Aaron Vale and Serval, owned by The Serval Group, led the victory gallop in the $25,000 HITS Ocala Grand Prix on Sunday, January 29, posting the only double-clear round out of a class of 22 horse-and-rider combinations. Course Designer Jerry Dougherty set a first-round course that saw only four riders advance to the jump-off. Derek Petersen opened the jump-off with Heaven Bound, a 10-year-old former dressage horse he brought over from Germany in 2004. Had it not been for an unlucky rail at the...

FEI representatives met with leading footing specialists in Windsor, England, on May 16 for a brainstorming session which will likely provide the criteria upon which all future championship arena footing is to be based. The meeting, which drew riding surface experts from around the world, was a proactive response to the report of the FEI Working Group assigned to assess problems associated with footing after the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. The round table discussion covered many areas, including...

Lexington, KY —The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce the debut of the new Vaulting Individual Ranking List . More than two years in the making, and for the first time in history, the List provides an up-to-date ranking of the United States’ best vaulters at any given moment in time. “This is an exciting step forward for vaulting, which will enhance and encourage interest in the sport significantly,” said Sally Ike, Director of Vaulting...

The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ is a dream competition for many aspiring eventing athletes. The same is true for LRK3DE first-timer Sydney Solomon of Dayton, Md. After attending the event as a spectator 15 years ago, Solomon set her sights on Kentucky, and she has worked hard and endured challenges to get here. Solomon, 26, makes her debut with Early Review CBF, a 2009 Hanoverian mare bred and owned by Laurie Cameron, and hopes for a positive...

Lexington, Ky. – The USEF Pony Finals presented by Honor Hill Farms will take place August 9-14, 2022, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky. Members of the media who would like to request credentials to cover the event should submit a completed application form and waiver by July 29, 2022. Over 800 ponies from across the country come to the Kentucky Horse Park to compete with their youth riders in hunter, jumper, and equitation classes. The 2022 USEF Pony Finals presented by Honor...

Lexington, Ky. – The USEF Pony Finals presented by Honor Hill Farms will take place August 10-15, 2021, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky. Members of the media who would like to request credentials to cover the event should submit a completed application form by July 26, 2021. In 2019, over 800 ponies from across the country came to the Kentucky Horse Park to compete with their youth riders in hunter, jumper, and equitation classes. The 2021 USEF Pony Finals presented by Honor...

Lexington, Ky. – Endurance athletes are encouraged to submit their Applications of Intent for the 2021 FEI Endurance Pan American Championships and the FEI Endurance World Championships for Young Riders & Juniors. The final deadline for both applications is Thursday, April 29, 2021. The applications are available through the Member Dashboard on USEF.org. Additional information on the application process for each championship is available through USEF.org/endurance . The 2021 Pan...

Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian (USEF) is pleased to announce that an anonymous donor generously stepped up with a $25,000 commitment to the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, ensuring this mission critical safety initiative hit the $450,000 goal set to complete the STAR Helmet rating project for equestrian sport. “Tom O’ Mara, US Equestrian President-Elect, called to let me know the good news! He actually was contacted by a donor following our announcement of reaching the $425,000 milestone...

Gladstone, N.J. - The 2016 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals - East came to close on Sunday following four phases of intense competition amongst the field of 57 top TJ O'Mara and Kaskade (The Book LLC) young riders. Beginning Saturday with Phases I and II, the field was then narrowed down on Sunday following Phase III to the final four who performed over a shortened course on their own horse, as well as the horses of the other finalists. TJ O'Mara was ultimately...

Laura Chapot and Quointreau Un Prince on their way to a $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix win. (ESI Photography) Saugerties, N.Y. - A big day of elite competition commenced with Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix. An accomplished field of forty-five tested the course set by Mark McGowan of Kilmarnock, Great Britain, but only one could take home the blue ribbon. There is no slowing down when the Chapot’s are in town. Rider, Laura Chapot, and her mother and trainer, Mary Chapot, have been...