(Lexington, KY) – Maria Partlow, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communication has announced that she will retire effective October 1st, 2007. She has been with the USEF since March of 2004. “This is a life decision and one I have thought a great deal about,” she said. “My mother died very unexpectedly earlier this year, and her passing made me reflect on how fleeting life is and about how I want to spend the future. Although I love working at the USEF, I want to get up every morning,...

Iron Spring Farm’s legendary KWPN stallion Contango passed away unexpectedly on April 17, 2007. Retired from competition, the handsome dark bay stallion died peacefully in his pasture. He was 18 years old and the only Preferent stallion in North America. He leaves a lasting legacy of numerous sons and daughters reaching the grand prix ranks in both dressage and jumping. “Even though he was getting older, you’re never ready for something like this,” said Mary Alice Malone, who rode Contango to...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is temporarily closing the Miami Animal Import Center to new arrivals after horses quarantined at the facility became sick. The Equine Disease Communication Center alert for this contains up to date information. APHIS is investigating to determine the specific cause of illness in these horses. Salmonellosis is suspected and the facility is taking precautions to control disease spread. More information...

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) reports with great sadness that Dr. Craig Ferrell died as a result of injuries sustained in a polo match. Dr. Ferrell served as the U.S. Team Doctor and was a steadfast friend to so many in the equestrian industry. Visitation is planned from 4 PM to 8 PM on Wednesday, May 30th at the Harlin Student Center on the campus of Battle Ground Academy, 336 Ernest Rice Lane, Franklin. The funeral is planned for 2 PM. Thursday, May 31st at the Catherdral of...

Sunday is a quiet day at Schafhof. Horses are off and most of the staff too. Watson and I walked in the Reithalle in the morning and afternoon. The other horse in the arena having a walk this morning was Totalis! The weather has been cold and damp-rain on and off all today. Schafhof is beautiful even in the rain with the Christmas lights glistening in the afternoon dusk. Last night we found a wonderful local restaurant a few km from the barn in between feeding Watson and night check. The name...

American Quarter Horse Racing World Champion Be A Bono has moved to the Kentucky Horse Park’s Hall of Champions. Be A Bono earned American Quarter Horse racing’s top honor when he was named the World Champion of 2004. He also earned champion three-year-old and champion three-year-old gelding honors for 2004. Owned and bred by the late Spencer Childers of Fresno, CA, the sorrel gelding was trained by Dan Francisco. Be A Bono was foaled February 22, 2001, and retired from racing as a...

The Arabian Horse Foundation (AHF) recently awarded $11,500 in grants and youth scholarships. AHF, which is the philanthropic arm of the Arabian Horse Association (AHA), awarded $8,000 to equine rescue and rehoming efforts and equine research, and $3,500 to youth scholarships. Over the past two years, AHF has given out over $60,000 in grants and scholarships. “The Foundation is pleased to once again step forward and provide funds for projects, which will have a positive impact on the equine...

With summer just around the corner, now is the time to vaccinate horses against Potomac horse fever (PHF). “Horse owners need to be aware of the disease and its seasonality,” said Dr. Julia Wilson, DVM, Associate Professor, Large Animal Medicine, University of Minnesota. PHF is a potentially deadly disease that can cause mild depression, anorexia, diarrhea and abortion in pregnant mares. Some horses also may develop severe toxemia, and up to 40% of horses with PHF will develop laminitis. PHF is...

The Challenge of the Americas, a horse sport spectacular featuring grand prix dressage and show jumping with a dinner/dance gala, returns to Wellington, FL, for the seventh consecutive year as a fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The 2008 Challenge of the Americas will be held at the newly renovated Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, the home of the CN Winter Equestrian Festival, on Saturday night, March 8, 2008. Competition will be held under the extraordinary new...

A barn fire killed 25 American Saddlebreds and one half-Saddlebred at 3-T Stables, owned by the Tabor family in Scottsville, KY, on the morning of Tuesday, June 19. By the time the fire was noticed just before 7 a.m. at 3-T’s broodmare barn, it had become a “raging inferno,” according to 3-T Stables’ Paige Tabor. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. Eight new foals, along with one broodmare still in foal, perished in the fire. Among them were Callaway’s Alice Blue Gown and unborn...