Prohibited Practices A new category of rules referred to as Prohibited Practices has been introduced to the USEF Rule Book which will take effect December 1, 2013. The first rule to be adopted in this category is commonly referred to as the "12 Hour Rule." It was introduced in March of 2013 by the USEF Veterinary Committee and following extensive feedback from USEF Technical Committees, Working Groups, and from attendees at USEF Town Hall Meetings held in Florida in March, and via interactive...

Adult amateur rider Krista Nordgren (South Portland, ME) & "Schando" will be competing this weekend for a national title at the inaugural US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan. (Photo courtesy of Krista Nordgren) Lexington, Ky. - Final entries are in and horse vans have already begun arriving at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY for the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®, the first national head-to-head competition of its kind showcasing riders and horses competing for...

Lillie Keenan piloted Clearway to the 2013 ASPCA Alfred B. Maclay Finals Championship at the Alltech National Horse Show (Shawn McMillan Photography) Lexington, Ky. - In many ways, it came as no surprise when the champion of the 2013 ASPCA Alfred B. Maclay National Finals was announced as Lillie Keenan of New York, NY. The young phenom has been at the top of the sport since she was a pony rider, and this has been an exceptional year for her career. It began with the 2013 North American Junior...

Frances Land and Vienne (Phelps Media Group, Inc.) Lexington, Ky. - The Chansonette Farm $15,000 Amateur-Owner Jumper class was the first jumper event of the day, where Frances Land of Alpharetta, GA, managed to best a five horse jump-off with Vieanne. Despite adding not one but two strides down the final line, the pair's quick pace and turns to the other obstacles proved uncatchable with a time of 35.428 seconds. The 19-year-old sophomore at Emory University commented, "For the jump-off I...

Kent Farrington and Blue Angel (Shawn McMillen Photography) Lexington, Ky. - The Town Branch Bourbon $50,000 International Open Jumper Speed took center stage earlier this evening,where the first section of the class proved to be the best of the day. Candice King, of Wellington, FL, was the first to show over Conrad Homfeld's winding speed class aboard Quality Stud's Antigone Quality. Despite the pressure of being the pathfinders, King and Antigone Quality were perfect over each fence...

Tim Gredley and Unex Valente (Shawn McMillen Photography) Lexington, Ky. - Great Britain's Tim Gredley is proving he is perfect in the Puissance. He began his reign of the specialty class during last year's Alltech National Horse Show with Unex Valente, and just last week he won the event during the Washington International Horse Show. He kept his winning streak alive tonight, going two-for-two during this year's LIFEFORCE ELITE $50,000 Puissance. Gredley and Unex Valente soared...

Stephanie Sedlacko and Jennifer Alfano rode to the first place finish in the American Saddlebred Hunter Challenge (Brooke Jacobs) Lexington, Ky. - It's not every day that you see riders compete over their first hunter course during a national championship, but when four world champion American Saddlebred trainers take the reins of a hunter and grand prix and professional hunter riders take the reins of an American Saddlebred, it makes for a night of fun and excitement. It was a...

Tim Gredley and Unex Valente clear 2.10m. (Shawn McMillen Photography) Washington, D.C. - The 55th annual Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) continued on Friday, October 25, with a exciting day of hunter, jumper, and equitation competition at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The $25,000 Open Jumper Puissance, presented by The Boeing Company, was the highlight class of the evening with a win for Great Britain's Tim Gredley and Unex Competition Yard's Unex Valente, clearing the...

Small Affair and John French (Shawn McMillen Photography) Upper Marlboro, MD – The Capital Challenge Horse Show, presented by The Gochman Family, featured the best hunters in the country as well as up-and-coming talent in both horses and riders. The day was full of competition, but the highlight class was the $25,000 WCHR Professional Challenge. John French took home the win for the third time in class history on Small Affair. The $5,000 WCHR Developing Pro Challenge victory went to Greg...

Victoria Colvin and VIP Z (Shawn McMillen Photography) Upper Marlboro, MD – There were three competitive equitation finals held today during the Capital Challenge Equitation Championship Weekend, presented by Bigeq.com. Victoria Colvin was victorious in the North American Junior Equitation Championships on VIP Z. The win in the Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS) National Children's Medal Finals went to John Porter on Kennebec, while Conor Perrin and Gelato won the blue ribbon in...