Funding Neede for the FHWA Recreational Trails Program The Senate transportation bill (MAP-21) severely weakens programs for trails, walking, and biking. Amendment #1661 proposed by Senator Klobuchar (D-MN) and co-sponsored by Senators Burr (R-NC), Shaheen (D-NH), Risch (R-ID), and Udall (D-CO), would restore dedicated funding for the Recreational Trails Program (RTP), consistent with language that is already in the House bill. Equine Land Conservation Resource is already signed on and is...

Tasked with protecting the welfare of equine athletes and ensuring the balance of competition, the USEF Equine Drugs and Medications Program consistently monitors new products and product claims. From time-to-time products appear on the equine supplement market making claims of their effects on the performance of horses in competition. Recently, reports of the use of a product called “Carolina Gold” have been brought to the USEF Equine Drugs and Medications Program. One of the...

Lexington, KY – The first Markel/USEF Young Horse Training Session of 2012 was held over the weekend at Shannondale Farm in Milton, GA with USEF Young Horse Coach, Scott Hassler. The ten participating horse/rider combinations included two four-year-olds, six five-year-olds and two six-year-olds. The two-day training session, which was open to auditors, included a well-attended evening lecture offering a unique opportunity for riders, owners, breeders and other young horse enthusiasts to...

2011 Winner Announced The United States Equestrian Federation is pleased to announce that Phil’s Ridge Harry Potter has won the inaugural USEF Cup Incentive program for the Morgan division. The program was created to encourage competition participation by providing a $1,000 incentive award to the top point earner in the Morgan division. 2011 saw an excellent field of competition for the program’s first year with over 400 horses participating and a very versatile horse earning the...

South Woodstock, VT - The Green Mountain Horse Association, South Woodstock, Hitching Post Farm, South Royalton and Huntington Farm, South Strafford, VT are teaming up to create a new program for event riders for 2012. The Vermont Eventing Challenge is a year end awards program for riders competing in Vermont’s USEA recognized Horse Trials. Annie Penfield owner of Strafford Saddlery Shop is pleased to support the goal of the program to promote event competition at many levels in the state...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has nominated Capt. Mark Phillips and Missy Ransehousen for top coaching honors with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). With this nomination, they have been named USEF Coach and Para-Equestrian Coach of the Year. Capt. Phillips has had a long tenure of medal winning service to the USEF. Beginning in 1993 - he has brought medals home from every championship he has coached, except for one. In 2011 his team made history. They...

Morton, IL – The American Shetland Pony Club, Inc., crowned its 2012 all-registry Queen at its recent national convention. Miss Alyssa Palas of Ames, Iowa, will represent the ASPC as well as the American Miniature Horse Registry, the American Show Pony Registry and the National Show Pony Registry throughout the next year. Alyssa Palas is the 18-year-old daughter of Greg and Barb Palas. She has been involved with the ASPC/AMHR and its small equine breeds since 2001. Ms. Palas actively...

Wellington, FL - At a time when most people are finishing last-minute shopping and getting ready to travel for the Christmas holiday, a group of young dressage riders are making final preparations of a very different kind. Soon after opening presents on Christmas Day, 18 talented equestrians from across the country will attend the Emerging Athlete Dressage Program (EDAP)'s inaugural Robert Dover Horsemastership Clinic, to be held December 26 - 30 in Wellington, FL on the new Global Dressage...

Wellington, FL - Coaches representing the four main governing bodies of collegiate riding will host seminars for the young riders at this year's College Preparatory Invitational (CPI) Horse Show. Reprentatives from the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA), American National Riding Commission (ANRC), Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA), and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), will all be on hand. Presenting its second annual event, the 2012 CPI will be held...

Lexington, KY - Skylar Rowan's high school in Knoxville, TN, offers a plethora of sports teams - even bowling and sailing. More than 20. But, there is one missing - the most important one to Rowan: An equestrian team. "Just like the majority of schools in my area, my school doesn't have the facilities or the budget to support an equestrian team," the 16-year-old says. But what is more frustrating to this high school sophomore is that most people outside the horse world, she says,...