Lexington, KY – The tally has just begun and your votes will be an integral part of deciding which of the nation’s leading equines will be named the inaugural Farnam®/ Platform™ • USEF Horse of the Year. Merely weeks away from the 2006 USEF Annual Meeting, all heads are turning to five finalists in anticipation of which horse will be adorned with the title—one of the most prestigious awards the USEF offers. The five finalists for Horse of the Year are:...

If you need to log on to your Authorized User Account (AUA) at www.usef.org , you’ll be relieved to know we’ve made it much simpler to navigate. AUA is the secure system on www.usef.org where you can complete or renew your USEF membership or Licensed Officials membership, print a membership card for competing, apply for a Horse Recording or Horse ID, access your competition records or points and view your USEF information and history, just for starters. It’s a valuable tool many of our members...

Aachen, Germany - Aug. 25 – The United States show jumping team claimed a victory and a fourth place finish Thursday on the eve of the Samsung Super League Nations Cup competition at the World Equestrian Festival. Jeffrey Welles, of Ridgefield, CT, piloted his nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding, Sampras, to victory in the Youngsters Cup, while Laura Kraut of Oconomowoc, WI, finished fourth on the Dutch Warmblood gelding, Anthem, in the Preis von Nordrhein-Westfalen. Welles and Sampras finished in...

From the FEI: At the end of a thrilling Jumping phase, Australia’s Clayton Fredericks came out as the worthy winner of the 2005 FEI Eventing World Cup Final. Performing a magnificent clear round, he retained his overnight score of 42 penalties. The 2nd place goes to yet another Australian, Andrew Hoy, who had one rail down and one time penalty to finish on 44.3. Piia Pantsu follows in 3rd position only 0.1 points behind Hoy (44.4). A total of SEK 630,000 (EUR 68,000) was distributed in prize...

The multi-U.S. National Champion Andalusian stallion, Davido MC, died on May 2, 2005, of an aortic aneurism, while breeding a mare at Selwood Park Stable, in Elkhorn, WI. Davido MC was owned by Gareth A. Selwood for 12 of the horse's 15 years and was bred by Music City Andalusians of Nashville, TN. He was sired by the imported 2000 USEF Leading Andalusian Sire, Ofendido VII, and out of the imported Poseido V daughter, Huerfana. Davido MC qualified for and showed at a record 11 consecutive...

Patty Stovel rode Shandor 41, a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding, to the win in Sunday's $50,000 HITS Grand Prix at HITS Culpeper Showday National. Jerry Dougherty of Geneva, IL, set a challenging first-round course that saw four horses advance to the jump-off. Stovel was the fastest of three double-clears with 40.69 seconds on the clock. Second place went to Megan Moran riding Quarnak De Longprec. Eliza Ferguson Shuford rode Larentino to third place. Beth Underhill finished in fourth place with...

Three days of seminars, one-on-one consultations and networking opportunities for equine business managers, stable owners, trainers, coaches and instructors are right around the corner. The National Riding Instructors Convention takes place October 20-23, 2005, in Orlando, FL, and the American Riding Instructors Association (ARIA) has announced the line-up of major speakers. This year’s keynote speaker is Susan Harris, best known for her work as a Senior Centered Riding instructor and...

St. Gallen in Switzerland plays host to the third leg of the 2005 Samsung Super League series on Friday, June 3, and the Swiss team will be keen to keep the home supporters happy with a good result there. Lying fifth on the leaderboard after the first two legs of the series in La Baule and Rome, they have coped well so far in this, their first Super League season, and Chef d'Equipe Rolf Grass will choose his side from Fabio Crotta, Markus Fuchs, Christina Liebherr, Beat Mandli and Niklaus...

The American Horse Council’s 2005 Horse Industry Directory is now available for purchase. This must-have publication includes listings, both national and international, covering every segment of the equine industry. Updated yearly, it is the definitive source that puts the equine industry at your fingertips. The Directory includes listings for breed registries; racing, rodeo, show, sport and trail organizations; equine and welfare organizations; publications; state extension specialists; state...

Sponsor Slots Selling Fast for USEF 2005 Annual Meeting Sponsor slots are selling fast, but a limited number of spaces are still available for the USEF's 2005 Annual Meeting. Known to attract the most influential equestrians and decision-makers in the sport, the 2005 Annual Meeting will be hosted at Louisville’s prestigious Seelbach Hilton Hotel, January 12-16. Two Platinum sponsorships remain—offering, by far, the most exclusive opportunities for name recognition and...