(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....

Gladstone, NJ – Debbie McDonald is one of the most decorated American riders in recent years. With her beloved mare Brentina she picked up medals on three consecutive teams (2002 WEG, 2004 Olympics and 2006 WEG) and has become a household name in the dressage world. Organized by the US Olympic Committee, McDonald spoke about the value of sportsmanship to members of the Hoofbeats 4-H Club on Wednesday June 13 in Gladstone, NJ after the veterinary inspection at the Festival of Champions. Young...

Rolex will in future be supporting the World Equestrian Festival, CHIO Aachen, as their general sponsor. Until now, Rolex had shown its commitment to Aachen in their role as main sponsor. As the general sponsor, Rolex is also the title sponsor of the most important show jumping competition in the world, the Rolex Prize of Aachen. “The CHIO Aachen epitomises respect for old traditions, the quest for innovation and for precision right down to the last detail. It is very well suited to us,“ said...

Lexington, KY—The United States Equestrian Federation® has announced the nomination criteria for its Heroes for Horses Award, to be presented at the 2007 Pegasus Awards, January 12, in Louisville, KY. It is the second year that the prestigious award will be given. This award is presented to an individual(s) or organization(s) that have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the protection and welfare of horses over a period of many years and/or have saved equines through an act of courage and...

It was a stars-and-stripes win as four top riders from the United States took the Nations Cup in CSIO Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Friday, November 10. The team of Eliza Shuford, Chris Kappler, Carolyn Kelly and Brianne Goutal beat out riders from four other countries—Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Sweden. This team was named only for this competition, and was under the direction of U.S. Chef d’Equipe George Morris. Riding in their first Nations Cup, the first round saw Young Rider rookie Kelly go...

Famed publisher William Randolph Hearst, who also established an important horse breeding operation, is credited with having first coined the name “Morab” for the distinct breed of horses that are Arabian and Morgan crosses. He bred his Arabian stallions to Morgan mares to produce horses which were sure-footed, fast and versatile. Consequently, they were well suited to the rough and varied terrain of his San Simeon ranch near the Pacific Coast of California. More than six generations later, the...

Productions East Video, in association with the United States Equestrian Federation® (USEF), GoMobileBroadband.com and LiveBroadcast.tv will present live webcasts of the Pessoa/USEF National Hunt Seat Equitation Medal Finals presented by Becker College and the Adequan/USEF National Junior Jumper Championship as well as other classes from the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. The Pennsylvania National Horse Show is one of the nation’s premier horse shows. It takes place October 12-21 at The...

Lexington, KY – With a score of 118.41, Diane Kastama of Arroyo Grande, CA, won the Grade 1 Individual Gold medal at the 2006 FEI World Carriage Driving Championships for Drivers with Disabilities in Mensport, Hellendoorn, The Netherlands. Kastama drove Jasper, her 11-year-old Welsh Cob gelding. They were first in the dressage phase and first in the cones phase. She and her teammate Mary Gray competed alongside athletes from 60 different countries. The event was held September 6-10, and occurs...

For Morgan enthusiasts, October means more than just the introduction of fall; it also features the Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show held annually at the Oklahoma Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. The Grand National promises to be another spectacular event this year, taking place October 7-14. Each year the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) selects one USEF Class “A” Morgan Show from each region to be its American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) Regional Championship...

Linda Wachtmeister’s and Plain Dealing Farm’s Winsome Adante has taken the lead on the U.S. Eventing Association’s (USEA) All-time High-Point Leaderboard with a record career score of 1,184 points. Giltedge (1,114 points), who represented the U.S. on five international teams with David O’Connor, and who is owned by Mrs. Jacqueline Mars, has headed the all-time high-point leaderboard since his win at the Kentucky CCI**** in 2003 and is now in second place. Hannigan, owned by Bruce Duchossois has...