Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation® (USEF) is pleased to announce the eleven rider/horse combinations that have been selected to compete in the 2006 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Grand Prix Dressage Championship. The Championship, held in Gladstone, New Jersey, June 15-18, will be a part of the USET Foundation Dressage Festival of Champions presented by Paul Miller, Inc. This year, the National Championship has also been designated as the Selection Trials for the 2006...

Waltenberry (Kelly Zweifel and Master Snapper) After turning in a spectacular performance that earned a masterful score of 232 (that’s an average of better than 77), Kelly Zweifel, Italy, won the Open, Intermediate Open and Limited Open divisions of the 2006 NRHA Derby on Master Snapper (Snapper Cal Bar) owned by Impresa Agricola Cuoghi. Zweifel is the first woman to win the Open Division of this prestigious event. And, while Master Snapper is not the first European-owned Derby Champion,...

The American Connemara Pony Society (ACPS) is celebrating its 50th birthday in 2006. Summer activities are being planned to commemorate the golden anniversary of Connemara Ponies in the U.S. The main event will be a weekend-long, educational and fun-filled event to highlight the strengths and accomplishments of the American Connemara. The celebration will take place August 4-6, 2006, at Morven Park in Leesburg, VA. This event showcasing the Connemara pony in North America will be the largest of...

The Colorado Horse Park announced that Olympic Gold medalist and president of the United States Equestrian Federation® David O’ Connor has signed on as course designer for the Park’s three-day events and horse trials. O’Connor brings a lifetime of knowledge of eventing and horsemanship to this position. In addition, his persona as the head of national governing body for equestrian sports adds luster to his skills and talents. “We are extremely fortunate to have David O’Connor join the Colorado...

Over the weekend of April 29-May 1, 2006, at a dressage competition in Beaufort, Luxembourg, American breeder Susan Thomas had the joy of watching her homebred stallion Patriot win several S-level classes at his first international dressage competition. Patriot is by Thomas Farm's stallion Pharaoh (Parabol-Almeo-Zeus) and was produced by embryo transfer out of Thomas Farm's accomplished grand prix mare Safir (by Diamond). Thomas sent her young stallion to Oliver Luze at Gestut Tannenhof in the...

The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation is pleased to announce that their 2006 Limited Edition Breyer Model horse will be based on show jumper and Olympic Team Gold Medalist Authentic. Authentic, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, is ridden by Beezie Madden, and together they have accumulated huge victories in the past two years. Authentic was a member of the 2004 Athens Olympic Gold Medal Team. In 2005, his clutch performance in Aachen, Germany, secured the victory for the...

A team of the top United States show jumpers prepared on Wednesday, May 3, to launch the defense of their Samsung Super League championship at this French coastal resort city. The U.S. won it's first ever elite Nations Cup victory at this same show a year ago, which also marked the first major team event under the leadership of George Morris as chef d’ equipe. The Americans followed the win at La Baule with victory in Aachen, Germany, and high enough placings at the other six two-round events,...

The Supreme Kahuna Pony Classic will be debuting during Week One of the 2006 Biltmore Estate Summer Classics. Providing not only a fun time with great rewards, but also a perfect way to prepare for the USEF Pony Finals, as the event will follow a similar format. During Week One of Biltmore, July 12-16, over $14,000 in prize money and awards will be handed out in the Pony Hunter classes. The Pony Model and Under Saddle will be judged using a numeric system. At the end of each day the points and...

Marc Manning (Australian Andrew Hoy on Master Monarch) Rails fell like raindrops during the final day of the 2006 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Farnam at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, on Sunday, April 30. The performances were as unpredictable as the weather, which opened the door for Australia’s Andrew Hoy and his Master Monarch to prove they were indeed the masters of the three-day CCI**** grueling showdown. The pair was atop the leaderboard and winners of one of...

Marc Manning (Darren Chiacchia and Windfall II) Call it a day! The dressage phase of the 2006 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Farnam ended with a second day of unprecedented beautiful weather and sun-kissed crowds who were witness to two days of the expert dressage tests. And with American riders siting in seven of the top 10 placings, it was a particular triumph for the U.S. eventing world. 2004 Modified CCI**** Rolex Kentucky Champion Darren Chiacchia and his black Trakehner...