The highlight of the Tuesday's events at the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Annual Meeting was the Evening of Equestrians awards ceremony, sponsored by the Rudin Family, that recognized members and their horses for their achievements throughout the year. USHJA Officers Beth Miner, Chrystine Tauber, and Alvin Topping helped President Bill Moroney present awards to deserving members. Among the awards presented Tuesday night was the USHJA Lifetime Achievement Award. Larry Langer...

The highly lauded trainer and rider Geoff Teall will be conducting an equitation clinic entitled "Back to Basics" on January 12 at 3:45 p.m. at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Teall's clinic will be the first of a series of clinics sponsored by the Palm Beach Riding Academy in an effort to allow both riders and spectators access to some of the industry's top professionals. Participation in the clinic will be open to both junior and adult riders currently competing in a minimum...

The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation is pleased to announce that they have awarded the Amanda Warrington Grant to three-day event rider Heather Morris of Lewisville, TX. The Amanda Warrington Grant is awarded through the Amanda Pirie Warrington Fund. The Amanda Pirie Warrington Fund was established by Amanda's family in her memory with the purpose of helping provide financial assistance to a developing event rider who has been identified as a rider with great talent and ability...

The phrase "learning from the best" took on a whole new meaning for the 14 riders who participated in a clinic with two-time Olympic Gold Medalist McLain Ward at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, NY, December 5-6. Ward helped the United States show jumping team win Gold medals at both the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, and has won major titles at some of the most prestigious horse shows in the world, including the $250,000 FTI Grand Prix at the Hampton Classic Horse Show and the $1 million CN...

Excellence in equestrian sport does not come easy. It takes an amazing sense of dedication, incredible skill and a courageous heart. And in 2009, five horses (and their riders, drivers and handlers) have shown the world exactly those qualities. For each of them, their hard work and brilliant talent has garnered them a nomination for the United States Equestrian Federation's highest honor bestowed upon a horse - the Farnam/Platform USEF Horse of the Year Award. The five nominees represent the...

With the close of the 2009 competition year and in anticipation of the United States Equestrian Federation’s annual Pegasus Awards celebration in January, the Federation is proud to announce the candidates in line to become the coveted 2009 Equestrian of the Year. Known as the USEF Equestrians of Honor, these seven stars of equestrian sport across breed and discipline have each been named recipients of one of seven different competitive trophies awarded during the Pegasus Awards on January 16...

Registrations are still being accepted for the EQUUS Foundation/United States Equestrian Federation Youth Convention scheduled for Saturday, January 16, 2010, at the Louisville Marriott Downtown in Louisville, KY. The convention unites youth from around the country and helps to nurture and develop a growing interest in equestrian sport. This all-day event will include a Star Power Panel of top athletes from USEF-recognized breeds and disciplines who will speak with the youth about their...

The International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC), in partnership with the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), has launched a major new initiative to recognize the world’s best rider according to the Rolex Rankings. Starting at the 2009 Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final in Paris, the leading rider will wear a green and gold armband featuring the words "Number 1, The Rolex Rankings" at FEI Jumping events throughout 2010. The Rolex Rankings are updated every week and officially released at the start of...

Stephen Rojek and Kathy Brunjes at the President’s Cup in Abu Dhabi (Kathy Brunjes Photo) Endurance athlete Stephen Rojek was named the recipient of the 2009 Maggy Price Endurance Excellence Award. The award, sponsored by Gold Medal Farm's Larry and Valerie Kanavy, is given out annually to the Endurance Rider who earns the most points in a competition year at designated FEI Endurance competitions. Rojek (South Woodstock, VT) won the Ocala CEI3* with Sambet and had top 10 finishes at the...

The 2009 Cinch® National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Non Pro Futurity Finals were the featured competition on Friday at the NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship (NAAC) Show in Oklahoma City, OK. Nearly two dozen countries have been competing at the show over the past nine days with nine riders from four countries advancing to the $120,000 added Cinch/NRHA Non Pro Futurity Finals. In draw two in the second section of the Non Pro finals, reigning champion and NRHA’s...