Lexington, KY -The qualification period for the 2008 Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program and for the 2008 USEF National Developing Horse Dressage Championship (sponsored by the Dutta Corporation and Performance Sales International) begins on January 1, 2008. In a new qualification format for these programs, only designated “qualifying competitions” held during the qualification period runs from January 1-August 15, 2008, may be used to obtain scores towards selection trials and national...

With the competition season drawing to a close, final nominations from its membership for the American Saddlebred Horse Association’s (ASHA) individual awards are due at ASHA no later than the close of business Wednesday, October 31, 2007. Each year, the association’s highest honors are presented at the annual Saddlebred Ball, which will be held once again at the Keeneland Entertainment Center to top off the ASHA Annual Meeting, on Saturday evening, February 16, 2008. All of the...

Lexington, KY -- The USEF has named the following four riders to compete at CSIO Buenos Aires, under the watchful eye of Chef d’Equipe George Morris, November 9-12 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. For three of the riders, it will be their first experience representing the United States. Libby McKinney, 25, will make her first team trip with Gun du Desfi, the horse with which she recently won the Wild Card Grand Prix on September 28 in Culpepper, VA. The pair from Green Farms, CT, bested a talented...

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, KY Most of you familiar with Irishman, Niall Grimes, are also aware of the heart attack he suffered last Friday, September 28th, while in Lexington, at the Kentucky National Horse Show. You may have also heard or read intermittent updates since and wondered about their validity. The number and variety of these reports speak to Niall's popularity, our hopes for his recovery, and our fears otherwise. With that in mind we regret to report that his battle has been lost. Most likely a...

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...

The Wachovia Securities American Gold Cup Horse Show, September 19-23, and the Kentucky National Horse Show, September 26-30, are the latest to join the growing number of horse shows presenting live webcasts of their horse show competition. Webcasts of these two horse shows are being produced by LiveBroadcast.TV and Productions East Video and are available online at www.LiveBroadcast.TV or www.ProductionsEast.com . The Wachovia Securities American Gold Cup is a premier five-day horse show...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association’s (ASHA) Nominating Committee has been provided with names of over 140 individuals to consider for positions on the association’s board of directors. The deadline of September 14 just passed for suggestions from the general membership and the American Saddlebred community. “There were 49 individuals suggested this year alone,” said Charlotte Tevis, Administration Manager. “We also keep the suggestions that members made in previous years, and the...

It was a “typical day” at the office for Chester Weber as he went out and captured yet another USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship, his fifth in a row. Yet, Weber, of Ocala, FL, had some top-notch competition to challenge him as two previous five-time winners sought to win their sixth title. Both Tucker Johnson of Hobe Sound, FL, and James Fairclough of Newton, NJ, have accomplished what Weber has done, but neither has had the reign that Weber has maintained over the past five years. This...

Lexington, KY – “The sun shines bright on my old Kentucky home” and it certainly did shine brightly on Olympian Michelle Gibson and her new star Don Angelo in the inaugural USEF National Developing Horse Dressage Championship, sponsored by the Dutta Corporation and Performance Sales International. Following up on their winning Developing Horse Test ride on Saturday, Gibson and Don Angelo made the Prix St. Georges test look effortless in earning a test score of 70.000% for an overall average of...