The Washington International Horse Show will begin a new tradition at the MCI Center during the week of October 25-30, 2005. This year, the illustrious show introduces the $10,000 Washington International Invitational Dressage Championship. The participants in this championship will include two riders chosen from the United States Equestrian Federation High Performance Dressage Grand Prix Ranking List and two riders invited through “Wild Card” invitations. The USEF High Performance Dressage...

Courtesy Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine (Dr. Shannon Gonsoulin (LSU Grad) and a helper rescuing a Miniature Horse and loading it into a trailer.) Word from the Louisiana State University Veterinary School about the overall situation at the LaMar Dixon Expo Center which has been the large animal evacuation center, is positive. Dr. Rustin Moore, Director of Equine Health Studies at LSU, reports that they now have approximately 275 horses at the center and because...

The sun shone down on the International Ring for the $1,000,000 CN International Grand Prix on Sunday, September 11, however, the brightest star of the day was Beezie Madden of Cazenovia, NY. She and the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion Judgement went clear through three rounds of competition to capture a prize of $325,000. It was a class that hosted 49 horse and rider combinations over three very challenging courses set by Leopoldo Palacios. The first round included a very difficult triple...

The stewards of The Jockey Club have approved revisions to the Principal Rules and Requirements of The American Stud Book ("Rules"), adding provisions regarding inspections of Thoroughbreds by representatives of The Jockey Club's Registry Department. According to The Jockey Club's Registrar Rick Bailey, the rule changes relate primarily to the increasing numbers of Thoroughbred foals reported as born in the first several days of January, and a concern as to whether these foaling dates are being...

Stadium Jumping, Inc., the management company for the 2006 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), is pleased to announce that FTI Consulting of Annapolis, MD, is sponsoring the $200,000 FTI Rider Challenge. The FTI Rider Challenge will be held during the 2006 WEF, from January 25 to March 12 at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington, FL. The FTI Rider Challenge will be a rider bonus pool for $200,000 in which the riders will receive points based on the number of riders in the seven...

“America’s Horse,” the American Quarter Horse Association’s award-winning television series will be heading to Manerbio, Italy, for the 2005 FEI World Reining Masters Finals presented by the Arcese Group and the Italian Equestrian Sports Federation (FISE) this coming September. The show will air October 23 on www.aqha.com and on the United States channel, TVG Network. “America’s Horse” has been at the forefront of reining competition television coverage, including the 2002 World Equestrian...

Lexington, KY – Craig Schmersal of Menifee, California, and Tim McQuay of Tioga, Texas will represent the United States in the 2005 FEI World Reining Masters Series Final in Manerbio, Italy, September 24. Each, a master, in his own right, Schmersal was a member of the Gold Medal U.S. team at the 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain, while McQuay is the NRHA’s all-time leading money earner. Schmersal took the Gold medal and Championship title August 27, riding Tidal Wave...

Riders, trainers, auditors and family members are all invited to attend the USEF ParaEquestrian Training Sessions being held in the following locations. All of the trainers have coached teams or individuals to medals at both Disabled World Championships and Paralympic Games. September 9-11 Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center Woodinville, WA Trainer: Jerry Schwartz October 14-16 Victory Farms Flower Mound, TX Trainer: Renee Albrecq October 28-30 USEF Headquarters Gladstone, NJ Trainer: Missy...

The deadly outbreak of equine herpes virus at Churchill Downs this spring threatened to limit movement of horses between racetracks during the Triple Crown series of races. Frequent travel is also common for sport horses and such an outbreak could hamper participation at major shows. A Cornell University virologist says his preliminary research indicates that vaccines containing weakened live viruses, called modified live vaccines (MLV), appear to be more effective in preventing horse herpes...

Ramiro Quintana won the testing Speed Challenge at the American Gold Cup last year, and he will return with the same mare, Carousel, to defend his title at this year’s event, September 15-18, at the Devon show grounds in Devon, PA. The Speed Challenge is a very exciting class, which pits professionals against juniors and amateurs, and Quintana, who also won this event four years ago, placed first and third in last year’s event. The five top professionals from their qualifying class on Fast...