Lexington, KY – Mindy Darst was named Volunteer of the Year by the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) at the USHJA Evening of Equestrians on December 10, 2008. Evening of Equestrians is the USHJA’s awards ceremony held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting which took place at the Hilton Downtown in Nashville, TN, December 8-11. The Volunteer of the Year Award is given to an individual who donates their time to develop and implement programs in the organization. Darst was selected...

The stallion Hickstead, winner of Individual Gold and Team Silver medals at the 2008 Olympic Games under Canada’s Eric Lamaze, is now offered for breeding for the first time in North America. Hickstead is a 1996 brown Dutch Warmblood stallion standing 16 hands-high. Sired by Hamlet, his dam is Jomara by the well-known and recently deceased stallion, Ekstein. Hickstead’s bloodlines also feature such prominent show jumping names as Nimmerdor, Notaris, Ulft, Le Mexico and Joost. Based on his...

The United States Dressage Federation’s (USDF) Youth Executive Board is pleased to announce the winners of the USDF Youth Convention Scholarship Program for the 2008 Adequan/USDF National Convention and Symposium. This year’s winners are Arielle Perry, Jannike Gray, and Jessica Rose Deimler. The Youth Executive Board annually awards scholarships of up to $1,000 each to help defray the expenses associated with attending the annual convention. Applicants are judged on such qualities as...

The Royal Winter Fair is thrilled to announce its line-up of international riders set to compete at the Ricoh Coliseum, November 11-15. Nearly half the field of show jumpers participated in this summer’s Olympic games in Hong Kong (where the equestrian events were held), as did two of the five dressage riders. Three of the four members of the Silver medal-winning Canadian team will be competing, including Individual Olympic champion, Canada’s Eric Lamaze, with his Olympic partner Hickstead. It...

A packed schedule of world-class show jumping competition, educational opportunities, vendors, exhibitors and children's activities comes to Syracuse's Oncenter Complex, October 29-November 1. The Sporthorse Tournament will feature the top-ranked U.S. riders, included appearances by all members of the 2008 Gold-medal Olympic show jumping team. An international field of competitors will all vie for the Budweiser World Cup Qualifier of Syracuse and the Animal Planet Sporthorse Cup (featured...

There was a short press briefing at CSIO Barcelona on September 20 during which the FEI's First Vice-President Sven Holmberg and FEI Jumping Director John Roche answered questions relating to the new-formula FEI Nations Cup series 2009. By way of background, Holmberg explained that the current contract stipulated that negotiations with a new sponsor should not begin until January 1, 2008, and that this was a short time considering what needed to be done including creating a new product, finding...

The USET Foundation is pleased to announce that it is funding the 2008 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Show Jumping Developing/Young Rider Tour, which is part of the long-term high performance strategy to develop the best possible United States equestrian teams for the future. The funds for the 2008 USEF Show Jumping Developing/Young Rider Tour were raised by the USET Foundation, thanks to generous donations from individuals who understand the value and importance of providing the...

The first week of competition at Horse Shows by the Bay (July 16-20) has been awarded this year the prestigious World Champion Hunter Rider sanctioning by the American Hunter-Jumper Foundation (AHJF). Horse Shows by the Bay is a three-week equestrian festival held in scenic Traverse City, MI, July 16-August 3. In addition to its WCHR sanctioning, Horse Shows by the Bay will hold numerous hunter classics throughout the three weeks of competition and will offer fantastic prize money. Attaining...

In addition to being the exclusive financial services partner to the FEI, HSBC, the world’s local bank, has made a commitment to the discipline of eventing on a global basis. This commitment will cover the prestigious four-star events, which will be known as the HSBC FEI Classics. The five four-star events currently on the FEI calendar will make up the HSBC FEI Classics; these events not only have the richest tradition but are also the pinnacle of eventing attracting the best riders and horses...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 3, 2008 By Joanie Morris and Stacey Meier Lexington, KY - Continuing the successful partnership that delivered a host of dressage championships last year for the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), Collecting Gaits Farm renew their commitment to dressage as the title sponsor of the 2008 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions. To be held in San Juan Capistrano, CA on two separate weekends, June 20-22 and June 27-29, this year the Dressage...