Heather Blitz, Betsy Juliano, Anne Gribbons, James Kofford on Pharaoh and Steffen Peters (USEF Archive) Lexington, KY – Continuing with preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games, - Continuing with preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games, the United States Equestrian Team Foundation (USET) and United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) kicked off 2012 with two training sessions for Dressage Olympic hopefuls. Betsy Juliano graciously opened the doors of her Havensafe Farm South to riders in...

Olympic Champions Eric Lamaze and Hickstead. Photo: Cealy Tetley, www.tetleyphoto.com. Verona, Italy – Hickstead, the horse that Canada’s Eric Lamaze rode to the Individual Gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, has died at the age of 15. Lamaze of Schomberg, ON, and Hickstead were competing in the World Cup Grand Prix in Verona, Italy, on Sunday, November 6. Upon completion of their round, the pair were walking out of the arena when Hickstead collapsed and died. An autopsy...

We found some riders for our horses today. The four riders (Heather Blitz, Marisa Festerling, Cesar Parra and Steffen Peters), their Chef d’Equipe (Eva Salomon), their Technical Advisor (Anne Gribbons) and their team leader (Jenny van Wieren-Page) arrived in full team kit in the Guadalajara airport. We were sorry to not have any sunshine to offer them – but Hurricane Jova really needs to get on his way out of here. I was expecting to come back from this trip with a tan! Swimming has...

Lexington, KY, and Gladstone, NJ - As part of the overall USEF Dressage High Performance Program, the USEF is expanding the Dressage Developing Program in 2012 thanks to the generous support from the USET Foundation through a gift from USET Foundation Trustee Akiko Yamazaki. The Developing Program will include seven Developing Clinics and two Developing Training Camps in 2012. Under the guidance of USEF Developing Coach Debbie McDonald, the clinics and camps aid in the development of the...

Markel representatives John, Lisa, and Brandon Seger as well as Gil Merrick present the Open Third Level Markel/Cornerstone Series Championship to Sherry Van't Riet and "Sir Deauville" (Genia Ply Photography). Burbank, CA – California's dressage riders enjoyed a weekend of hot championship competition and cool entertainment during Cool August Nights held August 25 - 28, 2011 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, CA, featuring the popular Cornerstone Open and Amateur...

Woodside Vaulters (courtesy of Woodside Vaulters). Denver, CO – More than 300 top equestrian vaulters in the United States came together this weekend at the National Western Complex in Denver, CO, for the USEF/AVA National Championships – and they did not disappoint. The Woodside Vaulters of Woodside, CA, gained the top spot on the podium in the Team Championships. The A team consists of Katharine Wick, Gabe Aniello, Allysa Bonora, Tessa Divita, Kathryn Jaggers, Siddartha Kreaden,...

Lexington, KY -­ It's an annual event that calls to the hearts of pony riders all across the country. And to compete in this revered series of championships is to say "I made it!" among a young rider's peers. It's the 2011 United States Equestrian Federation's Pony Finals National Championships, and it's once again time to sound the call for the country's very best pony competitors to gather at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington and throw down their gauntlets as...

Lexington, KY - After claiming the first and second place honors in the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, McLain Ward has taken over the lead in the 2011 Hagyard Challenge Series. The talented rider completed double clear rounds aboard Pjotter Van De Zonnehoeve and Vocas to earn valuable points towards the $45,000 Leading Rider Bonus. Ian Millar of Canada has moved into the second place position, having piloted Instyle and Star Power to fourth and fifth place...

We arrived at the venue today! Our horses had already arrived, so we dove into our first day at the Kentucky Horse Park! We arranged team shirts, walked out our horses, and began organizing for the race this Friday. It was hard work, since we had just come back into the humidity, and I’d done a 120 kilometer race two days before, not to mention the jet lag! But the trip with the United States Endurance Team for the Trial Run of the Endurance World Championship was worth it! I ended up in...

Lexington, KY – The All American Horse Classic (AAHC) will welcome the nation’s top horses and riders to the Indiana State Fairgrounds in September. Offering over $650,000 in awards, the All American is renowned for its “Breeders Showcase” events, one of the highlights of which is the American Saddlebred Registry (ASR) Sweepstakes for two, three and four-year-olds, as well as the All American Cup, the American Hackney Horse Society (AHHS) Hackney Limited Breeders Stakes,...