Week in Review - U.S. Equestrian

Aaron Vale and Artur, 2005 winners of the Green Cove Springs Grand Prix.
Photo by Flashpoint Photography

Sunshine Circuit Kicks Off Big Competitions in Green Cove Springs, FL

The Jacksonville Winter Hunter Jumper Series returned to the Clay County Fairgrounds January 4 to begin five weeks of USEF AA-rated shows, which this year will feature three major events promising to draw several of the top international horse-and-rider combinations.

Week One had a great start with near-perfect weather and tough competition. The first championships were from the hunter divisions. Owner-rider Mike Rosser onboard Youngs Road took top honors in the Baby Green Hunters. The reserve championship went to Edd Lookingbill riding And A Nod for owner Jaime Gibson. From the First Year Green Working division, it was rider Kate Conover with Tenacious for owner Anne Braswell claiming the title of Champion, with Rosser and Mark My Word for owner Sherry Cooke as Reserve Champion. Second Year Green Working Champion was owner-rider Michael Newman with Phantom, and Reserve Champion was Nashea Powell aboard Satingo Z for owners Christine Davis and Wendy Peralta.

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Virginia Horse Center to Host First FEI North American Junior Championships for Dressage Along With FEI North American Young Riders' Championships

The USEF, in conjunction with the United States Dressage Federation (USDF), is pleased to announce that the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA, will host the inaugural FEI North American Junior Championships for Dressage in 2006, along with the traditional FEI North American Young Riders’ Championships, August 1-6, 2006.

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Legendary Dressage Freestylist and Olympian Robert Dover to Conduct Seminar at Kentucky Horse Park

Robert Dover, six-time Olympian and legendary grand prix freestylist, will lead the 2006 Kentucky Horse Park All-American Freestyle Symposium on April 21-23 at the park in Lexington, KY. In addition to Dover’s expertise, panelists will include freestyle design specialists Marlene Whitaker and Terry Ciatto-Gallo, along with international dressage judge Colonel Axel Steiner, who will explore the artistic marks of the freestyle tests through the levels.

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300-Plus Acre Land Purchase Sets Future Course for New World Class Equestrian Facility in Wellington, FL

Wellington Equestrian Partners LLC, in collaboration with Stadium Jumping, Inc., announced that they have purchased 277 acres of prime real estate in the heart of Wellington’s horse country. An option for an additional 87 acres would bring the purchase total to over 364 acres. The majority of the land was purchased from Palm Beach Polo’s owner, Glenn Straub, by various entities controlled by Wellington real estate investor Mark Bellissimo.

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.

ASHA Individual Award Winners Announced; Aikman, Stonecroft Farm, Rowland, Kressley, Durant, the Courts and Harris to Receive Honors at the American Saddlebred Ball

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) has announced its seven 2006 individual award winners with Jim Aikman, Stonecroft Farm, Sarah Rowland, Carson Kressley, Jeanette Durant, Charles and Carol Court and Will Harris receiving top honors.

The winners will be recognized at the 2006 Annual Meeting during the American Saddlebred Ball on Saturday, February 18, at the Keeneland Entertainment Center. The seven winners will be honored at the Ball with a custom-crafted julep cup, which is symbolic of the highest honor upon which one can be bestowed by the ASHA.

The American Grand Prix Association (AGA) has released the official 2006 schedule of events for this year’s tour, the nation’s richest and longest running series of equestrian show jumping events. In its 28th year of equestrian excellence, the AGA tour includes 32 events in 22 different equestrian markets and offers over $2.5 million dollars in prize money.

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National Horse Show Association of America Accepting Bids to Host 2006 ASPCA Maclay Regionals

The National Horse Show Association of America is currently accepting bids from horse shows who would like to host a 2006 ASPCA Maclay regional competition.Horse shows that wish to host a Maclay regional must have a horse show date in early September 2006 and be suitable to host a qualifier for this prestigious competition. It is also preferable that the show have an indoor arena.

Peter Wylde and the nine-year-old Holsteiner mare Quo Vadis, owned by Sagamore Farms, Inc., have recently been making their mark on the international show jumping stage. They finished second at the FEI World Cup Grand Prix at CSI-W Geneva in December, beating out Marcus Ehning of Germany, the current leader of the FEI Gandini World Rankings, and 2005 World Cup victor Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, also of Germany. “It was a huge thrill," said Wylde. "I am especially proud as I have had this horse since she was six years old, and this was her first World Cup."

Several weeks later, this combination closed out the year by winning the 1.5-meter Grand Prix Carlsberg & Stad Mechelen at CSI-W Mechelen (Belgium) on December 29.

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.