When show jumping returns to HITS Culpeper for two consecutive weeks in late August, all eyes will be on the third annual United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Tad Coffin Zone III Junior Equitation Finals that will take place on August 23 during the Winston National. Following a ringside dinner reception hosted by Bridgewater College, around 35 talented exhibitors will take aim at the course set in the majestic grand prix ring at HITS Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, VA. “HITS has taken...

Dressage judge Betsy Berrey was the featured speaker at this month's Shop Talk. Michelle Hundt and Betsy Rebar-Sell, co-owners of Sho Clothes, hosted the third in a series of monthly discussions at the Sho Room in Wellington, FL. The Gold Coast Dressage Association (GCDA) co-sponsors the event with Sho Clothes to provide local equestrians the opportunity to learn from top professionals in the area. Betsy Berrey is a well-respected "S" judge who often officiates at dressage shows on the winter...

Lexington, KY— In a unanimous decision by the judges, Brooke Jacobs defeated four talented riders in the 2008 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal Final. Despite the heat, Jacobs completed the rail and pattern work to outshine the competition at the Lexington Junior League Horse Show at the famous The Red Mile racetrack. Jacobs, of Georgetown, KY, claimed the title aboard CH My Southern Charm, a bay Saddlebred gelding owned by Werk Way Stables and trained...

29 April 2008 Dear Members of the Equestrian Community, This past weekend at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day, Laine Ashker suffered a serious fall during the cross-country stage of the competition. She is currently in critical condition at the University of Kentucky hospital in Lexington. Laine’s horse and another involved in a separate accident had to be euthanized. These accidents come just a month after Darren Chiacchia, an Olympic rider, had a serious fall at an event in Tallahassee, Florida....

Lexington, KY - U.S. Young Reining Riders are taking the first steps towards international competition. This summer at the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby the U.S. Young Reining Riders will have their first opportunity to compete on behalf of their country. The NRHA Derby will host an FEI Concours de Reining International - Young Rider (CRI-Y) that will serve as the selection trial for all the U.S. Reining teams that will compete at the CN North American Junior/Young Rider...

Ocala, FL ­– Two USEF National Driving Championships are up for grabs at the CAI-A Ocala running March 27-30, 2008. Known as the Live Oak Plantation Combined Driving Event presented by Budweiser, the showcase of the country's best drivers and horses is taking place at Chester Weber's Live Oak Plantation in Ocala, FL. The competition also serves as the second USEF Selection Trial for two of the World Driving Championships. The USEF Single Horse Championship got the day started and dressage was...

The first FEI Course for Eventing Officials, Level 2, will be held in Barroca d’Alva, Portugal, February 29–March 2, 2008. The Course Directors will be Anthony McPherson of Belgium—Overall; Christian Landolt of Switzerland—Dressage Specialist; and Ronald Alexander of Great Britain—Course Designer. Interested Officials can apply before February 15, 2008, to Filipa Rebelo de Andrade, Portuguese Equestrian Federation, at [email protected] . For additional information or course...

Judy Guden, the owner of Sagacious HF, ridden by Lauren Sammis to Team Gold and Individual Silver medals at this year's Pan American Games, died Friday night. Guden had been undergoing treatment for breast cancer for many months. "Judy Guden passed from this world tonight in the loving arms of her friends and family!" family friends Monica Sinks and Ed Borreson reported. Lauren Sammis was given the ride on the eight-year-old KWPN Sagacious HF—the initials standing for the name of Al and...

With three Americans competing at "Porsche Dressage Trophy," a German national indoor dressage tournament held in Paderborn, Germany, on November 2-4, Todd Flettrich of Coatesville, PA, and Wellington, FL, rode Amadeus to third place in the grand prix special, earning the distinction of being the highest-placed American in the FEI classes at the show. "Amadeus did everything I asked. He was very good," said Flettrich of his grand prix special ride, which held the lead for most of the class. "I...

(Lexington, KY) – Maria Partlow, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communication has announced that she will retire effective October 1st, 2007. She has been with the USEF since March of 2004. “This is a life decision and one I have thought a great deal about,” she said. “My mother died very unexpectedly earlier this year, and her passing made me reflect on how fleeting life is and about how I want to spend the future. Although I love working at the USEF, I want to get up every morning,...