Western country pleasure qualifying points standings, as well as a current listing of qualifying competitions, are now updated weekly on the American Saddlebred Horse Association’s (ASHA) website at www.saddlebred.com/WCHS-Results . The Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show will once again host the Western Country Pleasure Invitational in 2007. Only one significant change has been made to the qualifying process for 2007. Previously, two sections comprised the qualifying period...

Three-time Olympic legend Joe Fargis, based in Southampton, NY, added another win to an already illustrious career taking top honors in the $25,000 Cherry Blossom Grand Prix presented by The Classic Company. Fargis had two of the 25 equine athletes taking on the immense layout created by designer Allen Rheinheimer. The starting field was a balanced mix of young promising horses to the seasoned veteran professionals like this afternoon’s victorious Diams III, the 14-year-old Selle Francais mare...

(Lexington, KY) - In response to the recent EHV-1 virus outbreak in Florida, and in the best interest of horses, USEF members and competition organizers, the USEF has approved the implementation of precautionary health restrictions for entry into show grounds holding USEF licensed competitions in the State of Florida. This is a temporary measure and it is anticipated this will not be necessary once the virus outbreak is under control. These protocols have been implemented at the shows locally...

The December 27 and 28 clinic with Nona Garson at The Ridge Farm has been delayed until current quarantines are lifted and conditions are rendered safe in Wellington, FL, due to the recent outbreak of the Equine Herpes Virus-1 (EHV-1). The illness has temporarily halted the local equestrian community. Garson, a 2000 Olympic veteran, teaches several clinics each year at her farms in New Jersey and Florida, and although all horses on her farms are “healthy and safe,” she has decided to postpone...

It was hot in St. Louis on August 2-5 for the American Shetland Pony Club (ASPC) National Shetland Pony Congress, but the ponies who came to compete were even hotter. Some 480 ponies trekked to the new show site, the National Equestrian Center in Lake St. Louis. After almost a decade of hosting the show in Rantoul, IL, show officials were very pleased with the number of entries the new show location attracted. “With a new location, soaring gasoline prices and record temperatures, we were...

The U.S. dressage team won a Team Bronze medal. (Bob Langrish) Aachen, Germany – Day two of grand prix didn’t give any of the remaining 43 riders much of an advantage when it came to weather, but it did not seem to affect the Americans, the Dutch, the Germans or the Danes. The crowd of 32,000 definitely got their money’s worth today witnessing the best piaffes, passages, pirouettes and transitions in the world. Because of the caliber of today’s riders, the photographers...

Lexington, KY – In a conference call held today in cooperation with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), five members of the U.S. 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) team answered a wide range of general media questions. On the phone from Germany were dressage team members Guenter Seidel from Cardiff, CA, and Debbie McDonald from Hailey, ID; vaulting team members Elizabeth Ioannou from Saratoga, CA, and Blake Dahlgren from Sun Valley, CA; and on the phone from Florida was show jumper...

PhelpsPhotos.com/USEF Archives (Pony Finals First-Timers Zone 10 Take Home Gold) Lexington, KY – On day three of the 2006 USEF Pony Final National Championships, Samantha Schaefer and Zone 10 walked away with the top prizes. The 13-year-old Schaefer, of Westminster, MD, rode her seven-year-old German Riding Pony gelding, Rockport, to their first Pony Finals win. This was their first time riding indoors, after the competition had to be moved inside today due to the torrential rainstorms...

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) would like to advise all members that a false notice has recently been circulated alleging restrictions on showing Arabian, Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabians within the hunter division. The false statement gives the impression that horses with 75% or more Arabian blood are not allowed to compete in open hunter classes. Please be advised that this is not accurate and that open hunter classes in USEF licensed competitions continue to be open to all...

In somewhat of a renaissance, the French stormed to victory in the third leg of the Samsung Super League with FEI series in Rome, Italy today and while the Germans maintain the lead at the head of the table, their advantage has been significantly reduced after a disappointing performance at the Italian fixture. Finishing joint-fifth along with Italy, Switzerland, Sweden and Holland, Germany only collected 1.5 points but the Americans, who shared second place with the much-fancied British, added...