Diana DeRosa (Karen O'Connor and Theodore O'Connor at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.) It is with great sadness that the United States Equestrian Federation reports that super pony Theodore O’Connor was humanely euthanized Wednesday, May 28, as a result of an injury sustained in an accident at Karen and David O’Connor’s barn in The Plains, VA. The 13-year-old eventing pony defied odds and gravity throughout his career. Standing only 14.1 hands, the...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced that Henk van Bergen has signed on to be the featured presenter at the 2009 Succeed/USDF FEI-Level Trainers’ Conference to be held January 18-19, 2009, in Loxahatchee, FL. Each year, USDF offers a trainers’ conference to those individuals who meet the attendee criteria to learn training techniques and study with a world-class dressage trainer. Born as the son of a baker in Nijmegen, Holland, van Bergen started his career as a groom at the...

Chicago 2016, the organization bidding for the privilege to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, announced that Tempel Farms, an internationally renowned equestrian facility in Lake County, IL, will be the proposed site for the Olympic Equestrian Complex. Tempel Farms is well known to the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), and its participation is expected to strengthen Chicago’s concept for the Games significantly. Chicago 2016 Chairman and CEO Pat Ryan said, “This is a great day for...

At the Kentucky International Equine Summit Olympic Gold medalist David O’Connor urged the disparate elements of America’s horse industry to work in concert to improvement promotion in the sport. He said that the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) gives America’s horse community a unique opportunity to reach a large segment of the public. The WEG is to be held in September in Lexington, Ky. He made his remarks on Tuesday at the Kentucky International Equine Summit, sponsored jointly...

Georgina Bloomberg of New York City, set to embark on an extensive summer tour of show jumping, took time out last week to participate in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Media Summit, held April 13-16 at the Palmer House Hilton in downtown Chicago, IL. The hotel, which opened in 1871, is one of Chicago's landmarks in the heart of the city's downtown. The U.S. Olympic Team Media Summit was a four-day opportunity for print, broadcast, internet and photo journalists to conduct interviews and photo...

Colorado Springs, Colo. - The United States Olympic Committee and Polo Ralph Lauren (NYSE: RL) announced an agreement designating Polo Ralph Lauren as an Official Outfitter of the 2008 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams. Under this agreement, Ralph Lauren has designed the official Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony Parade Outfits for the U.S. Teams, in addition to an assortment of village wear pieces to be provided to the U.S. Teams. The Official Opening Ceremony Parade Outfits will not be...

The successful Heat and Humidity Workshop recently staged in Lausanne put the challenges facing horses and riders at this summer's Olympic Games in Hong Kong into ever-sharper focus and provided a wealth of information for veterinary officials and others involved in the world of equestrian sport. The speakers included officials from the Hong Kong Jockey Club which is providing the venue facilities, as well as veterinary expertise and the use of its top-class laboratory, the Equestrian Company...

Lexington, KY - The USEF High Performance Reining Committee has innovative plans for 2008. Chaired by Jerry Kimmel and boasting a prolific group of reining experts, the committee is focusing on fundraising and promotions of its programs. Looming on the radar screen are the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010 in Lexington, KY, which marks the first time the Games have been held outside of Europe. The U.S. Reining Team will be attempting to defend the Team Gold Medals won at the past two...

The FEI wishes to announce “On to Hong Kong,” a Workshop to assist National Federations to prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong. The event, to be organized together with the FEI’s Welfare Sub-Committee, will take place in the auditorium of the Olympic museum in Lausanne on February 17, 2008. The objective of the workshop will be to provide chef de missions, riders, vets with the latest updates and to promote the health and welfare of the horses by making the information collected at...

The FEI wishes to announce “On to Hong Kong,” a workshop to assist national federations to prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong. The event, to be organized by the FEI’s Welfare Sub-committee, will take place in Lausanne, Switzerland, from February 16-18, 2008. The objective of the workshop will be to promote the health and welfare of the horses by making the information collected at the August 2007 Test Event available to all Federation officials, veterinarians, riders, chefs...