From Louise Parkes for the FEI AMERICAN GIRLS POWER HOME AS BRITISH SNATCH DEFEAT FROM THE JAWS OF VICTORY..... Lexington, KY) - The all-girl American team produced a crisp, clean victory at the sixth leg of the Samsung Super League with FEI series at Hickstead, England today where the much-fancied home squad lost out in the closing stages. Ahead at the half-way stage, the British lost their grip as the second round progressed, but three second-round clears saw the USA rise from third to pole...

(Lexington, KY) - A timely response is needed from members of the horse industry to their Congressional Delegation since the House of Representative is scheduled to vote on the 2008 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bill (H.R. 3161), which would fund the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Fiscal Year 2008, early next week. Section 738 of that bill would be devastating because it would cut-off funding for USDA activities important to the horse industry....

Diana DeRosa (Lauren Hough and Casadora lead the American effort after Day One of show jumping.) Rio de Janeiro—Some 47 Pan American Games show jumpers entered the arena at Deodoro Stadium outside of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Thursday morning to begin the first of two days of team competition. Leading the way for Team USA was rider Lauren Hough aboard Casadora. The last of the four to go was Todd Minikus and Pavarotti. Team USA ended the day in a surprising overall fourth place after the...

Lexington, KY- Facing competition from nine other countries, the Americans took home the bronze medal in the team competition and a gold medal went to US teammate Miranda Cadwell for the pairs division in the 2007 FEI World Combined Pony Driving Championships July 18-22 in Knabstrup, Denmark. Overall, the team gold medal was won by Germany, the team silver medal was won by Holland and the United States won the bronze medal. After some intense cone driving with her ponies, thirty-seven-year-old...

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation announced a change to the horse-and-rider combinations it will be sending to Hong Kong for the test event at the Sha Tin race course in preparation for the 2008 Olympics. The test event will be held at the CCI** level August 11-13, 2007. Buck Davidson, 30, from Ocala, FL, will ride Cassandra Segal’s 7-year-old Irish Thoroughbred Ballynoe Castle RM. This combination was second at the Jersey Fresh CCI** in June and were the winners of the...

From Louise Parkes/FEI THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST.......ESPECIALLY IF MELANIE HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT....... The USA has been drawn first to go in tomorrow's sixth leg of the Samsung Super League with FEI series at Hickstead, England but Melanie Smith-Taylor, who is deputising in the absence of team manager George Morris, is not concerned. Lying last on the leaderboard the US really needs a good result in order to climb out of the relegation zone, but Melanie has every faith in her squad. "I...

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – And then there were five. The gold medal eventing and dressage teams shipped out early Monday morning, leaving the five show jumpers alone in the U.S. wing of the stables at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With 17 countries represented, the most of the three disciplines, the show jumping will be very competitive. Florida’s Lauren Hough and Casadora are riding the crest of a very successful wave, having just won the valuable CN Reliability Grand Prix at...

Former United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) steward of many years, Iris McNeil of Lexington, Virginia, age 88, died Monday, July 23, 2007. A graveside service will be held Thursday, July 26 at 2:00 p.m. at the Stonewall Jackson Cemetery in Lexington, Virginia. Flowers may be sent in care of the Harrison Funeral Home, 714 Main Street, Lexington, VA 24450. The funeral home may be reached at (540) 463-2912. Florists in the area include Jefferson Florist, (540) 463-9841, and University...

The 2007 Platform® American Shetland Pony National Championship Congress show is set to kick off August 1-4 at the Gordyville Arena in Gifford, IL. Last year’s Shetland Pony Congress show drew almost 500 entries from all over the United States. “Shetland ponies are very versatile and compete in a variety of competitions, and the best-of-the0best go head-to-head each year at this Congress Championship show,” said American Shetland Pony Club Director of Operations Zona Schneider. Shetland...

The 28th Evergreen Classic, the largest and most prestigious hunter/jumper show in Washington State, is getting ready to take place at its new home at Remlinger Farms Equestrian Park in Carnation, WA, August 8-August 12. After spending the last four years at Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, WA, everyone associated with the show is very excited about this new venue. The show site consists of 80 acres of grass fields nestled between the Snoqualmie River and downtown Carnation with views of...