Week in Review - U.S. Equestrian

Top Ranked 25 Riders Invited to Compete in the $1 Million Las Vegas World Invitational; USEF Members Ticket Purchases Help Fund U.S. Teams

Officials of the Las Vegas World Invitational (LVWI) announced the international field of 25 top-ranked riders who were invited to compete for $1-million in prize money, show jumping's richest purse, on October 14-15, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Seven riders were invited from the United States, seven from Germany, three from Great Britain, two from Switzerland and one each from Brazil, Ireland, Iran, Belgium, Canada and Mexico. Riders will go head-to-head in four events during the two days in the inaugural Las Vegas World Invitational, which has been rated a five-star event (CSI*****) by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the only show in the United States to be rated at that level.

Tom Moore Statue Dedication; “Kentucky State Fair: A Century of Memories” to Air Twice

A life-size statue of Tom Moore was dedicated on Wednesday, August 10, at 3 p.m. in front of Freedom Hall in Louisville. Tom Moore, a member of the World’s Championship Hall of Fame, trained and showed multiple World’s Grand Champions in all three divisions: five-gaited, three-gaited and fine harness. Commonly referred to as “The Tall Man,” Moore trained World’s Grand Champions CH Sultan’s Starina, CH Yorktown, CH Valley View Supreme, CH Bellisima and many more.

Samsung Super League News: British Triumphant in Dublin; U.S. Team Finishes Third

The British recorded their second victory of the 2005 Samsung Super League series when claiming the Aga Khan Cup in Dublin on August 5, and moved into second place on the leaderboard which is still headed by Germany. The United States Team finished third, moving them into third overall in the standings.

U.S Show Jumpers Look Toward Aachen After Strong Performances in Hickstead, U.K. and Dublin, Ireland

George Morris, Chef d’Equipe for the United States Show Jumping Team, has good reason to be both happy and frustrated after Hickstead and Dublin. “We won four classes in Hickstead and were second in the Super League Nations Cup, and won three classes in Dublin and were third in the Nations Cup. I’d say those are very, very good shows, but we didn’t win the Super League Nations Cup classes. I want to win. That’s just how I am.”

2006 USEF Outreach Program In Planning Stages Now, Submit Your Application by November 30

As competition organizers and show managers are preparing for the 2006 competition year, the USEF asks you to consider becoming a part of the highly successful Outreach Program that was started in 2005. It is the new program designed to build a productive bridge between the USEF staff, competition organizers, show managers and competitors. In addition to employees rolling up their sleeves and sharing the work load for a few days, the USEF will be able to assess the needs of organizers, managers and competitors, and in turn, better serve them in the daily USEF operations. When the 2005 program was announced last spring, the response was so large that it has been continued for 2006.

Four show jumping riders have been selected to represent the United States at CSIO Spruce Meadows, in Alberta, Canada, September 7-11.

The August feature item of the month is the ladies’ two-tone cap sleeve t-shirt. This retro style is available in two fun colors. Click here to order this item.

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

The Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show continues to move toward another monumental event in 2005. Many improvements are planned for the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds that will ultimately make it one of the premier horse show facilities in the world. Although final completion is not scheduled for a couple of years, a few updates will be noticeable to exhibitors at this year's show. Some of the improvements will include a new work arena behind Barn 6, as well as newly paved roadways on the grounds. Stabling, unloading and loading will not be affected this year. Shortly following the 2005 show, work will begin on a new "super barn" that will replace Barns 1 and 2 for 2006.

You may have recently received an e-mail from Harris Publishing asking you for some information. USEF has retained the services of Harris Publishing, now known as Harris Connect, to publish the 2006 USEF Membership Directory. The company has over 40 years experience publishing association and university directories, and was the publisher of the 1999 and 2002 USEF membership directories. This directory is a service to our membership in order to serve as a networking tool between members. You are under no obligation to purchase the directory or have your information published in it. Except for purposes related to the publication of the directory, Harris will not, under any circumstances, make the collected information available to any third party for any reason. Harris uses a different ID# from your USEF membership number. To update information for the membership directory, please use the ID# supplied by Harris. For member features on the USEF website, please use your official USEF Member ID. We apologize for any confusion the recent email from Harris Connect may have caused you.

The first email was sent to members on Monday, August 8; and a second is scheduled for Monday, August 15. Mailings will follow in September for those members without email, and in October, Harris Connect will be contacting any remaining members via telephone. We expect the directory to be completed by late May 2006 and available to our membership.

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It costs nothing to join the MemberPerks program for current USEF members. Simply call (877) 576-6872 to enroll now and to receive more information on John Deere equipment, as well as other discount programs that are available through USEF MemberPerks. Why wait? Last year, USEF members saved nearly $1 million on purchases for their farms, businesses and personal use.

Twenty participants will be selected to attend a Richard Jeffery Show Jumping Design clinic, to be held September 15-18 during the United States Eventing Association's American Eventing Championships at the Carolina Horse Park in Raeford, NC. Participants will be chosen from completed applications. Enrollment priority will be for current course designers; each application should include a resume of course design experience in both cross-country and show jumping, as well as the applicant's intentions within each area. If selected, each person is to bring, in advance, a course plan for all the show jumping tracks on Saturday and Sunday, Training through Advanced levels, from which Jeffery will pick one to build.

One week after helping USA Zone 2 capture the Gold medal at the North American Young Riders’ Championship, Blythe Marano once again demonstrated her winning form by claiming the USEF Talent Search at the Vermont Summer Festival. Marano, 17, of Bedminster, NJ, was one of 19 athletes contesting the competition that is open to riders age 21 and under. Following the two-round competition, which features a jumping phase followed by a flat phase, Marano found herself in the winner’s circle for the second time at the Vermont Summer Festival, having also won the USEF Talent Search during the opening week of competition.

ATTENTION! All members participating in the Farnam®/Platform™ - USEF Horse of the Year and Silver Stirrup Awards Programs:

Please review your points and standings in your respective division(s) by:

Reminder: A horse's report is free of charge, to the owner, trainer or driver, for the current year. See Rule 818 for complete details!

Monmouth County Horse Show to Honor Legendary New Jersey Equestrian Frank Chapot

The 110th Annual Monmouth County Horse Show, New Jersey’s longest running and most prestigious equestrian competition, will be recognizing one of New Jersey’s finest equestrians, Frank Chapot. The show, held at East Freehold Park, in Freehold, NJ, runs August 17-21, 2005.

USEF Now Accepting Nominations for the Lifetime Achievement Award—The Jimmy A. Williams Trophy; Deadline is August 26

The USEF is now accepting nominations for the 2005 USEF Lifetime Achievement Award. The USEF Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual whose lifetime experience and accomplishments exemplify uncommon devotion to the sport of competition with horses and whose equestrian career and horsemanship have continually elevated the sport’s excellence. This year’s honoree will be presented the Jimmy A. Williams Trophy during the 2006 USEF Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA.

The St. Louis National Charity Horse Show will feature a special hunter clinic with two demonstrations during the four-day show. The clinic will be hosted by Bill Moroney, who is a USEF“R” judge in the disciplines of hunter, hunt seat equitation and jumper. Moroney has trained horses to wins at shows such as the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, Washington International, Pennsylvania National, Lake Placid and the Winter Equestrian Festival. Moroney is also president of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association and a member of the USEF Executive Committee and Board of Directors, as well as many other USEF committees.

From the July/August 2005 issue of EQUESTRIAN magazine: Our New Kentucky Home

If the old adage is true–“Build it, and they will come"–then fans of dressage are sure to descend on the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington upon completion of the much-anticipated new national headquarters for the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) come June 2006.

The USDF set the construction project in motion in June with the official groundbreaking ceremony taking place on June 22. The ceremony included equestrian and dressage dignitaries—all present in support of the impressive facility. Plans to construct the facility were unveiled in a Capital Campaign launch during the USDF’s 2004 Annual Convention held in Lexington, KY. The location of the new home for the USDF is located directly next to the site of the USEF.

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.