Lexington, Ky. - The USEF launched a pilot "high performance" training program in 2012/2013 with approximately twenty drivers attending one or more clinics held in Kentucky, Florida, and North Carolina. Since there are limited training opportunities for driving at the USEF/FEI levels, the opportunity to train with an International Four-in-Hand driver and coach was overwhelmingly positive. To further this program, it is the intention of the USEF to roll out the 2014 Developing Driver Program...

Pau, France - A strong group of U.S. pony drivers have assembled in Pau, France. this week for the 2013 FEI Pony World Driving Championships which run October 31 throughNovember 3. Three drivers return from the 2011 squad that secured Team Bronze in Lipica, Slovenia, and will look to secure The U.S. Team (Marie de Ronde/USEF Archive) another podium finish for the United States. Single Pony Championship Tracey Morgan (Beallsville, Md.) heads to Pau on strong form having notched three wins this...

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation Board of Directors, at its recent Annual Meeting, considered three applications for USEF Heritage Competition status. The Roanoke Valley Horse Show, the Norfolk Hunt Horse Show and the Dressage at Devon Horse Show were granted the highest honor currently held by Federation horse shows. The designation of a USEF Heritage Competition is reserved for competitions that have been in existence for a quarter-century or more, promoted and...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation Board of Directors, at its recent Mid-Year Meeting, considered nine applications for USEF Heritage Competition status. The following competitions were granted the highest honor currently held by Federation horse shows: • Keswick Horse Show • Upperville Colt & Horse Show • Fairfield County Hunt Club June Benefit Horse Show • Waterloo Hunt Horse Show • Menlo Charity Horse Show • Warrenton Horse Show •...

Official Inn of The Jumper Classic The Exeter Inn, Exeter, New Hampshire Hampton Falls, NH - The New England area's largest equestrian show jumping event, The Jumper Classic - featuring the $75,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix - comes to the Hampton Falls, NH area during the week of August 8-12, 2012. For this occasion several conveniently-located inns and hotels are offering special packages for fans. With just two months to go before hundreds of horses and thousands of spectators...

Lexington, KY - The 2011 FEI World Pair Driving Championship get underway this week in Conty, France, and three American drivers are set to make their International Championships debut. Led by Chef d'Equipe Chester Weber and Coach Michael Freund, the U.S. will be represented by Katherin Dancer, Misdee Wrigley-Miller and Joe Yoder. These three drivers drove as a team at Reisenbeck CAI in July and earned valuable international experience which Weber believes will serve them well going into...

Lexington, KY - James Kennedy “Jimmy” Skipton, Jr., age 76, Saddlebred owner, ASHA member, and father of longtime exhibitor and American Saddlebred Museum curator Kim Skipton, died on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 in Houston, TX. Skipton was founder and president of Texas Fire & Safety, Inc. with locations throughout Texas. He was a lifetime member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, an early supporter of the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, a founder and President of the Texas...

Flying Horse Photography©. (Lucy Davis and Nemo 119.) Thermal, CA — Lucy Davis, one of the youngest Grand Prix riders on the HITS winter circuit, captured her biggest win of the season when she won Saturday night’s $50,000 HITS CSI-W Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, aboard Old Oak Farm’s Nemo 119 to highlight Desert Circuit V at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. Davis (Los Angeles, CA) got the best of the 26 starters that challenged International Course Designer Olaf...

California's Steffen Peters with his new star "Weltino's Magic". (Photo by Jennifer M. Keeler.) Burbank, CA - Riders who dream of competing at the Pan American Games began their quest at the Mid-Winter Dressage Fair CDI*/Y/J in Burbank, CA, February 24-27, 2011. As the first official qualifying competition on the West Coast, horses and riders vied for scores in front of FEI judges Jayne Ayers ("I" USA), Natalie Lamping ("I" USA), and Lorraine MacDonald ("I" CAN). In addition, this competition...

Rich Fellers and Flexible. (Flying Horse Photography© .) Thermal, CA - Action at the Desert Circuit kicked into high gear on Thursday night as HITS welcomed Stuart Meikle, Director of Equine Marketing for Pfizer Animal Health, and his team, along with several leading veterinarians for an exciting night of show jumping in the indoor arena at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. The group was treated to a thrilling class as Rich Fellers (Wilsonville, OR) and Flexible, owned by Harry and...