The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation Holiday Fundraiser presented by SUCCEED® and Wellington Classic Dressage will be held on December 11-12 (6-10 p.m. both evenings) at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center. The fundraiser will feature a combination of clinics, fun demonstrations, team competitions and many holiday surprises from some of the top horses and riders in the country. Along with the exciting equestrian performances, the holiday gala will feature a catered VIP dinner and...

The deadline date for nominations for the 9th Annual Equine Industry Vision Award is on or before February 1, 2010. Pfizer Animal Health sponsors the award in partnership with American Horse Publications (AHP) and developed it to recognize outstanding leadership, creativity and meritorious contributions in the equine industry. The 2010 Equine Industry Vision Award will be presented on June 18, 2010, during the AHP 40th Anniversary Seminar in Lexington, KY. The award recipient is given the...

A scholarship in honor of Patrick Swayze and his wife, Lisa Niemi, has been established by the Arabian Horse Foundation (AHF), which is based in Denver, CO. Swayze and Niemi have had close ties to the Arabian horse breed and owned Arabian horses for many years. The Foundation is the charitable arm of the Arabian Horse Association (AHA), also based in Denver. Announcement of the scholarship was made at the association’s annual convention in Reno, NV, November 19-21. The scholarship will be...

HITS, Inc., is pleased to announce that one of their competitions has won a national award from the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA). The HITS Ocala Winter Classic, which was held on February 3-8, 2009, was selected as the USHJA "A/AA" rated Member's Choice award-winning competition for Zone 4. "We are honored that our Zone 4 exhibitors selected the HITS Ocala Winter Classic for this award," said Tom Struzzieri, HITS President and CEO. "I'm proud that their experience at HITS...

The USEF is supportive of the rule change allowing certain non-steroidal medications included on the “Progressive List” passed at the FEI General Assembly in Copenhagen earlier this month. The list includes medications that would be allowed in FEI competitions and which are already permitted in USEF competitions. These medications are not considered by WADA to be performance enhancing in human athletes and because of this distinction, they are not prohibited. While it is the human athlete that...

Congratulations to the winner of the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Youth Sportsman’s Award, Amanda Horn, and runner-up, Seraphin Michael Millon. Horn will be presented an award at the USHJA Annual Meeting at the Evening of Equestrians dinner on Tuesday, December 8. As the USHJA nominee, Horn’s application has been selected by the USHJA and recommended to USEF to compete for the USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award. As a National Affiliate Award winner she will be recognized during the...

The Old Dominion Horse Show in Manakin Sabot, VA, was the site for the inaugural competition for ponies nominated to the North American Pony Futurity (NAPF) Registry incentive program. A parade of lovely young ponies competed in hand, divided by ages and genders. USEF “R” Hunter Breeding judges Joe Dotoli (of Vermont) and Beth Neilsen (of Colorado) evaluated the youngsters at the walk and trot prior to standing for conformation. Amateur and pro handlers were equally represented with Tim Foster...

The Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center hosted a very successful teaching clinic recently with George H. Morris, world-renowned trainer, rider, and U.S. Show Jumping Chef d'Equipe. The clinic was also a United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Trainer's Symposium. The clinic, held November 6-8, 2009, was scheduled and organized by Susie Schoellkopf, Executive Director of the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center and head trainer of SBS Farms, Inc., at the Buffalo Equestrian Center. The clinic...

By Sarah Conrad (Kathy Hopkins with Cutter, a Thoroughbred at the KHP.) ClubEquestrian.com introduces a new blog titled “Kentucky Horse Park: Making Strides to Help Horses.” Meet Cutter, a big Thoroughbred gelding with tons of personality, who is recovering from injuries so he can find a new home; Truffles, a sweet bay Thoroughbred filly who has just begun training; June Bug, an Appaloosa mare that started life on a Canadian PMU farm; And finally, two Thoroughbred broodmares—Cream Top and...

In a “down” economy, some things are still on the way up. Membership in the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) reached an all-time record high of 20,255, on November 4, 2009, according to NCHA Executive Director Jeff Hooper. “We are especially pleased to have reached this milestone in 2009, during a stressful year for the national and world economy,” Hooper said. “And with recent reports of economic growth and recovery, we expect to surpass this new record in 2010.” Cutting horse...