Lexington, KY – The 2006 United States Equestrian Federation Annual Meeting, previously scheduled to take place in New Orleans, has been relocated to Cincinnati, OH, at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza. The dates for the convention will remain January 11–15. “We were very much looking forward to meeting in New Orleans but USEF was one of hundreds of organizations that had to relocate their convention as a result of the devastating hurricane. The Netherland Plaza is a beautiful Art Deco...

Nominations for the American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) Annual Individual Awards are due Monday, October 31. Each year at the ASHA Annual Meeting in February, seven prestigious awards-–Lifetime Achievement, Meritorious Service, Breeder’s, C.J. Cronan Sportsmanship, Lurline Roth Sportsmanship, Gordon Jenkins International and Frank Ogletree Youth--are presented to seven of the most deserving people in the industry. Members wishing to send in nominations should include a written...

Lexington, KY – Craig Schmersal of Menifee, California, and Tim McQuay of Tioga, Texas will represent the United States in the 2005 FEI World Reining Masters Series Final in Manerbio, Italy, September 24. Each, a master, in his own right, Schmersal was a member of the Gold Medal U.S. team at the 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain, while McQuay is the NRHA’s all-time leading money earner. Schmersal took the Gold medal and Championship title August 27, riding Tidal Wave...

Lexington, KY – Riding Topsail Ma Cee Blair, 13-year-old Jordan Brown of Selma, North Carolina, took home the Championship title and Gold medal in the 13 and under division at the inaugural 2005 USEF Youth Reining Championship, presented by Markel and Hagyard-Davidson-McGee on Sunday, August 28, at the Kentucky Horse Park, with a winning score of 210. “It was exciting!” said Brown. “It’s a big honor to win. It’s something I’ll remember all my life....

Craig Schmersal and Tidal Wave Jack, Winners of the 2005 Adequan/USEF Open Reining Championship (Waltenberry Photography) Lexington, KY – With swift and calculated moves, amazing 360-degree spins and stop-on-a-dime sliding stops that left an unabashed crowd going wild, Craig Schmersal and Tidal Wave Jack claimed their landmark USEF Gold medal and trophy in one fell swoop at the 2005 Adequan/USEF Open Reining Championship on Saturday, August 27, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington....

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation has announced the team for the eighth and final leg of the 2005 Samsung Super League, CSIO Barcelona, Spain, September 15-18. The team members are listed below in alphabetical order: Lauren Hough of Wellington, FL, with Casadora (1996 Dutch Warmblood mare, owned by Laura Davies Mateo). Laura Kraut of Oconomowoc, WI, with Anthem (1991 KWPN Dutch Warmblood gelding, owned by the Summit Syndicate). Christine Tribble of Wellington, FL,...

(Lexington, KY) – George Morris, Chef d’Equipe for the United States Show Jumping Team, has good reason to be both happy and frustrated after Hickstead and Dublin. “We won four classes in Hickstead and were second in the Super League Nation’s Cup, and won 3 classes in Dublin and were 3rd in the Nation’s Cup. I’d say those are very, very good shows but we didn’t win the Super League Nation’s Cup classes. I want to win. That’s just how I am.” In Dublin, the U.S Team finished third behind Great...

More than 230 items have been donated for the 2005 Annual American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) Auction, which takes place Wednesday and Thursday, August 24-25, during the World’s Championship Horse Show in Louisville, KY. Last year, the auction raised more than $40,000 for the ASHA youth scholarship program and other youth programs. Some of the notable items are a fine harness by Walsh Harness, a personalized charcoal horse portrait by James Crow and the cover of the American Saddlebred...

Lexington, KY – Four show jumping riders have been selected to represent the United States at CSIO Spruce Meadows, in Alberta, Canada, September 7-11. The team members and their first-ranked horses, are as follows: Laura Kraut of Oconomowoc, WI, with Miss Independent (1997 Dutch Warmblood mare; owned by Passmore Stables LLC) Beezie Madden of Cazenovia, NY, with Authentic (1995 KWPN Dutch Warmblood gelding; owned by Abigail Wexner) Schuyler Riley of Wellington, FL, with Ilian (1990 KWPN...

Lexington, KY – Following a series of 17 qualifiers that spanned the globe, five American eventing riders will represent the United States at the 2005 FEI Eventing World Cup Final in Malmö, Sweden, August 11-14. The riders, listed in alphabetical order, are as follows: Robyn Fisher of West Hills, California, with Le Samurai (1995 Holsteiner Thoroughbred gelding, owned by Robyn Fisher) Jessica Heidemann of Bellingham, Washington, with French Twist (1991 Thoroughbred gelding, owned by...