Photo Courtesy AHA/Conley Driediger (Conley Driediger with gelding, Winning Afire+//.) Alexis Starer Doughty of Cape Charles, VA, and Conley Driediger of Yarrow, BC, Canada, were named the Arabian Horse Association (AHA) Adult and Youth Amateurs of 2009, respectively. Doughty earned an impressive 646 points at 22 AHA-recognized shows in 2009, while Driediger earned a whopping 485.5 points from 17 shows. The AHA Amateur Achievement Award program began in 2002 and tracks the points of individual...

Photo by Diana DeRosa (Liza Boyd and Brunello) "He is my Olympic hunter," commented Liza Boyd after she nailed her third victory in the 14th Annual American Hunter-Jumper Foundation (AHJF) Hunter Classic Spectacular in Wellington FL, aboard her seasoned mount, Brunello. She won the very first one riding Monday Morning in 1997 and then in 2008 tasted victory again on Fiyero. Now just 3½ months after the birth of her first child (Ellen) it was important to prove she still had what it takes. Yet,...

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) would like to issue the following clarification regarding the US Dressage coaching program. It was incorrectly reported that Morten Thomsen has been hired as a US Team coach and the USEF has applied for a visa for him. Both of these statements are incorrect. The USEF has contracted a number of highly qualified clinicians to help prepare our athletes for future international competitions. Steffen Peters and Kyra Kyrklund have both...

Photo by Diana DeRosa The atmosphere at the fourth annual Bowling for Equestrians was electrifying. From the thunder of the bowling balls as they sped down the alleys to the misty fog that made the psychedelic lighting system sparkle. The game room was showered with kids testing their skills while young and old alike threw bowling balls down the alleys in hopes of a spare or strike. The fundraiser, which is the brainchild of the American Hunter-Jumper Foundation (AHJF), was held at Greenacres...

Langer Equestrian Group kicked off its 2010 show season at the Hansen Dam Equestrian Center, January 30-31. The Verdugo Hills shows are approved by USEF, USHJA, LAHJA A, and San Fernando Hunter/Jumper Association A. Open hunter and jumper classes are held on one day, beginning at noon, and the junior and amateur classes run on the second day, along with a complete set of jumper classes for all levels of riders. “We wanted to draw more people from the various sanctioning organizations,” said...

The United States Equestrian Federation is accepting applications to host a West Coast qualifier for the 2010 FEI Children’s International Jumping Final. A qualifier consists of two classes of two rounds each held over two days and judged by an FEI licensed jumping judge. Organizers interested in hosting a qualifier should contact Jennifer Haydon, Director of Show Jumping National Programs, at (859) 225-6911 or via email at [email protected] no later than March 19, 2010.

The 2010 American Saddlebred Registry Grand National prize program schedule of competitions has been announced. This year, the Grand National features 28 shows offering 60 classes with over $136,000 offered in prize money for Grand National-eligible American Saddlebreds. In addition, competitions that have traditionally supported Grand National were entered into a drawing for three Grand National Championship Stakes. The following competitions will receive additional purse allotments of $5,000...

2009 NAJYRC Reining Team Gold Medalists for Team North Central, from left: Ian Barnard, Alex Bauwens (Waltenberry) Denver, CO - Attention Reining Young Riders! The Adequan© USEF Youth Reining National Championship will once again take place at the NRHA Futurity, in Oklahoma City on June 26th, 2010. Reining young athletes who wish to compete for the prestigious national title must have earned points in any of the qualifying shows held since May 18, 2009, and rank in the top-twenty in their...

In response to the horrific damage caused by the recent earthquake in Haiti, Equestrian Sport Productions in Wellington, FL, has created a drop-off site for emergency aid donations. The Step by Step Foundation, a non-for-profit organization that provides funding and supplies to Haiti, will be working with ESP and the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Program to secure both monetary as well as other donations to send to Haiti. A trailer will be located at the exhibitor entrance guard house and...

Thursday at the 2010 USEF Annual Meeting saw a blizzard of meetings and attendees rushing from one conference room to the next in an attempt to cover as much ground as possible and to share in ideas and opinions on a vast slate of topics. Licensed Officials, Connemara/Welsh, Roadster, Arabian, Eventing, Dressage, Hackney, Breeders, National Show Horse, Morgan, Western and Carriage Driving were just some of the breeds and disciplines of equestrian sport that had committee meetings during the day....