Week in Review - U.S. Equestrian

A famous jumping name will again be present in the Devon Horse Show catalog. The name is Matz, but this time it isn’t Michael, who showed for many years very successfully at Devon, but his son, Alex.

Alex is only 11 years old and he’s only been competing in pony jumpers for a couple of months, but it’s already beginning to look like he’s inherited his famous father’s talent.

The first time he ever competed in the jumper division, he was third in the Winter Equestrian Festival’s series end Pony Jumpers Circuit Championship awards, despite getting a late start in the season, and he’ll be competing in that division at Devon.

USEF National Para Equestrian Championships and Paralympic Selection Trials Set to Begin Friday

The United States Equestrian Federation’s (USEF) 2008 National Para Equestrian Championships and the USEF Selection Trials for the 2008 U.S. Paralympic Team-Equestrian begins this Friday, May 16, at the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, IL, and will conclude Sunday, May 18.

After an extensive search, the USEF has named three-time World Endurance Champion and 1990 AHSA/Hertz Equestrian of the Year, Becky Hart, as chef d’equipe for the U.S. endurance riders.

Read More...

USEF Announces Clarification on New Arabian Scoring System for Championship Classes

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Arabian Committee met recently and issued the following clarification for non-regional and non-national championship classes, effective immediately:

All horses competing for champion or reserve champion in the Arabian or Half-Arabian/Anglo-Arabian breeding/gelding in-hand classes at Class A, B, C and local competition championships shall return to the ring for comparative adjudication.

The Arabian Scoring System document on the Arabian Horse Association website will be updated to reflect this clarification, as well as the USEF Arabian Guidelines publication on the USEF website.

For more information, contact Carrie Mortensen, USEF’s Director of Breeds and Western, at (859) 225-6986 or via e-mail at cmortensen@usef.org.

U.S. Show Jumpers Second in First Leg of Samsung Super League with FEI; Belgians are Best in La Baule

The Belgian team came out on top in the first leg of the 2008 Samsung Super League with FEI series in La Baule, France, this afternoon. This was a tough start to the season, with fortunes fluctuating as the competition progressed, but it was Ludo Philippaerts double-clear, one of the just two on the day, that sealed the result for the team, which only returned to the elite level of Nations Cup show jumping last season after relegation in 2005.

The Laurels At Landhope International Combined Driving Event, the most prestigious event of its kind held in the U.S., will be held in West Grove, Chester County, PA, September 5-7, 2008. Combining family fun with international equestrian competition in a beautiful country setting just 40 miles from Philadelphia, the event hosts the best drivers from Canada, Mexico and the United States who compete in a series of three events with combinations from single horses and ponies to four-in-hands. It features the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) National Pairs Championships and the USEF National Pony Championships, as well as competition in preliminary, intermediate and advanced divisions. Recognized by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), it is a selection trial for the world championships to be held in Europe in August 2009.

Powerful winds and rain on the final day of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show instigated a change of plans for the $55,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix CSI***. Originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in the Sheila C. Johnson Arena, early announcements informed exhibitors that the grand prix would be held in the indoor arena at 2:30 p.m. This alteration did not daunt Hidden Creek's Pamina L, who Margie Engle maneuvered flawlessly for an expeditious grand prix win.

The Arabian Horse Foundation has announced the names of 51 scholarship recipients for 2008. The scholarships total nearly $30,000 and are the first scholarships awarded since the Foundation was re-launched at the Arabian Horse Association annual convention in November 2007.

New Draft and Survey for USEF Dressage Performance Standards Proposal Now Available

The USEF Dressage Committee has released a new draft of the Performance Standards Proposal for review and feedback from United States Dressage Federation (USDF) and USEF members. This proposal would establish a qualification process for competing at fourth level and above at USEF-licensed dressage competitions beginning with the 2011 competition year.

The committee invites USEF and USDF members to review the new draft, and then log in through the USEF website to fill out an online survey. This survey will be used to collect member feedback and comments, which will be reviewed by the Committee members at their July 1–2, 2008, meeting.

Please visit this link for more information, and click on “Dressage Performance Standards Proposal Information.”

For more information, please contact Jennifer Keeler, USEF Director of Dressage, National Programs, at jkeeler@usef.org.

American Horse Council’s 2008 National Issues Forum to Focus on Getting Involved in the 2008 Elections

The American Horse Council (AHC) will host the 2008 National Issues Forum June 16-18 at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. This is an exciting opportunity to bring together industry leaders and participants to discuss important national equine issues.

American Saddlebred Horse Association Announces 2009-2013 Convention Dates, New Location

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) announced its projected convention and annual meeting dates for the next five years.

In 2009 and 2010, the convention will move to the Griffin Gate Marriott Resort in Lexington, KY. For 2009, dates will be on the traditional President’s Day weekend, and for 2010, the dates will be the weekend following President’s Day. After that, the convention is planned to return to the holiday weekend.

Daniel Geitner Captures $30,000 Carolina Real Estate Co. Grand Prix and Young Jumper Championships at Aiken Spring Finale

The final week of the Aiken Spring Classic was win-win for Daniel Geitner of the Aiken-based DFG Stables. At the Aiken Finale, which concluded at the Highfields Events Center on Sunday, Geitner led the victory gallop in this week’s highlight event, the $30,000 Carolina Real Estate Co. Grand Prix, as well as both Young Jumper Championships.

Take advantage of one of the many USEF MemberPerks privileges by using Hertz for all of your travel needs. Simply use your USEF/Hertz discount CDP# 15757 each time you place a reservation, and instantly qualify for member discounts in the

U.S.

and around the world. For low web rates, special offers and free membership to Hertz #1Club®, visit their website at www.hertz.com or call (800) 654-2200.

The American Miniature Horse Registry National Championship Show and The Shetland Pony Congress back on RFD-TV

Highlights of both the 2007 Platform® American Miniature Horse National Championships and the 2007 Platform® Shetland Pony Congress will be aired in May and June on RFD-TV. The American Miniature Horse Registry (AMHR) National Championship Show and the Shetland Pony Congress are the equivalent of the Super Bowl for Miniature horses and Shetland ponies. The shows attract the top small equines from throughout the US. Last year’s televised highlights from the shows are back on air just in time to get viewers hyped for the 2008 shows.

Prize Money Continues to Grow for Great American Insurance Group/USDF Regional Dressage Championships

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced that the 2008 Great American Insurance Group/USDF Regional Dressage Championships will award prize money of over $146,000 divided among the nine regions. Champions will each receive $314 in prize money, a jacket and an embroidered cooler provided by Tuff Rider, Inc. Reserve champions will each receive $210 in prize money and a lead shank from the Great American Insurance Group, title sponsor of the championships.

The Memorial Day Classic Horse Show gets under way May 22-26 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center (LAEC), with five days of competition, culminating with the $25,000 Memorial Day Classic Grand Prix. "The Memorial Day Grand Prix is one of the most popular events we host here at LAEC," stated Box Office Manager Tom DeBone. Held Monday on the grass Cricket Field, spectators can enjoy casual bleacher seating, or opt for a more lavish afternoon in the VIP section under tented and umbrella tables for six with catered food. "We’ve had a completely sold-out crowd for the past four years," DeBone continued.

All eventing fans will be pleased to learn that the cross-country and jumping portions of CCI*** Saumur taking place this weekend—May 16-18—will be broadcast live on the Internet. Some of the world’s best riders, such as American Clark Montgomery with Up Spirit; Nicolas Touzaint, the first ever Frenchman to win Badminton two weeks ago, and eventing legend Mark Todd, who is seeking to complete his Olympic qualification, will compete in Saumur.

Equine Motorcoach, Official Transport Vehicle of the USEF, invites anyone to come visit them at the Kentucky Horse Park, May 15-18.

Presenting Sponsor of the 2007 Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Championship CSI***, 2008 Adequan/USEF Open Reining National Championship and 2008 Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Championship CSI***, the Equine Motorcoach is the only motorized ground vehicle available in the United States that combines a recreation vehicle and horse trailer into one unit. The new Equine Motorcoach™ combines the comfort and amenities of a top-of-the line RV with accommodations for horse transport and tack and supplies storage.

Volvo Trucks of North America engineered a chassis that meets the U.S. Federal Highway standards relating to construction, brakes, crash safety and emissions. Equine Motorcoach will be built in Europe on the custom chassis specifically engineered by Volvo Trucks of North America. Coaches are available in 3, 4-6 and 7-9 horse configurations. Every Equine Motorcoach is built to the customer’s specifications including exterior finishes and interior amenities. Visit their website at www.equinemotorcoach.com.

Family fun is right around the corner when world-class equestrian competition returns to HITS Saugerties for three consecutive weeks beginning on Wednesday, May 28, at the HITS-on-the-Hudson facility in Saugerties, NY.

Saddlebred Competition Incentives Offered at Devon Horse Show to Benefit Breast Cancer Research

The 112th Devon Horse Show and Country Fair is Thursday, May 22, through Sunday, June 1, in Devon, PA. New this year is a United Professional Horsemen's Association (UPHA) Pink Ribbon class. Last fall, the UPHA introduced the program to help horse shows engage communities, showcase the show horses and raise much-needed funds for breast cancer research, awareness and treatment.

Announcing the launch of an exciting new feature of the USEF website specifically for licensed officials: the USEF Licensed Officials Portal. Contained inside the Authorized Users Area, licensed officials can use their online username and password to sign into an entirely new section of the site. Inside the LO Portal, you will find access to detailed discussion forums for hot topics pertaining to licensed officials, a searchable FAQ section, the ability to run detailed reports, download forms, access a calendar of events, and much more. We eventually hope to have educational modules available online for continuing education purposes, and features will continue to expand as we receive feedback from our users.

Remember to take advantage of the USEF MemberPerks Program. USEF MemberPerks offers substantial cost savings on products and services from John Deere, Dodge, Office Max, UPS and many more!

For more information, please call (877) 576-6872 or fax (859) 422-9407, or visit USEF.org's MemberPerks page.

Platinum Performance/USEF Talent Search
Qualified Riders

The Talent Search program is a very demanding show jumping competition, which attracts the nation’s top young riders in head-to-head competition. The qualifying period for the 2008 events began September 1, 2007.

Learn more about the program today.

East Coast Riders
(October 4-5, 2008, USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals,
Gladstone, NJ)

A few riders that have now qualifed on the East Coast:
— Haley Buchmiller
— Lia Chaffee
— Caitlin Hope

West Coast Championship
(September 17-20, Los Angeles International, Burbank, CA)

A few riders that have now qualifed on the West Coast:
— Maggie McAlary
— Abigail McArdle
— Kim McCormack
— Madison McKay

To see the list of all qualified riders,
visit the 2007/2008 Ranking List online.

This Spring, take a break from interest payments!

Take a vacation from interest payments with the Visa® card that offers 0% APR for nine billing cycles*! With the United States Equestrian Federation Visa Platinum Card, every dollar you spend is interest free until next winter. Whether you use your United States Equestrian Federation Visa for everyday purchases or that major purchase you’ve been waiting to buy, now is the time to switch. Plus, you’ll benefit our organization and earn great rewards with every purchase!

0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for nine billing cycles*

The United States Equestrian Federation Visa® Platinum Card also provides great benefits, including:

No annual fee
Your choice of benefits and rewards
A percentage of every purchase goes directly to the United States Equestrian Federation

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

Click here to apply today or call (800) 853-5576, etc. 9244.

Hurry. Offer ends June 30, 2008.

*Click product name for terms and conditions: Platinum, Cash Rewards, Select Rewards. We may change APRs, fees, and other Account terms in the future based on your experience with other creditors or U.S. Bank National Association, N.D. and its affiliates according to the Cardmember Agreement and applicable law. The introductory rate does not apply to cash advances and is valid for the first nine billing cycles. The rate will end early and increase to the APR for Purchases and Balance Transfers or to a Delinquency Rate APR if your Account is delinquent, over the limit or closed. We apply your payments to balances with lower APRs first.

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

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.

Alex Matz Follow's Father's Footsteps at the Devon Horse Show