Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation’s (USEF) Show Jumping Developing Rider Program is getting into full swing with several initiatives underway for the 2009 season. The Developing Rider Tour will return to Europe this summer and applications for the Tour are now being accepted. Applications can be found on the USEF website: https://www.usef.org/Contentpage2.aspx?id=hpjumping. Applications are due March 20, 2009 and the horse/rider combinations for the tour will selected off...

Horses and Humans Research Foundation (HHRF) invites proposals to investigate the therapeutic effects of horses on humans. The Foundation's broad research agenda includes basic research as well as clinical studies that will ultimately impact physical and mental health and the quality of life for people with disabilities who are involved with equine-assisted activities/therapies. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis, taking into account scientific merit, scientific and clinical significance...

Westford, MA - Olympian Courtney King-Dye and "O" Judge Anne Gribbons will be the featured clinicians for a fundraising event to be held at Settlement Farm in Townsend, MA. This educational forum will take place May 1-3, 2009. Eight junior and young riders will have the opportunity to work with King-Dye, and the symposium will be opened to auditors on Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3. Sunday will feature open warm-ups with King-Dye and a judged test by Gribbons. Auditors will be provided with...

Lexington, KY— Following the decision of the General Assembly FEI Registration has been mandatory for all riders and horses competing in FEI competitions since January 1, 2006. Beginning January 1, 2009, any points acquired at a Competition where the rider or horse are not registered for that Competition year will not be included in the cumulative points. Competitions may not let these riders and/ or horses compete. However, registration is not required for riders and horses who participate...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation has approved the following additional horse/rider combinations to the USEF Eventing Short List for the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, August 8-24, 2008. The combinations are as follows (listed alphabetically): Name/Age/Hometown/Horse/Sex/Age/Breed/Owner Clark Montgomery / 27 / Bryan, TX / Up Spirit / G / 9 / Irish Thoroughbred / Bill Becker, Holly Becker, and Clark Montgomery Jennifer Wooten / 30 / Ramona, CA / The Good Witch / M / 12 /...

LaBaule, France - A Dutch show jumper will be first into the ring as the 2008 Samsung Super League with FEI series gets underway in La Baule, France tomorrow afternoon. At the draw held this morning, the order of go was decided as follows: 1. The Netherlands 2. USA 3. Switzerland 4. Sweden 5. France 6. Germany 7. Belgium 8. Ireland 9. Great Britain. A number of nations have nominated five riders but Switzerland and Germany have sent just four so Steve Guerdat, Christina Liebherr, Jane Richard...

The Adequan/United States Eventing Association (USEA) Gold Cup Series comes to the Woodside Horse Trials on May 23-25, and it will be an excellent opportunity for rising riders and their horses to earn valuable points in the year-long series at the advanced and intermediate levels of eventing. Modeled after NASCAR and other thriving sports series, the Adequan/USEA Gold Cup Series is based on a cumulative points system, with horse-and-rider pairs earning points, prize money and prizes at each of...

Former United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) steward of many years, Iris McNeil of Lexington, Virginia, age 88, died Monday, July 23, 2007. A graveside service will be held Thursday, July 26 at 2:00 p.m. at the Stonewall Jackson Cemetery in Lexington, Virginia. Flowers may be sent in care of the Harrison Funeral Home, 714 Main Street, Lexington, VA 24450. The funeral home may be reached at (540) 463-2912. Florists in the area include Jefferson Florist, (540) 463-9841, and University...

The Kentucky Horse Council announced a new program to assist those horses whose owners cannot provide adequate feed due to temporary financial setbacks. The Equine Safety Net program is designed to provide a 30-day supply of feed for horses when the owner is having temporary financial difficulties and is unable to supply adequate nutrition. This program is for individuals only, and is not intended for professional equine businesses. The applicants can apply for feed for a maximum of two horses,...

Starting in 2007, the American Morgan Horse Association’s (AMHA) Youth Member of the Year award will now be called the AMHA Annual Youth Achievement Award, as decided by the AMHA Board of Directors at their May meeting. The award, which recognizes a youth who demonstrates outstanding achievement and dedication to the Morgan breed , is determined by a point system. In 2006, Caitlin Novotny of Oklahoma City received the first AMHA Youth Member of the Year award. AMHA youth members may earn points...