Fulton, Mo. – After impressive showings at the Saddle Seat World Cup Team Trials, 12 riders were chosen to represent the United States at the 2014 Saddle Seat World Cup. Thirty-two aspiring athletes, twenty in three gaited competition and twelve in five-gaited, from twenty-six states tried-out at William Woods University on Saturday. They rode two phases in a chilly but snow and ice free atmosphere. Each phase consisted of one rail ride and one pattern ride on unfamiliar horses. After the...

2013 USEF Youth Sportsman's Award Winner Miranda Prints (Bill Smith Photography) Lexington, Ky. - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce Miranda Prints as the winner of the 2013 USEF Youth Sportsman's Award. Seventeen-year-old Prints was selected from an outstanding group of youth representing their respective recognized breed and discipline affiliates from across the country. An avid vaulter from Orangevale, Calif., she was nominated by the American Vaulting...

Lexington, Ky. - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce plans for the 2014 USEF Developing Dressage Program. The Developing Dressage Program is made possible by a generous gift from Akiko Yamazaki and Red Husky Foundation through the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation. Debbie McDonald returns in 2014 as USEF Developing Coach, as the program seeks to identify talented, developing combinations with potential for future team and international success. Once again the...

Lexington, KY - The United States Federation's High Performance Working Group has approved the recommendation of DiAnn Langer as the U.S. Show Jumping Young Rider Chef d’Equipe/Technical Advisor. Both the Search Committee, chaired by Eric Straus, and the USEF Show Jumping High DiAnn Langer (USEF Archive) Performance Committee recommended Langer for this new position. Langer is tasked with developing and implementing a pipeline for the USEF Show Jumping discipline and will begin her...

California's Akiko Yamazaki celebrated her success aboard "Matrix" in the Prix St. Georges Adult Amateur Championship on the final day of the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®. (SusanJStickle.com) Lexington, Ky. - Emotions ran high as the final six champions were crowned Sunday at the inaugural US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® in Lexington, KY. Riders who traveled to the Kentucky Horse Park from coast to coast celebrated their championship experience with memorable rides and...

Lexington, Ky. - Kelsey Thatcher of Bluffdale, Utah has been named the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Rider of the Month for October. Thatcher won the $15,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show and earned the division Championship with Athena, and also took second place and Reserve Championship with Everything. Thatcher, who is trained by Alex and Maggie Jayne, was also named the horse show's Leading Amateur-Owner Jumper Rider. "I'm...

Wendy O'Brien (Mary Phelps-phelpsphotos.com) Pau, France - The 2013 FEI Pony World Driving Championships came to a conclusion Sunday with the cones phase and saw the United States secure a seventh place finish on a total of 452.1. The Netherlands capped off a banner weekend earning Team Gold on a score of 332.3, with Germany claiming Silver on 365.9, and Hungary cruised to a Bronze medal on a score of 388.3. In the Single Pony Championship, Tracey Morgan (Beallsville, Md.) led the way for the U....

Pau, France - The United States sent six drivers onto the marathon on Saturday at the 2013 FEI Pony World Driving Championships and finished the day in seventh place on a total of 426.7. The Netherlands leads the field on a score of 326.2, with Germany currently in Silver medal position on 351.9, and Hungary occupies third place with a total of 370.9. Tracey Morgan and Fuego 88 (Mary Phelps-phelpsphotos.com) In the Single Pony Championship, the U.S. was represented by Tracey Morgan and Paul...

Frances Land and Vienne (Phelps Media Group, Inc.) Lexington, Ky. - The Chansonette Farm $15,000 Amateur-Owner Jumper class was the first jumper event of the day, where Frances Land of Alpharetta, GA, managed to best a five horse jump-off with Vieanne. Despite adding not one but two strides down the final line, the pair's quick pace and turns to the other obstacles proved uncatchable with a time of 35.428 seconds. The 19-year-old sophomore at Emory University commented, "For the jump-off I...

Kent Farrington and Blue Angel (Shawn McMillen Photography) Lexington, Ky. - The Town Branch Bourbon $50,000 International Open Jumper Speed took center stage earlier this evening,where the first section of the class proved to be the best of the day. Candice King, of Wellington, FL, was the first to show over Conrad Homfeld's winding speed class aboard Quality Stud's Antigone Quality. Despite the pressure of being the pathfinders, King and Antigone Quality were perfect over each fence...