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Here you can find our archive of stories from Equestrian Weekly, our once-a-week look at affiliate news, international competition, amateur profiles, horse care tips, and more. You’ll also find stories from the USEF Insider, a twice-monthly email newsletter packed with features about USEF people and programs, including our drugs and medications program, regulations, and competitions departments.

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Same Horses, Different Setting: FEI Grant Program for Licensed Officials Inspires Similar Program at USEF

by Natalie Voss | February 20, 2026

It’s a dream for any equestrian to experience the CHIO Aachen, the World Equestrian Festival – for athletes, fans, and yes, for licensed officials, too. This year, Aachen will be even more special, hosting the World Championships for six FEI disciplines. “One truly cannot appreciate the scale and scope of CHIO Aachen until you experience it first-hand,” said Jon Kreitz, who traveled to the event as a licensed official in 2024. “The opening ceremony in the main

Coming Soon: A Completely Free Horse Show Entry Management System

by Natalie Voss | February 20, 2026

As we all look forward to spring, we know many members are creating their competition calendars for the upcoming season. For those who have battled cold and snow this winter, the prospect of entering the first shows of the year sounds refreshing. And yet, we’ve had many members tell us they wish the horse show entry process could be easier. Some show offices are still working off paper entries, while others are frustrated with the amount of manual checking they need to do between their

Environmental Sustainability At Horse Shows: Lowering Costs For Riders and For the Planet

by Natalie Voss | February 20, 2026

The increased costs of putting on a horse show have been a hot topic in the equestrian world as of late (which is why we hosted a panel about competition costs at the recent USEF annual meeting – read a summary of that presentation here ). But costs aren’t the only thing that will dictate the future forecast for the sustainability of horse shows – or their social license to operate. Environmental impact has become a growing concern for all industries and sports, and the

“To Know Lucky is to Love Him”: A Half-Arabian Stealing Hearts and Securing Ribbons

by Isabelle Whiteside/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | February 20, 2026

For mother-daughter duo, Cass and Taylor Dawson, what began as a shared hobby in the horse industry has transformed into a rewarding journey of developing skills, building bonds, and pursuing passions. A central part of that journey was Chics Dig it +//, a 17-year-old Half-Arabian with an impressive show record and huge heart. Chics Dig It +//, affectionately known as Lucky or Lucky Duck, joined the Dawson family in 2021, and has since shaped both Cass and Taylor’s riding careers in ways

Eventing Owner Spotlight: Andrea Pfeiffer

by Andrea Pfeiffer | February 20, 2026

Greetings from the West Coast, Photo courtesy of Andrea Pfeiffer It is a winter day with a fair amount of rain but as I sit in my office and write this, I can look out over the fields turning green and the vineyards getting ready for another bloom. We get to stay here year-round, no need to pack up and leave for the winter. Horseshave a vacation after the competition season without the complications of snow and ice. A medium weight rug is the maximum and most days they are out and able to enjoy

2026 USEF Presidential Shout-Out Recipients: Ellie Brimmer, Whitney Allen, William Gathro

February 12, 2026

February 16, 2026, is Presidents Day, when Americans celebrate George Washington’s birthday and remember past U.S. presidents. In honor of this special day, we are commemorating people whose actions have had a positive impact on the equestrian industry with the 2026 Presidential Shout-Outs. US Equestrian President Tom O’Mara announced the recipients for his second annual Presidential Shout-Outs during the general session at the USEF Annual Meeting in Louisville, Ky., where he

Focus on Your Own Fitness, Not Just Your Horse’s

by Debbie Elliot | February 12, 2026

As equestrians, we often spend endless time and effort on our horse’s diet, training, and wellness routines, and neglect our own. Our horses have strict nutritional plans, a dedicated training schedule, stringent warmups and cool downs, a masseuse, a chiropractor ... while we wolf down breakfast while driving to the barn and count mucking stalls as a cardio workout! Haybales & Barbells founder Jamie Graham and her horse, Quilan “We never focus on our own training. We only focus

Alec Lochore and the Art of Building an Olympic Cross-Country Course

by Danielle Henson/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | February 9, 2026

2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games Cross Country Course Designer, Alec Lochore. (Photo courtesy of Alec Lochore/Musketeer Events) When Alec Lochore first walked the grounds of Santa Anita Park as a prospective Olympic venue, he wasn’t imagining himself as the designer of the 2028 Olympic cross-country course. “I’d been to the venue before,” Lochore said. “I understood the challenges the course designer was going to face, but I wasn’t there thinking, ‘What

A Daughter, Her Father, and The Common Thread of Horses

by Danielle Henson/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | February 6, 2026

Catherine Lee’s love for horses began not in the heart of horse country, but on the tropical island of Guam where riding wasn’t part of the culture, and access to horses was limited. There, on the small U.S. territory in the western Pacific Ocean, horses entered her life through something simple: slow trail rides that were organized by her father for their family on Sundays. Equestrian sports are nearly non-existent on the island. What may have started as a novelty became a

USEF Insider: Safety Vests in Horse Sports: What We Know and What We Don't

by Natalie Voss | February 5, 2026

In recent years, safety air vests have become a popular piece of safety equipment for equestrians across a range of disciplines. ASTM-certified body protectors became mandatory in eventing for the cross country phase starting in 2006, but both foam body protectors and air vests are increasingly being seen in other competition rings, too. Equestrian helmets are tested by one of several international standards organizations which have protocols for evaluating the performance of helmets under

USEF Insider: What’s Happening With That Rule? AEDs Could Be Required at Horse Shows

by Natalie Voss | February 5, 2026

This is the second edition of our series about proposed rule changes. Rule changes go through a long process wherein members, committees, and councils review and revise them before they are passed or rejected. (You can learn more about that process i n this article from Equestrian Magazine .) This series is aimed at helping members understand why rule changes have been proposed, why they’re constructed the way they are, and how they may change as they go through the process. You can

USEF Insider: Our First Member Listening Session of 2026 Is Fast Approaching!

by US Equestrian Communications Dept. | February 5, 2026

After receiving positive feedback from members about our 2025 horse welfare town hall series, US Equestrian will be continuing in-person and virtual listening sessions in 2026 focusing on horse and member welfare. The first session of the year will be held at Desert Circuit at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, Calif., next Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 4:30 p.m. in the Palms Club. US Equestrian CEO Bill Moroney and COO/General Counsel Sonja Keating will be on hand to provide updates on