Photo by Randi Muster (Alex Matz and his pony, Wise Guy.) A famous jumping name will again be present in the Devon Horse Show catalog. The name is Matz, but this time it isn’t Michael, who showed for many years very successfully at Devon, but his son, Alex. Alex is only 11 years old and he’s only been competing in pony jumpers for a couple of months, but it’s already beginning to look like he’s inherited his famous father’s talent. The first time he ever competed...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced that the 2008 Great American Insurance Group/USDF Regional Dressage Championships will award prize money of over $146,000 divided among the nine regions. Champions will each receive $314 in prize money, a jacket and an embroidered cooler provided by Tuff Rider, Inc. Reserve champions will each receive $210 in prize money and a lead shank from the Great American Insurance Group, title sponsor of the championships. Every year Great American...

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation’s (USEF) 2008 National Para Equestrian Championships and the USEF Selection Trials for the 2008 U.S. Paralympic Team-Equestrian begins this Friday, May 16, at the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, IL, and will conclude Sunday, May 18. The USEF National Para Equestrian Championships and the USEF Selection Trials for the 2008 U.S. Paralympic Team-Equestrian will run concurrently with the dressage competition kicking off Friday with the...

All eventing fans will be pleased to learn that the cross-country and jumping portions of CCI*** Saumur taking place this weekend—May 16-18—will be broadcast live on the Internet. Some of the world’s best riders, such as American Clark Montgomery with Up Spirit; Nicolas Touzaint, the first ever Frenchman to win Badminton two weeks ago, and eventing legend Mark Todd, who is seeking to complete his Olympic qualification, will compete in Saumur. The competition will be broadcast...

The 112th Devon Horse Show and Country Fair is Thursday, May 22, through Sunday, June 1, in Devon, PA. New this year is a United Professional Horsemen's Association (UPHA) Pink Ribbon class. Last fall, the UPHA introduced the program to help horse shows engage communities, showcase the show horses and raise much-needed funds for breast cancer research, awareness and treatment. The designated class at Devon is the UPHA Pink Ribbon Ladies Five-Gaited class on Wednesday evening, May 28. Devon also...

Distributed by Carrie Mortensen, Director of Breeds and Western, on behalf of the USEF Arabian Committee. Lexington, KY— The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Arabian Committee met recently and issued the following clarification for non-regional and non-national championship classes, effective immediately: All horses competing for champion or reserve champion in the Arabian or Half-Arabian/Anglo-Arabian breeding/gelding in-hand classes at Class A, B, C and local competition...

Lexington, KY - After an extensive search, the USEF has named three-time World Endurance Champion and 1990 AHSA/Hertz Equestrian of the Year, Becky Hart, as chef d’equipe for the U.S. endurance riders. An Endurance veteran, Hart was inducted into the American Endurance Ride Conference Hall of Fame in 1992 and is also a Centered Riding instructor. “It is an exciting time for the US Endurance team,” said Hart about her new role. “We are developing new strategies to strengthen our performance and...

Stadium Jumping, Inc., the nation's oldest and most respected producer of quality equestrian competitions, announced that they will host one of only two United States qualifying events for the 2008 FEI Children's International Jumping Final. This important event for riders 12 to 14 years of age will be held September 17-21, 2008, during the Wachovia Securities American Gold Cup at the Metro Parks Polo Field in Moreland Hills, OH. A similar event for West Coast riders will be held at the Oaks...

The popular “Fiesta of the Spanish Horse,” an annual benefit and horse show to support cancer research, ran May 1-4, 2008, at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, CA, and attracted thousands of spectators and participants. This year marked the 10th Annual Fiesta, a revered Southern California equestrian tradition that raises funds for multiple cancer research organizations. More than 260 Spanish horses from across the country, including Andalusian, Lusitano, Paso Fino and Peruvian...

Eighteen-year-old rookie Laura Teodori went clean and well within the time allowed in an exciting jump-off against three veteran riders to win the $100,000 Premier Truck & Trailer Grand Prix of Del Mar, an American Grand Prix Association (AGA) event, at the Del Mar National Horse Show. Riding Kasoar D’Uxelles, owned by L & M Ventures, LLC, Teodori went up against 29 competitors from all over the nation in the competition held Saturday, May 3. Only three others—Ali Nilforushan, Alicia...