The National Dressage Pony Cup will hold its inaugural show June 28-29, 2008, at Paxton Farm in Cincinnati, OH. The show was created by a group of pony owners in order to promote ponies, their breeders and riders in dressage competition in the United States. Ponies of all breeds are invited to attend the United States Dressage Federation/United States Equestrian Federation-recognized show held in conjunction with Paxton Farms Summer Classic. The ponies will be officially measured at the show...

$350,000 Purse to Any Rider Who Wins The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, The Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in Succession By Joanie Morris When the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing was first offered in 2002 it seemed like an impossible feat. Many of the world’s top riders spend their entire career trying to win just one CCI**** event. To win three in succession would be historical. Then, in 2003, British rider Pippa Funnell rewrote history. She...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to announce that 36 USDF members successfully completed the USDF “L” Education Program between July and November of 2007. The USDF “L” Education Program is designed to prepare candidates to enter the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) “r” Judges Training Program, to qualify individuals to judge schooling shows, and to give competitors, trainers and instructors greater insight into the evaluative techniques of judging dressage. The...

The United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) has implemented an Equitation Awards program through its Affiliate Organizations Medal Classes primarily offered at local and unrecognized horse shows. The goal of this program is to increase the USHJA membership and outreach in the equestrian community, by further informing and educating individuals who partake in equestrian sports at the unrecognized and local horse show level and demonstrating that USHJA has something to offer them through...

The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) has started to receive applications from the domestic spectators for the tickets to the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Paralympic Games. According to the ticketing plan, there will be 21,000 tickets for the opening ceremony and 26,000 tickets for the closing ceremony available. Their bookings will end on December 30. No time preference will be given to any application and all applications will enjoy the...

For everyone aiming for the 2008 Wellpride United States Eventing Association (USEA) American Eventing Championships (AEC), the qualifications are now available on the USEA website, www.useventing.com . Just click on the Wellpride AEC button on the right side of the homepage and follow the links. There are two items referring to the qualifications. The first, called 2008 Wellpride AEC Complete Qualifications, gives the qualification information in its entirety. The other, called 2008 Wellpride...

U.S. endurance competitors were up to the task at the World Endurance Championship Test Event in Teregganu, Malaysia, November 10-11, 2007. Despite torrential rain and muddy conditions, two American combinations finished in the top ten. Kathy Brunjes from Maine riding her own Theatric finished fifth, just inches in front of her fellow countryman John Crandell III. Crandell, from Virginia, was sixth riding Heraldic. Interestingly, these geldings are ¾ siblings. They are both by Statistic and...

The Nomination Committee met for the first time at the FEI Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, November 1-2, 2007. During their one-and-a-half-day meeting, the committee mainly discussed and reviewed the following: conflict of interest and confidentiality agreement, role of the committee, procedures and timeline. The committee will forward a report to the Bureau for their upcoming Bureau meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The National Federations will be updated as soon as possible...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to have Jan Ebeling join the list of clinicians for the USDF FEI Junior/Young Rider (Jr/YR) Clinic Series. These clinics, with funding support provided by The Dressage Foundation, are open to riders between the ages of 14 and 21, currently riding at third level or above. However, auditors of all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend. Although an American citizen since 1998, Ebeling is a native of Germany and holds his Bereiter license....

The USEF is pleased to announce the 2007 Connemara and Welsh Judges’ Clinic to be held Saturday, October 20, 2007 in Rancho Cordova, California and Starr Vaughn Equestrian in Elk Grove, California. This clinic is being offered to all Federation licensed Connemara and Welsh judges and any applicants or potential applicants for these licenses. Attendance at the clinic fulfills the Federation’s clinic requirements as outlined in GR1040 of the current Federation rule book. To provide attendees with...