Week in Review - U.S. Equestrian

Brittany McGinnis of Fishers, IN, riding American Saddlebred Amandari, was crowned champion of the 2007 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Saddle Seat Medal Final, held November 17, as part of the United Professional Horsemen’s Association American Royal National Championship Horse Show in Kansas City, MO.

McGinnis topped the class of 24 entries in the two-phase competition that required both rail work and patterns in both rounds. Her win in the Medal Final was the third and final leg of her successful triple crown achievement, having won the Good Hands class at the Pennsylvania National earlier this year and the UPHA Challenge Cup just a couple of days prior to the Medal. She is instructed by Lillian Shively of Rockport, IN. As champion, McGinnis will have her name engraved on the Adrian Van Sinderen Trophy and Helen K. Crabtree Perpetual Bronze. In addition to these awards, she also received a set of handcrafted travel bags made exclusively by Freedman Harness of Ontario.

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the National Affiliate Working Group (NAWG) is pleased to announce that Kirsten Kimbler is the winner of the 2007 Youth Sportsman’s Award. Selected from an outstanding group of young adults, Kimbler, of Aberdeen, SD, has demonstrated an ongoing commitment and dedication to the USEF and her affiliate organizations and has served as a role model for her peers.

American Endurance Riders Place in Top Ten at World Endurance Championship Test Event

U.S. endurance competitors were up to the task at the World Endurance Championship Test Event in Teregganu, Malaysia, November 10-11, 2007. Despite torrential rain and muddy conditions, two American combinations finished in the top ten.

Kathy Brunjes from Maine riding her own Theatric finished fifth, just inches in front of her fellow countryman John Crandell III. Crandell, from Virginia, was sixth riding Heraldic. Interestingly, these geldings are ¾ siblings. They are both by Statistic and their dams are half sisters. Theatric and Heraldic proved stamina and grit runs in the family.

Note: The United States Equestrian Federation offices will be closed November 22-23 and December 24-January 1.

Stadium Jumping and Wellington Equestrian Partners Reach Agreement: Shows to Remain at Current Show Grounds

Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEP) and Stadium Jumping, Inc. (SJI), announced that an agreement has been reached that ensures the National Horse Show and Winter Equestrian Festival will remain at its existing location. This latest agreement was approved unanimously by WEP partners and Stadium Jumping's Board of Directors. The transaction officially closed on Monday, November 19.

Three American Saddlebred names recognizable to many in the Saddlebred community have died within the last three weeks: Denmark’s Radiant Society (BHF), Phi Slama Jama and CH Sultan’s Hot Copy.

The March issue of EQUESTRIAN magazine featuring the 2007 Farnam®/Platform™ USEF Horse of the Year award winners is coming soon. Book your space now and receive unprecedented low rates just for USEF members. This is a great opportunity to showcase their achievements with an ad that will be seen by over 90,000 people in this special keepsake issue. But you better hurry! Space closes on January 22. For more information contact Crissi White at (859) 225-6936 or cwhite@usef.org.

Equine Motorcoach and Lehel Coach Builders to Sponsor 124th National Horse Show After-Party

The social activities are as important a part of the 124th National Horse Show and Family Festival as the equestrian competition, and this year’s after-party, “Dancing with the Equestrian Stars,” is sponsored by Equine Motorcoach and its European manufacturer, Lehel Coach Builders.

The party will follow Jumping Under the Stars, which is the first phase of the Rolex/United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) National Show Jumping Championship on Friday, December 7. Professional dancers will partner with equestrians, who will trade their breeches and boots for sequined ball gowns and costumes. The competitors will perform such ballroom dances as the fox trot, tango and waltz for a panel of judges.

A report on the Olympic Test Event held in Hong Kong in August was presented at the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Bureau meeting in Dubai. The goal of this essential event was to review the venue, layout and procedures for the three Olympic disciplines.

Read More...

Congress has recessed for the Thanksgiving holidays and will return the week of December 3. At that time, the Senate will again take up the 2007 Farm Bill (H.R. 2419). The Senate has been considering the bill for several weeks but has been unable to reach agreement on how it will proceed. Democrats and Republicans differ on how many amendments should be allowed to be offered. Nearly 200 amendments have been filed that various Senators wish to offer when the Senate returns to the bill after the Thanksgiving break.

Zada Enterprises, LLC, Sixth Annual Dressage at the National Features Top FEI Riders and Debuts a New Test of Choice Format

Zada Enterprises, LLC, Sixth Annual Dressage at the National will be held December 7-9, 2007, at the 124th National Horse Show & Family Festival in Wellington, FL. Presented in a two-ring showcase at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club, the dressage show will feature top international riders in the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) classes, including Denmark's Lars Petersen and Mikala Gundersen; Colombia's Marco Bernal; and USA's Melissa Taylor, Bent Jensen and Susan Dutta.

U.S. Team Selection Applications for the International Saddle Seat Equitation World Cup Now Available

Applications for the 2008 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team Selection are now available for riders interested in pursuing an opportunity to qualify for the teams that will represent the United States at the 2008 International Saddle Seat Equitation World Cup event.

Platform® Feed’s Emergency Stall Cards Program Offers Added Safety at Florida Horse Parks

Farnam’s Platform® Feed kicked off the initial phase of its Emergency Stall Card Program with Florida Horse Parks and show managers. Customized Emergency Stall Cards are provided to the horse parks for exhibitors to hang on their horse’s stall with contact information in case of an emergency. Cards are also available to show managers to include with competitors’ number packets.

Legendary horseman and U.S. Show Jumping Chef d'Equipe George H. Morris will teach a clinic at Canterbury Farm in Hampshire, IL, November 23-25. Chicago-area trainer Diane Carney has been coordinating clinics with Morris at Canterbury for more than 20 years.

United States Dressage Federation Announces New Associate and Certified Instructors

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to announce and congratulate its new USDF Associate and Certified Instructors. The USDF Instructor Certification Program is designed to set a standard of excellence in dressage training and instruction in the United States and to educate dressage riders, instructors and aspiring instructors.

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.

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.

The American Riding Instructors Association's (ARIA) National Riding Instructors Convention will be held December 2-5, 2007, at the Naples Grande Resort in Naples, FL. The convention is open to all riding instructors, as well as those who want to learn more about the profession. For the first time, the convention has been expanded to give targeted information to stable owners and managers as well as riding instructors. More than 20 speakers from around the world are scheduled.

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)

Riders are still qualifying.

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

A few riders that have qualifed on the West Coast:

— Julia Swem
— Laura Tobak
— Stephanie Underwood
— Olivia Wren

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

Take a holiday from interest payments!

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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, x9164.

Hurry, offer ends December 31, 2007.

*Click product name for terms and conditions: Platinum, Cash Rewards, Select Rewards, College 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 12 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 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.