The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced that Christine Eidson is the 2008 recipient of the USDF Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Member Organization (IMO) Team Leadership Award. As the winner, Eidson will receive a five-year USDF participating membership and certificate of recognition from USDF. Receiving honorable mentions for 2008 were Asheley Ireland, from Westbrook, ME, representing Mount Holyoke College, and Laura Coburn, from Hopkinton, MA, representing the University of...

Tuesday, July 22nd, @ 10pm, HBO Real Sports will air its story on Eventing. While we certainly hope the story will be balanced and accurately portray our sport, we are concerned by the preview HBO sports put out late last week. The story is entitled "Deadly Ride" and features among others, an interview with a mother who has tried to force her daughter to stop eventing. USEF President David O'Connor did a lengthy interview for the story with Real Sports correspondent Frank DeFord. In the...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) has announced plans for its upcoming live video streaming Internet webcasts for August and September, following its very well-received Lexington Junior League webcast in early July. According to Will Wood, Technology Manager, the ASHA will again offer live Internet coverage of all events at the Kentucky State Fair’s World’s Championship Horse Show from Freedom Hall in Louisville, KY, from Sunday evening, August 17, through World’s Grand...

In support of its mission to end the abuse of high-stepping show Tennessee Walking Horses, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) announced its sponsorship of the first National Walking Horse Association Youth Leadership Conference, taking place this week at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. Attendees from around the country, ages 11 to 17, will have the opportunity to hone their leadership skills and learn about the horse industry. “The best way to effect large-scale change in...

Lexington, KY— In a unanimous decision by the judges, Brooke Jacobs defeated four talented riders in the 2008 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal Final. Despite the heat, Jacobs completed the rail and pattern work to outshine the competition at the Lexington Junior League Horse Show at the famous The Red Mile racetrack. Jacobs, of Georgetown, KY, claimed the title aboard CH My Southern Charm, a bay Saddlebred gelding owned by Werk Way Stables and trained...

Monday, July 7, was an emotional day at SpiritHorse Therapeutic Riding Center in Corinth, TX. Highly respected horseman and clinician Chris Cox paid the center a visit and donated his time to conduct a clinic, working with staff and special needs riders who receive free lessons at SpiritHorse. The event was covered by five different news networks. "SpiritHorse was honored to have the support of Chris Cox. He was so generous with the time he spent conducting a free clinic with our children and...

Through the hard work of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA), the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, and the NCAA Varsity equestrian, the 2008 NRHA Derby was host to the Collegiate Reining Championships in Oklahoma City, OK, on June 28 at the Oklahoma State Fair Park. Taking top honors was Leah Kuehn from Oklahoma State University. She rode Double Run Farm’s Pretty Nifty Dun to an impressive score of 220. Ohio State University’s Keith Ceddia and BR China Rose finished second in...

The American Shetland Pony Club (ASPC) is ready to rock and roll with the celebration of their 120th Anniversary during the 2008 American Shetland Pony National Championship Congress Show in Cloverdale, IN. The Shetland Pony Championship Congress Show will be held at the new Crossroads Arena facility in historic “Covered Bridge Country” on July 30 through August 2. The excitement is steadily growing as the Shetland Pony Congress kick-off date approaches. “In honor of the 120th Anniversary of...

Twenty-six riders from first grade through twelfth grade trotted into the ring for the Riding For Reading Class at the Golden Gate Classic held at the Horse Park at Woodside, July 4. This is the first class of the summertime Riding For Reading Classes, and the organizers could not have been happier. “It was great to see so many riders in the class,” said Riding For Reading Treasurer Kelly Scarinci. “The classes have grown and the riders seem to really like it.” If smiling faces were any...

David O’Connor, President of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), Olympic Gold medalist, Pam American Games and World Equestrian Games medalist, has been elected to the Board of Trustees of the American Horse Council (AHC). In 2004, O’Connor officially retired from international competition and was elected as president of USEF for the 2005-2009 term, and has now been re-elected for another four-year term. As president, he works closely with the FEI, the international governing body...