Lexington, KY – Bracket-style national championships are well-known in the NCAA basketball world and will soon be second nature in the NCAA equestrian world as well. The Varsity Equestrian Steering Committee recently announced that the 2006 Varsity Equestrian National Championship will take on the bracket-style format, a welcomed change by fans, competitors and coaches. Visit www.varsityequestrian.com to view the 2006 Western and English (Hunter Seat) brackets. In the past, each individual...

2004 Olympic Show Jumping Gold Medalists: McLain Ward, Beezie Madden, Chris Kappler and Peter Wylde. (Photo by Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com) Wellington, FL – It was a perfect star spangled afternoon in the Internationale Arena at the Palm Beach Polo and Equestrian Club as Silver turned to Gold when the 2004 Olympic Team Gold medals were awarded to the United States Show Jumping Team. The 2004 Athens Olympic team of Peter Wylde, residing in Maastricht, The Netherlands; McLain Ward of...

Mike Ferrara (Lexington, KY) - Throughout the year there are many competitions which are extremely valuable to the various USEF breed organizations but are a challenge to organize due to required expenses. The USEF wishes to support the widest possible network of shows for its breed members and enthusiasts by announcing a new Outreach Grant program. A total of $125,000 has been budgeted in 2006 for grants to financially challenged breed competitions which meet the grant requirements and are...

The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is happy to announce the debut of a Beginner Novice division for the 2006 American Eventing Championships. The 2006 American Eventing Championships will take place September 20-24 at the Carolina Horse Park in Raeford, NC. The qualifications for Novice through Advanced will remain the same as 2005. The qualifying period for all divisions, Beginner Novice to Advanced, will be August 2, 2005 through August 21, 2006. A new list of qualified horses and...

The first American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) regional champions were named from the Northeastern regions made up of USEF Regions 11 and 12 at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA, October 19-October 22. In the open divisions, Whimsicality and Michael Richardson won the Five-Gaited Regional Championship, I’m Sky High and Francis A. Garone won the three-gaited championship and Definitely Dianna and Kaye Bowles Durnell won the fine harness championship. In the amateur...

The youth of the Junior Colorado Arabian Horse Club has compiled a national silent auction of breedings generously donated by stallion owners from across the country. The showcase presents a unique opportunity to select from a variety of quality stallions that specialize in every discipline, from halter to English pleasure. And, even better, all proceeds will benefit the support and outreach programs of the JCAHC. In the past two years, the JCAHC has donated $1,250 to Colorado equine charities,...

(Lexington, KY) – All donations made to the USEF Equine Relief Fund from today, September 23, 2005, forward will be used to assist victims of any 2005 hurricane including Katrina, Rita or any others that could occur. The Fund will assist those agencies working directly with the equine victims and refugees from hurricanes. Every dollar of the money donated to the fund will be used to support efforts to deliver food, veterinary services, and shelter for horses and ponies in the stricken areas....

After 30 of 33 events on the 2005 tour, it all comes down to one class in this year’s race for the titles of American Grand Prix Association (AGA) Rider, Horse and Rookie of the Year. Entering its 27th year, the AGA Grand Prix Series of Show Jumping is the world’s richest and longest running series of equestrian show jumping events. The AGA offers over $3 million in prize money on a tour that encompasses 30 events and 20 different equestrian market locations across the United States....

Ramiro Quintana won the testing Speed Challenge at the American Gold Cup last year, and he will return with the same mare, Carousel, to defend his title at this year’s event, September 15-18, at the Devon show grounds in Devon, PA. The Speed Challenge is a very exciting class, which pits professionals against juniors and amateurs, and Quintana, who also won this event four years ago, placed first and third in last year’s event. The five top professionals from their qualifying class on Fast...

Henry Pfeiffer, who competed in his first grand prix at Horse Shows By The Bay I, posted the only double clear to win the Grand Traverse Bay Grand Prix on Fox Meadow Farm’s seven-year-old gelding, Preston. Pfeiffer's goal was just to go clean in the jump-off, and when he pulled off the win, he said that he felt like he swallowed his heart. English Riding Supply, a proud sponsor of Horse Shows By The Bay, provided the winner with Veredus show jumping boots. The Grand Traverse Bay Grand Prix was...