The 34th Hampton Classic Horse Show will be held one week earlier than usual in 2009, running from Sunday, August 23, through Sunday, August 30. The date change, due to the USEF Competition Calendar rotation, is in effect for this year only and means that the horse show will not end on Labor Day weekend as it usually does. "We wanted to be sure to give exhibitors, vendors, sponsors and spectators notice of this change in date in order to make their plans now," said Executive Director Shanette...

The finalized membership of the FEI Dressage Task Force is as follows: —Frank Kemperman (NED), chairman and representative of the event organizers; —Richard Davison (GBR), riders representative; —Robert Dover (USA), trainers representative; —Alain Francqueville (FRA), chef d’équipe —Katrina Wuest (GER), judges representative; —Elizabeth Max-Theurer (AUT), owners representative The aim of having this representation is to enable the key stakeholder groups to...

Now, saddleseat equitation riders can ride with a new reason in mind: raising funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the rider’s selected charity. “It’s a shared-commitment program that encourages riders to show an American Saddlebred, Arabian (including Half-Arabian), Morgan or National Show Horse in saddleseat equitation competitions, and encourages donors to pledge funds for charity for each class in which the rider shows. The rider is not only responsible for raising the...

The 24th annual Wisconsin Futurity American Saddlebred Limited Breeder’s Stallion Service Auction will be held Saturday, January 17, 2009, at the Marriott Milwaukee West located in Waukesha, WI. A special room rate of $89 is available at the hotel with reference to the Wisconsin Futurity. Hotel phone is (877) 651-7666. The evening begins at 4:00 p.m. (CST). For the complete schedule of events, visit www.wisconsinsaddlebred.com . For people unable to attend, advance written bids will be accepted....

The Southeastern Horse Sale will be held at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center in Fletcher, NC, right outside Asheville, NC, on Saturday, December 6, 2008. The Southeastern Horse Sale will provide a public auction of American Saddlebreds, Hackney and harness ponies, Morgans and Roadster horses and ponies. The sale features 144 entries and will be comprised of two sessions. Lot Numbers 1-83 will sell in the morning session, which is scheduled to commence at 10:00 a.m. Lot Numbers...

Southern Living magazine recently photographed Silver medalist combined driver Chester Weber at his farm in Ocala, for an upcoming article in the magazine. Known for bringing readers the best of everyday life in the South, Southern Living journeyed to Weber’s Live Oak Stud for a chance to capture the magnificent farm and the man behind the name that has become synonymous with combined driving. The article and photos will appear in the Florida People and Places section of Southern Living and...

John Deere is the “Official Equipment Sponsor” of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, as announced today by the World Games 2010 Foundation. The Games will be held September 25-October 10, 2010, in Lexington, KY. “On behalf of the Federation Equestre Internationale, we are pleased to have John Deere Company partnering with our sport as the official equipment provider of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games,” said FEI President HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein. As part of the...

On behalf of all those who contribute to the equestrian family, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), governing body of international equestrian sport, announced on November 20 the creation of a commission on medication and doping chaired by Dr. Arne Ljungqvist, Chairman of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Medical Commission and Vice President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The Commission will offer a robust examination of the way the equine anti-doping policies can...

The audience cheered even more enthusiastically when Will Simpson entered the arena aboard Archie Bunker to contest the $50,000 Los Angeles National Grand Prix. The 2008 Olympic Gold medalist did not disappoint as he piloted Archie Bunker to one of just four clear rounds during the featured class at the LA National, November 12-16. Olaf Petersen, Jr., designed a challenging course for the 34 horse field that served as a West Coast League World Cup Qualifier. "This was a difficult course. This...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Executive Committee approved the specifications for the Eventing Watch List on November 17, 2008. Born out of discussions at the USEF/USEA Safety Summit in June, the goal of the Watch List is to notify riders at USEF licensed and USEF endorsed Eventing competitions that their riding is potentially dangerous. The Watch List is a list of horse/rider combinations that could be regarded as displaying a pattern of potentially dangerous...