The following rule changes were approved by the Executive Committee on September 17, 2007, with an effective date of October 1, 2007. Bold/italic format indicates new text. Strikethrough indicates deleted text. EQ105 Conditions Governing Competitors in USEF Medal Classes. [Chapter EQ. Equitation Division] Effective 10/1/07: 3. A contestant’s legal residence at the time they apply for membership is maintained throughout the year. 3. 4. A rider can enter Medal classes anywhere in the United...

Representatives from many of the 34 organizations that have their headquarters at the Kentucky Horse Park (KHP) in Lexington gathered on September 17 for a reception hosted by the Equestrian Land Conservation Resource (ELCR). The ELCR is one of the newest tenants at the KHP’s National Horse Center, and its leaders plan to make these get-togethers a monthly event to facilitate joint projects to preserve the land that’s critical to all these groups’ constituents. On behalf of the other ELCR Board...

At an agreement signing ceremony on Sunday, September 30, Kowloon Shangri-La has been appointed as the Olympic and Paralympic families Hotel for the equestrian events to be held in Hong Kong next August and September. Deputy Director of Games Services of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), Xiang Ping, presided over and witnessed the signing. CEO of the Equestrian Company, Lam Woon-Kwong, and General Manager of Kowloon Shangri-La, Mark Heywood signed the...

It's considered the most prestigious show on the East Coast, if not the entire U.S., and only the best of the best emerge as winners at the inimitable Dressage at Devon. Courtney King of New Milford, CT, wrapped up her weekend with more wins than any other competitor showing in the performance division. With five world-class mounts under saddle, King came down the centerline 11 times and galloped the honor round of victory five times at the 33rd Annual Dressage at Devon CDI-W/Y/J presented by...

The AAEP’s Healthy Horses Workshop, an event designed for non-veterinarians interested in equine health care and featuring leading veterinary experts delivering the latest news and advances in horse health, will be held Saturday, December 1, in Kissimmee, FL. Now in its eighth year, the event will feature seminars and demonstrations addressing horse health topics that are important to horse owners, as well as a special demonstration by Olympian David O’Connor. The topics and speakers for the...

Highlights of both the Platform® Shetland Pony Congress and the Platform® American Miniature Horse National Championships will be aired on two TV shows coming up this month on RFD-TV. The Platform® AMHR National Championship Show and The Platform® Shetland Pony Congress are the equivalent of the Super Bowl for Miniature Horses and Shetland Ponies. The shows attract the top small equines from throughout the U.S. On October 14, at 4 p.m. (EST) RFD-TV will be airing the American Shetland Pony...

SmartPak announced that they have joined the blogosphere with two new blog forums—Ask the Vet and A Peek at the Pak. "Blogging is a perfect fit for SmartPak because as a company, we are all about sharing our culture and personality, while also providing horse owners with the most up-to-date horse health care information," said President Paal Gisholt. "Our employees are horse and dog owners, too, and they’re excited to share their experiences with our customers.” A Peek at the Pak will...

An active and well-known member of the Saddlebred community, Shan Ellis Donaldson, died on Tuesday, September 25, 2007, at St. Joseph Hospital in Lexington, KY. She was 60. The Georgetown, KY, native became an equestrian at an early age, and her love of horses led to her parents, R. E. Ellis Jr., DMD, and Martha “Perkie” Ellis, founding the Longview Riding Camp. Shan and her husband of 40 years, Jamie Donaldson, started their own horse photography business. For many years, Shan could be found...

Lexington, KY Most of you familiar with Irishman, Niall Grimes, are also aware of the heart attack he suffered last Friday, September 28th, while in Lexington, at the Kentucky National Horse Show. You may have also heard or read intermittent updates since and wondered about their validity. The number and variety of these reports speak to Niall's popularity, our hopes for his recovery, and our fears otherwise. With that in mind we regret to report that his battle has been lost. Most likely a...

Paso Robles, CA - Gina Miles and McKinlaigh galloped away with the win in the CIC3* at Twin Rivers Horse Trials, this year's last USEA/Adequan Gold Cup series event. The pair incurred only a single time fault in show jumping, but left all the rails neatly in their cups to finish with a score of 72.7. The stunning 17-hand Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Thom Shulz and Miles performed beautifully this weekend, after having just come back from the Pan American Games in Rio, Brazil with a bronze...