March 2009 will consist of three American Saddlebred Registry (ASR) Grand National prize program competitions. Conceived by dedicated owners, breeders and trainers, Grand National is a prize program for American Saddlebred horses, created to generate excitement in owning and showing this special breed of horse. The Grand National program is now in its 26th year, has awarded more than $2.8 million, and offered added prize money in more than 59 classes throughout 2008. This year, Grand National...

WELLINGTON, Fla., Mar. 18--Forty of the world's top riders, including 17 Olympians, will jump for $600,000 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center on Saturday night, Mar. 21. FTI Consulting is sponsoring the $400,000 Finale Grand Prix CSI 5* at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival which is also the final event of the $200,000 FTI Rider Challenge. The Grand Prix is the richest ever held in Wellington and, combined with the Rider Challenge, will make it the richest pay day in USA jumping....

Riding for Reading returns to the horse show arena for 2009 with five events, and two are in March. Riding For Reading, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to promoting reading, literacy and education through equestrian sports and activities. The Riding For Reading class is open to riders from first through twelfth grade, and it is an opportunity for competitors to earn grants for their school’s library. Since the program began, over 500,000 students have benefitted from Riding For Reading...

Lexington, KY—For the first time since its inception more than 15 years ago, the thrill of the driving competition at this weekend’s Live Oak International world class qualifying competition will be captured on tape and later broadcast to equestrian enthusiasts internationally at a date to be announced in the near future. This comes as a result of an agreement between the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) which grants the exclusive...

Lexington, KY – The 2009 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) ParaEquestrian Dressage National Championships will be held at the Lamplight Equestrian enter in Chicago, IL May 14-17. This National Championship will be held concurrently with the Lamplight CDI; and for the first time ever in the US, a CPEDI3* will be held. This is the highest level of FEI ParaEquestrian Dressage. ParaEquestrian Dressage riders will also be able to earn their FEI Certificate of Capability, which is required...

The Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show has announced the changes to its Qualifying Requirements for 2009. The significant changes pertaining to show pleasure, country pleasure, and park are as follows: 1. A trainer or any member of his family may not show a customer’s show pleasure or country pleasure horse in order to qualify it for the Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show. 2. All ribbon winners in classes of six or more entries will receive the following points...

The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, the first time outside of Europe, where nearly one-million equine enthusiasts from around the world are expected to attend. It will be the largest sporting event held in North America, with more than 800 athletes and 900 horses from 60 countries expected to compete in eight FEI disciplines. Many horsemen consider the Games to be more important than the Olympics. In an effort to have...

Christie Little, age nine, of Harrington, DE, is the winner of the Morgan horse, "Cash," or CBMF Walk The Line, as part of an essay contest sponsored by the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) and Team Morgan. Cash was generously donated to the contest by Ann Hailey of Copper Beech Morgans in New Albany, OH, which promoted the Morgan breed and raised funds for Team Morgan to travel to and host international equitation competitions. A fourth grader, Little has worked with her family's...

Dressage riders Kassandra Barteau and Marco Bernal rode away winners at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, both winning high score awards sponsored by Dressage Training Online. Barteau captured the USEF Level High Score and Bernal took home the FEI High Score CDI. “We love the opportunity to recognize the horses and riders who excel at this prestigious show,” said Dressage Training Online founder Reisa Bonetti. “We know the commitment it takes to succeed at this level of competition.” Barteau, who...

Combined driver Chester Weber continued his goal of qualifying for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games by winning the FEI division for four-in-hand horses at the Sunshine State FEI Combined Driving Event held at the Florida Horse Park. Weber, who was recently named a 2008 Equestrian of Honor by the United States Equestrian Federation, was pleased with his weekend, which included a first place in the dressage, FEI horse team and the marathon course. While Team Weber dominated the...