Lexington, KY - Due to significant changes and reformatting of the FEI Eventing Rules in 2013, the USEF Eventing Department has sought to clarify and explain these revamped rules. Among the most significant changes are the FEI Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MERs) for horses and athletes. To learn more about the 2013 USEF/FEI Eventing Qualifying Requirements click here . All athletes competing in FEI events are expected to familiarize themselves with the FEI General Regulations, Veterinary...

Lexington, KY - In October 2012, for the very first time, the US Saddle Seat Young Rider Team application process got under way. 60 Applications were received from around the country, and from multiple Saddle Seat Breed members. After an extensive review the following 12 riders were selected to be part of the 2013 US Saddle Seat Young Rider Team. Three-Gaited Caroline Cherry/15/Encinitas, CA Courtney McGinnis/15/Fishers, IN Allison Schuh/18/Seymour, WI Kristen Smith/19/Crestwood, KY Lila...

Finalists for the 2013 PagePlay Equestrian Social Media Awards were announced today with the United States Equestrian Federation and USEF Network each recieving one nomination. Ten finalists have been nominated in each of the 33 categories and voting is now open to the public. Winners will be determined 75% from scores give by this panel of judges , and 25% from votes of the public. The United States Equestrian Federation is a finalist for the "Best Use of Social Media in North America" award....

Today’s post comes from Sin City, Las Vegas Nevada. Since I am here in the region of Southwest Western Dressage, I decided to write the blog as an interview with someone from the Las Vegas equestrian community who was doing Western Dressage. So I opened up the phone book to call a local barn. Every barn number but one was disconnected or no longer in service. The one that was working was a casino! So I called a feed store, thinking that at the feed store would be someone who knew someone...

Two-time World Driving Championship silver medalist Chester C. Weber of Ocala, FL, won the FEI Four-in-Hand division at the 2012 Live Oak International (www.PicsOfYou.com) Ocala, FL - Live Oak International, the only equestrian event in North America to feature both world-class driving and show jumping, returns to Ocala, FL, from March 20 to 24, 2013. For more than 20 years, Live Oak International has been known for its international driving competition. This year, it will offer the highest...

I’m Angelea Kelly Walkup; animal lover, web personality, writer, and dressage rider. For those of you that know me you’re familiar with my USEF Pegasus award-winning work at HorseGirlTV® tag lined, Tune in. Tack up.® and I thank you for watching the series. Still read on as there are free products in store for you plus you just might learn something new about me. For those of you that don’t know me yet, you too read on as there are free products in store and hopefully...

Jeanine Cash and Lansing (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Lansing and Jeanine Cash had a clean sweep of the Adult Amateur 36-50 division during week one of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). The ten-year-old Holsteiner gelding, owned by Richard Schechter and trained by Gary Duffy, was unbeatable both days of competition, taking home the blue for every over fences class as well as the under saddle. Joe Maskrey's Winter Rose, ridden by Lynn Seithel, earned...

How do good ideas happen? By great people putting their minds together – and that’s what happened when Frances Carbonnel, Cliff Swanson, and Neide Cooley got together last August to work on the Educational Program for the Western Dressage Association® of Colorado. I had the pleasure of speaking with Frances about how the Train The Trainers clinic came into being. “We decided we needed some videos to help people understand what the gaits are for Western Dressage,”...

Lexington, KY - The popular helmet awareness campaign Riders4Helmets will be hosting the 4th Riders4Helmets Safety Symposium on Saturday February 2nd, 2013 at the Alltech Arena, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY from 8.30am to 5pm. The symposium is being sponsored by Tipperary , Charles Owen , Troxel , GPA , One K , Ovation and High Visibility USA (Equisafety). Contributing companies include Adequan and Triple Crown . For those who cannot attend the symposium in person, videoed sessions will...

Shane Sweetnam and Solerina. (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - The 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) hosted its opening day of competition on Wednesday, January 9, at the beautiful Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL, with big wins for Ireland's Shane Sweetnam. Sweetnam kicked things off with a bang in back to back victories in the first two classes of the circuit in the International Arena. Sweetnam won the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m speed class...