Release provided by Baylor University WACO, Texas — The University of Georgia won its third overall Varsity Equestrian National Championship (VENC) at the Heart O’ Texas Fair Complex on Saturday in Waco, TX. Texas Christian University (TCU) won the Western national title while Auburn claimed the hunter seat championship. The Bulldog riders claimed their first national crown since 2004 without finishing first in either riding discipline, hunter seat or Western. Georgia’s strong finish in both...

Horse show competitors and visitors of all ages are invited to celebrate the magnificence of the horse this summer at the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, CO. The calendar is packed with more than 30 unique and diverse events designed to entertain, educate and enthrall. Nearly one-million dollars in prize money will be distributed to hunter, jumper, equitation, dressage, eventing and draft horses throughout the season. “The 2008 season will be one of our best ever,” predicts General Manager Rob...

The World Games 2010 Foundation announced that Fortune Commercial Properties, a Lexington-based company, as the Official Commercial Realty Company of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. As part of the partnership, Fortune will provide 10,000 square feet of warehouse space and 6,000 square feet of office space for the World Games 2010 Foundation, as well as a financial contribution in support of the 2010 Games. The space is expected to be used for storage and as a center of operations...

At the Queen City Classic, which concluded Sunday at North Carolina’s “Why Not an American Ark” Equestrian Facility outside Charlotte, Hunters Lane, led by trainer Robert Hunt, had a veritable clean sweep. In one of the week’s premiere event, the $5,000 Welcome Open Hunter Challenge, the Hunters Lane team captured the top six spots. Steve Heinecke, pro rider and co-trainer, won the class aboard the Alise Oken-owned Quintin. He also took second with Oken’s Alisette, fourth with the Robert...

Top FEI competitor Susan Dutta retired her famous grand prix partner of many years, Gumshoes DC, a 17-year-old Dutch gelding in a touching ceremony held in the International ring at the Zada Enterprises CDI show in Wellington. Her husband, Tim Dutta, son Timmy, and groom Robbie Sanderson accompanied Gumshoes into the ring where a well-deserved shawl of red flowers draped his shoulders. After a decade of being a consistent finisher in both the large and small tour FEI competition, Dutta...

The Humane Society of the United States Press has announced the release of The Humane Society of the United States Complete Guide to Horse Care , an educational resource for first-time and experienced horse owners. The book includes information on how to choose a horse; meeting a horse’s physical, emotional and nutritional needs; an overview of horse breeds and disciplines; and advice to help guide horse owners through good decision-making at all stages of a horse’s life. Coauthor Erin Harty, a...

From a Baylor University release WACO, Texas — The seventh annual Varsity Equestrian National Championships (VENC) are slated to begin on Thursday, April 17, at the Heart O’ Texas Fairgrounds. South Carolina enters the show as the defending overall national champion. For the second straight year, the varsity collegiate riding national championships are being hosted by Baylor University. Baylor is in its third year as a fully funded varsity program after the university’s athletic department...

Lexington, KY - Following the last World Cup Qualifiers which were held in Tampa, FL, and San Juan Capistrano, CA, 10 riders will represent the U.S. at the 2008 Rolex FEI World Cup Final (seven from the U.S. East Coast League and three from the U.S. West Coast League). To be held in Goteborg, Sweden, April 23-27, the Final showcases the world’s best show jumping riders, who qualify by accumulating points throughout the competition year at designated FEI events in one of the FEI worldwide...

Statement by David O’Connor: Recent injuries and the media coverage of those injuries and our sport give us all reason to pause and reflect on the evolution and safety of equestrian sport and in particular Eventing. Many of us have devoted our professional lives to the joy of partnering with the horse and skillfully riding a course. Underlying the fun and excitement of the sport, for that matter any sport, is reasonable risk with the assumption of reasonable safety. In fact, our sport is...

Statement by Mark Phillips-- Eventing is a sport I love and have been involved in personally and professionally for more than 40 years. I am always deeply concerned whenever an athlete or horse is injured while competing regardless of circumstances and even more so when it occurs on a course I designed. In every course I have ever designed the top priority has always been for the health and safety of the athletes and the horses. Our great sport is evolving and becoming more technically...