Henry Pfeiffer, who competed in his first grand prix at Horse Shows By The Bay I, posted the only double clear to win the Grand Traverse Bay Grand Prix on Fox Meadow Farm’s seven-year-old gelding, Preston. Pfeiffer's goal was just to go clean in the jump-off, and when he pulled off the win, he said that he felt like he swallowed his heart. English Riding Supply, a proud sponsor of Horse Shows By The Bay, provided the winner with Veredus show jumping boots. The Grand Traverse Bay Grand Prix was...

USEF President and 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist David O’Connor was well received as the guest of honor at the annual Arabian Horse Youth Association Convention in Albuquerque, July 22 and 23. As keynote speaker, O’Connor both educated and inspired in his usual style, telling young equestrians, “If you are really good at what you do, the winning will follow.” The pursuit of a true equestrian, he said, is one of excellence—not just a pursuit of awards. He also reminded youth delegates to “make your...

Lexington, KY – Four United States dressage riders have been awarded USEF Dressage European Competition and Training Grants to travel to Europe as they prepare for the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. These grants have been made possible through funding from the United States Olympic Committee. The four riders and their horses are as follows: Leslie Morse of Beverly Hills, California, and Kingston (Dutch Warmblood stallion, owned by Leslie Morse) Steffan Peters of San...

Lexington, KY – Following a series of 17 qualifiers that spanned the globe, five American eventing riders will represent the United States at the 2005 FEI Eventing World Cup Final in Malmö, Sweden, August 11-14. The riders, listed in alphabetical order, are as follows: Robyn Fisher of West Hills, California, with Le Samurai (1995 Holsteiner Thoroughbred gelding, owned by Robyn Fisher) Jessica Heidemann of Bellingham, Washington, with French Twist (1991 Thoroughbred gelding, owned by...

The Vermont Summer Festival is New England's largest 'AA' rated hunter-jumper horse show, and is now sanctioned by Equine Canada, the national body for equestrian sport in Canada. As per tradition, the Vermont Summer Festival will feature a $10,000 Mini Prix every Friday, as well as a $30,000 Grand Prix held each Sunday for the first four weeks. New for 2005, the Vermont Summer Festival will conclude with a grand finale, the $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix. Each of the five weeks...

The multi-U.S. National Champion Andalusian stallion, Davido MC, died on May 2, 2005, of an aortic aneurism, while breeding a mare at Selwood Park Stable, in Elkhorn, WI. Davido MC was owned by Gareth A. Selwood for 12 of the horse's 15 years and was bred by Music City Andalusians of Nashville, TN. He was sired by the imported 2000 USEF Leading Andalusian Sire, Ofendido VII, and out of the imported Poseido V daughter, Huerfana. Davido MC qualified for and showed at a record 11 consecutive...

Lexington, KY – A recent study profiling the USEF membership (18 and over) provides data important for advertising sales for the Federation’s publications, and is a tremendous asset in USEF efforts to obtain more sponsorship and commercial participation for equestrian sport. These efforts help fund current USEF programs; create new programs; and fund the international teams. Sport sponsorship is a hugely competitive arena and the USEF now has its own proprietary data to assist in...

For the second time, Daniel Straumann and his team organized the World Reining Trophy (WRT) at the HorseAcademy facility in Mooslargue, France. There was a total purse of more than $100,000. Shawn Flarida called the show "one of the best reining events of the world"–-and this was before his success in the Open. Judges were Bob Mayhew, of Great Britain; Sylvia Katschker, of Austria, and Jörg Bös, of Germany. Altogether 157 horses had been nominated--many of them from France. And it turned out to...

In a nail biting finish, Cathy Weischhoff from Lexington, KY, and her Thoroughbred gelding, Ocotillo, jumped a textbook show jumping round to win the Advanced Horse Trials at Maui Jim Wayne, July 8-10, in Wayne, IN. This was a Gold Cup division which kicked off the mid-western section of the series. Second was Ursula Brush (who trains with Weischoff) riding Bru Maguire. The CIC** Division, also part of the USEA Gold Cup series, was won by Olympic veteran, Karen O'Connor on Mr. Ripley, owned...

Lexington, KY – The USEF has announced the team members and ponies which will be competing at the 2005 FEI World Combined Pony Driving Championships in Catton Park, England this week. The competition begins on Wednesday, July 13th, with the official inspection of ponies, followed by two days of dressage, the Marathon on Saturday, and Obstacle Driving on Sunday. United States Team Members are as follows: Sara Schmitt of Glen Gardner, NJ, with High Country Doc (1996 Morgan stallion, owned...