As a member of the press, I especially enjoy press conferences. Of course, prior to these events I try to think of things that I’d like to ask or have explained in more detail than what is on the surface. Today, the World Equestrian Games Foundation held a press conference during a lunch break of the first day of dressage at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event to bring the press up-to-date on preparations for the big event. One thing I especially enjoy about press conferences is the...

Photo by Ken Braddick (Steffen Peters and Ravel) Lexington, KY – Talk about busy. 2009 has been a whirlwind, new champions of all kinds, title defenders, legends and innovators made headlines this year. The line between winning and losing has become increasingly fine as all the USEF competitors in every discipline continue to up their game, hone their skills and make the US Team proud both locally and across the globe. With the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) looming on the...

Victoria Birdsall and Alex Parrish emerged as East Conference champions in the regular season of the 2009 Cavalor Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series. The Cavalor Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series conducted its 2009 series with classes at more than 100 horse shows across the nation, giving competitors an abundance of opportunities to accumulate points throughout the year. The series featured separate divisions for amateur-owner and junior riders with standings kept...

Two Champions "Three-Peat" as Breed Show Wraps Up When individual breed classes took center stage on day three of Dressage at Devon 2009, two horses who had dominated the news in the prestigious show's first two days continued to grab headlines. Perfect Qredit, a yearling colt by Quaterback, added an 83.80% win in the Oldenburg (GOV) division to his Grand Championship, Young Horse Championship, Colt Championship, and Yearling Colts and Geldings title for owner Michelle Coursin, an air-traffic...

I am currently sitting in the O'Hare airport on the floor next to what appears to be the only functioning outlet in the place. All I can smell is latte. We had a botched breakfast plan yesterday so decided to go for coffee instead. I managed to spill not one but two cups of coffee on Martin Atock and on my backpack. Now if any of you know Martin, he doesn't like to be messy, he was then in the Venetian covered in Latte. He doesn't feel sorry for me that my bag smells funny but I do...

Rebecca Hart (John Stevenson) By Joanie Morris Hong Kong, China – The venue was lively today as the freestyles got underway in the main arena at Sha Tin. All kinds of music were showcased in two sessions. Two US riders went to task in the morning sessions on the penultimate day of competition at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Equestrian. In the Grade II Individual Freestyle, Rebecca Hart (Erie, PA) finally had the performance she knew she was capable with Norteassa at these Games. The...

Content provided by Horse Shows in the Sun (HITS) Saugerties, NY— In the days between HITS-on-the-Hudson V and VI, HITS is hosting the 2008 USEF Junior Hunter National Championship for the East Coast. It’s the fourth consecutive year that the event has taken to the rings at HITS Saugerties and competition kicked off yesterday with the WIHS Equitation Classic, the USEF/Pessoa Medal and the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Medal. Taylor Ann Adams and Miracle bested a field of 47 other pairs...

Lexington, KY— It was a bit of history being made as the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) hosted the first of what is hoped to be annual I.T. summits at the Federation’s headquarters at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington on March 29. The summit—designed to bring together the I.T. departments from the various breeds and disciplines to discuss common interests and concerns—proved to be a useful and enlightening event for the more than 30 people representing...

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The World Games 2010 Foundation, Inc. (Foundation), the organization responsible for planning and conducting the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, today announced the resignation of its board chairman, Jim Host. Ms. Tandy Patrick has been named the interim chair. “The possibility of not serving through the full Games preparation period has always been my intention,” stated Jim Host, who has served as chairman of the board since its inception in December, 2005. “I retired...

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation® has finalized the second list of breed events that will receive outreach grants through the new program announced in January. The maximum grant is $1,000, and grants are still available. A total of $125,000 has been budgeted in 2006 for grants to financially challenged breed competitions that meet the grant requirements and are approved by the USEF. To date, 61 applications have been received and 49 have been approved. Grant requests are...