—It was standing room only during the much-anticipated Pegasus Awards where the equestrian world’s brightest stars gathered to be honored and celebrate achievements from 2006, as well as a lifetime. Beezie Madden was named as the Equestrian of the Year during the evening’s ceremonies. Madden, who brought home two medals from the 2006 World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Aachen, Germany, this past fall, accepted her awards to a standing ovation. “There are so many people I...

Will Harris, co-Junior Equestrian of the Year (Doug Shiflet) Lexington, KY – New York’s Brianne Goutal and Tennessee’s William Harris have been named Junior Equestrians of the Year by the United States Equestrian Federation® and will be honored during the Federation’s annual gala – The Pegasus Awards – on January 12, 2007, in Louisville, KY. It is the first time in over a decade that two youths have been named co-recipients of one of the...

In a nod to the importance of youth in the present and future of the equestrian landscape, the United States Equestrian Federation® has awarded the inaugural USEF Youth Sportsman’s Charter Award to Oklahoma City’s Caitlin Novotny, a member of the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) and a freshman at Oklahoma State University. Novotny beat out 42 other young equestrians to be awarded an all-expense paid career workshop (June 23-29, 2007). She will be invited to the USEF headquarters in...

Friesians of Majesty entered eight horses to be judged at the New England Keuring held September 21-22, 2006 in Northampton, MA. All eight horses received premium ratings or better. Friesians of Majesty again shows the world the caliber of Friesian horses in its barns as this is the third year in a row that multiple top titles went to the horses of Friesians of Majesty. Ymkje was awarded the prestigious title of model given to very few mares. After spending a year in intense dressage training...

Sometimes winning looks easy, and sometimes it just doesn’t. Ask the junior jumper riders about the 2006 Adequan/USEF National Junior Jumper Team Championship - Prix des States. The Zone 2 team representing the best junior jumper riders from New Jersey , New York and Pennsylvania made every jump count as they edged the Zone 1, New England squad, by a single downed rail. The defending champions, Zone 5 (IL, IN, KY, MI, OH) were never better than third where they tied with West Coast Zone 10 (CA,...

Hillary Dobbs aboard Quincy B in the Adequan/USEF National Junior Jumper Championship (Randy Muster) Two nights and two big courses netted Hillary Dobbs two gold medals. On Friday, Dobbs, an 18-year-old member of the Prix Des States winning Zone 2 team returned to take individual Gold in the third phase of the 2006 Adequan/USEF Junior Jumper Individual Championship at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Riders accrue faults through each phase of the three-part series. Dobbs distinguished...

Julie Welles of West Simsbury, CT, won the SHALANNO Style of Riding Award Perpetual Trophy at the 31st annual Hampton Classic Horse Show. The SHALANNO Style of Riding Award Perpetual Trophy is presented to the junior jumper rider who best exemplifies the American style of equitation as modeled by Olympic medalists Joe Fargis, Conrad Homfeld and George Morris. The award recipient must have the respectful, dignified, courteous and workmanlike manner of a true sportsman. Welles, 18, was selected...

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) announced equestrian athlete Megan Benjamin as the female August Athlete of the Month, along with male swimmer Brendan Hansen. The USOC Team of the Month was awarded to the U.S.A. National Baseball Team. Benjamin of Saratoga, CA, won the Gold medal in women's vaulting at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, on August 27. She was the first American woman to win the title. The Germans have won 20 of the last 32 World Championships. Benjamin...

Another successful show for Alexandra Thornton of Bedminster, NJ, placed the 12-year-old in the winner’s circle once again. This time, her triumph made history at the highly regarded Hampton Classic in Bridgehampton, NY. Thornton, who trains with renowned judge and trainer Susie Humes, piloted her way to the division tricolor in the Younger Small Junior Hunters aboard her mount Tobasco, a small, yet scopey chestnut gelding. She then continued her winning ways and became the youngest rider to...

By Bob Langrish (Beezie Madden and Authentic in the Main Stadium in Aachen, Germany.) (Aachen, Germany)— The 16 efforts put in front of the 116 show jumpers going round during the 1st qualifier and speed class for the individual and team FEI World Championships in Aachen were a bit more than a few could handle. And for Team USA, there were few bumps along the road translating into less than a handful of downed rails in a windy Main Stadium. Over the day, six horses were eliminated, and...