Week in Review - U.S. Equestrian

A jump-off between the United States and Canada decided the Team Gold medal at Sha Tin.

Two countries, tied on a score of 20, after two rounds.

The U.S. won.

In the Olympic rules, all team members return to the ring to jump off. Canada began the evening a horse down because Mac Cone withdrew Ole. This meant that they did not get to drop a score.

Under the watchful eye of Chef d'Equipe George Morris, McLain Ward led it off again for the U.S. on Sapphire. He jumped a masterful clear.

Canadian Jill Henselwood had one down with Special Ed.

Laura Kraut on a horse that even she thought might not be here because he was so inexperienced, repeated Ward’s effort with Cedric and slowly the misfortune of Team USA over the last two weeks began to lift.

Bronze for Beezie! Madden Outruns Six in Jump-Off for Individual Medal at 2008 Olympic Games

Under the unsettled skies of the impending typhoon, the individual medals were decided by not one but two jump-offs. America’s Beezie Madden and Authentic outran six other combinations to be the fastest of the four faulters to win her first individual medal.

“In the Olympics there is usually a jump-off for medals,” said Madden. “So we expected it. When it ended up being seven to jump off for the Bronze it made for a very exciting day.”

The Night the World Met Ravel; Peters Delivers Stellar Fourth Place Performance at 2008 Olympic Games in Dressage

Coming into the Games, Peters was pinned as the best individual medal hope for the U.S. in recent memory. Riding Akiko Yamazaki’s formerly undefeated 10-year-old KWPN gelding Ravel, Peters put in a masterful performance in the horse’s first effort outside the U.S. Anky van Grunsven and Salinero won on the strength of their freestyle (82.4%), winning her third consecutive Individual Gold medal for The Netherlands on a final score of 76.68%.

For all of our coverage of the equestrian events at the 2008 Olympics, please visit our TeamUSA site or USEF.org.

Don’t miss a second of the equestrian portion of the 2008 Olympic Games. The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has provided some insight about who the U.S. athletes are, how they got to the 2008 Olympics and USEF has had all the latest news from Hong Kong, along with photos, results and rider bios. Follow the adventures of two USEF staffers: Brian Sosby, Editor of equestrian magazine, and Joanie Morris, High-Performance Communications Manager, who have been busy blogging about their adventures in Hong Kong.

USEF NATIONAL PONY FINALS REPORT

Morgan Moog Tops Competition to Win the 2008 USEF Pony Medal

Though it was Morgan Moog’s first time competing at the 2008 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Pony Medal, she and her horse Goodnight Moon topped the efforts of 184 other competitors to win the championship title.

Three Clear Rounds Gain Jessica Pyfer the Title of 2008 Adequan/USEF National Pony Jumper Individual Champion

The final leg of the three-day 2008 Adequan/United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) National Pony Jumper Individual Championship was fast-paced and highly competitive as 25 young riders came back on Saturday night to compete in head-to-head competition. Over a more challenging course with larger fences than the team competition the night before, it was 10-year-old Jessica Pyfer and Sosha who went triple clear to win the 2008 Adequan/USEF National Pony Jumper Individual Championship.

Lillie Keenan Does it Again by Winning the 2008 Wild Horsefeathers/USEF National Pony Hunter Finals

Last year, 11-year-old Lillie Keenan made history by being the first young rider to sweep the small, medium and large divisions of the 2007 Wild Horsefeathers/United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) National Pony Hunter Finals. Keenan almost repeated history again this year by winning the medium and large pony divisions, securing her the champion and reserve title. Keenan bested 292 competitors with a top score of 1,077 aboard Dogwood Hill’s German Warmblood gelding Neverland to win the champion title.

For the second year in a row, Lillie Keenan swept a championship at the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) 2008 Pony Finals. Last year it was the 2007 Wild Horsefeathers/USEF Pony Hunter Finals—this year, Keenan makes history once again with the top score in the small, medium and large green hunter pony divisions and claimed the grand champion title of the 2008 Wild Horsefeathers/USEF Green Hunter Pony Finals.

Underdog Zone 7 Wins the 2008 Adequan/USEF National Pony Jumper Team Championship; 2008 Wild Horsefeathers/USEF Pony Hunter Finals Under Way

The third day of the United States Equestrian Federation’s (USEF) 2008 National Pony Finals was an all-day affair, starting with the pony hunters throughout the day then transitioning into pony jumpers in the evening. In true form, the pony jumpers added to the excitement of the day with the evening’s championship ending with Zone 7 on top with a total of four faults and the fastest team time of 188.037, winning the 2008 Adequan/USEF National Pony Jumper Team Championship.

USEF Announces Winners of the 2008 Emerson Burr Horsemanship Awards Sponsored by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital; Other Pony Finals Awards Announced

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) announced the winners of the 2008 Emerson Burr Horsemanship Awards sponsored by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, along with the winner of the Buttons and Bows Sportsmanship Award and the winner of the Short Stop Perpetual Trophy. All of these special awards took place at the 2008 USEF National Pony Finals at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Red Panda and Ohio native Jennifer Waxman Win the Grand Championship at the 2008 East Coast USEF Junior Hunter Championship at HITS Saugerties

After three days of exciting competition, a new champion was crowned when Jennifer Waxman rode her mount Red Panda to the grand championship at the 2008 East Coast USEF Junior Hunter Championship on Wednesday afternoon at HITS Saugerties.

Southern Indiana and the Daniel Boone Distance Riders (DBDR) Association, on October 16 and 18, are offering American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) members a ride of a lifetime by hosting the National Championships on trails in the Clark State Forest. Recently the DBDR bridged an AERC/Clark State Forest partnership through trail funding. The oldest state forest in Indiana, Clark State Forest is comprised of 24,000 acres of wooded forestland, with headquarters in the town of Henryville, just 25 miles north of Louisville, KY.

Endurance rides have been held in the Clark State Forest for 15 years. With its varied terrain, from flat ridge tops and hills (referred to as “knobs” in this region), to low-lying creeks and valleys, neither you nor your horse will get bored in either the 50- or 100-mile championship. For the most part, the trails are wide enough for two horses abreast or to pass safely. The trails will be golden with the fall foliage and the views are breathtaking. Why would you want to miss such a spectacular ride?

Kentucky Horse Park Museum to Add Major Addition for the Arabian Horse in Summer 2009

The Purebred Arabian Trust has begun construction of an 8,000 square foot addition to the Kentucky Horse Park’s International Museum of the Horse called the Arabian Horse Galleries. It will be the first major addition to the 52,000 square foot museum since its opening in 1978, and will expand its permanent exhibition space by nearly 30%.

Southeastern Horse Sale to Offer Saddlebreds, Hackneys, Harness Ponies, Morgans and Roaster Horses and Ponies

The Southeastern Horse Sale will be held at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center in Fletcher, NC, right outside Asheville, on December 6, 2008. The Southeastern Horse Sale will provide a public auction of American Saddlebreds, Hackney and Harness Ponies, Morgans and Roadster Horses and Ponies.

With over a quarter-million dollars in total prize money on the line in the American Saddlebred Registry futurities offered at the Kentucky State Fair this year, the World's Championship Horse Show began with its traditional Sunday night opener, the weanling section of the Kentucky Futurity.

Kent Farrington of Wellington, FL, rode Up Chiqui to win the $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix, the final event of the six-week Vermont Summer Festival held July 9-August 17 in East Dorset, VT.

Twenty-four riders tackled course designer Pierre Jolicoeur’s track with eight jumping clear to advance to the jump-off where it all came down to the tightest turns.

“I thought the first round was very friendly, just the right amount of riders went clear and we had a nice jump-off,” said Farrington. He noted that the jump-off also rode as expected, but the key to winning was turning hard and keeping Up Chiqui balanced. They finished clear in 34.95 seconds.

“You just have to let him do his thing,” Farrington said of the 10-year-old chestnut gelding who measures just under 16 hands. “I just have to keep him from going too fast and going crazy. He’s built like Seabiscuit.”

United States Dressage Federation's Executive Board Position on USEF Dressage Performance Standards Proposal

The USEF Dressage Committee met on July 1-2, 2008, and discussed the USEF Dressage Performance Standards Proposal. This discussion included a review of compiled results of the online survey that was developed to gather feedback from USEF and USDF members. These results were recently shared with the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) Executive Board and show that a majority of the approximately 1,250 respondents expressed support for the idea of having competition performance standards for the sport.

The British Come Out on Top Over the Second-Placed Home Team in the Dublin Leg of the Samsung Super League with FEI

The penultimate leg of the 2008 Samsung Super League with FEI series in Dublin on August 8, 2008, was a thriller as old rivals, Ireland and Great Britain, locked horns in an epic battle at the end of which the visitors prevailed.

The American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) would like to congratulate the following Silver Medalists for their outstanding performances at horse shows across the country for the months of June and July:

2009 Adequan/USEF National Junior Jumper Championships Information Now Available

Attention junior riders interested in competing at next year’s Adequan/USEF National Junior Jumper Championships. The 2009 selection procedures and qualifying period for this championship are now available on the USEF website’s Jumper Discipline page at www.usef.org/Contentpage2.aspx?id=natjumping.

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

2009 North American Junior and Young Rider Championships for Show Jumping Zone 2 Announcement

Attention junior and young riders in Zone 2 interested in competing at next year’s North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) for show jumping: Please check your zone’s selection procedures for the 2009 FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships under the Jumping Discipline page of the USEF website at www.usef.org/Contentpage2.aspx?id=natjumping.

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

Gainesville, FL, Equestrian Honored with National Youth Achievement of the Year Award within the Morgan Breed

The American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) recently announced the recipient of this year’s Youth Achievement Award during the 2008 AMHA Awards Luncheon at the AMHA Annual Convention in Minneapolis, MN. The award, regarded as one of the most celebrated annual honors available through AMHA, went to Caralee Conklin of Gainesville, FL.

Grand prix dressage rider Suzanne Dansby Bollman has returned to the FEI arena with her equine partner Cooper with great success. Bollman is a top international competitor that has been long- or short-listed with the USET for seven consecutive years. Cooper and Bollman have accumulated many impressive wins in their six years together. Two years ago, the pair was the U.S. team alternate at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Germany. This summer, Bollman and Cooper competed for the first time in over a year. At the Poplar Place Farm Dressage Show, the pair scored an impressive 68.958% in the grand prix and earned the FEI High Score—a fitting way for Cooper to return to competition.

Three Phase Event, Inc., Hosts First Educational Clinic in Dressage for Gaited Horses

The Three Phase Event is proud to announce their first Training, Education and Development (T.E.DO) sponsored clinic, September 5, at 10:00 a.m., at the Kentucky Equestrian Center at 860 Kiddville Road in Winchester, KY. Specifically targeted for all breeds of gaited horses, each rider can get one-on-one time with a United States Dressage Federation judge, so all are encouraged to get entries in early as there are limited time slots.

Kentucky Horse Council Offers Equine Abuse Investigation Training Seminar in Eastern Kentucky

A three-day course on investigating equine abuse and neglect is offered by the Kentucky Horse Council (KHC) in cooperation with Morehead State University (MSU), October 1-3, 2008. The class is part of the KHC horse welfare program and is designed for animal control officers, sheriffs, and other Kentucky law enforcement officials involved in investigating and prosecuting equine neglect and abuse.

Summertime in Saugerties: Exhibitors Enjoy Three Fun-Filled Weeks in the Hudson Valley

The HITS Saugerties Summer Series was "home of the hunters" as the popular circuit featured the the USEF East Coast Junior Hunter National Championships for the fourth consecutive year. HITS also sweetened the pot this year, adding the all-new $5,000 Pony Commotion Hunter Classic to the mix, as well as the Northeast debut of the $10,000 ASG Software Solutions United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Hunter Derby, all in one fabulous week to close out the three-week summer circuit.

The World Games 2010 Foundation announced that Kim Bennett has been selected as Director of Hospitality Programs for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

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:
— Matthew Matell
— Marguerite Mole
— Nina Pola
— Emily Van Der Walde
— Sophie Verges

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

A few riders that have now qualifed on the West Coast:
— Laura Griffith
— Katie Hagerty
— Katie Harris
— Samantha Harrison
— Kelsey Hart
— Molly Hay
— Dana Henson
— Erin Hickey
— Tarah Hill
— Zazou Hoffman
— Michael Hughes
— Brittany Hurst
— Caroline Ingals
— Olivia Jack
— Emma Johnson
— Paulene Johnson

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
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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.