After another year of success in the show ring, the University of Kentucky’s (UK) Equestrian Team will defend its 2008 national championship title, April 23-25, in Murfreesboro, TN, at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Championships. This year’s competition is hosted by Middle Tennessee State University. UK’s hunt seat team was again named high-point team in the region and will compete as a team for the third year in a row. The team also will be represented by the high-point...

I really like the combination of World Cup Finals and a venue like Las Vegas. I like what each does to elevate the other; the World Cup Finals bringing sophistication, world-class competition and the best equestrian has to offer, to Vegas. Vegas lending its style, flair and showmanship to the Finals. The athletes love it. The fans love it. And they're hoping the tradition will continue, despite a struggling economy. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but by the looks of it, I...

After a 4.20 wake-up alarm this morning, I had a cold cup of coffee (accidentally), found my way to Lexington airport in the midst of MORE rain and was in Chicago before i knew it. The SVP of Marketing (aka my boss) Kathy Meyer was on the same flight so we chatted and had breakfast in the windy city Las Vegas could give Chicago a run for its money with the wind. I got to the MGM where I'm staying (it was totally sensory overload), I'm a first-time starter in Vegas (to borrow a term from...

Gladstone, NJ – The USET Foundation is pleased to announce that the Jacqueline B. Mars International Competition and Training Grant has been awarded to 21-year-old Jennie Brannigan of San Diego, CA. The grant is given to an Eventing rider who has been identified and recommended by the USEF Eventing Selectors, with an impressive record and potential to represent the United States in future international competition. Brannigan began competing in three-day eventing when she was 11 years old with...

The inaugural $50,000 CN Palm Beach Jumping Derby will be held Sunday, February 15 with some of the world's top riders racing around a 1,000-meter course that includes a Devil's Dyke and a newly created signature obstacle called the Palm Maze. Built on top of the world-famous grass Polo Field One at the original Palm Beach Polo Stadium—considered by many to be among the finest grass surfaces for horse sports anywhere in the world—the course offers 19 obstacles (23 efforts) over...

The huge response from across the United States and Europe to the inaugural Exquis World Dressage Masters (WDM) Musical Freestyle in Wellington led to the organizers announcing Wednesday that admission to the grand prix and grand prix special will be free. The grand prix will be held Friday afternoon in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The grand prix special will be held Saturday afternoon. The grand prix musical freestyle is scheduled for Saturday...

Exhibitors who made their way to the desert for the start of the 2009 HITS Desert Circuit will be treated to a perfect week of Southern California weather and an exciting week of equestrian competition that started on January 20 at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. All of the show rings will be action-packed for the next eight weeks as junior, amateur and professional riders start off a new year of competition. Some will be riding new mounts purchased in the fall, while others will be...

George Morris (USEF Archives) By Joanie Morris Lexington, KY – The pursuit of Show Jumping excellence in the United States continues. The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and George Morris have renewed Morris’ contract to serve as Chef d’Equipe and Technical Advisor through 2012. Morris has steered the US Jumping program to tremendous success over the first four years of his tenure. His attention to detail and meticulous preparation of his teams is world renowned....

The 2009 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) opened Wednesday to rave reviews for the $10-million makeover of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Opening day in almost perfect weather with temperatures reaching a high of about 80 degrees F (27 degrees Celsius) saw 854 hunter and jumper trips in 10 competition arenas. The annual George H. Morris Horsemanship Clinic filled another arena. Although the premiere jumper rings, International, DeNemethy and Mogavero arenas drew 231 entries...

“It’s the camaraderie that means so much,” commented a cheerful Sandy Ferrell after winning the 15th Annual $7,500 Professional World Championship Hunter Rider Finals for the 2008 American Hunter Jumper Foundation (AHJF) Professional World Cup Championship Rider (WCHR) title, which took place on October 3 during the eight-day Capital Challenge Horse Show at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. The 2008 WCHR Professional Finals is sponsored by Stillwell-Hansen, Inc.,...