The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) Junior Exhibitor Youth Driving Challenge funded by Elisabeth Goth Chelberg, held its finals in November during the American Royal in Kansas City, MO. Cash prizes, medals, and ribbons were awarded to three in the Show Pleasure Driving Challenge and in the Fine Harness Driving Challenge, for the second year in a row, CH Cary’s Moonraker took home first place. The winners are as follows: Show Pleasure Driving Challenge Horse, rider, owner, place...

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved the sports competitions programme for the first Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG) to be held in Singapore in 2010, as well as the qualification system for each event. Showjumping, the sole discipline representing equestrian sport, will see a total of 30 riders between 17 and 18 years of age competing on borrowed horses at the Singapore Turf Club. The qualification system is available at www.fei....

On November 11, 2008, a complete Online Museum Walkthrough for the Arabian Horse Galleries was released on www.ArabianHorseGalleries.com . This narrative offers visitors an in-depth peak at the museum storyline and evolving possibilities for the dazzling encounters, both historic and interactive, that visitors of all ages will enjoy in the future Arabian Horse Galleries. The Online Museum Walkthrough allows visitors to virtually “walk through” over 30 different exhibits by creating pictures...

Both Bugatti Hilltop and Festrausch saw their "stardom" grow this year as each earned additional stars from the ISR/OldenburgNA. Earning his star in the "Success of Offspring" category, Bugatti completes his fifth star and joins Parabol (Paradox I x Waldschuetz) in being one of only four stallions in the U.S. to earn the five-star ranking. Bugatti's quickly growing number of offspring are truly storming the dressage scene with horses such as Marcia Richardson's Bocaccio IOF's (Bugatti x...

With little equines on their minds, members of The American Shetland Pony Club (ASPC) and the American Miniature Horse Registry (AMHR) recently met for their 2008 national convention in Branson. The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), who has been strong supporter of the ASPC throughout 2008, hosted a luncheon during the convention for all the attendees and conducted the USEF Shetland Pony Committee meeting. One of the highlights of the convention was a drawing during the awards banquet...

Lifelong horseman Marty Mueller of French Lick, IN, died Friday morning, November 14, 2008, at age 96. During his life, he built a reputation as one of the top trainers of American Saddlebreds. Mueller was raised in the famous resort area of Indiana known as ”The Valley,” where his father was the head gardener at the fabled West Baden Springs Hotel. Marty grew up watching the horses at L. S. Dickey’s French Lick Springs Resort Stables, and he began working at Dickey’s as a stable boy,...

Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year Alysheba stepped off of a horse van on October 31, and into a new life at the Kentucky Horse Park. After spending the last eight years in the royal stables of HM King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, Alysheba returned to the state where he was foaled, as a generous gesture from the king. Frank McGovern, general manager of the king’s Janadria Farm, was at the park to turn Alysheba over to the park’s executive director, John Nicholson, who accepted the horse...

Two American Saddlebred supporters recognizable to many in the Saddlebred community have died: Betty E. Brockman, and Dinwiddie Lampton, Jr. On Friday, September 26, 2008, Betty Elaine (Hilgendorf) Brockman, died peacefully at age 84. She was born February 19, 1924, in Beloit, WI, the daughter of the late Ada (Bussewitz) and Bernhard Hilgendorf. Betty and her husband Donald O. Brockman built and ran Brockman Stables in Neenah, WI. For many years they were deeply involved in the training and...

Reining champion Big Chex To Cash is set to join the Breyer stable for 2009 as the most recent reining addition to Breyer’s product line-up since Colonel’s Smoking Gun was honored in 2002. At only six years old, the stunningly gorgeous Palomino overo Big Chex To Cash has lifetime earnings of over $200,000 and holds the title to multiple national reining championships. His palomino sire, Nu Chex To Cash, is one of reining’s all-time leading producers, having earned more reining points than any...

This year marks the inception of the Tristanne Weber Childress Memorial American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) Youth of the Year Contest Sportsmanship Award. A Morgan horse trainer, Tristanne Weber Childress of Siler City, NC, passed away March 17, 2008, following a short illness at the age of 34. This award, funded by donations from friends and family, will be presented to the AMHA Youth of the Year contestant who best exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship. The winner will be selected by...