Thermal, Calif. – The final day of competition at the 2025 National Sunshine Series at Desert International Horse Park saw top equitation athletes come to compete in a unique medal final. The USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final – West challenges finalists in a single-day, three-phase competition that is a true test of horsemanship. Violet Tatum and Kruz. ©Leslie Potter/US Equestrian This year’s champion is Violet Tatum (Los Angeles, Calif.) riding Kruz, a 2015 Dutch...

Thermal, Calif. – After a thrilling third round and final ride off, Nicole McMillion secured the champion title at the 2025 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – West . Nicole McMillion and Change Up PS. ©Leslie Potter/US Equestrian McMillion (Huntington Beach, Calif.), who trains with Jim Hagman, partnered with Change Up PS, a 2016 Oldenburg stallion owned by Summerhouse Farm, LLC, for the finals. With this win, Change Up PS, known as...

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce that Kiss Me Blue, fondly known as “Chrissy,” is the 2025 USEF Heart Horse Award winner. Chrissy is a 2001 American Quarter Horse and is part of the herd at Maryland Therapeutic Riding (MTR) in Crownsville, Md. Chrissy was selected as the winner by the USEF membership and will be honored during the USEF Pegasus Awards Dinner at the USEF Annual Meeting in Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 15, 2026. For 17 years, Chrissy has been the...

Lexington, Ky – US Equestrian is pleased to announce updates to the Driving Athlete Pathway Program for 2026. The program has been updated for 2026 and goes into effect on December 1, 2025. Applications for the Developing Athlete Program for Combined Driving (DAP) will open November 1, 2025, and close November 30, 2025. Applications can be submitted by going to the athlete dashboard and clicking on online applications. Developing Athlete Renewal and Developing Equine applications can be...

Gladstone, N.J. - The 2025 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – East concluded on Sunday at Hamilton Farms, home of the USET Foundation Headquarters, crowning Eleanor Rudnicki (Conroe, Texas) and Qwantreau champions after completion of the Phases III and IV. ©Isabelle Whiteside/US Equestrian The final day of competition aimed to test each combination’s ability to navigate a jumper-style course while demonstrating the fundamental precision and technique...

Harrisburg, Pa. - The energy in the Harrisburg Coliseum reached its peak Saturday evening as 20 athlete-and-horse combinations returned to contest the third and final phase of the 2025 Turnham Green/USEF Junior Jumper National Championships, crowning the individual winner. After three days of strong competition, Clara Propp (New York, N.Y.) and Mistral van de Vogelzang emerged victorious, jumping double clear to end the weekend of competition on a cumulative score of 4.8 to earn the gold medal....

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce updated specifications for the 2026 Adequan ® /USEF Junior Hunter National Championships (JHNC), which were approved by the Executive Committee on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. The full updated 2026 USEF Junior Hunter National Championship Specifications document can be found here . Some of the noteworthy changes are outlined below. Updated Qualification Period Beginning with the 2026 championships, the 12-month qualifying period has...

On September 21, 2025, the United States Department of Agriculture announced the confirmation of a New World Screwworm (NWS) case in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, less than 70 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. This new case is located near a major highway from Monterrey, Mexico to Laredo, Texas, one of the most heavily trafficked commercial thoroughfares in the world. Screwworm was once eradicated from the United States and potential incursion threatens the equine industry. Why is Protecting the United...

Mill Spring, N.C. – The Tryon Fall CDE was the host event for the 2025 USEF Combined Driving National Championship for horses. A total of seven divisions ranging from training through advanced level saw national championship contenders complete their three phases across four sunny and mild days at Tryon International. Melissa Wessel and Megan's Valentine. ©Leslie Potter/US Equestrian Preliminary Single Horse National Championship Local competitor Melissa Wessel (Rutherfordton, N....

Beekbergen, Netherlands – The Defender U.S. Driving Team delivered promising performances this weekend at the 2025 FEI Driving World Championship for Pair Horses, finishing eleventh overall against a competitive international field. The team featured Jacob Arnold (Paris, Ky.), Taylor Bradish (Windsor, S.C.), and Vernon Helmuth (Hazelton, Iowa). Athletes and horses were supported onsite by Chef d’Equipe Marcie Quist, Team Veterinarian Dr. Laura Werner, and Team Leader Steven...