The American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) recently announced the recipient of this year’s Youth Achievement Award during the 2008 AMHA Awards Luncheon at the AMHA Annual Convention in Minneapolis, MN. The award, regarded as one of the most celebrated annual honors available through AMHA, went to Caralee Conklin of Gainesville, FL. Conklin, a lifetime Morgan enthusiast, is the current president of the AMHA Youth Council and has helped to expand and improve existing programs while providing...

The World Games 2010 Foundation announced that Kim Bennett has been selected as Director of Hospitality Programs for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. As Director of Hospitality Programs, Bennett will oversee the planning, design, sales and execution of the 2010 Games VIP hospitality program. Bennett will also have shared responsibilities in other areas of hospitality management surrounding the Games, including working with catering companies and specialty functions that may be developed...

Three Przewalski horse foals kicked up their hooves, making a grand entrance at the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park on Friday, August 8, 2008. The Wild Animal Park currently houses 17 of these critically endangered horses, including the new additions, born August 3, July 22 and July 19. Two more babies are expected soon. Foals are born after an 11-month pregnancy. Approximately 30 minutes after birth the babies must be on their legs and able to move with the herd. Since 1974, 138 Przewalski's...

Hong Kong, China – After receiving the lowest score of her career (63.00%), all of Brentina’s connections were concerned that despite training absolutely phenomenally every day leading up to the Games, there may have been something physically wrong with the gallant 17-year-old Hanoverian mare. “She’s fitter and sounder than ever,” said her rider of 13 years, Debbie McDonald. “She’s been schooling so well but she was totally different in the ring than she was in the warm up. I was totally caught...

The human and animal kingdoms may be enjoying a quiet summer/winter weekend, depending on the hemisphere, but it is a key one for the horses taking part in the equestrian events of the 2008 Olympic Games. On Friday, July 25, the first horses left from Europe (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) and the United States (Atlanta, GA) on three flights to Hong Kong. All 33 horses—coming from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Korea, The Netherlands, and Switzerland—accompanied by 15 attendants...

The American Saddlebred Registry has announced estimated payouts for its popular and growing sweepstakes program. In 2008, the sweepstakes will again be held at the All American Horse Classic , September 2-6 in Indianapolis, IN. Live video streaming on the Internet will be available this year for the first time. For complete information on the Sweepstakes program, visit www.asha.net/Prize-Sweepstakes . Total estimated purses for 2008 are $210,400, up 5.5% from the actual purses awarded in 2007,...

The very first International Equestrian Federation (FEI) World Reining Championship will be held in Manerbio, Italy, September 11-14, 2008, at the Palasturla facility. The FEI competition will be organized by the Italian Equestrian Sports Federation (FISE), with the technical support of the Italian Reining Horse Association (IRHA). Invitations have been formally extended to all Foreign National Federations (NF) with the ability to enter one team. Each team can be comprised of a minimum of three...

Lexington, KY – U.S. show jumper Hillary Dobbs went to Falsterbo Horse Show in Sweden to jump in Europe for the first time. The 20-year-old Harvard University student may have been looking for some experience. She also found a big win. Riding Corlett, she was one of two US riders to jump in the Swedbank Derby. It was her first attempt at a Derby class in her first European show, but no one would have ever guessed. “She was just brilliant,” said Chef d'Equipe Melanie Smith Taylor. “She was the...

Richard Spooner and Cristallo won the CSI5* Grand Prix du Prix de Monaco. This was the fourth leg of the Global Champions Tour 2008. Spooner and the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding sped around the course and picked up the win with a time of 38.99 seconds, only 0.02 seconds ahead of second place. Jeanne Hobbs won the Fourth Class at the FEI CSIO4* at Lipica, Slovenia. It was a 1.45 meter class with 58 starters. Hobbs was riding Night and Day 8, a 15-year-old Oldenburg gelding. In the Team...

The Adequan®/USEF National Open Reining Championship presented by Equine Motorcoach will bring the nation’s finest reiners together to compete for their chance to land a spot on the U.S. reining team. The 2008 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby hosts this competition on Friday, June 27, at the Oklahoma State Fair Grounds in Oklahoma City, OK. The United States team will be selected at the Adequan®/USEF National Open Reining Championship starting at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night. To...