Todd Minikus of the United States flew to victory riding Flier in the $60,000 CN World Cup Grand Prix held Wednesday, November 10, at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON, Canada. From the original starting field of 23 riders, only five advanced to the jump-off over the course set by Olympic master Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela. Minikus of Wellington, FL, was one of only two riders to post double-clear rounds in the jump-off, stopping the timers a full two seconds ahead of second-placed...

Temecula, CA —Adding only four show jumping penalties to their dressage score, Shannon Lilley of San Jose, CA, and High Mountain Road , owned by Dayna Lynd-Pugh of Tres Pinos, CA, won the USEF National One Star Eventing Championship and the Richard D. Collins Trophy, with a total score of 52.3. The Championship took place at the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event and Horse Trials in Temecula, CA, November 4-7. Claiming another victory over the weekend was Jamie Lawrence of...

Lexington, KY - John R. Long, Chief Executive Officer of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and Frank V. Lloyd, Chairman of the Board of the USET Foundation announced today that Bonnie B. Jenkins, USEF Executive Director of High Performance will join the USET Foundation as Executive Director December 1, 2004. Ms. Jenkins responsibilities will include oversight of the fundraising, communications, operational and financial administration of the Foundation. Ms. Jenkins will also work...

Lexington, KY —Avoiding the pitfalls of some soggy weekend weather, Stephen Rogers and Leslie Chelstrom rode to victory during the USEF National Junior and USEF National Amateur Eventing Championships, held at the Kentucky Horse Park, October 20-24. After scoring a 63.3 in dressage, Rogers, a 17 year old Dallas, Texas native, rode 9 year old Australian Thoroughbred gelding Kelecyn Applause through double-clear cross-country and show jumping rounds to win the Harry T. Peters Trophy with a...

The 46th annual Washington International Horse Show (WIHS), the top U.S. year-end indoors finals hunter/jumper event, will take over the action at the MCI Center in downtown Washington, DC, beginning October 26 through October 31. Over 500 horses and riders will “bring the country to the city” as top international riders compete for over $400,000 in prize money in such feature events as: • $20,000 Gambler’s Choice – Thursday evening 7:30pm • $25,000 Puissance (horse high-jump) – Friday evening...

Harrisburg, PA – Megan Young, 18, of Jacksonville, FL, defeated a field full of the nation’s top junior riders to win the 2004 USEF/Pessoa National Hunter Seat Medal Final, on Sunday, October 17th, at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Judges Sue Ashe of Wellington, FL, and Mary Chapot of Neshanic Station, NJ, scored the three rounds of competition based on equitation and a rider’s ability to ride with control, competency and compatibility. The USEF/Pessoa National Hunter...

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...

Royal Kaliber, one of the United States most brilliant horses ever to compete internationally in show jumping, was humanely euthanized today in the Netherlands. He underwent colic surgery for intestinal adhesions, on September 27th and had been recovering well until two days ago when his progress considerably slowed. Royal Kaliber took Chris Kappler to a Team Silver medal and an Individual Bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. According to Dr. Tim Ober, a veterinarian for the USEF...

The Paso Fino Horse Association’s 32nd Annual Grand National Horse Show was held, September 19-25 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry, GA. Employees of the fairgrounds put forth the extra effort to get stalls prepared for those needing to arrive early to escape the wrath of Hurricane Ivan and to remain during Hurricane Jeanne. Though the weather kept a few people away, 822 horses and more than 1,700 entries, ridden by youth and adults, were slated to compete for a...