At the Queen City Classic, which concluded Sunday at North Carolina’s “Why Not an American Ark” Equestrian Facility outside Charlotte, Hunters Lane, led by trainer Robert Hunt, had a veritable clean sweep. In one of the week’s premiere event, the $5,000 Welcome Open Hunter Challenge, the Hunters Lane team captured the top six spots. Steve Heinecke, pro rider and co-trainer, won the class aboard the Alise Oken-owned Quintin. He also took second with Oken’s Alisette, fourth with the Robert...

Top FEI competitor Susan Dutta retired her famous grand prix partner of many years, Gumshoes DC, a 17-year-old Dutch gelding in a touching ceremony held in the International ring at the Zada Enterprises CDI show in Wellington. Her husband, Tim Dutta, son Timmy, and groom Robbie Sanderson accompanied Gumshoes into the ring where a well-deserved shawl of red flowers draped his shoulders. After a decade of being a consistent finisher in both the large and small tour FEI competition, Dutta...

Mike Plumb Will Join the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2008 (USEF Archive) By USOC Media and Public Relations Division Chicago, Ill. - Karch Kiraly, three-time U.S. Olympian in volleyball (1984, 1988 and 1996) and three-time gold medalist, leads the distinguished Class of 2008 that will be inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Presented by Allstate. The induction ceremony will take place June 19 in Chicago. The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Class of 2008 is comprised of nine Olympians, one...

Statement by David O’Connor: Recent injuries and the media coverage of those injuries and our sport give us all reason to pause and reflect on the evolution and safety of equestrian sport and in particular Eventing. Many of us have devoted our professional lives to the joy of partnering with the horse and skillfully riding a course. Underlying the fun and excitement of the sport, for that matter any sport, is reasonable risk with the assumption of reasonable safety. In fact, our sport is...

Statement by Mark Phillips-- Eventing is a sport I love and have been involved in personally and professionally for more than 40 years. I am always deeply concerned whenever an athlete or horse is injured while competing regardless of circumstances and even more so when it occurs on a course I designed. In every course I have ever designed the top priority has always been for the health and safety of the athletes and the horses. Our great sport is evolving and becoming more technically...

After winning the Hunter Derby at Pin Oak, Peter Pletcher and Argentum took home the Gold for the second time in two weeks, winning the $10,000 United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Hunter Challenge Derby Classic at the Spring Gathering Horse Show in the Houston suburb of Katy, TX. The class was held under the lights in the main arena at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center. An enthusiastic crowd cheered their favorites as 23 entries competed over the first round-track...

HITS is pleased to report that last week it received unanimous support from attendees of the 2008 USEF World Cup Riders Meeting held at The Oaks in San Juan Capistrano, CA, to once again host four FEI World Cup™ Qualifiers at the 2009 HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal. HITS has successfully run the World Cup classes at its West Coast circuit since 1991, giving riders on the West Coast an opportunity to qualify for the prestigious World Cups year after year right in their own backyard....

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 3, 2008 By Joanie Morris and Stacey Meier Lexington, KY - Continuing the successful partnership that delivered a host of dressage championships last year for the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), Collecting Gaits Farm renew their commitment to dressage as the title sponsor of the 2008 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions. To be held in San Juan Capistrano, CA on two separate weekends, June 20-22 and June 27-29, this year the Dressage...

The Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series has been enjoying great success at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. The series finished its third month of competition, and is already shaping up to be one of the most competitive years ever. The series will see classes at more than 100 horse shows across the country before culminating in year-end championships at the National Horse Show. The series hosts separate divisions for junior and amateur-owner riders...

From an FEI Press Release ‘s-Hertogenbosch , The Netherlands - “To me this was top of the bill. This was a top final at a top venue with a top field of competitors doing top performances,” Ground Jury President Jan Peeters complimented. Probably the highest standard field ever to compete in the 23rd FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final. After the Grand Prix as a warming up test won by Isabell Werth, Anky van Grunsven scored her ninth FEI World Cup™ Dressage victory, her...