James R. Wolf has been selected by the USEF to assume the leadership of the Federation’s High Performance discipline programs as the Executive Director of High Performance. He had been serving as Interim Executive Director. Jim has many years of administrative and competitive experience in horse sports. Prior to joining the USEF staff full-time, he managed the USET’s three-day eventing squad at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, where he was responsible for the coordination of the...

The American Horse Council reports that the Department of Agriculture has taken another step toward the implementation of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) to trace animal movements in case of a major disease outbreak. “This action has been expected,” said AHC President Jay Hickey. “USDA must amend several federal regulations to foster the establishment of the national animal ID system. The changes do not impose any identification requirements on horses, but they are another step...

Lexington, KY —In a move designed to standardize drug testing fees across the country, the United States Equestrian Federation announces a new plan to restructure fees for competitions in California. This restructuring will finally put California on equal footing with the other 49 states—while eliminating confusion for exhibitors and organizers alike. The USEF and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) now jointly announce the elimination of different fees for...

When Tim and Michelle Hackbardt launched their new online business, www.homeandstable.com , in August of 2004, they knew they’d need a good reliable shipping service to get products out to their customers. FedEx was the natural choice—and when they learned their business could help the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) at the same time, it sealed the deal. “It’s a three way win,” says Tim, co-founder of www.homeandstable.com . “Every product that gets shipped out—a portion of the...

When you consider the benefits, your membership with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) more than pays for itself. It’s that simple. And adding to the show ring safety, fair play, ethical standards and regulated judging USEF already provides, there’s a more tangible show-me-the-money kind of benefit many members are only beginning to learn about. That benefit is the USEF purchasing program, and it entitles USEF members to discounted prices on everything from tractors, trucks and...

Currently underway, the 38th annual U.S. National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (U.S. Nationals) is the flagship event for the Arabian horse industry, featuring top quality horses, a commercial trade fair and the annual Arabian Horse Judging Contest. This year’s show features 3,000 entries vying for champion, reserve champion or top ten in 104 classes that include reining, mounted native costume, working cow, show hack, breeding-in-hand, driving, English, hunter and western...

As I sift through weekly e-mails and phone messages, I’m beginning to realize the United States Equestrian Federation’s best kept secret is no longer a best kept secret. Only a few months from its conception, and already, details of the USEF purchasing program are running through the rumor mill faster than juicy tabloid gossip. I should hardly be surprised. When money is involved, especially this much money, news tends to spread fast; and while we’re not working overtime to keep the news under...

As the door shut behind him, a 13-year-old show jumping stallion named Judgement tried to relax over the dull roar of the engines. This was no mere vacation—this was his shot at the Olympic short list, and carefully stored in style, he settled down for a long FedEx flight to the Olympic Selection Trials in California. While the cost of the departing flight from Newark to Los Angeles might have been worth every penny, Meghan De Garay, office manager at Iron Spring Farm, which owns Judgement,...

We’ve all heard the old adage, "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." It's one of those time-tested pearls of wisdom that never fails, right? Well think again, because people like Sally Yacka, Business Manager of Derby Down, Inc., will tell you there are exceptions. Big exceptions. When Sally first saw the flyer from the United States Equestrian Federation’s (USEF) purchasing program, detailing how she could get big discounts on products the farm already used, she thought she might...

Lexington, KY – Frank Chapot, the six-time Olympic show jumping rider who has been chef d’equipe of the Unites States Show Jumping Team since 1980, has decided to retire. Under his leadership, the team has won nine Olympic medals and nine Pan American Games medals, which includes the first-ever team gold medals at the 1984 Olympics and at the World Championships in 1986, as well as the Silver Team medal at both the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, and the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta,...