Kansas City, MO - The USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final will be held Saturday, November 17, at the United Professional Horsemen's Association's American Royal National Championship in Kansas City, MO. This medal final brings together the best saddle seat equitation riders from across the country who will perform for a judging panel comprised of Michael Craghead (Fresno, CA), Marilyn MacFarlane (Simpsonville, KY), and Nancy Troutman (Salem, VA). Four of the riders competing in the medal final...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation mourns the loss of a great competitor and ambassador for equestrian sport. Kathy Brunjes passed November 1, 2012 following a courageous battle with cancer. Brunjes was an avid endurance rider logging 6,745 lifetime competition miles. Her passion for the sport of endurance saw her compete all over the world including representing the United States in Jerez, Spain at the 2004 FEI World Endurance Championships. Brunjes then travelled to Abu...

Onira and Brianne Goutal. (Shawn McMillen Photography) Washington, D.C . - The 2012 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) continued on Thursday with the first day of classes for the Junior Hunters and several International Open Jumper and Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper classes at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. ? The course designer for the jumpers at WIHS this year is Anthony D’Ambrosio, of Red Hook, NY. The International Open Jumpers had two classes on Thursday, and Brianne Goutal,...

Lexington, KY - Many of the top reiners in the United States are headed to Tulsa, Oklahoma this week to take part in the Adequan/USEF National Open Reining Championship on August 31. The Championship class will be run as a CRI3* and held in conjunction with a CRI2* and CRI*, all held during the Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic. The Championship will feature a rematch between Shawn Flarida and Tom McCutcheon, who finished first and second respectively in April's Ariat Kentucky Cup CRI5*. The two...

Little Emir and Shane Sweetnam. Traverse City, MI - As Shane Sweetnam walked into the ring aboard Spy Coast Farm LLC's Little Emir for the jump-off of the $30,000 Grand Traverse Bay Grand Prix, he was weighing his options. With just two riders to follow him in the 17-horse jump-off, Sweetnam was figuring out his odds. At the moment, he held the lead aboard his other mount, Rolette, and he was currently sitting on one of his most experienced grand prix partners, the 14-year-old German-bred...

Bobbi Carlton riding the six-year-old Kir Royal (USEF Archive) Lexington, KY - Finishing up the Markel/USEF Young Horse training and observation sessions for 2012, Rosebrook Farm in Georgetown, MA hosted the final scheduled session of the year on June 28-29. Scott Hassler, the USEF Young Horse Coach, once again led the session in the eastern region with a wealth of successful young horses. "I was particularly excited to come to this area of the country because it is such a strong, active region....

Asheville, NC -- Piedmont Paso Fino Horse Association will celebrate the 30th Annual Piedmont Classic at Asheville ALIVE 2012 at the Western NC Agriculture Center on June 21 -24, 2012. The Paso Fino Horse eloquently combines Spanish heritage and American tradition to present “Los Caballos de Paso Fino” – the horses with the fine walk. Voted “Best in Breed Competition” for 2010 and 2011 by USEF (United States Equestrian Federation). Asheville ALIVE 2012 promises to...

Lexington, KY - The 2012 USEF Dressage Festival of Champions and USEF Dressage Selection Trial for the 2012 Olympic Games will take place June 8-10 and 13-17, 2012 at the USET Foundation Headquarters in Gladstone, NJ. The competition will play host to several championship divisions. On June 8-10, riders will contest the National Pony Rider, National Junior, National Young Rider and National Grand Prix/Olympic Games Selection Trials Part I divisions. The National Young Adult "Brentina Cup",...

Lexington, KY - The 2012 USEF Dressage Festival of Champions and USEF Dressage Selection Trial for the 2012 Olympic Games will take place June 8-10 and 13-17, 2012 at the USET Foundation Headquarters in Gladstone, NJ. Members of the media who would like to request credentials to cover should submit an application by June 1, 2012. The competition will play host to several championship divisions. On June 8-10, riders will contest the National Pony Rider, National Junior, National Young Rider and...

Wellington, FL - Christopher Hickey of Colora, MD rode Balissa HTF to the highest score of the day at the Global Dressage Festival National 2 Horse Show on Wednesday. The pair scored 75.323% in the USEF First Level Test 3-Open at the Stadium show grounds of the Global Dressage Festival (GDF). Mary Ambrose of Canada and Ming Dynasty were reserve high score receiving 71.757% in the USEF Fourth Level Test 2- Open. Balissa HTF is a Hanoverian owned and bred by Jane MacElree of Hilltop Farm in...