Matthew Williams of Lexington, KY, development manager of the American Saddlebred Horse Association, has been promoted to the new position of director of development and communications, effective immediately, according to Alan F. Balch, ASHA Executive Secretary. “Since Matthew joined us not quite a year ago now, his performance has been exceptional,” Balch said. “He was a champion in the Saddlebred show ring, and he’s been a champion in his professional life with us as well. Although we’re...

With the 2006 World Equestrian Games just three months away, the top endurance riders in the U.S. are preparing to demonstrate their abilities in the hopes of earning a place on the U.S. Endurance Team. In order to be considered, each rider must compete at one of three FEI***/AERC dual-sanctioned 100-mile rides scheduled for May 20 in Oreana, ID; May 27 in Grand Island, MI; and June 11 in Ashland, MT. Members of the National Selection Committee will be present at each event to evaluate the...

The World Equestrian Festival, perhaps the largest single week's horse show in the world, began Wednesday in Aachen, Germany, with the United States announcing a top team for the Samsung Super League. Aachen CHIO has added championship vaulting to the lineup of show jumping, dressage and four-in-hand driving that will be contested by 145 athletes from 23 nations on more than 400 horses, in front of what is expected to be well above 300,000 spectators during the five days of competition. For...

The complete lists of the 2006 American Eventing Championships qualified horses and riders, at every level, can now be found on the USEA website at www.useventing.com . Just click on the AEC logo on the homepage, and go to 2006 Qualified Horses or 2006 Qualified Riders. Please note that the list is not absolutely current. Results from each event need to be sent to the USEA, and entered into the database, which can result in a lag of up to several weeks. So, if you competed recently and don’t...

The judges and trainers symposium, featuring Steffen Peters and Janet Brown Foy, has attracted excellent demo riders and horses. The seminar is scheduled April 8-9, 2006, at Penrose Norris Equestrian Center in Colorado Springs, CO. Horses from those just going under saddle to grand prix competitors have been chosen to give the audience a broad view of the levels and how the horse develops as an athlete. All USEF dressage tests will be covered, and movements will be scored and discussed by FEI...

The 2006 American Saddlebred Registry Grand National show schedule has been released with 37 shows offering 57 classes with added prize money. The 2006 Grand National show schedule can be found on the prize program's website at www.saddlebred.com/prize-grand-national . A number of owners have received the schedule, but it is important to note that the St. Louis National Charity Horse Show has since added a Three-Gaited Amateur Championship Grand National class for its September show. The Grand...

Kentucky Horse Park (KHP) Commission Chair Tandy Patrick and 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games Chairman Jim Host will attend the ASHA Annual Luncheon at the American Saddlebred Horse Association’s (ASHA) Saddlebred Summit Saturday, February 18, at noon. Patrick and Host have both been playing key roles in the progress of the 2010 World Equestrian Games. Patrick, who is also a member of ASHA, traveled to Bahrain as a member of the Kentucky delegation to make the Kentucky Horse Park’s final...

Rocket Finder MMR (Courtesy Don Shugart ) Lexington, KY -- With varied coats of bold spotted patterns, the Appaloosa continues to chart a solid course as one of America's favorite companion and competitive horses today, just as it did more than a hundred years ago. Thousands of these horses can be found in the United States and across the world, demonstrating their versatility as they compete in multiple disciplines and show classes. As this breed continues to demonstrate notable growth in...

The AAEP Foundation, Inc., has donated $50,000 to aid Gulf Coast horses affected by Hurricane Katrina. Donations of $25,000 each have been made to the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association (LVMA) and the Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA). The AAEP Foundation created its Equine Disaster Relief Fund in early September to aid horses affected by Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters. "The Foundation is delighted to donate a portion of our disaster relief funds to such...

The Reining Horse Sports Foundation (RHSF) is proud to announce, in no particular order, their 2005 Youth Scholarship recipients: Keith Ceddia, Rachael Raugh, Megan Brown, Nicholette Larson and Tara Hallan. The RHSF was established in 1999 to promote, support and preserve the sport of reining. The youth program is just one of the foundation’s five core programs. Determination for each $1,000 scholarship is based on financial need, academic achievement, career plans, references and National...