The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation Holiday Fundraiser, presented by Succeed® and Wellington Classic Dressage, was a great success as spectators had the opportunity to experience the one-of-a-kind equestrian event featuring performances, exhibitions and team competitions with Olympians and many top equestrian stars. A benefit for the USET Foundation, the fundraiser was held at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL, on December 11-12, 2009. Through generous...

The final shows have been posted and the 2009 Performance Horse Registry’s (PHR) Silver Stirrup Award winners have been announced. One of the Hunter winners include Krishna Buyalos’s beautiful two-year-old filly, Outstanding. This bay filly is by Popeye K and out of Delilah. She was bred in California by Leslie Nelson. She is the winner of the Hunter Breeding Award. The Anglo-Trakehner gelding Unbelievable (Zarr x Rhapsody II) took home the award for the best Green Working Hunter. The Jumper...

Photo by Ken Braddick (Steffen Peters and Ravel) Lexington, KY – Talk about busy. 2009 has been a whirlwind, new champions of all kinds, title defenders, legends and innovators made headlines this year. The line between winning and losing has become increasingly fine as all the USEF competitors in every discipline continue to up their game, hone their skills and make the US Team proud both locally and across the globe. With the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) looming on the...

Photo by Amy McCool (Kassandra Barteau and GP Raymeister ) Lexington, KY – Before a packed house at the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final for Young Riders in Frankfurt, Germany, American rider Kassandra Barteau saved her best performance for last with GP Raymeister and finished second in the ‘B Group’ of the Freestyle. In her last year of Young Rider competition, the 21-year-old from Maple Park, IL and the 10-year-old Holsteiner stallion owned by Grand Prix Equestrian and Ginna Frantz, scored 68....

Photo by Sportfot.com (Lucy Davis and True Love ) Lexington, KY – Seventeen-year-old Lucy Davis jumped clear when it mattered most in the European Youngster Cup at CSI Frankfurt in Germany December 17-20, to win the prestigious competition with the only clear round in the final round. Riding True Love, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood owned by Old Oak Farm, Davis (Los Angeles, CA) jumped clear in the Preliminary round, with the eighth fastest time, and then had one fence down in the next round –...

The American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) is pleased to recognize the following members who will receive top awards at its annual convention, which will take place in Lexington, KY, February 17-20. Man and Woman of the Year Awards honor those individuals for their continued support of the breed. This year's honorees are Roger Barricklow and Connie Barker. Nicole Nicholson will be awarded the Cecil Brown Memorial Sportsmanship Award, which is given to a Morgan exhibitor who has displayed...

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) and Markel Insurance once again hosted three sales during the 2009 NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show in Oklahoma City. The top seller from all three sales was Mister Montana Nic (Reminic x Mollie Montana, by Montana Doc), an eleven-year-old stallion consigned by Craig Schmersal for Montana Nic Syndicate. Ericka Alcorn of Gardner, KS, bought the NRHA money earner of $121,000 in the NRHA/Markel Insurance Marketplace...

A talented American Paint Horse stallion, Gunnatrashya, captured the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Open Futurity title in Oklahoma City recently, outscoring over 400 horses entered in the open division of this event, according to NRHA officials. The Paint stallion won with an outstanding score of 228.5, earning $125,000 in prize money. This is only the second time in history that an American Paint Horse has won this prestigious event. Gunnatrashya now joins RR Star, who won the...

Mikala Munter Gundersen and Festivo Win Equilite Sponsored Class International dressage trainer and competitor Mikala Munter Gundersen was in the ribbons at the Wellington Classic Holiday Challenge, winning the USEF Third Level Test 3 with Christine DeHerrera’s Westphalian gelding Festivo. The class was sponsored by Equilite, makers of Sore No More, Herbal Blends and Botanical Animal Flower Essences, and Gundersen took home a giant tote filled with Equilite products. “Christine, who owns...

The inaugural Emerging Athletes Program (EAP) National Training Session (level 3) will take place January 8-10, 2010, in Reno, NV, at Maplewood Stables, Inc., owned by Julie Winkel. The top 12 finalists will spend three days focused on displaying their riding, horsemanship and stable management skills. Finalists for Reno in Alphabetical Order 1. Alexa Anthony, Richmond, WA 2. Carly Anthony, Redmond, WA 3. Hayley Barnhill, Collierville, TN 4. Nelson Bierwirth, Roswell, NM 5. Arden Cone, Landrum,...