Week in Review - U.S. Equestrian

The ASPCA Maclay National Championship hosted the top junior riders in the nation at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament on November 4-5, 2006. The top four riders battled it out in a work-off, and once the dust had settled, 16-year-old Maggie McAlary of Amherst, NH, was victorious. Julie Welles of West Simsbury, CT, placed second, while first-time Maclay competitors Jennifer Waxman of Chagrin Falls, OH, and Nick Haness of Coto de Caza, CA, were third and fourth.

The Maclay Final was divided into three phases over two days of competition. On November 4, 147 riders performed over a course for judges Ralph Caristo and Scott Williamson. Thirty-six of them were brought back in groups of three to ride on the flat. From there, the judges picked the top 25 to return for another over fences round on November 5.

On October 31, 2006, the Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) met officially for the first time under the auspices of the American Horse Council at the United States Equestrian Federation headquarters in Lexington, KY.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the American Association of Equine Practitioners, American Paint Horse Association, American Quarter Horse Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, The Jockey Club, National Horse Benevolent and Protective Association, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Professional Rodeo Stock Contractors, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, United States Equestrian Federation and the U.S. Trotting Association.

Equestrian Land Conservation Group will Move National Headquarters to THEKentucky Horse Park

Loss of open land has been identified as the greatest threat to the future of all equestrian sport, recreation and industry.

The Equestrian Land Conservation Resource (ELCR), which is dedicated to promoting access to, and conservation of, land for equestrian use, has announced that it will move its national headquarters to the Kentucky Horse Park, becoming the 30th equine organization to locate at the Park. They will also hire a new chief executive officer (CEO).

Transfer balances while leaving the interest payments behind, with the United States Equestrian Federation Visa Platinum Card, now offering…

Wrap up great holiday memories with this unique card, knowing you’ll pay no interest on balance transfers until next winter. The U.S. Equestrian Federation Visa is perfect for stuffing stockings at home, or for taking the whole family to grandma’s house. Plus, you’ll benefit our international teams and earn great rewards with every purchase!

The U.S. Equestrian Federation Visa Platinum Card also provides great benefits, including:

This Visa Platinum card issued by U.S. Bank is now the only card that supports the U.S. Equestrian Federation. Upon receiving your new card, the U.S. 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.

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

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) Board of Directors voted in July and again in October of 2006 and approved the inclusion of hunter country pleasure in the Saddlebred Record Champion program. The ASHA is currently working on a project to award points retroactive to 1992, when the country pleasure division first became a part of the Saddlebred Record program.

Tracey Winter Wins Grand Prix Championship at GAIG/USDF Region Three Championship Show

Tracey Winter and her 13-year-old Trakehner gelding Martailo won top honors at the recent GAIG/USDF Region Three Dressage Championships when they were awarded the tri-colored neck ribbon for the grand prix championship. This coveted win would be an exceptional victory for any dressage competitor, but for this pair, the victory was the culmination of a dream that spanned more than a decade.

The Third Annual Florida Equestrian Celebration Set for November 17-19 at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center

The Third Annual Florida Equestrian Celebration will occur November 17-19, 2006, at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center. Considered the largest equestrian exposition in Florida and the Southeast, this year's Celebration will include invaluable educational clinics, workshops and seminars, dynamic horse and rider performances, impressive breed presentations and a trade show that will please even the most eager shopper.

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USEF members can now enjoy UPS discounts up to 30% off NEXT DAY and 2^ND DAY shipping and up to 5% off GROUND shipping services. To start to receive your savings, simply login to our specialized UPS website and select “Yes! Sign Me Up Now!” at www.savewithups.com/usef/ . Enter your information and your current UPS account number if you already have one. They will add our savings to your new Corporate UPS account. Once you have set up your account with the UPS discounts, you can use that account number at any UPS store and the discounts will apply. There is no code to take into UPS and receive discounts without setting up an account first. USEF is very happy to have such a great program with UPS to extend to its members.

United States Dressage Federation 2007 FEI-Level Trainers' Conference Features Jan Brink

United States Dressage Federation (USDF), in conjunction with the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, Inc., announced that the 2007 FEI-Level Trainers' Conference is set for January 14-15 at High Meadow Farm in Loxahatchee, FL. The conference will feature Jan Brink, the current Swedish National Dressage Champion for the fifth year in a row. In addition to the two-day conference, a Biomechanics Seminar on the Pyramid of Training, with Dr. Hilary Clayton, will be held on January 13 at the Palm Beach Hotel.

Saddlebred Award Nominations Due for the American Saddlebred Horse Association's Awards

With the competition season drawing to a close, final nominations from American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) membership for the ASHA’s individual awards are due at ASHA no later than the close of business Wednesday, November 15, 2006.

Each year, the association’s highest honors are presented at the annual Saddlebred Ball, to be held at the Keeneland Entertainment Center to close the ASHA convention, on Saturday evening, February 17, 2007. The awards, Lifetime Achievement, Meritorious Service, Breeders, C.J. Cronan Sportsmanship Award, Lurline Roth Sportsmanship Award, Frank Ogletree Youth Award, Gordon Jenkins International Award and the new Gillenwater Family Trophy, are explained in detail at www.saddlebred.com/ASHA-Awards.

Alfred University in Alfred, NY, dedicated the Bromeley-Daggett Equestrian and the Maris Cuneo Equestrian Park on October 20, 2006. The 400-acre center is the result of significant contributions by Catherine Bromeley-Dagget and Peter Cuneo, as well as several other alumnae.

The center supports the Alfred University (AU) equestrian program, which provides education in all equestrian disciplines, including dressage, arena jumping, cross-country, Western disciplines and driving. AU has active equestrian teams.

United States Dressage Federation Signs Jane Savoie for Adult Clinic Series in 2007-2008

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to announce that Jane Savoie, who has been a member of the United States Equestrian Team and a popular clinician and author, is clinician for the nine adult clinics beginning in 2007. The clinic dates for 2007 are March 3-4 in Region 9, March 24-25 in Region 4, April 14-15 in Region 8, and October 13-14 in Region 5. The theme for the clinics is “Believe You Can; Ride the Possibilities,” focusing on Savoie’s sports psychology first expounded in her bestselling book That Winning Feeling.

Karin Offield of Offield Farms Offers USEF Members Interested in Dressage Free Membership to DressageDirect.com

Offield Farms has the opportunity to introduce all American dressage-interested USEF members to www.dressagedirect.com. Dressagedirect is dedicated to promoting the sport of dressage throughout the world.

In case you are not familiar with Dressagedirect, the service aims to provide its members with all international dressage show results on the grand prix level, along with interesting facts of the dressage community. This information is sent directly to the subscriber’s e-mail box shortly after each event.

For the full letter, click here.

Are you ready to feel fashionable this fall? Well, you’re in luck because many of your tried-and-true favorites will be able to do double duty this year. Those well-worn riding boots that previously only saw the light of day at the barn and weekend horse shows will now make you the envy of all your non-horsy friends who’ll be asking “Where did you get those fabulous boots?”

Ralph Lauren, Tory Burch and other top designers are making equestrian chic this season. The traditional tall riding boot gets updated in fabulous fabrics and textures, including quilted leather and patterned pony hair. Old school favorites like tweed jackets, jodphur pants and polo shirts go modern with new colors and fits. Equestrian details are everywhere—from horse-themed scarf motifs to elegant belts.

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.