The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Animal Health Surveillance System (NAHSS) is a network of many Federal and State government agencies integrated into a comprehensive and coordinated system of animal health monitoring and surveillance. The overall goal of the system is to collect, collate and analyze animal health information and to promptly distribute this information. The program is intended to improve the protection of the national animal health and to increase...

Attention Children Jumper Riders! This year’s FEI Children’s International Jumping Final will be held in Jalapa, Mexico, December 3-8, 2007. The Final for Children between the ages of 12 and 14 as defined by FEI rules brings together riders from various nations around the world not only to compete but also to meet their peers from other cultures. Qualifiers for this final will be held at the Florida Classic/WCHR Spectacular February 21-25, 2007, and the Oaks Blenheim Fall Tournament September...

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) has designated February as its fundraising and membership month. The organization hopes to receive funds or pledges totaling $850,000 during the month as well as renew its current memberships of more than 10,000. “KEEP is a self-funded organization, meaning we receive no public funds or grants. Our operating funds come from the horse industry that we represent,” said Patrick Neely, KEEP executive director. “We operate on the membership fees collected...

The Potomac Valley Dressage Association will host its fourth annual Ride for Life recognized dressage horse show, a fund raiser for the Johns Hopkins Breast Cancer Center in Baltimore, MD. The show will be held on June 30-July 1 at the Prince Georges Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. The show includes a dancing horse competition and exhibition with FEI riders including Bent Jensen, former Olympian. Competitors collect donations and get sponsors for the show, and in return compete for...

The triathletes of the equestrian world return to Galway Downs for the FEI Eventing World Cup on March 30-April 1, 2007. An international field that will included hundreds of riders from around the world and their very talented horses will compete for points, prestige and prizes at Galway Downs, a world class equestrian facility in Temecula that has hosted the prestigious World Cup Series events for the past four years, The FEI World Cup Qualifier and CIC** divisions also offer riders the...

Daniel Geitner, of Aiken, South Carolina’s DFG Stables, dominated GALA’s January Jazz II competition in Folsom LA, last week. The hunter champion and prominent trainer piloted his mount, Trading Places, to top honors in both the opening $5,000 Welcome Stake and the closing $25,000 Grand Prix on January 27. In the days following the Welcome, the weather in Folsom turned rainy and cold. Geitner, nevertheless, turned up the heat for the Saturday Prix, steering Places, an eight-year-old Argentine...

(Lexington, KY) - A Para-equestrian dressage training clinic will be held February 2nd through 4th in Flower Mound, Texas at the Victory Farm. The clinic is being funded by the United States Olympic Committee Paralympic Division in an effort to attract more developing Para-equestrian riders to the sport. Instruction will be provided by Renee Albrecq, who was the assistant Para-equestrian coach at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and is the coach of 2004 Paralympic medalist Lynn Seidemann, who...

(Lexington, KY) – Maureen Pethick has joined the United States Equestrian Federation as Dressage High Performance Coordinator. She will work two days a week from the USEF Gladstone, New Jersey office and will be responsible for processing all High Performance athlete applications for international events; answering athlete/owner questions about those competitions; coordinating travel logistics; competition at an event; and administering USEF athlete grants. Pethick has extensive experience with...

The United States Eventing Association (USEA)/Spalding Labs Young Event Horse Series will kick off its 2007 season on March 14 at the Sporting Days in Aiken Horse Trials in Aiken, SC. The series, which is best described as an equine talent search, gives some of the most talented youngsters in the country a chance to shine, with the ultimate goal to find future four-star champions. At least 20 qualifying competitions are planned for 2007, with the championships scheduled for September 12, at...

The American Saddlebred industry is mourning the loss of longtime Saddlebred breeder and exhibitor Barbara J. Blacklaw, who died Friday morning, January 26, in Palm Springs, CA. Barbara and her husband of nearly 50 years, Bill Blacklaw, operated Singing Hills Stables in Oregon City, OR, for the past 39 years, breeding and training American Saddlebreds. Together their contribution to the Saddlebred industry in the Northwest and across the country has been remarkable. Barbara's love of the...