The American Connemara Pony Society (ACPS) is celebrating its 50th birthday in 2006. Summer activities are being planned to commemorate the golden anniversary of Connemara Ponies in the U.S. The main event will be a weekend-long, educational and fun-filled event to highlight the strengths and accomplishments of the American Connemara. The celebration will take place August 4-6, 2006, at Morven Park in Leesburg, VA. This event showcasing the Connemara pony in North America will be the largest of...

The FEI has just released new freestyle tests at four levels. These tests must be used by all competitions as of June 1, 2006, in the Junior, Young Rider, Intermediare-I and Grand Prix levels. The coefficients for artistic marks have changed, though the actual freestyle test requirements for competitors have not. All previous test editions should be discarded. All FEI tests, including those just released, are available for download on the FEI website, www.horsesport.org or for direct links,...

The Colorado Horse Park announced that Olympic Gold medalist and president of the United States Equestrian Federation® David O’ Connor has signed on as course designer for the Park’s three-day events and horse trials. O’Connor brings a lifetime of knowledge of eventing and horsemanship to this position. In addition, his persona as the head of national governing body for equestrian sports adds luster to his skills and talents. “We are extremely fortunate to have David O’Connor join the Colorado...

Hilltop Farm is proud to announce details about the Young Dressage Horse Trainers Symposium 2006 which will be held this fall at Hilltop Farm, November 3-5. Once again, Hilltop Farm and Harmony Sporthorses have joined hands to provide an outstanding opportunity for professionals interested in furthering their education in the realm of young horse training. This year's panel of experts includes USEF Young Horse Dressage Coach Scott Hassler, FEI judge and competitor Anne Gribbons, and Young Horse...

In September 2005, a dedicated group of Egyptian Arabian enthusiasts met in Lexington, VA, at the Arabian Sport Horse Nationals. Realizing the need for an organization that would meet the needs of owners, breeders and trainers of the Egyptian Arabian sport horse, they formed the Egyptian Arabian Sport Horse Alliance, Inc. (EASHA). One of EASHA's main goals is to increase public awareness of the Egyptian Arabian's athletic ability. The organization will offer encouragement to local association...

In September 2005, Tylord Farm's Lord Luciano, a dark bay by the 2005 fifth place United States Dressage Federation's leading sire Enrico Caruso out of Lily of the Valley (by Unkenruf), flew to Schlieckau, Germany, for preparation for the 30-day performance test conducted at Helmar Bescht's training facility in Schlieckau. On the first day of testing, the 2002 stallion received a 9 from the Guest Rider, the highest score given out that day. He also received a 10 on the first day of...

Denise Boorman and Maple Leaf Paso Fino Stables are offering two stud services to Villano de La Clara, Grand National Champion Bella Forma Stallion and Colts for 2005 and 4th National Champion in Performance, as well as Legion of Merit Winner with over 2,000 points in the show ring, with the funds going to the 2006 CONFEPASO Youth Mundial to be held July 3-9, at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, FL. Villano is standing at Tuckaway Farm and is managed by Pat and Julio "Cese" Figueroa in...

When the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) announced its 2005 champions, the list included Hilltop Farm's elite Hanoverian stallion Contucci as the 2005 USEF Leading Sire Dressage Breeding. Contucci's accumulated points of 766 were more than double the #2 ranked sire, who accumulated 331 points. The title of USEF Leading Owner Dressage Breeding was also awarded to Hilltop Farm, likely due to many of Contucci's offspring successes. Since 2004, Contucci has been represented in the USEF...

Over the weekend of April 29-May 1, 2006, at a dressage competition in Beaufort, Luxembourg, American breeder Susan Thomas had the joy of watching her homebred stallion Patriot win several S-level classes at his first international dressage competition. Patriot is by Thomas Farm's stallion Pharaoh (Parabol-Almeo-Zeus) and was produced by embryo transfer out of Thomas Farm's accomplished grand prix mare Safir (by Diamond). Thomas sent her young stallion to Oliver Luze at Gestut Tannenhof in the...

Rick Silvia of Silvia Estate Dressage announced that two of the stallions in his newly formed Dream Street Stallion collection will compete in the Raleigh CDI. The stallions, Starlight and Lullaby, will be shown by Silvia's trainer, Olympian Lisa Wilcox, who recently relocated to Florida after more than a decade of training and competing in Europe. Twenty-two-year-old Silvia has been a well-known competitor/owner on the Southeast dressage scene for the past five years, as he made the humbling...