Riding for Reading returns to the horse show arena for 2009 with five events, and two are in March. Riding For Reading, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to promoting reading, literacy and education through equestrian sports and activities. The Riding For Reading class is open to riders from first through twelfth grade, and it is an opportunity for competitors to earn grants for their school’s library. Since the program began, over 500,000 students have benefitted from Riding For Reading...

Double Olympic Gold medalist Beezie Madden won her first grand prix of the 2009 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) on Thursday, March 12, aboard Onlight in Round X of the $30,000 Braman Motorcars WEF Challenge Cup Series. Madden of Cazenovia, NY, and Onlight, owned by Team Onlight, were the only double-clear round from the initial 49 entries for the class in the DeNemethy arena. Only four combinations made it to the jump-off on the the course designed by Guilherme Jorge of Brazil. The time by...

Lexington, KY—For the first time since its inception more than 15 years ago, the thrill of the driving competition at this weekend’s Live Oak International world class qualifying competition will be captured on tape and later broadcast to equestrian enthusiasts internationally at a date to be announced in the near future. This comes as a result of an agreement between the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) which grants the exclusive...

Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show announces a clarification in the new rule concerning professionals and their family members not being allowed to qualify pleasure horses for the 2009 show. This rule applies to adult exhibitors only. The rule has been re-stated to read as follows: Also for purposes of qualification, a horse in the Show Pleasure or Country Pleasure sections cannot be shown by its trainer on behalf of the owner of the horse, nor may a horse be shown by any adult...

Effective immediately and until December 31, 2009, registration fees at the National Show Horse Registry (NSHR) for National Show Horses will be $250 for horses three months and older whose sire is NSHR Lifetime Nominated and $500 for horses three months and older whose sire is not NSHR Lifetime Nominated. Effective immediately and until December 31, 2009, the transfer fee of a National Show Horse will be no more than $100 regardless of the number of interim owners as long as the current owner...

Lexington, KY – The following changes to the CSI/CSIO aka the USEF Computer List will become effective March 17, 2009. Changes in Bold/Italics/Underlined and Strikethrough . • Page 3, 2nd paragraph under SELECTION of the Selection Procedure for CSIO/CSI Competition Discretionary Selection: “However, with the approval of the Show Jumping High Performance Committee and the Executive Committee or these committees’ designees, the chef d’Equipe shall have the authority...

Lexington, KY— The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has selected the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show as the first competition to receive the honor and designation of a USEF Heritage Competition. Known as one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious horse competitions, Pin Oak has been holding charity horse shows for 64 years and has raised close to $4 million for the Texas Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House of Houston. “As the first USEF-designated Heritage Competition, the...

Young Rider National Champions from 2008: Kassandra Barteau and Gabriella (Amy McCool ) Lexington, KY – The 2009 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Dressage Champions will return to the USET Foundation Headquarters, June 18-21, 2009 in Gladstone, NJ. This competition serves as the USEF National Dressage Championships in five different divisions. The Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Dressage Champions features the highest levels of dressage in the US, from FEI Juniors (aged 14 to...

Lexington, KY – The 2009 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) ParaEquestrian Dressage National Championships will be held at the Lamplight Equestrian enter in Chicago, IL May 14-17. This National Championship will be held concurrently with the Lamplight CDI; and for the first time ever in the US, a CPEDI3* will be held. This is the highest level of FEI ParaEquestrian Dressage. ParaEquestrian Dressage riders will also be able to earn their FEI Certificate of Capability, which is required...

The American Vaulting Association celebrated the 40th anniversary of its founding and presented its most prestigious awards to its members at its Annual Convention last week. Suzanne Detol, a longtime AVA member, FEI (O) level judge, coach and lunger, was presented the coveted AVA Lifetime Achievement Award for her entire scope of vast contributions over the past 35 years. A former vaulter herself, Detol chairs the AVA’s Technical Committee and Judges Program, and has run the organization’s...