Beginning January 1, 2007, the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) will issue Performance Permits to ApHC-registered, non-characteristic (N) Appaloosas. Permits allow all non-characteristic Appaloosas, regardless of parentage or age, to show in ApHC-approved and sponsored events, as well as race with results counting toward ApHC race awards. Once a permit is issued, it remains in effect for the life of the horse, regardless of ownership changes. Performance Permits eliminate the current Certified...

The Unwanted Horse Coalition, which started as the Unwanted Horse Summit during the American Horse Council’s annual convention in April, 2005, is being folded into the American Horse Council (AHC), announced Nick Nicholson, AHC Chairman. “The issue of ‘unwanted horses’ has faced this industry for some time,” said Nicholson, President of Keeneland Association. “It is an important and challenging national issue that faces all breeds and all activities in the horse world. Putting this initiative...

Lexington, KY - USEF is pleased to announce the top 12 qualified horse and rider combinations for the 2006 USEF National Junior Dressage Team Championship to be held July 6–9, 2006 and hosted by Pebble Beach Dressage & CDI 3*/P in Pebble Beach, California (www.ridepebblebeach.com). This event, celebrating its 10th anniversary, showcases some of the most talented young dressage riders in the country today. This Championship continues to be made possible through the support of sponsors Collecting...

Humane Equine Aid and Rapid Transport, or HEART, debuted its new state-of-the-art equine ambulance earlier this month at the Devon Horse Show. “The new ambulance will help HEART deliver quicker and more effective care to any injured horses,” said Robin Sweely, President of HEART Equine Ambulance. “The type of care provided in an emergency can mean the difference between life and death for a beloved horse, and we hope that the new trailer will bring owners and riders some peace of mind that...

The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation is pleased to announce that their 2006 Limited Edition Breyer Model horse will be based on show jumper and Olympic Team Gold Medalist Authentic. Authentic, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, is ridden by Beezie Madden, and together they have accumulated huge victories in the past two years. Authentic was a member of the 2004 Athens Olympic Gold Medal Team. In 2005, his clutch performance in Aachen, Germany, secured the victory for the...

The 61st annual Del Mar National Horse Show wraps up its third and final week with Hunter/Jumper Week, May 2–7. Coming on the heels of Western Week (April 20-23) and Dressage Week (April 27-30), Hunter/Jumper Week features the Del Mar National’s showcase event, the $100,000 HBO Grand Prix of Del Mar, an American Grandprix Association event, on Saturday, May 6, at 7 p.m. All Hunter/Jumper Week events are open to the public and staged at the Del Mar Equestrian Center on the Del Mar Fairgrounds....

To enhance the safety of horses and those who travel with horses, USRider has worked with Drs. Tomas and Rebecca Gimenez, experts in large animal emergency rescue, on a research project to gather and analyze data about horse trailer accidents. Conclusions and recommendations from this study will be released to the public soon. However, during the course of the study, USRider and Drs. Gimenez noticed a hazardous trend involving gooseneck horse trailers, of which they want to caution the public...

Mike Ferrara (Lexington, KY) - Throughout the year there are many competitions which are extremely valuable to the various USEF breed organizations but are a challenge to organize due to required expenses. The USEF wishes to support the widest possible network of shows for its breed members and enthusiasts by announcing a new Outreach Grant program. A total of $125,000 has been budgeted in 2006 for grants to financially challenged breed competitions which meet the grant requirements and are...

The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has recently developed a new certification program -- the Equine Facilities Manager (EFM) program. This program is done as a 2.5 day clinic to certify four levels of stable employees: - Stable Worker- Qualified to work in a barn under the supervision of a manager - Stable Manager- Qualified to manage a small private stable of up to 10 head and 1-2 employees - Herd Manager- Qualified to manage a public equine facility of up to 35 head and 3-4...

Equine veterinarians from across the globe will gather in Seattle, WA, for the American Association of Equine Practitioners’ (AAEP) 51st Annual Convention, December 3-7, 2005. More than 3,300 practitioners, veterinary students and technicians attend the convention each year, making it the largest equine veterinary meeting in the world. The 2005 scientific program features in-depth seminars exploring lameness and imaging, equine behavior, pain management, respiratory issues and vaccination....