The annual mid-year meeting of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) ended in near-record time July 12th, owing to the cooperative spirit of more than 40 members of the USEF Board of Directors. The meeting, which has become a traditional mid-year “State of the Federation” report, played host to some 70 attendees in all at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Lexington, KY. The Board of Directors worked diligently to pass a number of rule changes presented to them, including one in...

The 2005 USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage National Championships will be held September 9-11 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, to showcase the brightest new equine dressage stars. The application process for all young horses closed July 1, with a record number of nominations in both the five-year-old division (36) and the six-year-old division (24). Scores must be earned and submitted to USEF by August 8. The complete nomination list is now posted on the USEF/Markel Young Horse...

The Vermont Summer Festival, the largest ‘AA’ rated hunter-jumper horse show held in New England, has a huge economic impact on the state of Vermont with approximately $15 million spent throughout the duration of the five-week competition. With approximately 1,200 horses competing each week at the Vermont Summer Festival, which will run July 13 to August 14 in East Dorset, VT, and approximately 3,000 people related to the horse show visiting the area on a daily basis, the impact on the local...

The National Horse Show Association of America, Ltd., and the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament announced that they have reached an agreement that will see the ASPCA Maclay class produced by the National Horse Show at the 2005 Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament to be held on November 2-6, 2005. The present plan is to hold the warm up for the ASPCA Maclay on Saturday morning and the first two phases of the Maclay on Sunday morning. The Maclay competitors would then be able to...

To compete in Gladstone has become a milestone for dressage competitors looking to make their mark on the national scene—from Olympians to seasoned World and National Champions, the famed facility at Hamilton Farm in Gladstone, New Jersey has seen them all. Last weekend, June 16-18, several young riders and a junior joined the ranks, competing alongside the pros, and stabling their horses on-site in the same areas as those competing in the 2005 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Grand...

The Vermont Summer Festival is proud to host a qualifying competition for the prestigious International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Children’s Jumping Final. Open to show jumping athletes ages 12-14, the FEI Children’s Final sees riders from all across the globe competing in this unique annual event. The competition was created to promote and encourage talented young riders by giving them the opportunity to experience international competition with support from the FEI. For the second year in a...

Rapid growth of vaulting in the eastern United States has resulted in more recognized vaulting competitions for area athletes this season. Region IX of the American Vaulting Association (AVA), covering all states from Maine to Mississippi, will be hosting the first East Coast Regional Vaulting Championships July 15-17, 2005, at Fairfax County’s Frying Pan Park, in Herndon, VA. The competition is recognized by the United States Equestrian Federation and the AVA and will contribute to national...

Lili Weik Photography Jimmy Torano and Marcel - Winners of the $150,000 Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Championship (Lili Weik Photography) Saugerties, NY – With only one time fault to speak of in the second round of Sunday’s competition, Jimmy Torano of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and his mount Marcel, out-jumped 14 competitors to take home the Championship trophy, $30,000 in prize money, and the elegant Rolex watch at the $150,000 Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Championship in...

Allentown, NJ — Jessica Blackmon of Valley View, Texas, and Marlee O’Neil of Chester, Vermont, were named champions in their respective age divisions at the 2005 USEF Dressage Seat Medal Finals in Allentown, New Jersey, May 27-29. The third-annual Finals took place at the Horse Park of New Jersey, and played host to 23 of the country’s best junior dressage riders, who competed in two age divisions: 13 & under and 14 to 18 years of age. The 17-year-old Blackmon and...

Gregory Stritzel and his horse Balabooga Brawley took the top prize in the Open Intermediate division at the three-day event held at the Horse Park at Woodside Horse at Woodside over Memorial Day weekend. Open Intermediate was the highest-level section held at the May 27-29 event, the Horse Park's first United States Eventing Association (USEA)-recognized event in nearly three years. All levels of eventing except Advanced–-including Beginner Novice, Novice, Training, Preliminary and...