Caliber Competition at Kentucky Summer Horse Shows

The Hagyard Challenge Series, a series of seven major show jumping competitions, will continue during the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The first week of competition, the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, will be held from August 1-5, 2007, with the Kentucky Summer Classic following on August 8-12. The $30,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic Grand Prix classes are scheduled for Thursday, August 2, and Thursday, August 9, in the Sheila C. Johnson Arena.

FEI Official International Judge Rogier Van Iersel (NED) has resigned from his position as president of the ground jury for jumping for the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong. The decision of Van Iersel is based on the fact that he is also team manager of the Saudi Arabian Jumping Team, which may have resulted in a potential conflict of interest should the two functions be performed concurrently.

Beautifully Hand-Crafted USEF Leather Bags Made Exclusively by Freedman Harness, Canada

Call toll free today to order your USEF Leather Bags at (877) 256-7674 or visit www.freedmanharness.com.

American Saddlebred trainer and breeder Charles E. “Chuck” Hamlet, age 67, died Friday, June 8, 2007. Friends were received Wednesday, June 13, at the Davis Funeral Home in Harriman, TN.

Futurity Weanling Payments and Foal Registration for Saddlebreds Grace Period Deadline on Monday, June 25

Foals showing in the Kentucky and Kentucky Amateur Futurity Weanling Divisions must have applications for registration received in the American Saddlebred Registry office on Monday, June 25, by 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. No exceptions. A rush fee of $50 will be assessed for any such applications received June 26 or thereafter. Such fee will be billed to the applicant and will be due and payable immediately. This is to ensure a conditional registration number is assigned by the Kentucky State Fair post entry closing date, which is July 9, 2007.

Do some serious spring cleaning with the United States Equestrian Federation Visa® Platinum Card

This spring it’s out with the old and in with the new when you use the United States Equestrian Federation Visa® Platinum Card, now offering 0% APR for 12 months*! With this exclusive card, every dollar you spend is interest free until next year, allowing you to purchase those new items you’ve been waiting to buy. So whether you use your United States Equestrian Federation Visa for everyday purchases, or that special purchase, switch now and save.

The United States Equestrian Federation Visa® Platinum Card also provides great benefits, including:

• No annual fee
• Your choice of benefits and rewards
• A percentage of every purchase goes directly to the United States Equestrian Federation

This Visa Platinum card issued by U.S. Bank is now the only card that supports the United States Equestrian Federation. Upon receiving your new card, the United States Equestrian Federation receives a payment from U.S. Bank, and then we will continue to receive a percentage of each net purchase you make on your card. This helps us fund our international teams.

*Click product name for terms and conditions: Platinum, Cash Rewards, Select Rewards, College Rewards. Offer not applicable for the College Rewards Visa Card. We may change APRs, fees, and other Account terms in the future based on your experience with other creditors or U.S. Bank National Association, N.D., and its affiliates according to the Cardmember Agreement and applicable law. The introductory rate does not apply to cash advances and is valid for the first 12 billing cycles. The rate will end early and increase to the APR for Purchases and Balance Transfers or to a Delinquency Rate APR if your Account is delinquent, over the limit or closed. We apply your payments to balances with lower APRs first.

The creditor and issuer of the Visa Platinum card is the U.S. Bank National Association ND.

The United States Equestrian Federation®, Inc. (USEF), as the National Equestrian Federation of the U.S., is the regulatory body for the Olympic and World Championship sports of dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, reining, show jumping, and vaulting, as well as 20 other breeds and disciplines of equestrian competition. As the country's largest multi-breed organization, the Federation has over 86,000 members and recognizes more than 2,800 competitions nationwide each year. It governs all aspects of competition, including educating and licensing all judges, stewards and technical delegates who officiate at these shows.

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.