In September 2022, USEF appointed a Hunter and Hunter/Jumping Seat Equitation Judges Task Force charged with evaluating, analyzing, and improving the current hunter and equitation judging system. With ever-present video, streaming, and social media input, the adjudication process is under constant scrutiny and criticism. While any subjectively judged sport endures some level of criticism from those who disagree with a judge’s or judging panels’ decisions, USEF acknowledged the...

Dear Fellow Members, We just finished our Annual Meeting in Lexington, Kentucky where we reported on the great results of the first year of our Strategic Plan. I was happy to report that we grew membership for the first time in years, increasing almost 30% to over 105,000 members. We also reported strong financial results, growing financial reserves, 23 signed and/or re-signed sponsors, new initiatives launched to strengthen the developmental pathway for horses and riders, increased access to...

Aurora, Colo. – At the 2015 Arabian Horse Association (AHA) Annual Convention in Tulsa, Okla., AHA staff and volunteers announced a new project, known as ‘Future State,’ to Convention delegates and attendees. Future State, which includes the re-building of the AHA website, is an implementation of new AHA business rules. This includes customer initiated, real-time, web delivered transactions; automated transactions to eliminate paper and speed up completion; the simplification...

Today, with the help of First Lady Jane Beshear and executive cabinet members, the Kentucky Horse Park (KHP) announced plans for several new permanent greening initiatives that will be ready by the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, being held at the park September 25-October 10, 2010. The park has been approved for a combination of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus funds and low-interest loans, totaling nearly $5.7 million that will be repaid by the cost savings in energy...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation® (USEF) dressage tests for training through fourth level are now available. These new editions become effective with the beginning of the 2007 USEF competition year (December 1, 2006) and will remain in use for the next four years. “We are very excited about this new generation of USEF dressage tests,” said Jennifer Keeler, National Director of Dressage. “We would like to thank the members of the USEF Test Writing Subcommittee, including...

Photos.com Nearly 4000 e-mails and hundreds of phone calls received (Lexington, KY) - Thousands of individuals responded to yesterday’s USEF appeal for donations of shelter and much-needed services for the equine refugees of Hurricane Katrina. E-mails came from all sections of the United States and Canada and ranged from offers of 350 stalls in San Antonio to two pint-size stalls for Miniature horses in the Midwest. Because of this huge response, only e-mails, not voicemails or phone calls,...

Lexington, Ky. – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is thrilled to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Merck Animal Health and ByoPlanet, two companies both committed to advancing animal health through innovative products and technologies. “We are proud to partner with USEF and ByoPlanet to showcase our cutting-edge products and further our commitment to protecting the health and welfare of animals," said Dr. Bryant Craig, associate director of scientific affairs...

Blacksburg, Va. – On Dec. 7, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab released the results of its first-ever rating of equestrian helmets. Over the past two years, Virginia Tech researchers analyzed over 100 videos of riders falling off horses, precisely measured the hardness of the sand, dirt, grass, and synthetic surfaces underfoot at equestrian events, and dragged dummy heads and other equipment — and boxes and boxes of helmets — out to Virginia Tech’s equestrian facilities to...

If you like to keep up with equestrian competitions, you’ve been born into a great time. It has never been easier to stay connected to your favorite atheletes and disciplines. There are plenty of good ways to go about it, but I am going to briefly explain why twitter has become my favroite way to keep up with the equestrian action nationally, and internationally. Finding results and watching live events is part of my job, but I need to discover new sources all the time. Of all the avenues...

Jeremy Reynolds and A Kutt Above (Photo by Donna Shifflette) Lexington, KY – Endurance competition heated up this weekend at the Priefert Ranch in Mt. Pleasant, TX as 45 of the nation’s top horses and riders contested the 160km Selection Trial for a spot on the Long List for the 2012 FEI World Endurance Championship. In a close race to the finish Jeremy Reynolds guided A Kutt Above to the win in 8:16:03, narrowly beating out Wendy MacCoubrey and Reach for the Gold (8:16:05) and...