Week in Review - U.S. Equestrian

The all-girl American team produced a crisp, clean victory at the sixth leg of the Samsung Super League with FEI series at Hickstead, England, where the much-fancied home squad lost out in the closing stages. Ahead at the half-way stage, the British lost their grip as the second round progressed, but three second-round clears saw the USA rise from third to pole position, and this moves them off the bottom of the leaderboard going into the penultimate round in Dublin in two weeks' time.

For Sweden however things did not go so well. Finishing in fifth place they slipped to the bottom of the table, but its far from over yet because only 3.5 points separate the Americans in sixth, the French in seventh and the Swedes in eighth place - none of them can afford to breathe too easily....

Last weekend, eight American vaulters competed at CVI Krumke** in Northern Germany. In the women's division, three American vaulters took the podium—a first for Americans at a foreign CVI. Alicen Divita of Woodside Vaulters (CA) placed first, followed by Mary McCormick of Mt. Eden Vaulters (CA) in second. Third went to Davita's teammate, Elizabeth Osborn. The competition was very tight between the three top Americans. Each vaulter was in first place from one of the three judges, with Davita's average barely beating out the other two.

U.S. Fights for a Hard-Earned Bronze Team Show Jumping Medal at the XV Pan American Games

It was a battle between the host country—Brazil—and the teams from Canada and the United States for the team show jumping medal at Deodoro Stadium outside Rio de Janeiro. Fittingly, it was the host country’s most popular equestrian athlete—Rodrigo Pessoa—that was the last to go in the two-round series of Nations Cup jumping that sealed the deal for a Team Gold medal. Team Canada earned the Silver medal, and the U.S. contingent was awarded with a Bronze. The four members of the U.S. team did their all to fight off their challengers, including a run at a medal by the team from Mexico that seemed to fall apart in Round Two.

Team USA’s Cara Raether and Ublesco Finish Eighth, Lead Americans in Individual Show Jumping at XV Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro

The last of the three equestrian disciplines contested at the XV Pan American Games—show jumping—wrapped up at Deodoro Military Complex outside of Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. The final results were cause for celebration for Canada and Brazil. Team USA’s Cara Raether and Ublesco finished in eighth place, the highest spot earned by an American combination on the last day of the XV Pan American Games.

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.

The United States Equestrian Federation announced a change to the horse-and-rider combinations it will be sending to Hong Kong for the test event at the Sha Tin race course in preparation for the 2008 Olympics. The test event will be held at the CCI** level, August 11-13, 2007.

Bill in U.S. House of Representatives Could Cut Funding for U.S. Quarantine Facilities and Personnel

A timely response is needed from members of the horse industry to their Congressional delegation since the House of Representative is scheduled to vote on the 2008 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Bill (H.R. 3161), which would fund the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Fiscal Year 2008, early next week.

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U.S. Region 7 Wins Young Riders Dressage Team Gold at CN North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships, Presented by Gotham North and UlcerGard

U.S. Region 7 won the first Gold medal of the 2007 CN North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships (NAJYRC), presented by Gotham North and UlcerGard, when they won the Young Riders Dressage Team Championship. The 2007 NAJYRC is being held at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA, July 31–August 5.

Canada Wins Junior Team Dressage Gold Medal at 2007 CN North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships Presented by Gotham North and UlcerGard

Canada won the Junior Dressage Team Gold medal at the 2007 CN North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championships (NAJYRC), presented by Gotham North and UlcerGard, at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA.

Canada earned its Gold medal with a combined score of 204.450 points. The team consists of Jade Deter of Kemptville, Ontario, who scored 69.750% on Mastermind; Jaimie Holland of Caledon, Ontario, who scored 67.800% on Fleurina; Sara Regehr of Vernon, British Columbia, who scored 66.900% on Danika; and Lindsay Seidel-Wassenaar of Bluffton, Alberta, who scored 66.750% on Oslo.

HITS Saugerties Set to Welcome Back the 2007 USEF National Junior Hunter Championship-East Coast

There will be no break in the action between Weeks V and VI at HITS-on-the-Hudson as the 2007 United States Equestrian Federation National Junior Hunter Championship-East Coast, presented by Stacey and Tom Siebel, returns August 6-8, 2007.

The annual competition is designed to encourage and promote the basic training and development of junior hunters. Divided into four sections, the finals feature competition for Small Juniors 15 and Under, Large Juniors 15 and Under, Small Juniors 16-17 and Large Juniors 16-17.

Pan American Games Double-Gold Medalist Karen O’Connor to Appear on NBC’s Today Show

Two-time Olympic medalist and recent double-Gold medalist at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Karen O’Connor will appear on the Today Show in New York City on August 8. Riding the amazing pony, Theodore O’Connor, the three-day event rider bested a field of very talented horses and riders and led the team to Gold-medal honors. The popular morning show runs from 7 a.m.-10 a.m. EST. Look for O’Connor, who will be appearing with a number of other 2008 Olympic hopefuls, including 2004 Gold medalists Natalie Coughlin (Swimming) and Paul Hamm (Gymnastics), around 8 a.m.

Following the TV appearance, O’Connor and the other athletes will be appearing at the NBC Experience Store in Rockefeller Center to sign autographs and take pictures between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m.

Breyer Animal Creations®; The Theodore O’Connor Syndicate, LLC; and Sportponies Unlimited are delighted to announce that Theodore O’Connor, the 14.1-hand pony that has caused a sensation in the eventing world, will be the latest international star to join the Breyer Animal Creations’ stable as a Breyer portrait model in 2008.

If you are interested in becoming a Friesian judge, now is the time! The United States Equestrian Federation will conduct a Friesian Judges’ Clinic, October 5-6, 2007, in Lake St. Louis, MO. The clinic is open to all Friesian judges, as well as any applicants or potential applicants for the license.

Prather and Ballinakill Glory Go Wire to Wire at Rebecca Farm to Take Top Spot on Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series Advanced Leaderboard

Kelly Prather and Andrea Pfeiffer's Ballinakill Glory took the lead after dressage in the CIC***-W at The Event at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, MT, and never looked back. Prather and the eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare put in a lovely test on Friday for a score of 47.8, and after that the rest of the field couldn't keep up, especially in the show jumping arena where FEI designer Richard Jeffery's course caused more than the usual number of dropped rails and eliminations.

American Saddlebred Horse Association Annual Raffle Tickets Available Online, $20,000 to be Awarded

American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) Annual Raffle Tickets are now available for purchase online at www.saddlebred.com/asha/contribution.php. Purchase a chance to win one of 15 cash prizes totaling $20,000. Tickets are $100 and are tax deductible as ASHA is a non-profit charitable organization.

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More than 1,100 Appaloosas traveled to Oklahoma City to compete for prestigious titles in the 60th National Appaloosa Show and the World Championship Youth Show that began June 25 at the State Fair Park.

Despite highly unusual daily downpours, hundreds of exhibitors competed throughout the 13-day event in 209 classes; all of which allowed the participants and their horses to demonstrate the excellent disposition and versatility of the Appaloosa breed.

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!

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.

July/August 2007 Issue of EQUESTRIAN: Uniting the Horse World: USEF Plans for a National All-Breeds Championship

With the Alltech™ FEI World Equestrian Games taking center stage at the Kentucky Horse Park in 2010, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is considering ways to keep equestrianism in the spotlight and make use of the infrastructure that will be established for the games. USEF Chief Executive Officer John Long thinks that the best way to do this is with an all-breeds U.S. championship to be held annually beginning in 2011.

“The WEG is going to be here in 2010, and while it’s exciting to think about what it entails, in as much as they have never been held outside Europe before, it isn’t too early to ask what will be the legacy?” asked Long. “To me, it is an opportunity to create something for horse sport in America that can be transforming. I believe an all-breed horse show made for television could have that kind of transformational impact.”

The show could be held at the Kentucky Horse Park. “The State has invested heavily,” said Long. “$40-million will be spent on the new indoor arena, and another outdoor will be constructed shortly. The infrastructure is unique, so certainly for many years after 2010, we could hold the national show there.”

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.