Annual Meeting

Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian is proud to recognize Kylynn Ghafouri and Emi Yang as the 2025 Vaulters of the Year. The 2025 Horses of the Year are as follows: Individual & Squad Horse of the Year – Eldoctro Pas de Deux Horse of the Year – Pino del Rio 2025 Vaulters of the Year: Kylynn Ghafouri & Emi Yang 2025 Vaulters of the Year: Kylynn Ghafouri (Left) (©Leslie Taylor) and Emi Yang (Right) (©Mikhail Proctor/US Equestrian) Kylynn Ghafouri (Murrieta, Calif.)...

Lexington, Ky . - The US Equestrian Annual Meeting will take place at the Omni Hotel in Louisville, Ky., from Thursday, Jan. 15 to Saturday, Jan. 18, 2026. Members of the media who would like to attend should submit a request for credentials by Jan. 5, 2026. The Pegasus Awards Celebration and SmartPak/USEF Horse of the Year Awards Celebration are also part of the annual meeting festivities, wrapping up the 2025 competition year across all breeds and disciplines. The multi-day event also offers...

US Equestrian is proud to announce the recipients of our 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award, 2025 Junior Equestrian of the Year, and Youth Sportsman for 2025. Jan Decker will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for her work with the Arabian breed, while Arabian and 4-H leader Mikayla Clement has been named the 2025 Junior Equestrian of the Year and Youth Sportsman. Clement and Decker will receive their awards at the Pegasus Award dinner on Jan. 15, 2026 as part of the 2026 US Equestrian annual...

Lexington, Ky – US Equestrian is pleased to announce a new partnership with 3 Graces Dressage, welcoming them as an Official Sponsor of US Equestrian and the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions. 3 Graces Dressage will also serve as an Official Sponsor of the USEF Dressage Grand Prix National Championship, and the 2026 USEF Annual Meeting. Located in the heart of Wellington, Florida, 3 Graces Dressage’s sleek European inspired facility is the home base for dressage rider, Rebecca...

Registration is now open for the 2026 US Equestrian Annual Meeting, which will be held at the Omni Hotel in Louisville, Ky., from Jan. 15-18, 2026. US Equestrian will once again host a series of educational presentations and workshops in a three-day interactive format with the goal of providing hands-on, immediately actionable information to members, affiliates, officials, and competition managers. For those unable to attend the annual meeting in person, full coverage of the sessions will be...

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce that Kiss Me Blue, fondly known as “Chrissy,” is the 2025 USEF Heart Horse Award winner. Chrissy is a 2001 American Quarter Horse and is part of the herd at Maryland Therapeutic Riding (MTR) in Crownsville, Md. Chrissy was selected as the winner by the USEF membership and will be honored during the USEF Pegasus Awards Dinner at the USEF Annual Meeting in Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 15, 2026. For 17 years, Chrissy has been the...

©US Equestrian Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian is pleased to announce a renewed partnership with SmartPak, which will remain an Official Partner of US Equestrian and title sponsor of the 2025 SmartPak/USEF Horse of the Year Program. SmartPak is one of the nation’s leading retailers of horse care and equestrian products designed to support horse owners, athletes, and enthusiasts. Its online platform offers a comprehensive selection of brands tailored to support every individual equine...

Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian is thrilled to continue its decade-long partnership with Neue Schule, one of the leading bit manufacturers in the industry, as the Official Bit of US Equestrian. ©Avery Wallace/US Equestrian Neue Schule has expanded their sponsorship to include participation as an Official Sponsor of the US Equestrian Annual Meeting and the new annual Heart Horse Award. Neue Schule gifted $500 and a complimentary bit to the winner of the Inaugural Heart Horse Award, Kilcarna...

L-R: Dana Glass, Katherine Bateson-Chandler, and Beezie Madden sit on a panel during the 2025 US Equestrian Annual Meeting ©Avery Wallace/US Equestrian Lexington, Ky. – An accomplished panel of athletes and trainers from diverse backgrounds highlighted the Thursday afternoon session of the 2025 US Equestrian Meeting Annual Meeting. The session, which was led by US Equestrian Chief of Sport and Olympic gold medalist, David O’Connor, featured conversations with U.S. Jumping Team...

Lexington, Ky. - The Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games were a highlight of 2024, showcasing not only world-class competition but an extraordinary level of media interest and coverage. US Equestrian Senior Director of Sport Communications & Social Media, Carly Weilminster, sat down with Hallye Griffin, US Equestrian Director of FEI Sport, to discuss the successes and challenges of promoting equestrian sports during the Games at the 2025 US Equestrian Annual Meeting. ©Avery Wallace/US...

Lexington, Ky. - Dr. Katie Flynn and Dr. Stephen Schumacher co-led a conversation on Biosecurity and Medications on Thursday, Jan. 23, at the 2025 US Equestrian Annual Meeting. The session, which was presented by Neogen, started with Dr. Flynn leading a conversation on the new microchip requirement that is to go into effect in December 2025. Dr. Schumacher’s presentation focused on Pharmacology, providing an overview of pharmacokinetics vs pharmacodynamics, how medications work within the...

Lexington, Ky. - The ability to teach does not always go hand in hand with athletic achievement. The athletes with the most impressive competitive record aren’t necessarily the ones who are the most adept at teaching others to achieve success. In many sports, including equestrian, there are well-supported pathways to competitive achievements as an athlete, but the systems for teaching teachers are less well established. Cam Kiosoglous, Ph.D., is an Assistant Clinical Professor and Program...