Renowned Victory (Rory), by Rotspon out of Victory at Concord, ends the 2005 year as the Performance Horse Registry's Dressage Sport Horse Breeding (DSHB) National Champion and Zone Three Champion. In addition, the two-year-old filly bred by Sarah Needham ended the year in first place for two-year-old fillies Oldenburg GOV All Breeds Awards and in sixth place in the USDF Two-Year-Old Fillies DSHB. Rory also qualified for the Cosequin Breeders Championship at Devon. Last year, she was second in...

The 2005 USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage National Championships turned into a landmark for the ISR-Oldenburg Registry N.A. and its breeders. The prestigious FEI final of the five-year-old dressage horses was dominated by U.S.-bred and even more by ISR-Oldenburg N.A. horses. In the past, most of the horses which made it to the National Finals were imported. For the first time ever in 2005 the majority of the finalists were U.S.-bred horses (eight of 13). "I think I was more excited about the...

Mike Ferrara (Lexington, KY) - Throughout the year there are many competitions which are extremely valuable to the various USEF breed organizations but are a challenge to organize due to required expenses. The USEF wishes to support the widest possible network of shows for its breed members and enthusiasts by announcing a new Outreach Grant program. A total of $125,000 has been budgeted in 2006 for grants to financially challenged breed competitions which meet the grant requirements and are...

Stephen B. Macfarlane, 59, died following surgery in Louisville on January 11. Macfarlane had spent his lifetime as a multi-faceted horseman, winning championship titles in American Saddlebred, Roadster, Pony and coaching competitions. Macfarlane had just returned to Kentucky from his winter home in Ft. Meyers, FL. He had been taking blood-thinning medication for a diagnostic procedure scheduled later this week, when he suffered a head injury resulting in edema that could not be controlled...

The details for the Saddlebred Summit, the 2006 ASHA Annual Meeting and Youth Conference, can be found on the Association's website at www.asha.net/ASHA-Annual-Meeting . The Saddlebred Summit will take place in Lexington, KY, February 16-18, at the Embassy Suites of Lexington. A complete schedule of events and event descriptions can also be found online. Highlights include the ASHA Open Members Forum, Open Committee Meetings and the Saddlebred Ball at the Keeneland Entertainment Center, where...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) Charter Club Council has been formed to create more efficient communication channels between ASHA Charter Clubs and the ASHA Board of Directors. Twenty individuals have been selected to form the new Charter Club Council. Two council members from each United States Equestrian Federation-sanctioned region were selected from the submitted nominations. Regions one and two, three and four, and six and seven were grouped together respectively. Two...

The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has recently developed a new certification program -- the Equine Facilities Manager (EFM) program. This program is done as a 2.5 day clinic to certify four levels of stable employees: - Stable Worker- Qualified to work in a barn under the supervision of a manager - Stable Manager- Qualified to manage a small private stable of up to 10 head and 1-2 employees - Herd Manager- Qualified to manage a public equine facility of up to 35 head and 3-4...

PhelpsPhotos.com (Brentina and Debbie McDonald) (Cincinnati, Ohio)—Among the regalia of the United States Equestrian Federation’s (USEF) annual meeting and black tie gala, Dressage Champion Brentina was named the inaugural Farnam®/ Platform™ • USEF Horse of the Year, the first time one horse has been selected among all breeds and disciplines as the year’s most exceptional horse. Owned by Peggy Thomas of Hailey, Idaho, Brentina is one of the most successful horses in the history of U.S. Dressage...

Wellington Equestrian Partners, LLC, in collaboration with Stadium Jumping, Inc., announced that they have purchased 277 acres of prime real estate in the heart of Wellington's horse country. An option for an additional 87 acres would bring the purchase total to over 364 acres. The majority of the land was purchased from Palm Beach Polo’s owner, Glenn Straub, by various entities controlled by Wellington real estate investor Mark Bellissimo. “The purchase will allow Stadium Jumping to enhance...

Peter Wylde and the nine-year-old Holsteiner mare Quo Vadis, owned by Sagamore Farms, Inc., have recently been making their mark on the international show jumping stage. They finished second at the FEI World Cup Grand Prix at CSI-W Geneva in December, beating out Marcus Ehning of Germany, the current leader of the FEI Gandini World Rankings, and 2005 World Cup victor Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, also of Germany. “It was a huge thrill," said Wylde. "I am especially proud as I have had this horse...