Plymouth, MA - For 16 days, the world’s best riders and equine athletes will gather in Lexington, KY, to compete in the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, and SmartPak will be there to welcome them. The World Equestrian Games are comprised of the world championships for eight equestrian sports. This celebration of athletic excellence and the diversity of the equine industry is a natural setting for SmartPak, a company dedicated to supporting riders of all disciplines and improving the...

“It’s a very large and generous contribution,” said John Boomer, retiring President and CEO of The Dressage Foundation, as he announced a $1-million gift made by Gordon Cadwgan, father of Olympian Carol Lavell. Cadwgan, who has been a longtime generous supporter of The Dressage Foundation and its work, has instructed that his $1-million gift is "to be used where needed most, and as the Foundation best sees fit to carry out its mission." he Dressage Foundation's mission is "To cultivate and...

Saturday morning’s second phase of the SmartPak Equine United States Eventing Association (USEA) Training Three-Day competition at the Inavale Horse Trials in Philomath, OR, proved to be a challenge, as the placings shifted around quite a bit in the division sponsored by Gallops Saddlery. The overnight leader added penalties to her score in steeplechase, giving Maria Schatz an opportunity to snatch the lead, following clean trips from phase A through D, to move her up from the third position....

Rising to this year's "Let the Games Begin!" theme, the Wisconsin Morgan Horse Club (WMHC) had a winning presence at the 2010 Midwest Horse Fair. Preliminary numbers show that Friday's attendance set a record (18,500) and the total attendance for this year's three-day event exceeded last year's by 4,000 for a total attendance this year of 54,000. This is a great venue for promoting the Morgan breed. The WMHC booth was located near the front of Barn #1, so a maximum number of visitors had the...

Photo by Team Cardi, LLC (North Fork Cardi and Jessica Wisdom receive the Championship award for I1 Freestyle at Rancho Murieta. ) Welsh Cob stallion North Forks Cardi and rider/trainer/co-owner Jessica Wisdom broke a barrier, a glass ceiling if you will, for Welsh Cobs and large ponies. They won their FEI Intermediaire I Musical Freestyle class at a Concours Dressage Internationale (CDI) at Rancho Murieta, CA, with an impressive 68.5%. The CDI included four Olympic-qualified judges and one...

In recent months, the USEF Dressage Department has received many inquiries regarding use of protective headgear in USEF/USDF-Licensed Dressage Competitions. “Protective headgear” is defined as a helmet which is ASTM/SEI-approved and has a secured harness. USEF General Rule GR801.6-.7 states: “6. Except as may otherwise be mandated by local law, the Federation strongly encourages all riders, while riding anywhere on the competition grounds, to wear protective headgear with harness secured which...

Photo by Michelle Dunn (Miksls Munter Gundersen on Leonbrg) Lexington, KY - Yesterday Mikala Munter Gundersen experienced the drama inherent in competition. The Danish rider had to cut her warm-up for the Grand Prix short because Leonberg's bit was rubbing his lips, and her groom had to run back to the barn to get another one. Her sixth-placed finish in the Grand Prix was the result. Today, though, Gundersen had plenty of time to progressively prepare her German Warmblood for his test, and she...

Boyd Martin at the Jog With Remington XXV (USEF Photo) Lexington, KY – With Wednesday at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day-Event presented by Bridgestone comes the first horse inspection – which christens the official start of the competition. Running also as a Test Event for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, the eventing riders at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event this year have the company of some of the top dressage and jumping riders as Test Events for those disciplines run...

On Sunday April 18, 2010 the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) lodged a formal protest against the disqualification of McLain Ward’s horse, Sapphire at the 2010 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final. Sapphire and Ward were in the lead after the second leg of the Final when Sapphire was disqualified five hours after the second class on the recommendation of the Veterinary Committee that she was unfit to compete, despite being examined before her round by FEI veterinarians and deemed fit to compete....

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and Land Rover North America jointly announced today that Land Rover will be the official vehicle sponsor of the USEF for 2010. In addition to its status as Official Vehicle of the USEF in 2010, Land Rover will also be the title sponsor of the U.S. Eventing Team, set to compete at this year's Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, September 25 - October 10, in Lexington, KY. "Land Rover represents premium performance and success," says...