Many Fortune 500 companies, sports leagues, professional athletes, and celebrities have faced media crises. Some arise from the incident with little harm, while others experience negative impact to their image, brand, and bottom lines. In the age of social media and a 24-hour news cycle, it is important that every organization have a media plan with guidance to effectively handle a media crisis. Sarah Hamilton (Photo: Taylor Pence) During US Equestrian’s (USEF) Annual Meeting on...

As part of the Annual Meeting’s new moderated forums, US Equestrian’s Director of Sport Programs, Will Connell, made a proposal that the organization should develop a registration process for coaches. And, Connell posited, such a registry—with requirements as well as benefits for participating coaches—would not only improve equestrianism and make it safer for equestrians, but also enhance the nation’s international competitiveness. “If we want to get more...

Lexington, Ky. – The Deloitte U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team has been named for the Adequan Global Dressage Festival CPEDI3* taking place January 4-7 at Equestrian Village in Wellington, Fla. The U.S. team will begin their competition on Friday, January 5, with the FEI Team Test for all grades. The FEI Individual Test for all grades will take place Saturday, January 6, followed by the FEI Freestyle Test for all grades on Sunday, January 7. Michele Bandinu and Soulman 13 (Tamara Torti)...

2017 USEF Reining National Championships Set to Begin at Tulsa Reining Classic Lexington, Ky. – Top athletes have converged at the Tulsa Reining Classic in hopes of claiming a title in one of the 2017 USEF Reining National Championships. Both the Adequan $10,000 Added USEF Open National Championship presented by Markel Insurance CRI3* and the $2,000 Added USEF Youth National Championship will take place Friday, September 1, at Expo Square in Tulsa, Okla. The open competitors will perform...

The USEF’s Eventing Emerging Athlete Program is an age-restricted program that identifies and cultivates talented young riders ages 18 and under and 25 and under with the potential to evolve into future United States team candidates. They’re coached by USEF Eventing Emerging Athlete Coach Leslie Law. This year, four of the program’s riders are among the entries for the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover. Madeline Backus Horse: P.S. Arianna....

At the 2013 United States Equestrian Federation Mid-Year Board Meeting held July 22 in Lexington, Kentucky, members of the Board of Directors approved two proposed rule changes that will become effective in 2013. Effective December 1, 2013 , the following rule has been approved: GR 414 Prohibited Practices 1. No injectable substances may be administered to any horse or pony within 12 hours prior to competing, with the following three exceptions subject to paragraph 2 below: a. Therapeutic...

Abigail Mutrux is a 17-year-old junior at University City High School in St. Louis, Missouri. She is the captain of the three-gaited section of the 2012 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team. In addition to riding Saddle Seat, she enjoys fox hunting and has been awarded her junior colors. Perhaps Saddle Seat is something that most children aren’t drawn toward when they first tell their parents that they want to start riding. I was born into it. My mother grew up competing at the same national...

Orlando, Florida - Olympian Peter Leone joined members of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Board of Directors at their annual meeting held in Orlando, FL to celebrate the launch of his new book, Peter Leone's Show Jumping Clinic: Success Strategies for Equestrian Athletes. Leone's book, written along with Kimberly S. Jaussi, PhD, herself an avid rider, writer and leadership professor and coach, explores every aspect of riding from the basics of correct use of aids...

Sutherlin, OR - If your goal is to breed, own or ride the next Ravel, Totilas, Judgement ISF, Idocus, or Popeye K, the KWPN-NA Annual Meeting added to your inspiration. With insights from Olympic medalist Steffen Peters and renowned breeder and KWPN judge Cor Loeffen, along with networking with some of the world's biggest and best KWPN horse breeders, the event was the largest in recent years. Two hundred enthusiastic equestrians gathered in Visalia, California to discuss and debate the...

Sutherlin, OR - What does it take to get a horse to Grand Prix? This is the theme of this year's KWPN-NA Annual Meeting to be held at DG Bar Ranch on March 24-26. This incredible opportunity to learn from some of the most respected names in sport horse breeding and training begins Thursday evening with Olympian Lendon Gray, USET member Courtney King Dye, Olympic medalist Steffen Peters, and top young horse trainer Scott Hassler via video, sharing their experiences of bringing a horse up the...