Lexington, KY - The Board of Directors during this year’s United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Annual Meeting approved new helmet rules for riders in both eventing and dressage - just two weeks after dozens of stakeholders in equestrian sport met with the goal of improving rider safety across disciplines. ”If the technology is available to reduce head injuries, the time to use it is now," said USEF President David O’Connor. "I am very proud of our organization for taking this very...

John Long and Craig Ferrell, M.D. (Riders4Helmet) Lexington, KY - The Riders4Helmets Helmet Safety Symposium held this month in Wellington, FL, was deemed a huge success by participants at the event. Representatives from USEF, USDF, USEA, USHJA, Racing, Polo, Helmet Manufacturers, Helmet Testing Authorities, Leading Equestrians and Medical Experts came together at the symposium with the goal of improving rider safety and went away pledging to work together across the disciplines to do just that....

Lexington, Kentucky - The Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA), in partnership with its Saddle Seat Sponsor, Morehead State University (MSU), will offer its first saddle seat horse shows February 5-6. The weekend will be planned so that two saddle seat shows can be offered on two consecutive days. All levels and ages of IEA saddle seat riders will be invited to compete. Any IEA saddle seat teams and riders may attend as the show will be open to riders from any region or zone in the...

2010 Green Mountain Horse Association photo (Green Mountain Horse Association ) South Woodstock, VT - Green Mountain Horse Association is pleased to announce that it has received $15,000 from the Chichester duPont Foundation to continue youth program scholarships for applicants with financial need. GMHA has earmarked this funding to help young riders attend our Junior Horsemanship Clinic, which will attain its 55th year in the 2011. These funds will also support our Working Student program and...

TEAM MORGAN 2010 WINS NATIONAL EQUITATION COMPETITION (American Morgan Horse Association) SHELBURNE, VT - Team Morgan 2010 is the proud gold medal winner of this year's hunter seat equitation competition that took place at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, November 18-20. The team competed against the college's equitation team and it was Team Morgan's first hunter seat competition. Team Morgan 2010 was coached by Mary Carlton of Marshall, Michigan, and Suzanne Haberek of Broadalbin, New...

Lincoln, NE - The Dressage Foundation is proud to announce this year's recipients of the Carol Lavell Gifted Scholarships for Adult Amateurs. Each recipient will receive a $1,000 Scholarship to enable them to set aside quality time in concentrated training with a horse they own, with a trainer of choice, away from the daily pressures of job and family. "Adult Amateurs are such an important part of our sport," said Jenny Johnson, Administrative Manager of The Dressage Foundation. "We are...

2009 Medal Final Champion Faye Wuesthofen with Kiss of the Zodiac. (Photo by Howard Schatzberg.) Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation Saddle Seat Medal Final presented by Elisabeth M. Goth of Lebanon, KY is scheduled for November 20, 2010, during the UPHA American Royal National Championship in Kansas City, Missouri. This Final brings together the best saddle seat equitation riders from across the country and will be judged by Dale Arnston, Robert C. Byers and Frances...

LEXINGTON, KY—Day 16—By the closing day of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, total attendance topped half a million. Sunday’s attendance came in at 38,682, bringing the total for the event to 507,022. “We are incredibly pleased with the number of spectators who have joined us at the Games over these 16 days,” said World Games 2010 Foundation CEO Jamie Link. “We are overwhelmed with the positive comments and remarks we have received about their experiences on the park, viewing competition,...

Hampton Falls, NH - Fans of the Olympic sport of equestrian show jumping will have the unique opportunity to meet with some of the nation's top riders and Olympic medalists coming to the Fidelity Investments Jumper Classic in Hampton Falls, NH, September 15-19. The popular 'Elite Shavings Meet and Greet" to be held Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in the SmartPak Equine Rider's Tent on the show grounds of the Silver Oak Equestrian Center is a free event open to the public. Here you will meet a panel of...

Plymouth, MA - For 16 days, the world’s best riders and equine athletes will gather in Lexington, KY, to compete in the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, and SmartPak will be there to welcome them. The World Equestrian Games are comprised of the world championships for eight equestrian sports. This celebration of athletic excellence and the diversity of the equine industry is a natural setting for SmartPak, a company dedicated to supporting riders of all disciplines and improving the...