FEI-level rider Luis Denizard is asking his peers, friends, acquaintances and other dressage enthusiasts to come together during 2008 to support the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association's (NARHA) Horses for Heroes, a program that helps wounded veterans through equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT). Many of the Horses for Heroes participants have lost limbs fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Riding horses helps improve their strength and balance. Working with the horses...

Two lucky youths won big with a small equine prize. At the American Shetland Pony Congress this month, two American Shetland ponies were awarded to winners of two youth essay contests. Youths from around the country exercised their writing skills for the chance to win one of these amazing Shetland ponies. Entries were numbered and judged anonymously. Kimberly Cotter was the lucky winner of E’s Sir Nite and Kasey Waxler of Pennsylvania was awarded Cross Country’s Mr. Banker. Kimberly Cotter, the...

The American Youth Horse Council (AYHC) cordially invites individuals to submit proposals to speak at the 2009 National Youth Horse Leaders Symposium in Lincoln, NE, on March 27–29, 2009. The deadline for presentation proposals is September 15, 2008. This annual event, now in its 32nd year, presents an opportunity for leaders in the youth horse industry to come together to learn, network, share ideas and grow as an industry. The American Youth Horse Council is a network of academic, breed,...

The Three Phase Event is proud to announce their first Training, Education and Development (T.E.DO) sponsored clinic, September 5, at 10:00 a.m., at the Kentucky Equestrian Center at 860 Kiddville Road in Winchester, KY. Specifically targeted for all breeds of gaited horses, each rider can get one-on-one time with a United States Dressage Federationjudge, so all are encouraged to get entries in early as there are limited time slots. Dressage Tests and Clinic Sponsored by The Three phase Event,...

Attention junior and young riders in Zone 2 interested in competing at next year’s North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) for show jumping: Please check your zone’s selection procedures for the 2009 FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships under the Jumping Discipline page of the USEF website at www.usef.org/Contentpage2.aspx?id=natjumping . Please direct questions to Jennifer Haydon, Director of Show Jumping for National Programs, at [email protected] or...

Attention junior riders interested in competing at next year’s Adequan/USEF National Junior Jumper Championships. The 2009 selection procedures and qualifying period for this championship are now available on the USEF website’s Jumper Discipline page at www.usef.org/Contentpage2.aspx?id=natjumping . Please direct questions to Jennifer Haydon, Director of Show Jumping for National Programs, at [email protected] or (859) 225-6911.

The USEF Dressage Committee met on July 1-2, 2008 and discussed the USEF Dressage Performance Standards Proposal. This discussion included a review of compiled results of the online survey that was developed to gather feedback from USEF and USDF members. These results were recently shared with the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) Executive Board and show that a majority of the approximately 1,250 respondents expressed support for the idea of having competition performance standards for...

Three Przewalski horse foals kicked up their hooves, making a grand entrance at the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park on Friday, August 8, 2008. The Wild Animal Park currently houses 17 of these critically endangered horses, including the new additions, born August 3, July 22 and July 19. Two more babies are expected soon. Foals are born after an 11-month pregnancy. Approximately 30 minutes after birth the babies must be on their legs and able to move with the herd. Since 1974, 138 Przewalski's...

From an AVA Press Release Brno, Czech Republic - In the final day of competition at the World Vaulting Championships in Brno, Czech Republic, Team USA took home a bronze medal, while two US women placed in the top ten in the Individual competition. Dark Side of the Moon, a composite team made up of vaulters from FACE, Mt. Eden, Woodside and Shooting Stars vaulting clubs, finished in third place, with the Germans once again taking the gold, and the Austrian team taking the silver. US team...

Twenty-one National Walking Horse Association (NWHA) youth members from across the country attended the First NWHA Youth Leadership Conference held at the Kentucky Horse Park. July 14-16. "The conference was everything we had hoped it would be for the youth and more," stated Tami Steinbrecher, Chair of the Youth Committee. The conference offered workshops on developing leadership skills, effective public speaking, equine first aid and horse judging and included two interactive clinics on...