Maxance McManamy, 2009 USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year, shown during the 2009 North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (USEF Archives) Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) announces that Maxance McManamy has been selected as the 2009 USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year. McManamy will be honored at the USEF’s Annual Meeting, January 13-17, 2010 in Louisville, KY, as part of the Pegasus Awards held Saturday evening. The Ruth O’Keefe Meredith...

Lexington, KY – You don’t have to be a record-setting quarterback, point guard or track star to letter in high school sports anymore. The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is writing a new chapter in the recognition of high school sports — one that honors Equestrian athletes. The USEF’s High School Equestrian Athlete program will offer specially designed emblems and pins, exclusively for equestrian athletes in grades 9-12. “High school equestrians have...

George Morris Imparts Wisdom at the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Final (Shannon Brinkman) Lexington, KY – Their names are synonymous with excellence in their respective disciplines and the United States Equestrian Federation has honored two legends for their commitment to coaching and developing Equestrian Sport. George Morris is one of the most accomplished coaches in the world. He has coached back-to-back Olympic Gold medal teams and consistently guides the US show jumping program to...

Kassandra Barteau and GP Raymeister at 2009 NAJYRC (Flashpoint Photography) Lexington, KY – Three-time USEF National Champion and NAJYRC Gold Medalist Kassandra Barteau has topped the United States rankings for the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final for Young Riders and has earned an invitation to Frankfurt, Germany for the Final, to be held December 17-20. Twenty-one year-old Barteau of Maple Park, Illinois and her mount GP Raymeister (a 10-year-old bay Holsteiner stallion owned by...

Photo by Javan Schaller/Courtesy AHA (Patrick Swayze and Tammen) Patrick Swayze, a passionate and valued member of the Arabian horse community died from pancreatic cancer complications at the age of 57. Swayze was known to most as a dancer and actor in films such as “Dirty Dancing,” “Roadhouse” and “Ghost.” To the Arabian horse community he was an accomplished and giving horseman. An active participant at Arabian shows throughout the late '80s and early...

Lexington, KY – Somehow Sapphire keeps getting better. Already the owner of two Olympic Team Gold medals from 2004 and 2008 with rider McLain Ward, the 14-year-old Belgian mare continues to add Sapphire and McLain Ward (Anthony Trollope/stockimageservices.com ) accolades to her sparkling resume across the globe. This time it was the CN International at the Spruce Meadows Masters. One of the most prestigious (and richest – worth $1m CAD) Grand Prixes on the planet, Sapphire and Ward...

Anne Gribbons is set to take on position of USEF Dressage Chef d’Equipe/Technical Advisor (USEF Archive/PhelpsPhoto.com) The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce that pending successful contract negotiations, Anne Gribbons will be named as USEF Dressage Chef d’Equipe/Technical Advisor through 2012. Gribbons will fill the role for dressage that Capt. Mark Phillips and George Morris fill for the Olympic disciplines of eventing and show jumping respectively. The...

Pony rider Emma Cullen and green medium pony, Silver Slippers, at the 2009 USEF Pony Finals. (USEF Archive/Randi Muster) Lexington, KY—It was a day many young riders have been waiting to come for months, and it was well worth the wait judging by their excited faces. The 2009 United States Equestrian Federation Pony Finals National Championships welcomed this year’s roster of ponies and their energetic riders who made the grade and were invited to participate in what is certainly the...

Lexington, KY – In an unprecedented sweep, Steffen Peters and Akiko Yamazaki’s 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood Ravel swept all three classes in the CDIO Aachen (GER): the Grand Prix, the Grand Prix Special and the Grand Prix Freestyle – further validating their Rolex/FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final victory in April. The sweep was a first for an American combination, and they did it in classic style. Steffen and Ravel Sweep in Aachen (Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com) Their score...

Lexington, KY – The US success at the World Equestrian Festival – CHIO Aachen continued on Thursday July 2. Steffen Peters and Ravel - the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup TM Champions - served notice that they will continue to dominate the dressage world. Steffen Peters and Ravel after an Emotional Victory in Aachen (Ken Braddick/www.dressage-news.com) At one of the most prestigious venues on the globe, the San Diego, CA rider and Akiko Yamazaki’s 11-year-old Dutch gelding put in an...