Sascha Mills. Photo: Laurie Revard. Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce Sascha Mills as the winner of the 2011 USEF Youth Sportsman's Award. Mills was selected from an outstanding group of youth representing their respective recognized breed and discipline affiliates from across the country. An avid Morgan competitor from Goldsby, OK, she was nominated by the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA). "Winning this award is such an honor,"...

Fairfield, CT — St. Andrews University Equestrian Program director and Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) coach, Peggy McElveen, is promising quintessential Southern hospitality when the Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. Horse Complex hosts the 39th Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Championships, May 3-6, 2012, in Raleigh, NC. Think rocking chairs. Magnolia blossoms. White picket fences. “A Taste of Raleigh” from its finest five-star restaurants. And...

Things are getting going now. The day started with a trip to the USOC communications headquarters at the Main Press Center - it was great to see everyone and make some plans for the next three weeks. To many of the sport people, what we do is very foreign so I did a lot of explaining about how these horses are going to get to Mexico. The USOC staff is great, I met them all in Colorado Springs a few weeks ago - it is a great reminder that we are part of something so much greater than our sport....

Guadalajara Day 2 : Happy Columbus Day to everyone at home! We are trotting along swimmingly here in Mexico – never a dull moment in thus constantly changing place. We had breakfast this morning with Mauricio Guererra, the competition manager for Equestrian, and got up to speed on all the things that going on in our sport here in Guadalajara. There are some changes, but flexibility is key at any Games so we are rolling with it. We met up with Kerri Macgregor, the Chef d'Mission from...

Gladstone, NJ- Fourteen-year-old Lillie Keenan, of New York, NY, was a front runner today in the first two rounds of competition for the 2011 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals-East. Held at the USET Foundation Headquarters in Gladstone, NJ, the Talent Search Finals celebrate a momentous 30th anniversary this year. With Finals held each year on the east and west coasts, this program has produced some of the country’s top jumping riders, including McLain Ward,...

OXFORD, PA - The Dansko Fair Hill International is right around the corner, marking the culmination of the Bit of Britain Jersey Fresh Fair Hill Challenge. Lisa Marie Fergusson has her sights set on claiming the $15,000 prize by competing in the CCI 3* aboard her teammate Smart Move. John Nunn, owner of Bit of Britain, wanted to create a challenge that really gives upper level competitors some incentive to compete at two outstanding events. He also thought a hefty cash prize would be a nice...

The stars were out at the L.A. International Horse Show (Sep 21-25), particularly at the $50,000 L.A. International Grand Prix, a World Cup Qualifier, where performances in the ring kept the crowd on the edge of their seats. Sixteen riders tackled Michel Vaillancourt's course in LAEC's indoor arena, but it was the youngest of them all, Saer Coulter (Markus Beerbaum, trainer), who was the only rider to go double clear and clinch the top title. The excitement started early in the class,...

Devon, PA - More than 35,000 spectators enjoyed the equine entertainment and education provided by more than 700 horses (and their riders) at this year’s Dressage at Devon. Tuesday through Thursday featured the breed division in which young horses, from weanlings to six-year olds, shown both in-hand and under saddle, had their day in the sun (or in the rain depending on the time of day). Friskiness dominated the younger classes as their handlers worked hard to show off their charges. The...

Laura Chapot on course with Mary Chapot's Umberto in Friday's $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health (ESI Photography). Saugerties, NY — As excitement builds for the return of the coveted Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix and the debut of the first ever Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final next weekend, HITS show jumping action returned to Saugerties this week for the last leg of the qualifying season. Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, New Jersey, opened the Grand...

Morgan Geller and Fabricio. Photos © CapturedMomentPhoto.com. San Juan Capistrano, CA - Drawing riders from across the nation, the USEF National Junior Hunter Championships-West Coast event was an action-packed two days of great sport and a chance for the Junior Hunters to stand center stage as they displayed their talents in three phases: a handy hunter round, a classic round, and an under saddle phase. When the dust settles, it is the horse with the highest cumulative score that takes home...