2009 USEF Farnam/Platform Horse of the Year (Shannon Brinkman/USEF Archives) Louisville, KY – Annually, five of the USEF’s 130,000 registered horses achieve so much in a year that they are named USEF Horses of Honor and enter the running for the title of Farnam®/Platform™ Horse of the Year. In 2009 all five of these horses were nothing short of remarkable. But one forever changed the face of his sport, and with that, Ravel was voted the 2009 USEF Farnam®/Platform™ Horse of the Year. It began in...

It is with great pleasure that the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) announces the results of the 2009 Open Competition Program. Each year, Morgan horses compete against the country's best competition and 2009 was no exception. The Medallion, Champion High-Point, and Reserve Champion High-Point winners will be honored at the annual AMHA Convention Awards Luncheon in Lexington, KY, Saturday, February 20. The AMHA thanks all who participated last year and for the continued commitment to...

In a webinar, Jeff Morse explains the new, flexible American Driving Society (ADS)-recognized event, the Continuous Day of Driving, which consists of at least three ADS competitions driven consecutively with brief periods of rest in between. If you are an organizer or just interested in learning more about how to run this new event, don't miss this webinar/ The webinar will be 60 minutes long and is open to everyone. All participants will remain muted during the call and will listen to the...

Photo by Randi Muster (Pablo Barrios and La Gran) The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) began their competition on Wednesday, January 14, with opening jumper classes in the International Arena. The first week of the FTI WEF is sponsored by G&C Farm and runs through Sunday, January 17. The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of competition that conclude on April 4, 2010, and almost $6 million in prize money will be awarded through the circuit. This week's course designer is...

Entries for the 2010 HITS Desert Circuit are up nearly 10% over last year for the 2010 HITS Thermal Circuit, for "an impressive leap in a down economy," said Tom Struzzieri, President and CEO of HITS. Struzzieri attributes Thermal's 2010 growth to discounted circuit rates for stabling prices, 16 Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix Qualifiers, four FEI World Cup Qualifiers, and the $300,000 Grand Prix of the Desert, which will take place on Sunday, March 14. "All of the indications we've had for the...

Denise Wilson and Elenor (Photo by Flashpoint Photography ) The opening week of the 2010 Jacksonville Winter Series kicked off with a warm welcome to competitors, especially Denise Wilson of Dousman, WI, and her brilliant mare For Elenor who won Saturday evening’s Naders $10,000 Jumper Classic. Wilson and the nine-year-old flashy Hanoverian chestnut For Elenor are no strangers to winning, with more than a dozen top five placings in 2009, including the victory lap of the $20,000 Showplace...

The first Spalding Labs/United States Eventing Association (USEA) Young Event Horse (YEH) competition of the year is being held February 3 in sunny Ocala, FL. The competition will run in conjunction with the YEH judging seminar at the beautiful Longwood Farm. This is the first in a series of three YEH competitions offered this winter in Florida. The next venue will be Rocking Horse Stables on February 27 with the final series competition at the Florida Horse Park on March 9. The March...

The qualifying period for the biggest grand prix in America is about to get under way with the start of the three HITS Winter Circuits in Ocala, Thermal, and Arizona. This winter, HITS horse shows will offer 36 opportunities to qualify for the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix, which will take place on September 12 at HITS Saugerties. HITS Ocala Winter Circuit — January 20-March 21 East Coast riders will have their first chance to get in on the action at the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit in Ocala,...

Organizers of the Queen City Classic announced several big changes for the new season, beginning with the event’s move to the South Carolina Equine Park in the horse friendly town of Camden. The Queen City Classic will present the Camden Spring Fling April 7-11 at the newly renovated horse park. The grounds include two 250 x 150 outdoor arenas with new all-weather footing, one covered ring with a sand-clay mix footing and expanded schooling rings that measure 250 x 300, plus another schooling...

EVENT: The Ninth Annual Challenge of the Americas Competition and Gala WHAT: A Grand Prix international musical freestyle and team quadrille dressage challenge featuring a special polo sweepstakes and four-bar show jumping challenge. The Challenge Gala, an elegant evening of dinner and dancing, will get under way immediately following the "The Challenge of the Americas" competition. An awards presentation will be featured and guests will have the chance to meet and socialize with riders and...