Lexington, KY— A last minute decision to enter the class paid off for first-time USEF Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal Finalist Michelle Krentz as she swept the class with a unanimous decision from the judges and went home with the title. Krentz beat six other finalists in the 71st Lexington Junior League Horse Show at the famous The Red Mile racetrack. Even though Krentz has not been regularly riding her 17-year-old mare, CH Louisville Lass, the chemistry was right between them. “Since I’ve...

Edward “Eddy” Leidenheimer, American Saddlebred trainer and owner of DreamView Stables of Versailles, KY, died Saturday, June 23, 2007. He was 28 years old. Leidenheimer was a member of the American Saddlebred Horse Association, the Unied Professional Horseman's Association and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). He will be honored posthumously at the Lexington Junior League Horse Show on Thursday, July 12. Memorial trophies in his honor have been announced for the American...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation is thrilled to report that Beezie Madden of Cazenovia, NY, and Authentic romped to victory in the prestigious Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen in Aachen, Germany, July 8, 2007. One of the most coveted grand prix in the world, the Grand Prix of Aachen was last won by an American in 1991 (Anne Kursinski and Starman). Madden, one of only three riders to go through to the jump-off,posted the only clear to win convincingly over French rider Roger...

The victories continued for SBS Farms at the second week of the Saratoga Classic Horse Show on June 27-July 1, 2007. Kacey McCann, 16, of Palmyra, PA, rode Mustique to the Grand Junior Hunter Championship and was named the Best Child Rider. SBS Farms is headed by Susie Schoellkopf and Jennifer Alfano of Buffalo, NY. In addition to her grand championship, McCann was champion in the Small Junior 16-17 Hunters with Mustique, who is owned by SBS Farms. She was reserve champion in the division on...

A new stallion has just been added to the National Reining Horse Association’s (NRHA) list of million dollar sires. Grays Starlight (Peppy San Badger x Docs Starlight), owned by Polo Ranch in Marietta, OK, has just broken into the elite group. Grays Starlight’s offspring earnings now total $1,007,713.58. Some of Grays Starlight’s top money earners include Starlights Wrangler with $125,966.10 in lifetime earnings, Hit The Lights with $112,925.51, Smart Starbuck with $60,045.00, and Spooks Rey...

As a reminder to all riders and owners of four-, five- and six-year-old dressage horses, the 2007 Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championships, sponsored by Markel Insurance, will once again be held at the Kentucky Horse Park, September 14–17 in Lexington, KY. In order to be eligible for this championship program, an Application of Intent must be submitted to the USEF office. The initial deadline is almost here—JUNE 15. Applications are available on the Markel/USEF Young Horse...

The inaugural USEF National Developing Horse Dressage Championship (for seven- to nine-year-old horses at the Prix St. George level) will be held in Lexington, KY, September 14–16, 2007. This championship is sponsored by the Dutta Corporation and Performance Sales International. The qualifying period ends on August 20, and the final qualifying competitions for June, July and August 2007 have now been announced. A complete list of these designated competitions is available at www.usef....

Steffen Peters and Floriano scored a 77.80 to place at third in the 2007 Rolex FEI World Cup dressage competition (Doug Prather) The freestyle is one of the most expressive elements of dressage, and there was no lack of emotion and pageantry during the finals of the 2007 Rolex FEI World Cup Dressage competition in Las Vegas. Germany’s Isabell Werth, aboard her 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Warum Nicht FRH, took the top prize before an appreciative crowd at the Thomas and Mack Center in...

Three-time Olympic legend Joe Fargis, based in Southampton, NY, added another win to an already illustrious career taking top honors in the $25,000 Cherry Blossom Grand Prix presented by The Classic Company. Fargis had two of the 25 equine athletes taking on the immense layout created by designer Allen Rheinheimer. The starting field was a balanced mix of young promising horses to the seasoned veteran professionals like this afternoon’s victorious Diams III, the 14-year-old Selle Francais mare...

Laura Noyes, an aspiring 19-year-old dressage rider from Falmouth, ME, found herself in a rather special situation – receiving an invitation to the FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final in Frankfurt, Germany. Through a sponsorship from the competition organizers, Noyes and her 12-year-old bay Trakehner, Syncro, made the trek to the December 14-17 competition in Frankfurt. The sponsorship came by way of Ann-Kathrin Linsenhoff, a German national with an interest in improving the talents of...