Lexington, Ky. - The United States Equestrian Federation Board of Directors has voted unanimously to appoint Chris Welton as Chief Executive Officer effective June 1, 2014. Welton will replace John Long who announced his decision to retire from the position a year ago. Welton possesses a broad background in sport development and management and has acquired a deep understanding of and experience with the Olympic movement. After practicing law in Atlanta for six years, in 1991 Welton was named...

Cross Plains, Wis. - The American Driving Society (ADS) is pleased to announce the host venues for the new head-to-head driven North American Preliminary and the North American Intermediate Championships. The Preliminary Championships will be held at the Glen Willow CDE, September 5-7 in Avondale, Pennsylvania. The Intermediate Championship will be held at the Katydid CDE, October 30 – November 2 in Windsor, South Carolina. All VSE Championships will be held at the Equestrians Institute...

Stacy Williams (Dow Williams) The Dressage Foundation's Continuing Education for Dressage Instructors Fund, established by Maryal and Charles Barnett, has awarded grants to four individuals to attend the United States Dressage Federation's Instructor Certification Program. Jaki Hardy (Santa Rosa, CA), Megan McIsaac (Oregon, WI), Stacy Williams (Ivins, UT) and Zoe Krause (Algonac, MI) each received a $1,250 grant to further their education as instructors. “We are pleased to offer...

Individuals interested in being part of the 2015 Eventing 18 Program have until March 7th to submit their applications. There is no fee to apply and the application can be found through the My USEF My Way portal at usef.org. Applicants must select the event(s) they are planning to attend from the list of pre-determined competitions. Additional events may be added to the application after submission. The riders will be sent a sticker for their cross country pinney holder to help identify them....

Lexington, Ky. - The first clinic of the 2014 Developing Driver Program (DDP) will take place at the Grand Oaks in Weirsdale, Fla., February 28 - March 2, 2014. Thorsten Zarembowicz of Germany, 2010 Singles World Champion and eighth-place finisher at the 2013 Pair World Championships, will teach the clinic. Participants will hone their skills in the dressage, marathon, and cones phases throughout the three-day clinic. The following drivers have been selected to participate in the clinic:...

Jessica Spracklin The Dressage Foundation's Renee Isler Dressage Support Fund has recently awarded a grant to young rider Jessica Spracklin and grants to professional instructors, Kathy Knappitsch and Patricia Deasy, to support their dressage education. Jessica Spracklin of Hamilton, OH, was awarded $800 to attend Lendon Gray’s 2014 Winter Intensive Training program. This three month program takes place in Wellington, FL, and creates well-rounded elite equestrian athletes. “My...

Cross Plains, Wis. - The American Driving Society (ADS) is pleased to announce plans for a new head-to-head driven North American Championship, in addition to the popular calculated Intermediate Championship offered since 2009. The North American Preliminary and the North American Intermediate Championships will be driven championships, each taking place over a single competition weekend. The original Championship will be renamed The North American Calculated Intermediate Championship and...

Lexington, Ky. - The USEF and USET Foundation have come together in 2014 through a gift from USET Foundation Trustee Betsy Juliano and Havensafe Farm to host the first ever USEF/USET Foundation Dressage Pipeline Clinic, January 28-29, 2014 at the Global Dressage Grounds in Wellington, Fla. This clinic will showcase the U.S. dressage pipeline of athletes and horses with the four USEF Dressage Coaches: Robert Dover, USEF Chef d'Equipe/Technical Advisor; Debbie McDonald, USEF Developing Coach;...

Lexington, Ky. - Ten riders from across the country started the 2014 season off right as the first participants in the training sessions with U.S. Team Coach David O'Connor for the Eventing 18/Advancing Athletes program. Created in 2013 by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and United States Eventing Association (USEA), the goal of the program is to build a foundation of future horsemen and women that will hopefully go on to represent the United States. Selection into the...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce Christina Kimery as the winner of the two prestigious awards in the discipline of Endurance, the Maggy Price Endurance Excellence Award and the Brunjes Junior/Young Rider Trophy. 2013 is the first time the Christine Kimery (Fanny Doublein) coveted awards have been won by the same individual. The Maggy Price Endurance Excellence Award, sponsored by Gold Medal Farm, and Larry and Valerie Kanavy, is in memory of...