The 2009 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) opened Wednesday to rave reviews for the $10-million makeover of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Opening day in almost perfect weather with temperatures reaching a high of about 80 degrees F (27 degrees Celsius) saw 854 hunter and jumper trips in 10 competition arenas. The annual George H. Morris Horsemanship Clinic filled another arena. Although the premiere jumper rings, International, DeNemethy and Mogavero arenas drew 231 entries...

HITS is pleased to announce that the Stallion Services Department of the Equine Medical Center of Ocala will offer the Leading Mare Award to the mare that finishes the highest in the $100,000 DeLuca Toyota Tundra Grand Prix, presented by Great American Insurance Group on Sunday, March 15, at HITS Ocala. The award consists of a free embryo transfer that will be performed by Dr. Corey Miller, head of reproduction at the Ocala-based veterinary hospital. Any mare based in the United States who...

The American Trakehner Association (ATA) is pleased to announce that the following five stallions were approved in 2008. —A’Osiris, owned by Raymond Bernier (Valley View Stable) of Milton, VT —Bond James Bond MB, owned by Elevages Mallet Barsalou of Quebec, Canada —Cardinali, owned by Jeanette Knight (Wolf Run Farm) of Buxton, ME —Imminence, owned by Jean Brinkman (Valhalla Farm) of Wellborn, FL —Tatendrang, owned by Ann Cottongim (Emerald Acres) of Alford, FL...

Las Vegas is the perfect setting for the most prestigious and exciting Arabian Breeders World Cup horse show April 16-19. Cash prizes and beautiful bronze sculptures will go to the lucky winners selected by an elite panel of International judges using an innovative World Cup Scoring System. Serious breeders from around the world have already bought up the ringside VIP tables. Over 20 countries will be represented from the Middle East, Europe, South America, Central and North America, Australia...

A well-known member of the Saddlebred community, Jimmy Miller, died on Saturday, December 27, 2008. A private graveside service was held on Monday, December 29. Miller, a resident of Ashland, MO, has long been associated with World’s Champion road horses and ponies. His record of successful road ponies may very well be without equal and include World’s Champions: Adiamo, Free Willy, Lamborghini, and Dun-Haven Infatuation—just to mention a few. Likewise, Miller’s stellar lineup of road...

The dates on which McLain Ward and Beezie Madden will be presenting at the 2009 USEF Horsemastership Training Session presented by Bates Saddles, January 5–9 at the South Grounds of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center Grand Prix Ring in Wellington, FL, have changed. Ward and Madden will swap dates, with Madden now scheduled to present on Thursday, January 8, and Ward now scheduled for Friday, January 9. Also, rider Shelby Wakeman has withdrawn from participation in the clinic and is...

A black Shetland Pony who closely resembles the pony Little Black in the Walter Farley book Little Black, A Pony has a new home with the Black Stallion Literacy Foundation at Arabian Nights in Orlando, FL. Thanks to the donation of the pony by the American Shetland Pony Club (ASPC), thousands of children involved in the literacy program will have the chance to meet Little Black in person. The Black Stallion Literacy Foundation has helped motivate hundreds of thousands of children to enjoy...

The finishing touches to a completely remodeled Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) were being applied on Sunday, January 4, in readiness for the opening of the 2009 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) on Wednesday, January 7. Trucks and trailers filled the streets around PBIEC bringing in horses for hunter, jumper and dressage competitions for 12 weeks of WEF, the largest and longest-running horse show in the world, which concludes March 29. The weather for the past several...

Old Salem Farm will host its 2009 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows at its newly renovated facility in the charming town of North Salem, NY, in the heart of Westchester County. The "new" Old Salem Farm boasts its historic pristine grass grand prix field as well as three all-weather outdoor rings, all which will be in full use during its traditional May 5-10 and May 12-17 horse show dates. "We are thrilled that the long-awaited unveiling of our new facility at Old Salem Farm is now ready for our...

The International Friesian Show Horse Association (IFSHA) now has a limited-time discount offer on IFSHA Lifetime Memberships through the end of July 2009. The normal IFSHA Lifetime Membership fee is $1,000. If you join IFSHA now through July 2009 you will receive a 50% discount, allowing you to join IFSHA for your lifetime, for only $500. This offer is available to new and renewal memberships. If you have already joined for 2009 for an annual membership, you can up-grade your membership and...