Week in Review - U.S. Equestrian

Heroes for horses, stellar athletes and horsemen, and those who have dedicated their lives to the betterment of equestrian sport, will be honored next Friday evening, January 12, at the USEF Pegasus Awards gala at the Seelbach Hilton in Louisville, KY. The festivities begin with a reception at 6:30 and dinner and the awards ceremony at 7:30.

Highlighting the evening will be the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to George H. Morris of Wellington, FL. The current chef d’equipe of the United States Show Jumping Team, Morris is considered one of the most influential riders and trainers in equestrian sport. Since becoming the chef d’equipe in 2005, he has guided the U.S. team to the Gold medal in the 2005 Samsung Super League, the most prestigious annual league in show jumping; the Team Silver medal at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games; and the 2006 Silver medal in the Samsung Super League. United States team rider Beezie Madden won the Individual Silver medal at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games.

Due to EHV-1 Virus Outbreak Health Certification Protocol Established for USEF Licensed Shows in Florida

In response to the recent EHV-1 virus outbreak in Florida, and in the best interest of horses, USEF members and competition organizers, the USEF has approved the implementation of precautionary health restrictions for entry into show grounds holding USEF licensed competitions in the state of Florida. This is a temporary measure and it is anticipated this will not be necessary once the virus outbreak is under control.

Individual Session Tickets for the 2007 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Finals Go on Sale January 15

Individual session tickets for the 2007 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Finals go on sale January 15 at 11 a.m. (PT). The Finals return to the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV, April 18-22, and tickets are expected to sell quickly, so spectators are advised to purchase early.

Calling all USEF members…The lesson this school year is choosing a Cash Rewards 0% APR Visa® !

The kids are going back to school and the interest payments are going away with the United States Equestrian Federation Cash Rewards Visa Platinum Card, now offering 0% APR for 12 months* on purchases and balance transfers! When you study the benefits of this great card, you’ll find no interest payments until next summer. So, whether you use your United States Equestrian Federation Cash Rewards Visa for new clothes and supplies this fall, USEF event registration or for a sunny escape this winter, switch now and save. Plus, you’ll earn cash back with every net purchase!

The USEF Cash Rewards Visa ® Platinum card provides great benefits, including no annual fee and up to 1% cash back annually. In addition, a percentage of every purchase will benefit USEF.

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

Just how smart is a horse, anyway? While much research has been done on horses, hardly any has been on "horse smarts," or equine intelligence. Fascinating discoveries will be made with the airing of a program on RFD-TV, on Jan. 16, 17 and 21, 2007. The program, "The Horse Show" with Rick Lamb, is broadcast on Dish Network, Direct TV, Mediacom and National Cable.

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.

Attention Farnam®/Platform™ USEF Horse of the Year Champions: Photo Deadline is January 19, 2007

EQUESTRIAN magazine will publish its annual photo gallery and roster of all Farnam®/Platform™ USEF Horse of the Year (HOTY) champions in the March 2007 issue, in addition to the National Silver Stirrup award winners. Owners of champions are invited to submit photos for publication in the photo gallery.

KERx Special Needs Nutrition, a division of Kentucky Equine Research, recently unveiled EquiShure™, a timed-release buffer designed to reduce the problems associated with subclinical acidosis in horses. EquiShure is scientifically proven to stabilize the pH of the hindgut. Horses fed diets rich in grain or high-fructan pasture grasses often experience a sharp decline in the pH of the hindgut, which in turn causes a deleterious shift in the microbial population. When changes in the microbial profile occur, horses express signs of subclinical acidosis that may ultimately derail performance as well as reduce growth or reproductive potential.

2007 Adequan United States Eventing Association Gold Cup Series Calendar Announced

The 2007 Adequan United States Eventing Association (USEA) Gold Cup Series will kick off March 9 at the Red Hills Horse Trials and CIC***-W in Tallahassee, FL. Expect to see top horses and riders post points on the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series Leaderboard and vie for the title of “Keeper of the Cup,” which in 2006 went to Gina Miles aboard her and Thom Schulz’s McKinlaigh in the advanced division, and Becky Holder and Ann Bower’s Rejuvenate in the intermediate division. Both winners received cash prizes, Amerigo saddles and gift certificates from Adequan in addition to their keeper Gold Cup Trophies.

FTI Consulting Announces Return of $200,000 FTI Rider Challenge for 2007 Winter Equestrian Festival

Stadium Jumping, Inc., the management company for the 2007 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), is pleased to announce that FTI Consulting of Annapolis, MD, is once again sponsoring the $200,000 FTI Rider Challenge. The FTI Rider Challenge will be held during the 2007 WEF, from January 24 to March 18, at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington, FL.

The FTI Rider Challenge will be a rider bonus pool for $200,000 in which the riders will accumulate points in the eight WEF Challenge Cups, the CN Jumper Classic and every Sunday grand prix event that are all part of WEF in Wellington. The rider with the most points accumulated at the end of WEF in Wellington will be awarded $100,000. Second place will be given $50,000, third place will receive $30,000, and $20,000 will be given to fourth place. Last year’s winner was Beezie Madden, a 2004 Athens Olympic Gold medalist.

Traverse City, Michigan's Horse Sports by the Bay, Inc., Secures Horse Show's Future

Horse Sports by the Bay, Inc., together with Karin Flint of Wellington, FL, have insured the longevity of the Traverse City, MI, summer equestrian festival through the purchase of 84 acres in Acme Township. Official closing documents were signed on Friday, January 5, securing the property for the future horse park. “This is truly a dream come true,” remarked Alexandra Rheinheimer, Horse Sports by the Bay, Inc., co-founder, “and we can’t thank enough all of our sponsors and fellow horse show enthusiast Karin Flint.”

KEEP Donates More Than $135,000 to Statewide Equine Organizations

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) announced that it provided funding to 167 equine programs in 69 counties during 2006, totaling $135,682.

KEEP created this local funding program as part of its grassroots efforts to help horse organizations around the state. The grants program is divided into four categories: 4-H clubs, horse shows, equine associations and equine education programs at Kentucky colleges and universities. Each category has a funding limit and specific criteria that applicants must meet to be considered.

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.