Week in Review - U.S. Equestrian

2005 Pegasus Awards for Media Announced; Daniel P. Lenehan Trophy and President’s Award Still at Bay

Competing against stacks of submissions from across the country, the very best samples of equine and equestrian coverage have risen to the top, and will be honored by the USEF in the 2005 Pegasus Awards for Media (formerly the USEF Awards for Media Excellence).

The winning entry in each of the individual categories will go on to compete for the Daniel P. Lenehan Trophy, a capstone award celebrating outstanding achievement in media excellence. In addition, the President’s Award, a capstone award celebrating overall excellence in mainstream (non-equestrian) media coverage, will be announced later this week.

It is with sincere appreciation and congratulations that the USEF announces the winner and honorable mention (where applicable) in each of this year’s designated categories.

The USEF is pleased to announce the four athletes who have been named to the 2006 USEF ParaEquestrian Advanced Rider List.

Attention Farnam®/Platform™ - USEF Horse of the Year Champions and PHR Silver Stirrup Champions

You are invited to mail in a photograph of your Farnam®/Platform™ - USEF Horse of the Year Champion for publication in the March issue of EQUESTRIAN magazine to our Lexington offices. Photos must be in by Monday, January 16, 2006. There is no charge for publication of your photo. For complete details on submitting your photo, visit www.usef.org/hoty/faq.html.

To check your points, visit www.usef.org/content/pointsAwards/index.php.

Over $3 Million Dollars Up for Grabs for World’s Best Show Jumpers at 2006 Winter Equestrian Festival

The 2006 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) begins on January 26, 2006, at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club on Pierson Road in Wellington, FL. This year’s festival, the nation’s longest and consecutively running equestrian sporting event, celebrates its 34th year in Florida.

It is with great sadness that the USEF ParaEquestrian community acknowledges the tragic death of Margo O’Callahan, of Seattle, WA. O’Callahan was killed in a car accident on Sunday, December 18, near the Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center, where she rode for much of her adult life. O’Callahan’s dog, Eddie, was also killed in the accident, which is still under investigation at this time.

Monica Christian of Brookville, OH, has been selected as the 2005 Arabian Horse Association (AHA) Youth of the Year out of a field of 17 nominees. The high school senior from Region 14 also serves as the Arabian Horse Youth Association (AHYA) Treasurer, a position she was elected to at the annual AHYA Convention in July of 2005.

Official Insurance Provider to USEF Members: $1 million in excess liability insurance free with your USEF junior, senior, platinum or life membership

When you think of horses and insurance, you probably think of hurdles...At Equisure, we pride ourselves on giving you a smooth ride.

Because we employ insurance people who are horse owners, competitors and equestrian participants, we really know the industry inside and out. Our personal involvement means our insurance solutions are up-to-date and will work for you. The unexpected in the horse world can be costly, but we have put together affordable coverage for your peace of mind. Equisure has more than 11 years of experience in the insurance field, and we are proud to be the "Official Insurance Provider to United States Equestrian Federation Members" and its affiliates.

As a member of USEF, you are entitled to $1 million in personal excess liability insurance for horse-related accidents that cause riding injury or property damage to third parties. In addition, you are entitled to personal accident insurance that insures you for death or permanent disability resulting from horse-related accidents. The benefit amount is determined by where the accident occurred and the result, with a maximum benefit of $35,000. For more information, contact Equisure at (800) 752-2472, or visit their website at www.equisure-inc.com.

2006 National Youth Horse Leaders Symposium Offers Diverse Lineup of Presenters

The 2006 National Youth Horse Leader’s Symposium will take place February 3-5, 2006, in Gainesville, FL, offering a diverse group of talented and knowledgeable presenters on four different tracks: youth development, successful programs, tools and games and industry issues. The 29th annual symposium will have something for everyone involved in the youth horse industy.

American Saddlebred Registry Grand National and Futurity Deadlines December 31

Important deadlines for the American Saddlebred Registry (ASR) Grand National and Futurities are Saturday, December 31, 2005. For the ASR Grand National, the recording deadline for 2005 foals is December 31, and the stallion nomination deadline for 2005 foal eligibility is also December 31. With the 10-day grace period, the deadline extends to January 10, 2006.

Are you looking for an opportunity to maximize your visibility and awareness to a community of equestrian leaders from across the country? Consider a sponsorship at the USEF Annual Meeting, January 11-15. As a sponsor, you can interact with hundreds of active equestrians and industry movers/shakers, all in a festive and comfortable setting as the leaders and athletes of our sport convene this year in Cincinnati, OH.

We have a multitude of opportunities available to get your message in front of the customers you want. For sponsorship opportunities at the 2006 USEF Annual Meeting, click here or e-mail sponsorships@usef.org.

From now until December 31, purchase $50 or more on USEF merchandise and you’ll receive a FREE USEF magnet. Click here to enter the official USEF online store.

The December feature item of the month is a set of four glasses, each displaying a different quote. Great gift idea for that hard-to-shop-for family member or friend this holiday season. Click here to view this item.

The North American Riding for the Handicapped Association Raises Nearly $50,000 to Assist Centers Affected by Hurricanes

North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) is proud to announce that nearly $50,000 has been raised for a fund to assist NARHA Centers in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida which were affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. Seventy-pound toppled arena lights, flooded barns and several equine deaths are just a sampling of the devastation NARHA Centers faced in the wake of this year’s hurricanes.

For the full story, click here.

From the December/January 2006 issue of EQUESTRIAN magazine: Performance Horse Registry: Finding America's Sport Horse

What would happen if horses were bred, not to fit one breed standard, but specifically to jump fences with greater scope and power or to perform a passage with greater collection, grace and fluidity? It is hard to breed for performance using normal breed pedigree information, but imagine a registry that maintains the pedigrees and bloodlines of America’s competition horses and ties them in with performance records from all USEF-recognized shows, not just for one specific breed but for all sport horses in America. Imagine if that registry had horses listed with pedigrees and complete performance records and was accessible not just to the biggest breeders in America but also to family-run farms. Such a registry does exist…it is the Performance Horse Registry (PHR).

Tallahassee's Red Hills Horse Trials, Inc., which began nearly a decade ago and has grown into one of the nation's top eventing equestrian competitions, will have a change in leadership following the March 2006 event. Red Hills Co-Organizers, Sallie Ausley and Sylvia Ochs, announced this week they will step down from their leadership roles following the March 2006 Trials.

If you have news you would like to contribute for the American Breeder News e-newsletter, a monthly news source about sport horse breeding in North America, brought to you by the Performance Horse Registry and the USEF, please review the “Guidelines for Releases” or e-mail press-ready releases to news@usef.org.

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.