Gladstone, NJ – After a four day battle, the rain finally won at the 2009 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions, and collectively the Ground Jury and the management decided that, in the best interest of the horses, the competition was suspended after the Young Riders rode first thing Sunday morning. This meant that Leslie Morse was crowned USEF National Grand Prix Champion for the fifth time. Morse GP Raymeister (SusanJStickle.com) and her beloved 15-year-old Swedish...

Gladstone, NJ - The rain just couldn’t help itself. After a dry day on Friday, the 2009 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions at the USET Foundation Headquarters – like much of the rest of the country, was again, drenched. The Grand Prix Freestyle, which was expected to be the highlight of the weekend – didn’t disappoint. But Adrienne Lyle surprised a few (including herself) by ending up on top of the leader board with Wizard. “Basically,...

Gladstone, NJ – The first leg of the 2009 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Grand Prix Dressage Championship, which was rescheduled to Friday morning after Thursday’s deluge, showcased some of the top horse/rider combinations in the US. But it wasn’t until the final ride of the class that anyone could break 70%. Veteran Olympic rider Leslie Morse and her classy 15-year-old stallion, Tip Top 962, put in a very focused and expressive effort to take a commanding lead with a...

This special section, Drugs and Medications Corner, will feature a series of articles from the USEF’s Drugs and Medications Program and the veterinary community to communicate the latest news to better educate the equine community. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) are a class of agents best recognized for anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain suppression) properties. An important clinical use of this class of medication is to improve patient status and minimize pain....

Jocelyn Wiese and Lamborghini (Susan J. Stickle Photography ) By Joanie Morris Gladstone, NJ – Under the banner of a chilly relentless rain, the 2009 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions got underway on Thursday, June 18. The “Brentina Cup” Riders (aged 20-28) were the first of five groups of horses and riders vying for National Championships titles. The nine “Brentina Cup” Riders were the only division to get a performance in as the rest of...

The Executive Committee periodically meets to review and approve extraordinary rule changes and rule clarifications. You can find summaries of rules approved by visiting www.usef.org/contentpage2.aspx?id=rulebook . These rule changes have also been incorporated into the online rulebook. The online rulebook is continually updated with new rule changes and corrections; it is always the most complete version of the rules.

Have you ever wanted to learn more about the Hanoverian horse? In response to membership inquiries, the American Hanoverian Society (AHS) is currently developing a Breed Orientation Seminar that will tentatively be held November 3-6, 2009, in the Sacramento, CA, area. In order to test the financial viability of this developmental program, the AHS needs to gauge the level of interest in such a seminar. The seminar requires a minimum of attendees and is open to the AHS membership and others with...

Six-year-old Bijoux, owned by Janet Rolfs and ridden by Missy Fladland, is off to a phenomenal start to her young dressage career. Among her many honors, her most recent victory includes taking the reserve champion title at the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Central Selection Trials. The young Hanoverian mare (Bugatti Hilltop x Whimiscal L), bred by Margaret Drury, started her performance career only a year and a half ago as a coming five-year-old in the fall of 2007. After seven months of...

Starlight, the stunning black Oldenburg stallion owned by Rick Rockefeller-Silvia’s Dream Street Stallions, is now in Europe under the tutelage of Karin Rehbein where he is sure to wow European fans with his amazing movement and outstanding looks. Prior to returning to Europe, Starlight won rave reviews from judges at Devon when he was crowned Devon’s Grand Champion Stallion in 2008. “Starlight has had an illustrious career so far—multiple Horse of The Year titles, the Championship at...

Well-known Region II American Connemara Pony Society (ACPS) Connemara trainer and rider Carol Kozlowski won three divisions of the Genesee Valley Riding and Driving Club (GVRDC) Spring Event on Sunday, June 7, 2009, in Geneseo, Livingston County, NY, on three different horses, including two of her own Connemara crosses. The GVRDC Spring Event offered an opportunity for riders and trainers to safely condition and prepare their mounts for upcoming two-day events. Being held for the first time as...