Photo by Team Cardi, LLC (North Fork Cardi and Jessica Wisdom receive the Championship award for I1 Freestyle at Rancho Murieta. ) Welsh Cob stallion North Forks Cardi and rider/trainer/co-owner Jessica Wisdom broke a barrier, a glass ceiling if you will, for Welsh Cobs and large ponies. They won their FEI Intermediaire I Musical Freestyle class at a Concours Dressage Internationale (CDI) at Rancho Murieta, CA, with an impressive 68.5%. The CDI included four Olympic-qualified judges and one...

The Morgan breed's largest horse show has begun. The Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show is held in Oklahoma City, OK, and already some athletes have taken world championships in their respective divisions. If you weren't able to make it to Oklahoma this year, have no fear. You can still see all of the action ringside by going to www.morgangrandnational.com and order your live, streaming video. You can also read all of the results posted on www.gaitkeeper.com at the end of...

The U.S. National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (U.S. Nationals) begins October 23 and continues through October 31, 2009 at Expo Square in Tulsa, OK. U.S. Nationals is the flagship competition for the Arabian horse industry and is produced by the Arabian Horse Association (AHA) of Aurora, CO. Exhibitors and spectators will have plenty of shopping at their fingertips at the U.S. Nationals Shopping Expo in the Exchange Center and Ford Truck Arena. The expo features dozens of...

Former United States Equestrian Team (USET) Chairman Finn M.W. Caspersen, whose competitive nature paid off in a shining multitude of medals for America, died September 7 in Rhode Island. He was 67. "His leadership over his 20 years with the team was extraordinary. It brought the team to an entirely new level and we can't be anything but forever grateful to Finn," said Jane Forbes Clark, the USET Foundation's president and CEO. During Caspersen's tenure, which began in 1982 when he was elected...

The 64th Annual Pennsylvania National Horse Show (PNHS), set to return October 8-17, to the Pennsylvania State Farm Show Arena in Harrisburg, is expanding the size of classes in four popular hunter divisions. Always a favorite among the nation's best riders, the Pennsylvania National Horse Show is increasing the approximate number of entries that it will accept in the Pony Hunter and Junior Hunter divisions from 27 to 30. It will also increase the approximate number of entries it will accept in...

The Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) is giving members one more chance to win big money at the 62nd National Appaloosa Show & World Championship Appaloosa Youth Show in Jackson, MS, by extending the deadline to purchase slots for futurity and sweepstakes to June 1, 2009. The 2009 slot purses promise to be large. More than $85,500 was paid out in 2008, so get in on the action and purchase a slot in one of the following four classes: · 3-year-old Western Pleasure Futurity · 3-year-old Hunter Under...

Lexington, KY - Team USA put in a remarkable effort on the final phase at the 2009 Pan American Endurance Championships in Costa Azul, Uruguay to secure a Team Silver medal. They finished less than six minutes off the gold medal-winning pace of Argentina. The American riders blazed through the final 15km phase: Cheryl van Deusen and on DA Al Capone (New Smyrna Beach, FL) and Stephen Rojek on Savvy (South Woodstock, VT) completed the final leg in just 37 minutes. Valerie Kanavy and LM Francesa...

Lexington, KY – Rolex Watch U.S.A. is synonymous with excellence in sport and 2009 marks the 28th year that this great patron of equestrian sport will serve as the title sponsor of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. Rolex Watch U.S.A. has just continued that commitment with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) for four more years. The very best horses and riders from around the globe annually compete at this Olympic-level competition, the only one of its kind outside of Europe. “The...

The 2009 Stimulus Act signed into law by President Barack Obama contains provisions that impact the horse industry, the American Horse Council said in a February 24 memorandum to the industry. The measure contains the bigger write-off for horses and other property purchased and placed in service during 2009, the AHC said. The benefits were part of 2008 tax stimulus legislation, but they expired at the end of 2008. Here is an overview of what the Stimulus Act does: Expensing allowance The first...

When Bridget Imparato, a USEF judge and steward was faced with her son, Michael, being a high school junior, her sights started to focus on college riding opportunities. The difficulties of navigating through the recruiting process led her to start of an exciting new website, www.EquestrianCollegeRecruiter.com . This website has become a one-stop location to get college equestrian riding questions answered. High school athletes can post an academic and riding resume along with photos and...