The USEF Education Department has established a weekly blog on ClubEquestrian.com to share information with members. “Equine U” provides interesting and helpful information about the Federation and also anything relating to horse ownership, competing at all levels and all things equestrian. USEF will post articles from various guest writers as well as from staff's own experiences at competitions, clinics, and seminars. Check it out at www.clubequestrian.com/blogs/equineu/default.aspx . In...

The deadline to submit a Declaration of Intent to Show for the 2009 American Saddlebred Registry (ASR) Futurity is 2 p.m. on Sunday, August 23, 2009. Nominated horses entered to compete in ASR Futurity classes at the 2009 World’s Championship Horse Show (WCHS) must have a signed Declaration of Intent to Show completed and submitted, and the starting fee paid for each entry to the ASR Futurity Secretary, by 2 p.m. on Sunday, August 23, 2009. Prepayment for declarations may be sent to the ASR...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to announce and congratulate its new USDF Certified Instructors from the testing held July 18-19 at Post Oak Farm in Gainesville, GA. 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. New USDF Certified Instructors include Donna Gatchell of Nokesville, VA; Ana Gilmour of...

Marilyn E. Smith passed away on Friday, August 7. Smith was born May 14, 1939, in Fort Wayne, IN. For the past six years, she was the office manager at Hamilton Family Medical Center in Hamilton, IN Smith was a graduate of Stephens College in Columbia, MO, and Indiana University, and had a Master's Degree in Education. She taught second grade at Slocum Elementary School. Smith had been President of the Junior Division of the Fort Wayne Women's Club, and was the current president of the Phi Mu...

On August 1, the Youth National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show came to an end after eight days of top-level horse show competition, a shopping expo and the Arabian Horse Youth Association (AHYA) Annual Convention. This was the show’s 17th year in Albuquerque and is estimated to bring about $10.2 million to the city. The largest class, Arabian Hunter Pleasure Junior to Ride, age 14-17, hosted 79 horses and was won by Kool Enuff, owned and ridden by Kirsten McKillop of Alamo, CA....

Last year the Capital Challenge Horse Show offered a new event to the schedule—the Emerging Pro Challenge. The Challenge class was designed for professionals who may be knocking on a door that is typically opened by riders like Scott Stewart, Louise Serio, Peter Pletcher and a handful of other hunter riders who have graced the Show Place Arena with top scores on numerous horses. The $5,000 Emerging Pro Challenge was designed to give riders competing in the professional divisions (future...

Bruce Davidson, Jr., (USA) brought the 2009 HSBC FEI World Cup™ Eventing qualifiers to a most satisfying climax, jumping clear in the final phase with both horses, despite a severe storm, to score a memorable one-two in the last qualifier, at Mansfield, Canada, and spring into second place in the rankings behind Mary King (GBR). Davidson led throughout on My Boy Bobby, the handsome liver-chestnut Irish-bred on whom he scored his best four-star result, third in the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event...

The 22 ponies of the eight American competitors at the World Combined Pony Championships in Greven-Bockholt, Germany, passed the veterinary inspection on Wednesday morning without problems. Single pony drivers Sherri Dolan, Sara Schmitt and Suzy Stafford, pony pair competitors Miranda Cadwell and Tracey Morgan and pony team drivers Kathleen Whaley, Laurie Astegiano and Allison Stroud presented their adorable ponies to the veterinary delegates and judges in Greven. Team USA arrived in Greven...

Lexington, KY – After nearly four months of top competition between the best show jumping nations in the world, the title of Meydan FEI Nations Cup Champion came down to the final round of the final leg at the Dublin International Horse Show in Dublin, Ire. With the US jumpers holding their own throughout the duration of the tour, they ended up barely beaten for the top spot in the standings by France. The two countries tied for fourth on 20 faults a piece in the final, which left France with a...

Ailish Cunniffe is crowned Equisport Insurance/USEF Pony Medal Championship Final winner. (USEF Archive/Randi Muster) Lexington, KY—By midday Sunday, the Kentucky Horse Park began to look vacant. Ponies were unbraided and cooled, loaded trailers rumbled toward home and the usually lively vendor row was filled with merchants striking their tents and packing their wares. After four days of fierce competition in the Pony Hunters and Jumpers, the whirlwind that is the 2009 USEF Pony Finals...