“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.,...

Iron Spring Farm's three-year-old homebred Friesian stallion, Pilgrim ISF, was awarded the prestigious First Premie Star designation and was selected for KFPS stallion testing during the Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA) KFPS keuring on September 29, 2008. Iron Spring Farm's success during the keuring also includes Pilgrim's dam, Toltsje fan't Boekehof, receiving an 82.5 on her IBOP (performance) test to earn the prestigious Model designation. She also received the Champion...

The United States Hunter Jumper Association’s (USHJA) “Building For Growth” Capital Campaign officially launched on Thursday, September 25, at the Kentucky Horse Park. The launch event, held at the historic “Farmhouse” within the horse park, hosted over 300 guests and included Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear, United States Equestrian Federation CEO John Long, and Director of the Kentucky Horse Park John Nicholson. Plans were unveiled to highlight the new building and provide for its...

Courtney King-Dye, a member of the U.S. equestrian team's three-member dressage squad that competed at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, China, rode Mythilus to a 13th place finish individually and helped the U.S. to finish in fourth place overall by placing seventh in the grand prix, the team round of competition. King-Dye was the highest placed U.S. rider in the grand prix. She qualified for the grand prix special and then was one of only 15 riders to qualify for the grand prix freestyle....

Two lucky youths won big with a small equine prize. At the American Shetland Pony Congress this month, two American Shetland ponies were awarded to winners of two youth essay contests. Youths from around the country exercised their writing skills for the chance to win one of these amazing Shetland ponies. Entries were numbered and judged anonymously. Kimberly Cotter was the lucky winner of E’s Sir Nite and Kasey Waxler of Pennsylvania was awarded Cross Country’s Mr. Banker. Kimberly Cotter, the...

Lexington, KY - The 2008 Rolex FEI World Cup Final boasts another strong international field of show jumpers. The U.S. horses shipped to Goteborg, Sweden, on April 18 to take on the world’s best. The Rolex FEI World Cup Final features a unique format of three rounds of jumping. Goteborg hosted the inaugural World Cup Final 30 years ago. Seventeen nations will be represented in the Final, to be held April 24-27, 2008. East Coast League winner Kent Farrington has been on in serious form with Up...

Ocala, FL ­– Two USEF National Driving Championships are up for grabs at the CAI-A Ocala running March 27-30, 2008. Known as the Live Oak Plantation Combined Driving Event presented by Budweiser, the showcase of the country's best drivers and horses is taking place at Chester Weber's Live Oak Plantation in Ocala, FL. The competition also serves as the second USEF Selection Trial for two of the World Driving Championships. The USEF Single Horse Championship got the day started and dressage was...

The second week of the Jacksonville Winter Series is proving to be just as full of nail-biting excitement as the opening event. Kyle King, now based in Ocala, FL, riding Finnete for owner Robin Cox took top call in Thursday’s Lucky Sevens Open Welcome Jumper Classic sponsored by Ring Power. King and Finnete, a 13 year-old bay Hanoverian mare found this win especially sweet. “She’s been out of competition for almost a year,” King began. “It just felt great to be back in the ring with her!”...

Laura Chapot and Cilthe Z had the fastest double-clear round in the $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix at HITS Saugerties on Thursday, September 6, to secure $7,500 in prize money for owners Harold Vogel and Mary Chapot. Chapot has been riding the eight-year-old mare for just over a year. It was only Cilthe Z's third grand prix, but she has now won two of them thanks to a victory in Monmouth two weeks ago. Course Designer Jerry Dougherty trimmed the field down to four riders for the jump-off. Going first...

From a Press Release by Daniel Rieffer , Communications Manager, American Saddlebred Horse Association Louisville, Kentucky - Jen Raynes’ heart of gold led her to Louisville. She ran into a parent of an ASHA junior member at a horse show in Scottsdale, Arizona, who convinced her to donate her time and talent to create a painting for the AHSA Annual Auction. She’s known as “Mad Dog” Jen, and she’s experienced absolute madness since leaving California Tuesday morning to get to the World’s...