Rodrigo de Matos is a Principle Rider of L'Escola Portuguesa d'Arte Equestre, and the Chief Instructor at Morgado Lustiano in Portugal. He represented Portugual at the recent Paris Symposium where all four of the great classical European schools of riding were invited to a joint performance and exchange of ideas. Participants included the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, the Cadre Noir, L'Escola Portuguesa, and the Spanish National School. As a representative of L'Escola and Morgado Lusitano,...

If you missed your chance to win champion-bred yearling Gay Bars Christi at last summer’s World Championship Paint Horse Show, you will have one last opportunity to call her yours at the inaugural American Paint Horse Association (APHA) Fall Championship Show in Fort Worth, TX, this November. The filly was donated by Floyd and Maryann Moore of the legendary 6-J Paint Horses in Huntsville, TX, as a fundraiser for the American Paint Horse Foundation’s college scholarship program. The Moores have...

Lexington, KY— Last year, eleven-year-old Lillie Keenan made history by being the first young rider to sweep the small, medium and large divisions of the 2007 Wild Horsefeathers/United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) National Pony Hunter Finals. Keenan almost repeated history again this year by winning the Medium and Large Pony divisions, securing her the Champion and Reserve title. Keenan bested 292 competitors with a top score of 1077 aboard Dogwood Hill’s German Warmblood gelding...

In one of the deepest fields assembled in recent memory, Wimpys Little Chic, owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA, Weatherford, TX, dominated a field of impressive four-, five-, and six-year-old reining horses with a decisive win in the 2008 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby. Ridden by NRHA’s Leading Money Earning Rider Shawn Flarida, the team accomplished what no other combination has—winning the NRHA Futurity, NRBC, and the NRHA Derby consecutively! Andrea Fappani piloted...

Allan Ehrlick from Campbellville, Ontario, Canada, took home top honors for this year’s Amateur High-Point Achievement Award with 451 points. Ehrlick showed four horses in 10 shows—three purebreds and one Half-Arabian. Most of his points were earned on Dal-Apollo, (Sea Ben Ben Bilal x Rudaynah), a 13-year-old purebred gelding who earned Ehrlick two national championships, two reserve national championships and six Top 10s at the 2007 Sport Horse Nationals in Lexington, VA, and Canadian...

Iron Spring Farm’s UB40 continues to make a name for himself in both North America and Europe. Two UB40 sons were selected for performance testing at the 2008 KWPN Stallion Keuring held in s’ Hertogenbosch last week. One three-year-old son bred by A.A. van de Koppel, Amigo out of Tolanda (Elite) by Krack C, finished in the reserve championship position in the dressage stallion category. Amigo is a beautiful, modern-type with a gorgeous head and neck and uphill build. The result is incredible...

Three American Saddlebred names recognizable to many in the Saddlebred community have died within the last three weeks: Denmark’s Radiant Society (BHF), Phi Slama Jama and CH Sultan’s Hot Copy. On Tuesday, October 23, Denmark’s Radiant Society (BHF) died at age 30. She had been owned by Dr. and Mrs. Simon Fredricks of Simbara Farms of Houston, TX, since 1979. Denmark’s Radiant Society (BHF) (CH Ronald Reagan x Denmark’s Society Sue [BHF]) was the 1980 Three-Year-Old Fine Harness World’s...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to have Jan Ebeling join the list of clinicians for the USDF FEI Junior/Young Rider (Jr/YR) Clinic Series. These clinics, with funding support provided by The Dressage Foundation, are open to riders between the ages of 14 and 21, currently riding at third level or above. However, auditors of all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend. Although an American citizen since 1998, Ebeling is a native of Germany and holds his Bereiter license....

Lexington, KY - The USEF named the team of riders and horses selected to represent the U.S. at the 2007 FEI Reining Masters to be held in Oklahoma City, OK on November 29 during the NRHA Futurity. Both Casey Hinton and Gabe Hutchins will be representing the U.S. for the first time. Hinton, 46, of Whitesboro, TX has been named with both Mr Boomerjac and Bueno Starlight. Mr Boomerjac, a 14-year-old palomino Quarter Horse stallion owned by Robert LaPorta and George Easterday, has lifetime earnings...

Lexington, Kentucky – The Youth Council is pleased to announce the completed panel of Star Power athletes for the Inaugural Youth Council Convention to be held January 18, 2008 in Louisville, KY. These representatives of the USEF recognized breeds and disciplines have been high profile successful competitors for many years. Karen O’Connor will represent the Eventing discipline. Her most recent successes have been astride the notable Theodore O’Connor, a pony who has accomplished feats that have...