Week in Review - U.S. Equestrian

Pending the approval of the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC), the USEF has recommended the following horse/rider combinations for the U.S. Olympic Team in show jumping for the 2008 Olympic Games, to be held in Hong Kong, China, August 15-21, 2008.

U.S. Event Riders prepare for 2008 Olympics at Barbury Castle International Horse Trials

Five American horses had their final preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games at the Barbury Castle International Horse Trials in Marlborough, England, July 4-6. A star-studded field of over 100 horses graced the beautiful venue despite some less-than-ideal weather throughout the weekend. Olympic-bound riders from numerous countries were spotted making their final preparations in the CIC*** at Barbury Castle.

U.S. Drivers Weber and Johnson Third in Nations Cup; Weber Achieves Personal Best at World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen

The U.S. duo of Chester Weber and Tucker Johnson equaled an American best on Sunday by placing third overall in the Four-in-Hand Nations Cup at the World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen.

Junior League Show Highlighted by Horse of the Year, Triple Crown Winner, World’s Grand Champions

This year’s prestigious Lexington Junior League Horse Show opened Monday evening, July 7, with a star-studded cast of the best American Saddlebreds in the world, among nearly a thousand horses and ponies entered for competition at The Red Mile.

Through the hard work of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA), the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, and the NCAA Varsity equestrian, the 2008 NRHA Derby was host to the Collegiate Reining Championships in Oklahoma City, OK, on June 28 at the Oklahoma State Fair Park.

The American Shetland Pony Club Celebrates Its 120th Anniversary at the Shetland Pony Congress Show

The American Shetland Pony Club (ASPC) is ready to rock and roll with a celebration of its 120th anniversary during the 2008 American Shetland Pony National Championship Congress Show in Cloverdale, IN. The Shetland Pony Championship Congress Show will be held at the new Crossroads Arena facility in historic “Covered Bridge Country” on July 30 through August 2.

“Wow…pinch me please! Can this be real?” I thought, as I stood, stunned in front of the life-size horse posters advertising the World Equestrian Games in the airport of Lexington, KY. What could possibly have brought a South Dakota girl like me to Lexington, the Horse Capital of the World? Well, the USEF Youth Sportsman’s Career Workshop, of course.

Summer Season of the 2008 Adequan United States Eventing Association Gold Cup Series Kicks Off at Maui Jim Horse Trials

This weekend, July 10-13, marks the first summer event of the 2008 Adequan United States Eventing Association (USEA) Gold Cup Series at the Maui Jim Horse Trials at the scenic Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, IL. So far this year, the Gold Cup Series has five successful events under its belt, with eight more prestigious venues still slated to host events throughout the summer and fall.

The American Saddle Horse Breeders Futurity of Wisconsin announced that it will once again host the American Saddlebred Horse Association’s National Pleasure Equitation Championship. The national championship attracts exhibitors from across the United States and is a “must do” for the most accomplished pleasure equitation competitors. The competition includes rail work followed by a workout. Competitors are scored using a numerical scale by each of the three judges. Scores for rail work and the workout portions of the competition are combined. Prize medals and ribbons are awarded. The top three competitors receive scholarships totaling $5,000 to help with their future education needs.

Independence Day wasn’t the only hot event in Parker, CO, as four weeks of outstanding horse shows kicked off with the Colorado Circuit Preview at the Colorado Horse Park July 3-6.

The FEI Dressage Handbook: Guidelines for Judging is now available for purchase through USEF. The cost per book is $40 plus $10 each for shipping and handling. Only 85 copies are currently in stock, so order early in order to receive a copy. The order form is available for download. Fax your order form in to (859) 231-6662 or mail c/o Jan McKinney, USEF, 4047 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511.

Strong Performances by U.S. Show Jumpers in Aachen

This past weekend at the CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival (July 1-6, 2008) the U.S. show jumping team took third in the Nations Cup, which improved the U.S. team’s placing overall in the Samsung Super League with FEI. The U.S. now sits in fourth place with three competitions left.

Competition Returns to HITS Culpeper as the Qualifying Period for the $100,000 USGPL Invitational Grand Prix Swings into High Gear

Show jumping action returns to HITS Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, VA, this week with the Showday National, featuring the $40,000 Strongid® C 2X™ Grand Prix and the Cavalier Classic, July 16-20, featuring the $40,000 HITS Grand Prix.

Nebraska to Host 2009 National Youth Horse Leaders Symposium

The 32nd Annual National Youth Horse Leaders Symposium, presented by the American Youth Horse Council (AYHC), will be held on March 27-29, 2009, in Lincoln, NE. The University of Nebraska will host the event. The 2009 event will boast more than two-dozen internationally and nationally respected presenters assembled to share their keys to successful youth horse programming and horse management. Attendees will find resources, referrals, and networking to improve their ability to help connect kids through horses. A weekend program for teen leaders is always a favorite bringing youth participating in many different horse disciplines and breed activities together to learn leadership skills and effective horsemanship techniques.

Geneva to Host the 2010 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final

The FEI has awarded the 2010 Final of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping to Geneva, Switzerland. This event, which will be held April 14-18, 2010, is the second FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final to take place in the Swiss city after a first in 1996.

The 2009 series has become the hot topic among the equestrian community from coast to coast. Under the management of Bob Bell and Janet McCarroll the Gulf Coast Winter Series continues to grow both in popularity and improvements. “Consistent rules, great staff, and fair policies” are what Bell, President of Classic Company, states to be the building blocks used to achieve the exhibitors’ ideal showing experience.

The Equine Extravaganza Brings North Carolina Children's Hospital Patients and Their Families Two Opportunities to "Horse Around"

The organizers of the Equine Extravaganza, a three-day horse exposition and festival being held at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds July 11-13, have chosen North Carolina Children's Hospital to be the event's charity beneficiary. In the days leading up to the Extravaganza, some of the event's four-legged stars will make cameo appearances at the Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill and the North Carolina Children's Hospital in an effort to spread cheer to the hospital's pediatric patients and their families.

Twenty-six riders from first grade through twelfth grade trotted into the ring for the Riding for Reading class at the Golden Gate Classic held at the Horse Park at Woodside, July 4. This is the first class of the summertime Riding for Reading classes, and the organizers could not have been happier. “It was great to see so many riders in the class,” said Riding for Reading Treasurer Kelly Scarinci. “The classes have grown and the riders seem to really like it.” If smiling faces were any indication, the riders had a great time.

David O’Connor, President of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), Olympic Gold medalist, Pam American Games and World Equestrian Games medalist, has been elected to the Board of Trustees of the American Horse Council (AHC).

Amateur Sarah Gavigan Snatches Victory from Pros in the $30,000 Golden Gate Grand Prix

Patrick Seaton wanted to win the $30,000 Golden Gate Grand Prix so he could claim the Woodside Jumper Accumulator prize of $20,000. Peter Breakwell wanted to win because he was tired of finishing second to Seaton. Macella O’Neill wanted to win because she is a fierce competitor and has a string of solid jumping horses. But in the end, a former Zone 10 young rider jumped a little higher, turned a little faster, and dared to leave a stride out to claim her first grand prix victory.

From the June 2008 issue of EQUESTRIAN magazine:
Three Great Reads
By Zak Pence

There’s nothing like a good book to whisk you away. Leave your cares behind and fall into the pages of a good read and let the world pass you by. We have rounded up three great new books for the next time you reach for something to curl up with, take to the beach or just kick back and while away the hours.

While many might shy away from typical history books, The Horse, the Wheel and Language: How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World is a fascinating look at the relationship between humans and horses.

Primarily, this is a book about linguistics, modern Western languages and their corresponding cultures. The long-standing theory has been that nearly half the world’s population speaks languages derived from a single linguistic source known as Proto-Indo-European (PIE). But scholars have long debated the source of this ancient tongue.

Remember to take advantage of the USEF MemberPerks Program. USEF MemberPerks offers substantial cost savings on products and services from John Deere, 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.

Platinum Performance/USEF Talent Search
Qualified Riders

The Talent Search program is a very demanding show jumping competition, which attracts the nation’s top young riders in head-to-head competition. The qualifying period for the 2008 events began September 1, 2007.

Learn more about the program today.

East Coast Riders
(October 4-5, 2008, USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals,
Gladstone, NJ)

A few riders that have now qualifed on the East Coast:
— Laura Tobak
— Jennifer Waxman
— Kyla West

West Coast Championship
(September 17-20, 2008 Los Angeles International, Burbank, CA)

A few riders that have now qualifed on the West Coast:
— Katie Tyler
— Catherine Tyree
— Shelby Wakeman
— Hannah Warde

To see the list of all qualified riders,
visit the 2007/2008 Ranking List online.

The Smart Money This School Year is Choosing the United States Equestrian Federation Visa®

The kids are going back to school, and the interest payments are going away with the United States Equestrian Federation Visa Platinum Card, now offering a low introductory rate on purchases and balance transfers*! When you study the benefits of this great card, you’ll find there is a low introductory rate until 2009. So, whether you use your United States Equestrian Federation Visa for new clothes and supplies this fall or for a family vacation this winter, switch now and save. Plus, you’ll benefit USEF and earn great rewards with every purchase.

Save on purchases and balance transfers for nine billing cycles*

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 continues to receive a percentage of each net purchase made on your card. This helps USEF continue to fund important programs and activities.

Click here to apply today or call (800) 853-5576, ext. 9244.

Hurry; offer ends September 30, 2008.

*Click product name for terms and conditions: Signature, Platinum, Cash Rewards, Select Rewards. 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 nine 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 vision of the United States Equestrian Federation® is to provide leadership for equestrian sport in the United States of America by promoting the pursuit of excellence from the grassroots to the Olympic Games, based on a foundation of fair, safe competition and the welfare of its human and equine athletes.