Week in Review - U.S. Equestrian

The Opening Ceremonies of the XV Pan American Games will take place in the Maracaña Stadium in downtown Rio de Janeiro on July 13. An estimated 95,000 spectators will welcome more than 5,500 athletes from the 42 countries of North, Central and South America. Equestrian, one of 34 sports at these Games, will take place at the National Equestrian Centre at the Deodoro Military Club, 30 kilometers north of the Pan American Village. Approximately 100 horse-and-rider combinations from 18 countries will compete for team and individual medals in the Olympic disciplines of jumping, dressage and eventing. Much more than medals is at stake for the countries not yet qualified to send teams to the 2008 Olympics. Team USA has qualified for the equestrian competition in all three disciplines, thanks to its teams’ performances at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games. Olympic team berths will be awarded to the top-finishing countries other than the USA at the Pan Am Games: three in jumping, and two each in dressage and eventing. An additional five individual Olympic spots (one North American and four Central or South Americans) will be earned in jumping.

U.S Dressage Riders Prepare for Competition on Saturday, Give Venue High Marks

The U.S dressage riders and horses have settled nicely into the newly constructed National Equestrian Center at the Deodoro Sports Complex located on a military base 26 kilometers outside Rio de Janeiro. Deodoro also includes the competition facilities for archery, field hockey, shooting and modern pentathlon. The U.S dressage team members and the USEF sports staff give their venue high marks. “It is an excellent facility by anyone’s quality standards; Brazil did a wonderful job on it,” said Jim Wolf, Executive Director of High Performance for the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and Chef de Mission for the United States Equestrian Team in Rio.

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Pan American Games Media Guide

For the USEF's Pan American Games Media Guide online, visit www.usef.org/panams. Read bios on the American atheletes in show jumping, dressage and eventing; get up-to-date coverage from the event; and read the Brazilian blog from EQUESTRIAN magazine's Editor Brian Sosby and USEF's High-Performance Public Relations Manager Joanie Morris.

Frank Van Duyne Lloyd Moarned

Equestrian sport lost one of its strongest advocates and most active administrators on June 24, 2007, when Frank Van Duyne Lloyd died at age 66. The former United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation Chairman of the Board of Trustees succumbed unexpectedly to a brain aneurysm. Lloyd, a resident of Mahwah, NJ, was a prominent attorney and managing partner of Harwood Lloyd in Hackensack at the time of his death. In addition to his contributions to the USET, Lloyd was also an enthusiastic and supportive horse show dad, horse owner and leader in the governance of equestrian sport.

American Saddlebred Horse Association to Webcast Lexington Junior League Horse Show Live

The American Saddlebred Horse Association is offering live streaming video of the Lexington Junior League Horse Show via its website at www.saddlebred.com. The webcast began with the show’s first session on Monday, July 9, and will include each session through the show’s conclusion on Saturday night, July 14. The same video feed that goes out to the Red Mile’s jumbotron and other video monitors will be broadcast worldwide on www.saddlebred.com. Plans are also underway to webcast the American Saddlebred Museum Art, Antique & Rare Book Auction on Saturday, July 14, at noon live from the Stable of Memories (the historic round barn at the Red Mile).

The first World Para-Equestrian Dressage Championships under the governance of the FEI are looming in the not so distant foreground. These not only mark a first for the FEI, but also a first in the past 21 years for Great Britain to be hosting a World Championship. This important event will take place at Hartpury College, Gloucestershire, and no less than 142 competitors spanning 22 nations will be competing for the coveted title. The numbers alone already make this the largest World Para-Equestrian Dressage Championship ever.

The United States Equestrian Federation is pleased to announce the horse-and-rider combinations it will be sending to Hong Kong for the test event at the Beas River Olympic Equestrian Venue in preparation for the 2008 Olympics. The test event will be held at the CCI** level August 11-13, 2007.

The United States Equestrian Federation is thrilled to report that Beezie Madden of Cazenovia, NY, and Authentic romped to victory in the prestigious Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen in Aachen, Germany, July 8, 2007.

One of the most coveted grand prix in the world, the Grand Prix of Aachen was last won by an American in 1991 (Anne Kursinski and Starman). Madden, one of only three riders to go through to the jump-off, posted the only clear to win convincingly over French rider Roger Yves-Bost and Ideal de la Loge who had four faults and German rider Christian Ahlman and Coster who ended with eight. Fellow Americans Laura Kraut and Anthem were seventh.

Sizzling Competition, Top Clinicians and Hot Entertainment Mark 15th Youth National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show

The Youth National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (Youth Nationals) will celebrate its 15th anniversary in Albuquerque, NM, when it returns to Expo New Mexico, July 28-August 4, 2007. This year's show will feature 1,000-plus horses from across the United States and Canada competing in 128 classes in a wide variety of disciplines. Classes run from 8 a.m. through 10 p.m. each day and are divided into morning, afternoon and evening sessions. Admission to all performances is free for the duration of the show. Last year’s event drew 6,000 spectators. Prizes such as saddles, plaques, ribbons and trophies are part of the award mix.

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Please remember that to be eligible to compete in the Adequan/USEF National Junior Jumper Championships horse-and-rider combinations must earn Certificates of Capability between December 1, 2006, and August 31, 2007, by completing a course with four faults or less set at Level 7 or higher. Riders must verify this in writing from the horse show office with a signed judge’s card.

Criteria for this championship can be found on the USEF website at www.usef.org/documents/disciplines/jumper-nat/PdSCriteria.pdf. Please direct any questions to Jennifer Haydon, Director of Show Jumping, National Programs at jhaydon@usef.org or (859) 225-6911.

The Lake Placid and I Love New York Horse Shows proved to be “Horse Show Heaven in 2007.” With the number of entries held to about 200 horses below the record numbers of recent years, exhibitors had all the benefits of Lake Placid’s traditional world-class horse shows plus ample time to enjoy the natural wonders of the Adirondack Mountains and the warm hospitality of the Village of Lake Placid.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced on July 7 that it had now completed all key venues for the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic equestrian events for testing as scheduled and that the facilities would set new world standards in terms of quality, environmental consideration, cost effectiveness and legacy value. Moreover, the project had been achieved from initial planning to completion within the remarkably short time of less than two years.

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.

The six selected chairmen of the newly established FEI Endurance Task Force held conference calls over the last two weeks to discuss and agree on their respective timetables and reporting procedures. Each chairman, together with their two co-members, will now start to review the various areas that have been designated to each division.

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!

HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein Elected as an International Olympic Committee Member

The FEI is proud to announce that on July 7, 2007, HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein was elected as the member representing the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and as President of the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI). The election took place during the 119th IOC Session held in Guatemala City. HRH Princess Haya was elected with 78 out of 91 valid votes.

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.

Dressage Young Horses and Developing Riders Count Down to the National Championships

A record number of almost 130 horses have been nominated so far to compete in the 2007 Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championships, presented by Collecting Gaits Farm, which will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park, September 14–16 in Lexington, KY. The nomination list (to date) is now posted on the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program web page.

There's nothing quite like winning in front of the home crowd, and the host team from Germany did it in style on July 5 when topping the Mercedes-Benz-sponsored fifth leg of the 2007 Samsung Super League with FEI series.

Neck-and-neck with Switzerland on a score of zero at the end of the first round, they stood firm while their neighbors faltered and slipped to second place. On a testing night of jumping, the Swedish team made a gritty recovery after a difficult opening round to finish joint-third with France while young Patrick McEntee produced a spectacular double-clear to secure fifth place for Belgium.

When a stable falls victim to the bulldozer or a long-ridden trail gets closed to horseback riding, the leaders of the Equestrian Land Conservation Resource (ELCR) care about it as much as you do. That’s why they’re stepping up their efforts to foster communication and to expand it, working hard to stay ahead of the developers’ bulldozers and cement trucks.

Vermont Summer Festival is presenting live webcasts of its horse show competition. The webcasts are being produced by LiveBroadcast.TV and Productions East Video.

The Vermont Summer Festival began on July 11 and features six full weeks of hunter/jumper competition. The Vermont Summer Festival offers $800,000 in prize money, making it the largest sporting event in the state of Vermont based on total purse.

New Pleasure and Park Qualification System for 2008 Kentucky State Fair World Championship Horse Show

The World's Championship Horse Show (WCHS) has announced the adoption of a new qualification system for all pleasure and park horse divisions, effective for the 2008 WCHS. This system establishes a maximum number of permitted entrants in each class in the pleasure and park horse divisions. If the number of qualified entrants exceeds these maximum numbers, eligible horses will be selected based on the number of points earned at qualifying horse shows from July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008.

Edward “Eddy” Leidenheimer, American Saddlebred trainer and owner of DreamView Stables of Versailles, KY, died Saturday, June 23, 2007. He was 28 years old.

Leidenheimer was a member of American Saddlebred Horse Association, United Professional Horseman's Association and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). He will be honored posthumously at the Lexington Junior League Horse Show on Thursday, July 12. Memorial trophies in his honor have been announced for the American Saddlebred Association of the Carolinas (ASAC) Horse Show and for the Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show.

The horse-show management firm The Classic Company is pleased to announce it will again present the Biltmore Estate Summer Classic, to be held July 18-22 and July 25-29 at the equestrian center of the illustrious Vanderbilt mansion in Ashville, NC.

The only nationally ranked, sanctioned, hunter/jumper equestrian event held on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate, this year’s classic, part of the Mountain Air Circuit of Shows, will feature more than 300 competitive classes in six show rings from short stirrup to grand prix.

The 2007 League of Agricultural and Equine Centers (LAEC) Footing Academy will be held August 7-8 at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, GA, former site of the 1996 Summer Olympics. CEU credits will be offered. To register, visit www.laec.info/footing%20academy/2007%20Registration%20form.pdf.

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.

It’s summertime and the savings are easy with the United States Equestrian Federation Visa ® Platinum Card, now offering 0% APR for 12 billing cycles*! With this special card, you can take an extended vacation from interest payments. So whether you use your United States Equestrian Federation Visa for some patio plants right now, or for a fun vacation later this summer, it’s the perfect time to switch and save. Plus, you’ll benefit our organization and earn great rewards with every purchase!

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

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: College Rewards, Platinum, Cash Rewards and 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 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.