January 15, 2009

George Morris with his USEF Lifetime Achievement Award. Photo USEF Archives/Geoff Oliver Bugbee

USEF and Show Jumping Chef d’Equipe George Morris Renew Contract through 2012

The pursuit of show jumping excellence in the United States continues. The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and George Morris have renewed Morris’ contract to serve as Chef d’Equipe and Technical Advisor through 2012. Morris has steered the U.S. jumping program to tremendous success over the first four years of his tenure. His attention to detail and meticulous preparation of his teams is world renowned.

Highlighted by Team Gold and Individual Bronze at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, Morris has a string of successes to his name over the past four years. The team also won Team and Individual Silver at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Aachen, Germany, and Team Bronze at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Since 2005 he has led seven winning Nations Cup efforts highlighted by a 2008 win at CSIO Wellington as well as Spruce Meadows in Calgary ,which was right on the heels of Olympic Gold. He then travelled to Argentina where for the third consecutive year, a developing rider team captured the Nations Cup at the CSIO Buenos Aires.

In 2005, his first year serving as chef d’equipe, Morris steered the U.S. to victory in the Samsung Super League. To date this is the only time a non-European country has won this prestigious series.

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Margie Engle and Hidden Creek's Tosca winning the inaugural $30,000 Braman Motorcars WEF Challenge Cup Series at the 2009 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo by Ken Braddick-HorseSport USA

Margie Engle and Hidden Creek's Tosca Win Inaugural 2009 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival Challenge

Margie Engle rode Hidden Creek's Tosca in the Dutch Warmblood mare's sixth grand prix Thursday to claim the inaugural $30,000 Braman Motorcars WEF Challenge Cup at the 2009 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival.

The nine-year-old mare on whom Engle, of Wellington, FL, won the seven- and eight-year-old championship in Kentucky last year, won by 1/10th of a second over Georgina Bloomberg and Curius at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Laura Bowery on Henry Jota Romano placed third.

Thirty-four combinations started Round One of the WEF Challenge on the second day of WEF that runs for 12 weeks to March 29.

The course designed by 2008 Olympic co-course designer Steve Stephens produced eight clear rounds to go into the jump-off.

Engle had two horses in the jump-off, Tosca and Hidden Creek's Coraya Z, as did Bowery with Henry Jota Romano and Campeon 007. She said that before Thursday, Tosca, owned by Hidden Creek Farm, Inc., had started in five grand prix, winning four of them.

The attitude of the mare in meeting challenges as they are presented, she said, puts her in mind of a "female version" of the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Team Gold medalist Authentic ridden by Beezie Madden.

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More Eventing News

• FTI Winter Equestrian Festival Opening Week Successful
• U.S. Show Jumping Riders Get to Know Horses; Attend Opening Ceremonies at 2009 Australian Youth Olympic Festival
• U.S. Show Jumpers Arrive in Sydney; Prepare for 2009 Australian Youth Olympic Festival
• Stadium Jumping, Inc., Announces Dates of 2009 Tampa Equestrian Festival
• HITS, Inc., Prepares for Start of 2009 HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, CA
• Wordley and Vale Launch the 2009 Jacksonville Winter Series with Big Triumphs

Steffen Peters and Ravel will compete at the Exquis World Dressage Masters. Photo by Shannon Brinkman

Six U.S. Dressage Riders Take World to Task at Inaugural Exquis World Dressage Masters in Wellington, FL

Six of the most promising U.S. dressage riders will take on some of the world’s best when the Exquis World Dressage Masters heads to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Club, January 28-31. This brand new series will travel from Wellington, FL, to Salzburg, Austria and Munchen, Germany, in May, then to Hickstead, U.K., in June. The series of competitions is bringing riders from across the globe together for a brand new initiative. Twenty starters will compete in the first grand prix and then 12 of those horses will go on to compete in the grand prix special. The remaining eight horses will move on to compete in the grand prix freestyle under lights on Saturday evening in the newly renovated International Arena.

Led by Steffen Peters, who with Aikiko Yamazaki’s Ravel was undefeated in the 2008 build-up to the Olympic Games (where they were fourth individually), the U.S. squad is a mixture of seasoned veterans and rising stars. Peters and Ravel will travel from San Diego, CA, to take on some of the world’s best again. They swept the USEF Selection Trials for dressage in June.

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More Dressage News

• FEI Dressage Task Force Holds First Meeting
• United States Dressage Federation Congratulates New "L" Program Graduates

United States Equestrian Team Foundation Salutes and Honors 2008 National Championship Trophy Winners

The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation would like to recognize and honor their 2008 award winners. The following horses and riders have been awarded trophies for their excellence in competition for the 2008 show year.

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Register Now for the 2009 Paso Fino Horse Association Board of Directors Meeting and Membership Convention

It's not too late to make plans to attend this years Paso Fino Horse Association (PFHA) Board of Directors Meeting and Membership Convention. Let your voice and opinions be heard. Without your input changes cannot be made.

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Don Harris, ASHA's Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Photo by Tattersalls

Stellar Saddlebred Award Winners Announced; Led by Harris, Galbreath, McClean, Spencer, Miller

Following voting by its directors (on nominations made by the membership), the American Saddlebred Horse Association’s (ASHA) annual award winners have been announced for the 2008 year. All award winners are saluted at the Saddlebred Ball, a sold-out festive gathering to be held this year at the Griffin Gate Marriott Resort in Lexington, KY, on Saturday evening, February 14.

Winner of ASHA’s most coveted honor for Lifetime Achievement is professional horseman Don Harris of Don Harris Stables in Cox’s Creek, KY. Among the most successful trainers in the history of the breed, Harris is perhaps best known for his achievements with World’s Grand Champion Five-Gaited Saddlebred CH Imperator, but he also won the “Big Stake” at the World’s Championship Horse Show on CH Protégé, won the World’s Champion Five-Gaited Gelding title and many championships with the wildly popular CH Giddy-Up-Go, the Three-Gaited World’s Grand Championship on multiple occasions with CH Sultan’s Starina and CH Finisterre’s Gift Of Love, and many other titles there and elsewhere with champions too numerous to list.

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Florida Hunter and Jumper Judges’ Clinics Full; Other USEF Clinics Offered

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Hunter/Hunter Seat Equitation Judges’ Clinic and the USEF Jumper Judges’ Clinics to be conducted in West Palm Beach, FL, on February 2-3 have achieved full capacity, so USEF is no longer accepting registration for those clinics. USEF is offering two additional clinic opportunities for these licenses in Thermal, CA, February 16-17, and Fulton, MO, on March 28-29. Those interested in attending can download information and applications on the USEF Clinic Calendar, or register online by signing in to My USEF Account at www.usef.org.

USRider Offers Members Peace of Mind USEF partners with USRider in an effort to further enhance the safety of USEF members who travel with horses. USRider provides emergency roadside assistance and towing services for horse owners. Unlike other travel assistance programs, USRider will arrange towing services for a loaded trailer and arrange stabling for horses, if necessary, while a vehicle is being repaired. USEF members who join USRider will receive an exclusive $10 discount on their first year membership fee for USRider’s roadside assistance plan. To kick off the new relationship, in addition to the annual membership savings, USRider will discount the activation fee by $10 (from $29 to $19) for USEF members who join USRider through April 30, 2009. For more information about the USRider Equestrian Motor Plan, visit online at www.usrider.org or call (800) 844-1409 and use promo code USEF09.

Attention all USEF Members

Good news awaits when you renew your membership online for 2009! If you were an amateur, professional or junior member in 2007 or 2008, you will be able to renew online using our new Quick Renewal. Just log in to your My USEF Account and select the Quick Renew option. All of your membership information will be there. All you have to do is review it; edit it, if necessary; submit payment; and print out a copy of your 2009 card.

In addition, the membership process has been further streamlined by doing away with the breed/discipline dues. The new USEF Competing Equestrian Membership due for all Senior Active and Junior Active members is $55. With that, you will be able to participate at all USEF Licensed Competitions, as well as receive automatic insurance and MemberPerks.

There are also two new member categories for individuals not participating in USEF Licensed Competitions. The USEF Equestrian ($35) includes the automatic insurance and access to the MemberPerks program, while the Club Equestrian ($15) includes access to MemberPerks.

If you have any questions about the new memberships, please call one of our Customer Care Agents at (859) 258-2472.

Please Read—Important Information about Your Membership Card

Once your membership has been processed you will be sent a membership card as well as key fobs. You are required to present proof of current USEF membership in order to compete in USEF Licensed Competitions. If you do not have your membership card, a key fob or a copy of your membership card, you will be required to pay a $30 non-refundable non-member fee. You can print a copy of your card from www.usef.org. Please note, effective 12/01/08 you will no longer be able to sign a membership affidavit in lieu of paying the non-member fee.

Your USEF membership also verifies your amateur status. If you wish to compete in amateur classes and you have not presented proof of USEF membership with Amateur Certification, you will also be charged the non-member amateur fee of $30.

Competitions that are also recognized by an Affiliate organization may require membership in the Affiliate organization to be eligible to compete. You may be required to show proof of membership in the Affiliate organization, e.g. USHJA, USDF, USEA, AHA, AMHA, ASHA, IALHA, AHHS, IFSHA and others.

USEF Membership information can be verified online, however, should the competition office not have the opportunity to verify your membership information online, you will be assessed the relevant non-member fees.

Check Your Points in the Farnam®/Platform™ USEF Horse of the Year Program to see if you have won an award for 2008. Please check your points and standings in your respective division(s) by:
Calling the Horse Report Hotline at (859) 258-2472, or Ordering a copy of your horse’s point report via e-mail or mail (faxed copies will incur an additional charge), or Checking your standings online.
Current Standings of a Few National Champion Divisions (as of January 15, 2008)
Division Horse Owner Half-Andalusian/Lusitano Performance Horse Marengo's Miss Matilda Gareth Selwood Arabian Hunter Pleasure Amateur C.A. Napostar Shelley Sutter Pleasure Driving Pair Ponies Infinity and Pacifico's Firestorm Bridgette Ruston Friesian Junior Exhibitor Hein Deb Goldmann Roadster Pony Junior Amateur Albert Kaponey Kevin Berman Half-/Anglo-Arabian Hunter Pleasure Adult Amateur TK Joe Kool++++// Tina Margulis Small Junior Hunter 15 and Under Angelo Katie Dinan Seven- and Eight-Year-Old Jumper Little Big Mama Laura Chapot Morgan English Pleasure Amateur HVK Acclamation Deborah Ligas National Show Horse Pleasure Driving Major Good Rosemarie Pelfrey Roadster Pony Open Free Willy Georgia Blevins American Saddlebred Three-Gaited Show Pleasure Lightnin' Lil Linda Beltz Welsh Pony Pleasure Section C and D Minyfford Maid Megan Carolyn Bronson Western Pleasure The County Agent and Whispering Faded Love (tie) Samantha Winsett and Lisa Heath, respectively
Joining the program is as easy as filling out an application, which may be found on the USEF website here, or may be obtained at any recognized horse show, or by contacting the USEF office at (859) 258-2472.

VISION STATEMENT

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.

©2009, United States Equestrian Federation®, Inc.
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