Mike Ferrara (Lexington, KY) - Throughout the year there are many competitions which are extremely valuable to the various USEF breed organizations but are a challenge to organize due to required expenses. The USEF wishes to support the widest possible network of shows for its breed members and enthusiasts by announcing a new Outreach Grant program. A total of $125,000 has been budgeted in 2006 for grants to financially challenged breed competitions which meet the grant requirements and are...

The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has recently developed a new certification program -- the Equine Facilities Manager (EFM) program. This program is done as a 2.5 day clinic to certify four levels of stable employees: - Stable Worker- Qualified to work in a barn under the supervision of a manager - Stable Manager- Qualified to manage a small private stable of up to 10 head and 1-2 employees - Herd Manager- Qualified to manage a public equine facility of up to 35 head and 3-4...

The Education Department at the Kentucky Horse Park wants to make better caretakers out of horse owners, and consequently better horses. To that end, they will offer a variety of equine classes and programs for both adults and youngsters in 2006. Equine professionals and novices will benefit from courses on a wide variety of topics, designed to make participants better horsemen and horsewomen. John Nicholson, Executive Director of the park, noted “As the Horse Capital of the World, we have a...

The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) and the American Vaulting Association (AVA) have combined efforts to create the Recreational Vaulting Certification program. Vaulting is gymnastics and dance in harmony with the moving horse. As a competitive sport, it is stylized and disciplined. As a recreational activity and teaching aid it is enormously adaptable in scope and application. The goal of the Recreational Vaulting Coach (RVC) certification clinics are to provide the vaulting community...

Lexington, KY – With preparations for the 2006 competition year in full swing, limited space is still available for the highly successful 2006 United States Equestrian Federation Outreach Program, started by the USEF in 2005. The program is designed to build a productive bridge between the USEF office, competition organizers, show managers and competitors. In addition to employees rolling up their sleeves and sharing the work load for a few days, USEF will be able to assess the needs of...

(Lexington, KY) - Gil Merrick joined the USEF as Director of Dressage Sport Programs on October 11th. Mr. Merrick will be based in the Lexington Headquarters and report directly to Jim Wolf, Executive Director of Sport Programs in our Gladstone office. In addition to his experience in showing and training dressage horses, Mr. Merrick has a strong career background in the management of international businesses most specifically in internal operations, financial planning, growth management and...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to announce the new USDF Breeder of the Year Award program, which will be initiated for the 2006 competition season, which started October 1, 2005. This is a year-end award, based on performance in a given competition year. Breeders of dressage performance horses and breeders of dressage in-hand horses will be able to vie for top honors. Scott Hassler, Chairperson of the USDF Sport Horse Committee, stated, "Over the last few years, a...

In an effort to help raise funds to expand and renovate its facilities, the Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Veterinary Medicine will be holding a series of stallion service auctions, with proceeds going to the university's Equine Health Studies Program (EHSP). The dedicated faculty and staff of the LSU Equine program were recently called into action in response to the damage caused in the Gulf region due to the series of hurricanes that besieged the area in late August, and again, in...

(Lexington, KY) - As competition organizers and show managers are preparing for the 2006 competition year, the USEF asks you to consider becoming a part of the highly successful Outreach Program that was started in 2005. It is the new program designed to build a productive bridge between the USEF staff, competition organizers, show managers and competitors. In addition to employees rolling up their sleeves and sharing the work load for a few days, the USEF will be able to assess the needs of...

(Lexington, KY) -- The United States Equestrian Federation announced today that it is implementing an organizational realignment that divides the Federation's activities into two primary areas - sport programs and business administration/governance. The organizational realignment of sports programs will better integrate staff assignments for both national and high performance programs. The management of the International Department in the Lexington, Kentucky office will be eliminated,...