Joel Kiesner. (Photo by Stuart Vesty.) Welcome to the second of many features profiling various people in equestrian sport - athletes, trainers and more. The profiles are published regularly in the United States Equestrian Federation's Week in Review e-newsletter. This week meet Joel Kiesner, whose lifelong experience has evolved into training methods focused on maximizing the best assets and talent of the Arabian horse. His exceptional talent and abilities have resulted in numerous awards -...

Shelburne, VT — The American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) was pleased to honor an following individuals at its annual convention, which took place February 23-26, 2011, in Boston, MA. The Breeders' Hall of Fame honors a breeder(s) who has produced Morgans that have had a significant impact on the breed. Honored were Vincent and Kathy DeFazio, Orcland Farm, and Mary Jean Vasiloff. Eitan Beth-Halachmy and Beverley Olson were inducted into AMHA's Hall of Fame for their many years of devotion to...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce that beginning this year, it will assume responsibility for fielding and supporting the U.S. Saddle Seat Equitation Team for the Saddle Seat Equitation World Cup. The USEF will also assist in hosting the competition when held in the United States. "This is what USEF does," said Federation President David O'Connor. "It just makes sense for us to be involved with this." The bi-annual competition originated in...

Oklahoma City, OK – The 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Regional Clinic Series is coming to Santa Fe, NM, May 14-15. NRHA Professionals Stefano Massigan and Marco Ricotta will hold a clinic for reiners of all ages and experience levels at the Santa Fe Equestrian Center. Massignan, an NRHA European Futurity finalist and multiple Italian Reining Horse Association (IRHA) Futurity, Derby and Maturity finalist, recently relocated to the Southwest with his wife Ky. Their new operation...

Albuquerque, NM - Beautiful southwest skies greeted attendees to the Welsh Pony & Cob Society Annual Meeting in Albuquerque, NM. The convention provided a chance for friends and competitors to visit and celebrate the successes of 2010 and make 2011 plans. An open schedule and planned tour provided ample opportunity to explore nearby museums, cultural exhibits and plenty of shopping in nearby Old Town and Santa Fe. • The Annual General Meeting revealed election results, welcoming new Board...

The Pan American Endurance Championship/Pan American Young Rider Endurance Championship will be held near Santo Domingo, Chile on October 22, 2011. Qualification criteria for the event has been released. The USEF intends to send a Team and/or Individuals to represent the U.S. in both the Senior and Young Rider Divisions. The U.S. sent four horse/rider combinations to the most recent Pan American Championships held in Uruguay in April of 2009. The Team won Silver, with a combined time over the...

Boston, MA - More than $95,000 was earned at the 2011 AMHA/WMF Stallion Service Auction, which took place as part of the AMHA Annual Convention in February. The event took place at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston with Bill Carrington serving as auctioneer and David "Tuffy" Owens reading the pedigrees. The overall top-winning bid went to Dan Kelley of Victory Lane Morgans for his bid of $10,000 for the cover of the November/December issue of The Morgan Horse magazine. Bill and Sammi Hazen...

Shelburne, VT — The Morgan horse breed was celebrated at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston, MA, at the 2011 American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) Annual Convention, earlier this year. "The goal of our convention has always been to educate, honor and entertain and based on the feedback we've received, the 2011 convention certainly accomplished all this and more," said AMHA Executive Director Julie Broadway. "Members came away with fresh ideas they were eager to go home and share, honorees...

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has posted the Selection Procedure and Application for the 2011 Show Jumping European Young Rider Tour. In addition, to the Young Rider Tour, there will be a Junior Rider Tour for up to two (2) individual Junior Riders. The 2011 Show Jumping European Young Rider Tour will consist of the following four (4) competitions: CSIOY Bonheiden (BEL) – May 19-22, 2011, CSIOY Reims (FRA) – May 26-29, 2011, CSIOY Lamprechtshausen (AUT) – June...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has selected the six Roadster Pony and Hackney Roadster Pony Championship classes that will be required to record heel measurements, pursuant to USEF rules HK116.3 and RD112.2. The required heel measurements will be taken from the first-place and fourth-place ponies in the following competitions in 2011: • Asheville Lions Charity - Fletcher, NC (May 18-21) • Midwest Charity - Springfield, IL (June 14-18) • Lexington Junior League -...