Photo by Whitney Allen (Carly Anthony and Ricky Neal) Carly Anthony, 19 of Redmond, WA, and Richard “Ricky” Neal, 17 of Pasadena, CA, were named the inaugural winners of the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Emerging Athletes Program National Training Session. For their amazing accomplishments, Carly and Ricky will each receive 30 days of advanced training with a high-performance athlete, as well as $1,500 in gift certificates from Dover Saddlery to purchase show clothes. When...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) elected a new president and treasurer for three-year terms. George Williams of Delaware, OH, who was vice president of the federation for nine years and a United States high-performance rider, takes the helm as president from Dr. Samuel Barish. Steve Schubert of Methuen, MA, replaces Barb Tuohino Funk as treasurer. Williams also appointed Melissa Creswick of Clovis, CA, as interim vice president for a one-year term. George Williams is currently a...

Equestrian Sports Productions (ESP), owner and manager of the FTI 2010 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), is busy with the final preparations to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) for the January 12 opening day. ESP has spent millions of dollars since the last circuit to ensure that the experience for both customers and horses will be excellent in the New Year. Mark Bellissimo, Chief Executive Officer of ESP, and Managing Partner of Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEP),...

During the weekend of November 5-8, 25-year-old Kerry Tracey of Watkinsville, GA, led the victory gallop at the final SmartPak Equine/United States Eventing Association (USEA) Training Three-Day Event aboard her homebred Thoroughbred/Appaloosa gelding Chasing The Music. Although the entries were low for this long-format division, which was held in conjunction with the Rocking Horse Fall Horse Trials (Altoona, FL), the competition was fierce, and Tracey moved up from fourth after dressage to...

World class show jumpers vied for $75,000 in prize money, thousands of fans packed into the stands, flags from many countries hanging overhead, and a JumboTron showed highlights and tracked the results. Is it Las Vegas or Los Angeles? Neither; it is Sacramento, and it is the only show jumping competition of this caliber in Northern California: The Sacramento International Horse Show at Murieta Equestrian Complex in Rancho Murieta, CA, which was held November 3-8. Rudy Leone started the show in...

As the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation Holiday Fundraiser draws closer, many exciting performances have been announced for the feature event. SUCCEED® and Wellington Classic Dressage will be hosting the Holiday Gala Fundraiser, December 11-12, 2009, to benefit the USET Foundation. The venue for the fundraiser will be the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. The two nights of exciting performances will include Pony Club Mounted Games featuring Gina Miles, Cathy...

SUCCEED® and Wellington Classic Dressage will be hosting an exciting Holiday Gala Fundraiser, December 11-12, 2009, to benefit the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation. The gala will feature some of the biggest names in the equestrian world from a unique combination of disciplines, all coming together for a good cause and a fun holiday celebration. The United States Equestrian Team Foundation (USET) is the non-profit organization that supports the competition, training, coaching,...

Dance and Gymnastics on Cantering Horses a Growing Spectator Sport at Kentucky Horse Park Equestrian vaulting came to the Kentucky Horse Park for the first time last week, with the United States Equestrian Federation and the American Vaulting Association crowning their national vaulting champions from July 9-12. “We’re excited to present the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championships in the Kentucky Horse Park for the first time, and to be part of the fabric of the Horse Capital of the World,”...

The audience cheered even more enthusiastically when Will Simpson entered the arena aboard Archie Bunker to contest the $50,000 Los Angeles National Grand Prix. The 2008 Olympic Gold medalist did not disappoint as he piloted Archie Bunker to one of just four clear rounds during the featured class at the LA National, November 12-16. Olaf Petersen, Jr., designed a challenging course for the 34 horse field that served as a West Coast League World Cup Qualifier. "This was a difficult course. This...

When Randy Weaver was diagnosed with colon cancer, priorities were adjusted. Randy moved reconnecting with horses up on his list. A light that had shined in his life long ago was now important to illuminate again. He’d shown horses in his youth. He knew then about Louisville. What do you do when you’re faced with cancer? If you fight and win that battle, as Randy did, do you resume as normal? I imagine you examine your entirety, life as a whole, and reflect on the things that have brought you...