The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation Holiday Fundraiser presented by SUCCEED® and Wellington Classic Dressage will be held on December 11-12 (6-10 p.m. both evenings) at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center. The fundraiser will feature a combination of clinics, fun demonstrations, team competitions and many holiday surprises from some of the top horses and riders in the country. Along with the exciting equestrian performances, the holiday gala will feature a catered VIP dinner and...

The program for the USET Foundation Holiday Gala Fundraiser is shaping up to be big as many of the country’s top riders have now signed on to participate. A pioneer among women in the equine industry, Lynn Palm Pittion-Rossillon, has announced that she will perform her famous Bridleless Musical Exhibition during the weekend’s events. German vaulter Kai Vorberg has also been added to the list of participants and will perform an exciting vaulting demonstration. SUCCEED® and Wellington Classic...

Brazilian superstar Rodrigo Pessoa headed the winning line-up of international riders in Sunday's $75,000 Grand Prix de Penn National on the final day of the 64th Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Pessoa, Olympic Gold medalist and three-time World Cup winner, aboard Let's Fly, was the eighth rider on course and the first to navigate the course designed by Steve Stephens without a rail down. "I have been riding him for a little over a year and a half," said Pessoa. "I started him in the bigger...

The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) honored top individuals, horses and organizations at the annual awards banquet held at the International Conference in Fort Collins, CO, at Colorado State University on October 10. Clinic Instructor of the Year Clinic instructors are the CHA Master Level Instructors that are clinic staff and certify instructors for CHA throughout North America. At the end of each clinic, participants write evaluations of the clinic staff. It is from these evaluations...

Seventeen-year-old Jessica Springsteen was the biggest star at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show as her famous parents cheered her on. She bested 237 riders over two rounds of competition, and a four-ri Jessica Springsteen (Photo by Al Cook) der work-off to win the nation's top equitation prize, the Pessoa/USEF Hunt Seat Medal Final. Course designer Steve Stephens, in conjunction with judges Ellen Raidt and Leo Conroy, were very specific about the distances they required between related...

The Kentucky National Horse Show was held September 16-20 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. Lucille Oken Wins Grand Slam with Land's End Mad Hatter Lucille Oken and Land's End Mad Hatter were unstoppable at this year's Kentucky National Indoor Horse Show. The pair completed a clean sweep of the Large Pony Hunter division, taking home each of the blue ribbons and the championship award. Oken rides at her family's Hi Hopes Farm in Charlotte, NC, with trainers Steve Heinecke and Jeff...

From the USHJA Lexington, KY - After three brilliant performances, John French and Rumba will go down in history as the inaugural winners of the ASG Software Solutions/USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals. Before the start of the final day of competition, George Morris addressed the crowd gathered in the Johnson Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. “The hunter derby courses are bringing us back to tradition, we’re surrounded by lovely horses and no doubt we’ll see a championship performance...

Photo Courtesy American Connemara Pony Society On two weekends at the end of June and beginning of July there were three United States Equestrian Federation (USEF)-recognized Connemara shows or divisions in USEF-recognized shows. On June 26, the West Coast Connemara Show was held in Pasa Robles, CA, and this year included a USEF- and United States Dressage Federation-recognized dressage show and a USEF-recognized in-hand breed show. Marynell Eyles was the judge for the in-hand and performance...

Las Vegas, NV – Defending champion, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, looked impossible to beat throughout the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Final. Shutterfly was faultless going into the final round of the final leg. Looks matter: She became the third person, and the first woman to win three World Cup titles. She did it all with Shutterfly. That meant heart break for McLain Ward and Sapphire who chased the German combination through all three legs, jumped two immaculate clear rounds. But it didn’t...

Lexington, KY— The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has selected the six competitions which will be required to take heel measurements from the first and fourth place ponies in Roadster and Hackney Roadster Pony Championships. The 2009 competitions include: • River Ridge Charity - Columbus, OH (April 22-25) • Midwest Charity - Springfield, IL (June 16-20) • Lexington Junior League - Lexington, KY (July 6-11) • Kentucky State Fair - Louisville, KY (August 23-29) • Southeastern Charity...