Exhibitors who made their way to the desert for the start of the 2009 HITS Desert Circuit will be treated to a perfect week of Southern California weather and an exciting week of equestrian competition that started on January 20 at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. All of the show rings will be action-packed for the next eight weeks as junior, amateur and professional riders start off a new year of competition. Some will be riding new mounts purchased in the fall, while others will be...

As a reminder, the FEI issued new dressage tests for the following levels, effective January 1, 2009: Prix St. Georges, Intermediaire I and Freestyle, Intermediaire II, Grand Prix, Special, and Freestyle, Young Rider Grand Prix, and all Junior and Young Rider tests (including Team, Individual, and Freestyle). These new test versions must be used by all USEF-licensed dressage competitions and CDI’s beginning January 1, 2009, and for all 2009 USEF High-Performance, USEF National, and North...

The 2009 American Saddlebred Reference Directory , the breed’s most comprehensive publication each year, goes into the mail this week and is now also available electronically on the association’s website to all active ASHA members. Just visit www.saddlebred.com/members/reference.php and log in. Once a member has logged in, instructions are provided. The reference directory physical copy has been mailed to all active ASHA members by USPS book rate mail. In the meantime, the association is...

The 2009 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit started off with a bang for Kyle King. The Ocala resident posted the fastest double-clear round aboard Paola to secure the top prize in Sunday's $25,000 HITS Grand Prix to close out the Ocala Pre-Circuit 1 at HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, FL. King and his 12-year-old mare outlasted a field of 24 horses in the first round and an additional four pairs that advanced to course designer Jerry Dougherty's jump-off track to secure the first-place check of $7,500 in...

Looking for something new, exciting, and challenging for you and your horse? Well, mark your calendars for the upcoming clinic at Capriole Farm in Catlett, VA, presented by Kimberly Garvis, on the sport of working equitation, which is presently making its way to the United States and Canada. Currently a little-known discipline in North America, working equitation competition is divided into three phases that are designed to test through a range of activities. It combines flatwork movements and...

Lexington, KY – The USEF has allocated the following dates and locations for the 2009 Eventing Training Sessions. Riders named to the 2009 Eventing Training List are invited to participate in these sessions with US Chef d’Equipe, Mark Phillips. Where specified, those riders named to the USEF Developing Rider List for 2009 will be afforded the same opportunity. The dates and locations are as follows: February 5-7 El Campeon Farms, Thousand Oaks, CA w/ Developing Riders February 11-12 Overlook...

Negro (Ferro x Variant), the KWPN licensed stallion bred by Mr. Borgers and owned by GertJan van Olst, has earned the prestigious title of Keur stallion. The KWPN awards this predicate to stallions who earn an index over 140 points and who have offspring competing at grand prix. Easily surpassing these requirements with the dressage index of 159 points, Negro will accept this honor at the KWPN Stallion Licensing in Hertogenbosch this February. Negro had a very successful show career under Anne...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) is pleased to announce that the American Saddlebred Horse Association of Virginia (ASHAV) and the American Saddlebred Association of Maine (ASAM) have been selected as ASHA’s Charter Clubs of the Year. The two clubs’ dedication and commitment to the promotion of the breed will be honored during the Annual Awards Luncheon on Friday, February 13, 2009, from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. The luncheon will be held in conjunction with ASHA’s Annual Convention,...

Tickets are selling fast for the Exquis World Dressage Masters to be held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center on Friday and Saturday, January 29-30. Van Grunsven on IPS Painted Black, the USA's Steffen Peters on Ravel, Edward Gal and Hans Peter Mindehoud of The Netherlands, Ashley Holzer of Canada and another 15 riders from Europe and the Americas will compete for an unprecedented €100,000 (US$133,000) in prize money. Most fans from across North America and seven other nations are...

The National Horse Show Association of America announced new information for their rules and regulations, as well as the declaration form for the 2009 ASPCA Maclay equitation classes. ASPCA Maclay classes are held nationwide and count as qualifiers for the ASPCA Maclay Regionals and the ASPCA Maclay National Championship. The new information for the rules and regulations section for the ASPCA Maclay classes reads as follows under the "Conditions Governing Regional Final Competition" heading:...