Lexington, KY— The fourth annual USEF Dressage Seat Medal Finals were held during the Golden State Dressage Warm-Up and Cool-Down Show in Rancho Murieta, CA, July 28-30. Junior dressage riders from across the country competed in their respective age divisions of 13 & under and 14 to 18 years of age. The purpose of the Dressage Seat Medal Program is to promote and reward excellence in equitation, including correct seat, position and use of aids in the sport of dressage. Junior riders in these...

Lexington, KY – Partner-level sponsor of the United States Equestrian Federation®, Farnam Companies, Inc., presented a check today for $50,167.27 to USEF for the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) Teams. Farnam is the official sponsor of the Farnam®/Platform™ USEF Horse of the Year awards program, the official fly control products of the USEF, and the official feed of the USEF Pony Finals National Championships. Farnam committed last spring to donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale...

Riding Claim to Fame, 12-year-old Reed Kessler won the Small Pony Green championship title with a total score of 983 during the second day of the USEF Pony Finals National Championships. (PhelpsPhotos.com/USEF Archives) Lexington, KY – Despite an ominous black cloud and earth-shaking claps of thunder, three young ladies had a very happy ending to their day. In the 2006 Wild Horsefeathers/USEF National Green Hunter Pony Championship, 14-year-old Kaitlin Campbell cantered away with the...

PhelpsPhotos.com/USEF Archives (On the first day of the USEF Pony Finals National Championships, 14-year-old Amber Henter, of St. Petersburg, FL, was in first place in the medium green pony division with a score of 250.) Lexington, KY – Excited children were all abuzz today at the Kentucky Horse Park with their favorite ponies by their sides, all hoping for an experience at this year’s Pony Finals that they will remember for a lifetime. This is the first year that Pony Finals is observing a...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation® is pleased to announce the team of three that will travel to Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy and compete in the 2006 World Singles Driving Championship, September 20-24. The following will be the U.S. team (in alphabetical order by athlete last name): •Eleanor Gallagher of Southern Pines, NC, and Kashmier, a 14-year-old Gelderlander, gelding, owned by Gallagher •Fred Merriam of Newfane, VT, and Gaitwood Lightwing, a 12-year-old Morgan gelding,...

Courtesy Susie Bors (The F.A.M.E. Team shows their stuff to other international vaulters in Germany.) Lexington, KY – The U.S. Vaulting Team that will travel to Aachen in a few weeks for the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games secured a more than impressive win in Munich, Germany, last weekend, beating out the European competition, to the surprise of many. In an arena where one could have heard a pin drop when the crowd went silent for the Americans, F.A.M.E. became the first U.S. vaulting team to...

Steve Schaefer of Maple Park, IL, and his horse, Winchester, out-jumped a field of 20 to win the $25,000 Grand Prix of Traverse City during Series I of Horse Shows by the Bay in Traverse City, MI. Eight horse-and-rider combinations returned to compete over the shortened course designed Sunday by international course designer Guilherme Jorge. Schaefer and Winchester crossed through the finish markers penalty-free and in a time of 46.486 seconds, almost two seconds faster than second-place...

Lexington, KY— The United States Equestrian Federation® is pleased to announce the endurance team for the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games. Five horse-and-rider combinations and one replacement horse were selected to represent the U.S. at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, August 20-September 3. The endurance competition will take place on August 21. The USEF endurance team for the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games (in alphabetical order by rider) is as follows: -- Kathryn...

Lexington, KY— The United States Equestrian Federation® (USEF) announced today that eight horse/rider combinations were selected to travel to England and train with Chef d’Equipe Captain Mark Phillips in preparation for the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games. From this list of horses and riders a complete squad of six horse/rider combinations will eventually be named. Four of the squad members were named today, as well as four replacement combinations. The two remaining positions on the squad will...

(Lexington, KY) – The USEF Board of Directors met in Lexington, KY, on July 11 and addressed a relatively light agenda with few proposed bylaw or rule changes. In their respective reports, USEF President David O’Connor and Chief Executive Officer John Long announced that a new strategic planning process will begin in the next several months with the objective of guiding the Federation for the next decade. It will address such issues as grassroots support and development; the rule creation and...