Calling it one of the most significant welfare issues affecting any equine breed or discipline, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) issued recommendations for eliminating the abusive practice within the Tennessee Walking Horse industry known as soring. Soring is the infliction of pain to create an extravagant or exaggerated gait in horses for training or show purposes. Even though soring is prohibited by the federal Horse Protection Act of 1970, some within the industry...

America's most successful grand prix rider Margie Engle has no idea how many career wins that she has and likes it that way. "If I started keeping track, I would stop winning them," said Engle, after she navigated the fastest double-clear round aboard Hidden Creek's Coroya Z in Sunday's $50,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Smith Barney, at HITS Saugerties. "I am pretty sure I am over 180 wins now." Engle and Hidden Creek's Coroya Z outlasted 27 pairs on course designer Ken Krome's 13-obstacle...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) has announced plans for a new online auction to be held on EBay during early August prior to the Kentucky State Fair. In addition, a new live auction will be held on Friday evening at the Kentucky State Fairgrounds. According to Mary Anne Cronan, President of the ASHA, changes in the association’s schedule of traditional fundraisers at the World’s Championship Horse Show were made because of ongoing remodeling and construction at the Executive...

When the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games take place at the Kentucky Horse Park in 2010, horses and riders will compete on a new state-of-the-art surface, which is being installed by the German company who developed it. The Outdoor Stadium which is currently under construction at the Kentucky Horse Park will be ready to receive its new surface in January or February of 2009. Otto Sport–und Reitplatz GmbH is the developer and supplier of this 86,000-square-foot stadium surface, as well as two...

At the Oaks Blenheim Classic, Karen Healey's riders were major players and very successful. Starting with the jumpers, in the $5,000 1.45m classic, Hannah Selleck of Thousand Oaks, CA, and her horse Bauer rode their way to victory. In addition, her name has been added to the Young Riders team for Zone 10 at the 2008 North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC). Shelby Wakeman of Westlake Village, CA, and Pandoer, were named as the alternates for the junior team. They finished...

In the world of the Pure Spanish Horse, a new era has begun. The president of the National Spanish Breed Organization, Javier Conde, and his delegation, flew this week from Madrid to Wilmington, OH, to attend the Fiesta Midwest P.R.E. Breed Show and to meet with the United States PRE Association (USPRE) and American breeders. USPRE is the only American organization that represents the PRE Studbook, which is newly managed by ANCCE by order of the Ministry of Agriculture in Spain. In prior years,...

LaBaule, France - A Dutch show jumper will be first into the ring as the 2008 Samsung Super League with FEI series gets underway in La Baule, France tomorrow afternoon. At the draw held this morning, the order of go was decided as follows: 1. The Netherlands 2. USA 3. Switzerland 4. Sweden 5. France 6. Germany 7. Belgium 8. Ireland 9. Great Britain. A number of nations have nominated five riders but Switzerland and Germany have sent just four so Steve Guerdat, Christina Liebherr, Jane Richard...

Qualifying criteria for riders hoping to compete in the 2008 CN North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) at the Colorado Horse Park Presented by Gotham North, is now available. The Championships, July 29-August 3, 2008, which is the premier equestrian event in North America for riders ages 14-21, operates under the rules of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the international governing body for equestrian sport. It is the only FEI championship held annually in...

Wellington, FL—The home side emerged victorious in the $50,000 U.S.A. vs. The World, presented by CN, held Saturday night under the lights during week nine, the CSI****W CN WorldWide, of the CN Winter Equestrian Festival, presented by Zimmerman Advertising, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Ten riders representing the United States and 10 riders representing other nations went head-to-head in three exciting phases of competition—an accumulator, a match race and a six bar....

Armani and Jeffery Welles in Action at the USEF Selection Trials for Show Jumping (Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com) by Joanie Morris Wellington, FL - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Ad Hoc Committee on Selection has approved naming the horse/rider combination of Armani/Jeffrey Welles to the Show Jumping Short List for the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong August 8-24, 2008. As per the USEF Selection Procedure for the Show Jumping Team, the Selectors have the discretion to recommend...