HITS has announced plans for a special open house event, November 10 and 11, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. The event is open to the public and will feature tours of the property to highlight the renovations and refinements that are completed, or scheduled to be completed, for the 2008 HITS Desert Circuit, which begins in early January. Visitors will have an opportunity to see first-hand the new grand prix footing installed by Bart Poels (Footing Specialist...

The inaugural Kentucky International Equine Summit 2008 has landed two more sponsors—the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). Both will be luncheon sponsors for the summit that will bring together industry leaders to examine the issues facing the future of the equine industry. The event, scheduled for April 28-29, 2008, is being hosted by the Equine Industry Program in the College of Business at the University of Louisville in...

Lexington, Kentucky – The Youth Council is pleased to announce the completed panel of Star Power athletes for the Inaugural Youth Council Convention to be held January 18, 2008 in Louisville, KY. These representatives of the USEF recognized breeds and disciplines have been high profile successful competitors for many years. Karen O’Connor will represent the Eventing discipline. Her most recent successes have been astride the notable Theodore O’Connor, a pony who has accomplished feats that have...

While the Dressage at Devon performance show is one of the hottest tickets of the year, those in the know also come to the Breed Show. These classes take place the first three days of the event that is held, September 25-30, 2007. The Dressage at Devon Breed Show is one of the largest and most prestigious sport horse shows outside of Europe. With nearly 70 classes and more than $5,000 in prize money and awards, competitors come from coast to coast to stake their claim for glory. “Winning at...

It was a “typical day” at the office for Chester Weber as he went out and captured yet another USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship, his fifth in a row. Yet, Weber, of Ocala, FL, had some top-notch competition to challenge him as two previous five-time winners sought to win their sixth title. Both Tucker Johnson of Hobe Sound, FL, and James Fairclough of Newton, NJ, have accomplished what Weber has done, but neither has had the reign that Weber has maintained over the past five years. This...

After an absence of many years, the thrilling sport of combined driving returns this October to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. The three distinct phases of combined driving—driven dressage, the cross-country marathon, and obstacle (“cones”) driving—were originally modeled after the ridden sport of three-day eventing. This year’s event—the Lexington Combined Driving Classic—will be held October 5–7. Three years from now, also at the Kentucky Horse Park, the...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced that three Olympians will headline a stellar group of speakers for the USDF/USEF Young Rider Graduate Program, to be held January 18-20, 2008, in West Palm Beach, FL: Debbie McDonald, USEF National Developing Rider Coach, 2004 U.S. Olympic Dressage Team Bronze medalist and winner of the 2003 World Cup Dressage Final; Lisa Wilcox, 2004 U.S. Olympic Dressage Team Bronze medalist and 2002 World Equestrian Games Team Silver medalist; and Carol...

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation announced a change to the horse-and-rider combinations it will be sending to Hong Kong for the test event at the Sha Tin race course in preparation for the 2008 Olympics. The test event will be held at the CCI** level August 11-13, 2007. Buck Davidson, 30, from Ocala, FL, will ride Cassandra Segal’s 7-year-old Irish Thoroughbred Ballynoe Castle RM. This combination was second at the Jersey Fresh CCI** in June and were the winners of the...

Thirty-five horses from 13 nations were presented for the dressage Horse Inspection on Friday July 13 officially getting the fifteenth Pan American Games underway. Beginning at 8am, the horse inspection ensures that all the horses in the competition are fit to compete. The horse inspection was done in alphabetical order by nation with the horses from the United States being presented last. All four horses looked super, led off by the diminutive Brilliant Too ridden by Katherine Poulin-Neff....

The first World Para-Equestrian Dressage Championships under the governance of the FEI are looming in the not so distant foreground. These not only mark a first for the FEI, but also a first in the past 21 years for Great Britain to be hosting a World Championship. This important event will take place at Hartpury College, Gloucestershire, and no less than 142 competitors spanning 22 nations will be competing for the coveted title. The numbers alone already make this the largest World...