Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce the updated Elite Program list as well as the new Pre-Elite list and Development Program list. “We just wrapped up our series of Elite Program home visits and Pre-Elite Training and Observation sessions,” said Dover. “I am very happy and excited by the quality of the horses and the riding. Our veterans are in fantastic form and the new faces on the horizon for American dressage are looking extraordinary. There is no...

Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian (USEF) is pleased to announce the participants for the 12th annual USEF USEF Horsemastership Training Session presented by the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) and sponsored by Adequan®, Ariat®, Equestrian Sport Productions, Practical Horseman , and Upper Echelon Academy. The Training Session will be held at The Global Dressage Venue, in Wellington, Fla., January 5 – 7, 2018. USEF Network will stream live coverage of all mounted...

Fulton, Mo. – After impressive showings at the U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team Trials, 12 riders were chosen to represent the United States at the 2018 Saddle Seat World Cup. Thirty-two aspiring athletes from 18 states tried out at William Woods University on Saturday. Twenty riders competed in the three-gaited section and 12 riders competed in the five-gaited. Each phase consisted of one rail ride and one pattern ride on an unfamiliar horse. After the Trials, six riders from each section...

Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian is pleased to announce that Jonelle Chovanec and Hilary Wilcox have been named the 2018 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team coaches for the 2018 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup competition in July. Chovanec (St. Charles, Ill.) has been coaching riders in the saddle seat discipline for 13 years. She is the owner, trainer, and head instructor of Landmark Farm Inc., where she manages a sizeable program. Chovanec rode on three international saddle seat teams and won gold in...

Lexington, Ky. - Thirty-two top U.S. saddle seat riders will converge on William Woods University in Fulton, Mo. on Saturday, December 2, for the U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team Trials, attempting to earn a spot on the 2018 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team as either a three- or five-gaited competitor. The following is the list of athletes scheduled to attend: Three-Gaited Section Five-Gaited Section Kerrianne Adamek (Murrysville, Pa.) Joan Benjamin (New Orleans, La.) Savannah Adams (San Diego,...

In the wake of major Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria and devastating Western wildfires, the equestrian community banded together to help horses in need in a variety of ways, whether by donating to the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund or by helping to evacuate or shelter animals. Hurricane-related flooding endangered horses and inspired equestrians around the country to provide help. Photo Courtesy of AAEP. Countless individuals and groups donated to the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund to...

Lexington, Ky. – Every year the nation’s top dressage horse-and-rider combinations head east to the picturesque Kentucky Horse Park for the United States Dressage Federation’s (USDF) US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®. Held November 9 through 12, the 2017 event hosted over 390 entries representing nine USDF regions from 38 states. Vying for 30 titles, competitors riding horses of various breeds competed in Training Level through Prix St. Georges and Grand Prix...

Katy, Texas – Nearly 80 purebred and Half-Andalusian/Lusitano horses competed for National Championship titles at the 2017 International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association (IALHA) National Championship Horse Show, October 10-15 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas. Judges Leslie Connor, Joan Harms, and Richard Petty, joined by dressage judge Peggy Klump and international guest judges Rafael Ortíz Alcalá-Zamora (Spain) and João Ralão...

Kansas City, Mo. – Saturday, November 11, brought a rigorous challenge for the country’s top saddle seat equitation riders in the 2017 USEF Saddle Seat Medal Finals at the United Professional Horseman’s Association (UPHA)/American Royal National Championship Horse Show. Only 12 of the 21 horse-and-rider combinations in the preliminary ride-offs were called back for the final round of competition by judges Josh Greer (Ky.), Suzy Shiflet (N.C.), and John Whalen (Mass.). The...

Kansas City, Mo. – The country’s top saddle seat equitation riders have arrived at Hale Arena for the 2017 USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final, which takes place on Nov. 11. As part of the United Professional Horseman’s Association (UPHA)/American Royal National Championship Horse Show, 21 horse-and-rider combinations will go head-to-head in pursuit of the title. Photo by Howard Schatzberg Open to junior members who have won a first- or second-place ribbon in a qualifying medal...