Lexington, Ky. – Gabriella Costantini has been unanimously crowned 2019 USEF Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal Final champion by the panel of judges at the historic Lexington Junior League Charity Horse Show , which continues at the Kentucky Horse Park through July 13. In the last class of the morning session on Wednesday, July 10, nine of the country’s best saddle seat equitation competitors faced off in group railwork and executed individual patterns designed by judges Peggy...

When fellow equestrians and Paso Fino enthusiasts first suggested that Heidi Young consider riding with a drill team, Young demurred. “I had bought myself a very good-looking Paso Fino, and they said, ‘You should try this, because it’s fun, and your horse would look great,’” recalled Young, a Connecticut native and US Equestrian member who now resides in Horseshoe Bend, Idaho. “I said, ‘Oh, no, I don’t do that kind of thing. I don’t like...

Lexington, K y. – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the University of Kentucky have entered into a Letter of Intent to develop an equine regulatory testing laboratory based in Lexington, Ky. In January 2018, the USEF Board of Directors appointed a task force headed by Tom O’Mara to work with senior leadership to analyze USEF’s laboratory functions and future options for their sample testing program. The creation of the task force led to conversations with the...

Nicole Aden, Sound Prospect, and Allie Knowles at the 2017 Pau CCI4* (Courtesy of Nicole Aden) Grooms are a vital part of any competition barn. While grooms often are behind the scenes or alongside the ring, some of them also compete themselves. Nicole Aden, Meg Kepferle, and Andi Lawrence are three current or former eventing grooms who have found their own success in national and FEI eventing competitions. A few weeks ago, all three finished in the top 16 in the competitive CIC2* A division at...

Allentown, N.J. – Five USEF Preliminary Combined Driving National Champions were crowned at the Garden State Combined Driving Event CDE at the Horse Park of New Jersey on October 12-14. It was the debut of national championships at the preliminary level in order to serve as a catalyst to ignite further interest in the combined driving discipline, and cultivate combinations for the development and elite levels. Berndl and Impressive (Photo by Conklin Photographic LLC) Leslie Berndl...

Mill Spring, N.C. – The U.S. Para-Equestrian Team presented by Deloitte wrapped up the team portion of competition at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ (WEG) Tryon 2018 on Friday. Rebecca Hart and Roxanne Trunnell performed the Team Tests in their respective grades, which were added to Thursday’s team scores for an overall result of 214.940%. The U.S. placed fifth out of 14 nations, and although the U.S. did not qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics through their participation...

Mill Spring, N.C. – The U.S. Reining Team turned in an epic performance to start the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) Tryon 2018 on a high note for the U.S. contingent. Under the guidance of Chef d’Equipe Jeff Petska, the team of Casey Deary and Heavy Duty Chex, Dan Huss and Ms Dreamy, Jordan Larson and ARC Gunnabeabigstar, and Cade McCutcheon and Custom Made Gun clinched the fifth consecutive team gold medal for the U.S. with a score of 681.0. The U.S. Reining Team, 2018 WEG team...

North Salem, N.Y. - During the 2017 Adequan®/FEI North American Youth Championships presented by Gotham North (NAYC), Region 4’s Tillie Jones and Apachi, the 13-year-old KWPN gelding she owns with her mom Tish Jones, overcame pre-competition adversity to win the 2017 United States Dressage Federation (USDF) North American Junior Rider Dressage Freestyle Championship. In addition, they anchored the Region 4 team to a bronze medal finish. They return this year as members of the Region...

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian (USEF) grieves the loss of one of equestrian sports’ leading figures, Keith Bartz (Naples, Fla.), who passed away on Saturday, January 27, at the age of 84. Bartz’s impact spanned equestrian sport, as he was a competitor, trainer, governance leader, and champion for the American Saddlebred. Keith Bartz (Adam Brennan - www.picturesbyab.com ) “Keith Bartz gave [back] to the horse-showing industry in so many ways. He had a strong moral...

CH Extremely Fortunut is going for her sixth Devon three-gaited country pleasure championship with rider Molly Codeanne. (Doug Shiflet) The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair in Pennsylvania has been very good to the aptly named American Saddlebred mare CH Extremely Fortunut, who competes in the three-gaited country pleasure division at this show. Devon, a United States Equestrian Federation Heritage Competition that runs through June 4, also features top-class hunter, jumper, and driving...