Breaking US Equestrian news releases contain the latest information regarding the organization, national championships, U.S. athletes and teams in international competition, breed news, and important member alerts. Manage the news you receive at the US Equestrian Preference Center.

Five Reining Legends Recognized

by By Christa Morris | 10/7/2009 12:22:00 PM

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Board of Directors voted to induct two people, Jack Brainard and John Hoyt, and two horses, Nu Chex To Cash and Rest Stop, in 2010 into the NRHA Hall of Fame, as well as awarding the NRHA Dale Wilkinson Lifetime Achievement Award to C. R. Morrison. NRHA Hall of Fame Inductees Jack Brainard Jack Brainard attended the NRHA Foundation meeting and served as a director that first year. His NRHA membership number, 19, is indicative of just how long...

Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association and NARHA to Integrate

by By Barbara Yost | 10/7/2009 12:00:00 PM

The Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association (EFMHA) and NARHA (which was created in 1969 as the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association) are excited to announce that a full integration of vision, membership and programs has begun. The integration is intended to: • Embrace, more fully, NARHA and EFMHA missions • More efficiently steward EFMHA and NARHA resources • Ensure inclusion After years of leading the way through innovation and organization of leadership in the fields of...

Kentucky Horse Park Mourns the Loss of Popular Champion Sprinter, Kona Gold

by By Cindy Rullman | 10/7/2009 11:35:00 AM

Kona Gold, winner of the 2000 Eclipse Award for Sprinter of the Year was humanely euthanized at the Kentucky Horse Park on the morning of September 29 after suffering a severe fracture to his left front leg while exercising in his paddock. He was 15-years-old. Within minutes of the accident, he was taken to Hagyard Equine Medical Institute for evaluation where it was determined by the surgical staff that his injury was beyond repair. The unanimous decision to euthanize was made by the surgeons,...

United States Equestrian Federation Names Horse/Rider Combinations for 2009 CSIO Buenos Aires

by From the USEF Show Jumping Department | 10/7/2009 11:29:00 AM

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named the following horse/rider combinations to represent the U.S. at the CSIO**** Buenos Aires, November 4-8, 2009. Michelle Grubb will serve as chef d’equipe. The following horse/rider combinations have been named: Name/Age/Hometown Horse/Age/Breed/Sex/Owner Mario Deslauriers/44/New York, NY Vicomte D/11/Belgian Warmblood/G/Jane Clark and Paradigm /15/Belgian/G/Rider Danielle Torano/35/Ft. Lauderdale, FL...

California’s Best Value for Horse Lovers at Equine Affaire

by By Karin Brennan | 10/7/2009 11:25:00 AM

It’s not often that World and National Champion competitors from disciplines as diverse as cutting, dressage, reining, jumping, barrel racing, and driving as well as renowned trainers from other walks of horselife gather in one location to share their secrets. Even less often comes the chance to soak up all that learning for about what you’d spend on a movie ticket and a bucket of popcorn. Just $16 gets you an all-access daily ticket to the 2010 edition of our country’s most successful and most...

Young Event Horse Championships at the Fair Hill International CCI**/***

by By the United States Eventing Association | 10/7/2009 11:06:00 AM

This year, the Spalding Labs/United States Eventing Association (USEA) Young Event Horse (YEH) Championships will be held Thursday, October 15, in conjunction with the Fair Hill International CCI and are gearing up to provide an exciting competition. Young horses are coming from all over the Eastern half of the U.S. to participate. FEI judge Joachim Dimmek of Germany is returning this year to head the judges' panel, and he will be joined by Cathy Tucker-Slaterbeck and Sport Horse conformation...

Capital Challenge Horse Show Wrap-up

by By Jennifer Wood | 10/7/2009 10:49:00 AM

The 2009 Capital Challenge Horse Show was a great success this year with fantastic competition in hunters, jumpers, and equitation. The show was held at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD. Equitation Weekend Highlights, presented by BigEq.com Cayla Richards of Calabasas, CA, was a big winner on the first day of Equitation Weekend after she took the 15-Year-Old Equitation Championship and outlasted top riders to win the Flat Championships. Richards won the North American Junior Flat...

The Hunt was on in the American Hunter Jumper Foundation's World Championship Hunter Rider Pro Finals

by By Diana DeRosa | 10/6/2009 5:00:00 PM

Photo by Diana DeRosa (Hunt Tosh and Fine Kiss) Hunt Tosh went into the first round of the 15th Annual Professional World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Finals for the 2009 American Hunter Jumper Foundation (AHJF) Professional WCHR title, as if it belonged to him. He negotiated the highest mark in the first round and never looked back. Four rounds later he won the highest honor for a professional rider for his very first attempt in this prestigious class, which took place on October 2 at the...

Matthew Metell: Perfection at the 2009 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – East

by Amy Serridge | 10/6/2009 10:51:00 AM

Winner Matthew Metell riding Pioneer, owned by Heritage Farm (James Leslie Parker ) Gladstone, NJ - It was a picture perfect ending to a picture perfect weekend for the 2009 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – East in Gladstone, NJ. Matthew Metell, riding Pioneer (owned by Heritage Farm) captured the prestigious win at the Finals – East. This year the Finals – East had a record number of entries with 97 riders completing all three Phases. The weekend...

Rio de Janeiro Elected as the 2016 Olympic Games Host City

by Sarah Evers | 10/6/2009 9:24:00 AM

www.flickr.com/photos/skodak (Rio de Janeiro) The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has elected Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as the host city of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in 2016 during its 121st Session in Copenhagen, Denmark. Rio de Janeiro received 66 votes compared to Madrid’s 32 in the final round of voting. IOC President Jacques Rogge congratulated Rio de Janeiro on its election and praised the high quality of the bid, “I would like to congratulate the city of Rio de...