The Classic Shetland Stallion Sweepstakes Auction, an annual event hosted by the American Shetland Pony Club (ASPC), is the perfect way for Shetland Pony owners to promote their stallions, breed their mares and be part of an ongoing effort to showcase Classic Shetland Pony bloodlines. The auction is held online and is open to all ASPC registered stallions and mares. “We're looking forward to another great year of offering some of the industry’s most prized stallions at stud,” said Carin Ponder,...

Excitement is building as March 2, 2009, marks the mobilization date for construction of the Showplace for Saddlebreds—a 7,000 square foot addition onto the American Saddlebred Museum at the Kentucky Horse Park. “This is the day we have been working toward for the past four years,” said Museum President Laurel Nelson. “Building design is completed, interior design is well under way and the capital campaign is almost funded. The addition will be open by the American Saddlebred Horse...

The Garden State Combined Driving Event, presented annually by the Horse Park of New Jersey at Stone Tavern, Inc., is trying something new this year. In light of the financial difficulties being faced across the country, and in an effort to reduce expenses for exhibitors, the organizer has decided to compress the competition into a two-day format. The dressage phase of the competition will be held on Saturday, May 30, beginning at approximately 10:00 a.m., and the marathon and cones phases will...

The Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W/Y outdoes itself every year, and this year’s 26th annual event February 26–March 1 is no exception. From the world-class competition in the CDI, to the fun social activities like the Taste of the Derby and the Competitor’s Party hosted by Purina Mills, the Derby is the one event on every dressage aficionado’s calendar. In excess of $20,000 in purses and awards will be distributed during the show. Riders will also get their first scores for the Challenge...

The 2009 Stimulus Act signed into law by President Barack Obama contains provisions that impact the horse industry, the American Horse Council said in a February 24 memorandum to the industry. The measure contains the bigger write-off for horses and other property purchased and placed in service during 2009, the AHC said. The benefits were part of 2008 tax stimulus legislation, but they expired at the end of 2008. Here is an overview of what the Stimulus Act does: Expensing allowance The first...

The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) is proud to announce FF Irish Vodka+++//, owned by Collier McLeod of Augusta, GA, as its 2008 High-Point Horse. FF Irish Vodka, a 10-year-old, Anglo-Arabian ended the year with 487.5 points earned in working hunter, hunter hack, sport horse under saddle, dressage and in-hand classes. McLeod, who also picked up the Youth Amateur Achievement Award for the year, rode “Guinness” to three national championships at Canadian Nationals and several Top 10s at both...

From the USEF Show Jumping Department Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has approved the following modifications to the Selection Procedures for CSIO/CSI Competitions, aka “the USEF Computer List”. These changes will become effective on March 1, 2009. The following additions or changes have been made to the Selection Procedures: Under Classes to Count, Page 9: FEI (CSI/CSI-W, CSIO) – Classes at CSI’s, CSI-W’s, and CSIO’s in the United States and Canada meeting the...

The San Antonio Saddle Horse Association (SASHA) will host its annual Charity Horse Show on Friday, March 6, though Sunday, March 8, 2009, at the San Antonio Rose Palace in San Antonio, TX, to benefit their local, non-profit Visitation House of San Antonio. The Visitation House is a transitional housing program for homeless women and their children. The mission of the Visitation House Transitional Housing Program is to assist women in ending the cycle of poverty and homelessness in their lives...

The Paso Fino Horse Association (PFHA) Board of Directors at their January meeting instituted a policy that will allow Trocha, Trote y Galope and Trocha y Galope classes. These classes may be offered at both regional shows and at the Grand National Championship Show. They will be broken down as follows for each of the above modalites: - Stallions and Colts - Mares and Fillies - Geldings In order for a horse to be shown in one of these classes, the horse must first obtain a Show Validation...

Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa clinched a berth in the FEI World Cup Final in Las Vegas with a win Saturday night aboard his Olympic mount Rufus in the $150,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix, presented by Spy Coast Farm, at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington. Michelle Spadone of Califon, NJ, on the Belgian Warmblood mare, Melisimo, who has never seen a World Cup Final and was a last-minute addition placed second in the competition with 45 starters from nine countries. Among them were...