The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to announce that the Renee Isler Dressage Support Fund at The Dressage Foundation (TDF) will be providing $13,000 in funding to support the Platinum Performance/USDF FEI Junior/Young Rider Clinic Series and TDF will provide $15,000 in funding support for the USDF/USEF Young Rider Graduate Program. “We are very grateful for the continued support from TDF and the Renee Isler Support Fund at TDF,” stated Linda Schultz, Director of Marketing....

Lexington, KY – The 2009 Adequan North American Junior and Young Rider Championships will be presented, for the third year, by Georgina Bloomberg’s Gotham North. Bloomberg is one of the country’s top young Jumping riders and was a double Individual Gold medalist at the NAJYRC, winning Individual Gold in 2003 and Team Gold in 2002. These championships have showcased the best riders between the ages of 14 and 21 since 1979. Junior and Young Rider Championship medals are awarded to individuals and...

All too often, talented junior riders are unable to fulfill their dream of competing in the “big eq” division at horse shows because they lack the funds to purchase an appropriate horse. Capable big equitation horses that can compete successfully in the division and qualify and compete at regionals and finals are extremely expensive to purchase or even lease. So for many junior riders, their progression through the equitation divisions ends when they reach the 3’6” level. For some, this...

Seating reservations are now being accepted for the FEI Nations Cup CSIO**** presented by CN at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center on Friday night, February 27. The Nations Cup is one of the highlights of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), drawing huge crowds of supporters for their national teams. The series is the oldest and most prestigious team show jumping competition in the world, similar to the Olympics and the World Equestrian Championships in which official...

The admired stallion Hickstead, winner of Individual Gold and Team Silver medals at the 2008 Olympic Games under Canada’s Eric Lamaze, has been approved for breeding based on performance by the Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Association (CWHBA), the American Holsteiner Horse Association (AHHA), and the KWPN of North America breed associations. In addition to his performance at the 2008 Olympic Games, Hickstead’s long list of accomplishments include winning the richest event in show jumping,...

The Minnesota Horse Council announced the selection of American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) member Guy Warner as 2008 Horse Person of the Year at their annual meeting and awards banquet on Saturday, January 17, 2009. The award is presented each year to someone who shows long-term service and commitment to the equine industry in the Midwest. Warner, the 39th recipient of this award, has put in over 40 years of service—both equine related and community related. He served 10 years in...

The United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA), Inc., is pleased to announce that the dates of the 2009 USHJA Emerging Athletes Program Level I Training Sessions, as well as the application process, are now available on the USHJA website at www.ushja.org . Level I Training Sessions will be offered in Zones 1-10 beginning in April. The mission of the Emerging Athletes Program is to develop and implement a system of identifying and nurturing talented young riders by providing them with the...

Lexington, KY – Braving frigid temperatures, US vaulter, Mary McCormick, won the 2009 CVI** Leipzig, January 23-25. In front of huge German crowds McCormick put on an impressive show vaulting on Tjekko (owned and lunged by Lasse Kristensen), to finish on 8.367 just ahead of Switzerland’s Marion Graf and Ines Juckstock from Germany. Leipzig plays host to a CDI, CAI and CSI and the multi-discipline event drew tens of thousands of fans. “Competing at Leipzig was an amazing experience,” said...

The North American Anglo-Arabian Horse Association (NAAAHA) has announced the winners of its 2008 High-Point Program for Anglo-Arabians that compete in working hunter, jumper, eventing, dressage, sport horse, conformation, endurance and competitive trail. All shows and rides, whether rated or unrated, counted towards these awards. Hunter/Jumper Champion: FF Irish Vodka/Collier McLeod Reserve: Diamond Jim Kelly/Beth Thomas Third: One More Round/Alexis Starer-Doughty Fourth: Foreign Policy/Kaylan...

Both Bugatti Hilltop and Festrausch saw their "stardom" grow this year as each earned additional stars from the ISR/OldenburgNA. Earning his star in the "Success of Offspring" category, Bugatti completes his fifth star and joins Parabol (Paradox I x Waldschuetz) in being one of only four stallions in the U.S. to earn the five-star ranking. Bugatti's quickly growing number of offspring are truly storming the dressage scene with horses such as Marcia Richardson's Bocaccio IOF's (Bugatti x...