The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to announce that 47 USDF members successfully completed the USDF “L” Education Program between April and October of 2009. The USDF “L” Education Program is designed to prepare candidates to enter the United States Equestrian Federation “r” Judges Training Program, to qualify individuals to judge schooling shows, and to give competitors, trainers, and instructors greater insight into the evaluative techniques of judging dressage. The...

The 2009 Irish Draught Horse Society of North America (IDHSNA)/United States Eventing Association (USEA_ Future Event Horse East Coast Championships will take place this Friday, October 30, beginning at noon, in the East Complex Arena of the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA. Come out and watch the yearlings, two-, and three-year-old future eventing superstars. Competitors' times are now posted on the Virginia Horse Trials website at www.vahorsetrials.com/pages/va_FEH_times.htm . The...

In an exciting three-horse jump-off, Todd Minikus and Alaska were the fastest clear round to win the $100,000 President's Cup Grand Prix World Cup qualifier presented by The Boeing Company. Kate Levy and Lirving du Volsin finished second, while Mario Deslauriers and Vicomte D were third. Earlier in the evening, Samantha Schaefer was victorious in the WIHS Equitation Classic Finals. Saturday night's courses were designed by Guilherme Jorge of Brazil, and out of the 29 entries in the class, only...

The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. (USEF) is pleased to announce the launch of the USEF Dressage Youth/Pony Pilot Program for Fall 2009.This program is designed to seek out, educate and assist the development of the young riders, and will be under the direction of Lendon Gray, appointed by the USEF Dressage High Performance Committee. “I am thrilled that USEF is going to help to develop the best equitation and riding skills in our younger riders,” Gray said. “It is so much easier to...

The 2009 Washington International Horse Show continued on Wednesday with the best horses and riders in the country competing in jumper championships. There were three jumper classes in total, and the first class victory went to Spencer Smith and Markies in the $10,000 Children's Jumper Championship. Alissa Kinsey guided Grisset to first place in the $10,000 Adult Jumper Championship. Opening up the Amateur-Owner Jumper competition, Susan Knoblauch and Carneval won the $2,500 Time First Jump-Off...

The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) honored top individuals, horses and organizations at the annual awards banquet held at the International Conference in Fort Collins, CO, at Colorado State University on October 10. Clinic Instructor of the Year Clinic instructors are the CHA Master Level Instructors that are clinic staff and certify instructors for CHA throughout North America. At the end of each clinic, participants write evaluations of the clinic staff. It is from these evaluations...

The Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) kicked-off it's opening day of competition with the professional hunter divisions at the Verizon Center on Tuesday, October 20. Scott Stewart shot to the top of the leaderboard with his mounts Declaration and Way Cool. Declaration took home three blue ribbons with Stewart during the Green Conformation Hunter division, while Way Cool and Stewart were awarded two blue ribbons in the First Year Green Working Hunter division. The Amateur Owner Hunter...

Karen O'Connor and Mandiba Deliver (Shannon Brinkman) Elkton, MD – Karen O’Connor and Mandiba did not take the easy road to the 2009 Dansko Fair Hill International CCI***, but they delivered on the second day of dressage and put in a dynamite test for a score of 39.6, making them the only pair to go under 40 going into Saturday’s cross country. Also serving as the USEF National CCI*** and CCI** Eventing Championships, Fair Hill International showcased some very professional...

Lexington, KY - After a day that tested the will and stamina of some of the world’s best endurance athletes, it proved to be a clean sweep of the medals podium in both the two-star and three-star endurance competitions in the 2009 Kentucky Cup Endurance race. The event, held at the Kentucky Horse Park and neighboring farms, served as the test events for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. In the 100-mile ride (that was shortened to 75 miles due to inclement weather and deteriorating...

The Hunter Development Incentive Fund (HDIF) was created by the United States Hunter Jumper Association's (USHJA) Breeders Committee to recognize and reward breeders and owners of American-bred hunters. The program is currently open for nominations and is offering special limited-time discounts for stallion and horse owners. The HDIF will work from a points-based system to award financial bonuses to those who breed and show American-born hunters. Each point earned at a USHJA-approved event by a...