Nick Maupin is a 19-year-old student at the University of Wisconsin majoring in Business Marketing and plans to graduate in 2015. From Sussex, Wisconsin, he is on the five-gaited section of the 2012 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team. It would not surprise any member of the Saddle Seat world to hear me say that the discipline is generally, along with Saddle Seat Equitation, a female dominated sport. Quite possibly the only time one will see a male majority in a class is in the Open divisions. Not...

Wayne, IL - Champions were crowned in four divisions Saturday at the Lamplight Equestrian Center as the Developing Horse Grand Prix, Five-Year-Old , Four-Year-Old and 13 & Under equitation competition wrapped up. In the USEF Developing Horse Grand Prix Championship supported by Hilda Gurney and Carol Lavell, Lisa Wilcox and Pikko del Cerro HU proved unbeatable as they cruised to victory by a decisive margin. Claiming the 2012 Five-Year-Old title was Lientje Schueler and Regalo, while...

Tulsa, OK – The Global Reining Sport Group, proud owners and producers of the Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic are thrilled to announce that the 2012 ATRC will once again play host to the highly-esteemed 2012 Adequan/USEF National Reining Championship. Offering major prize money, fabulous national championship trophies and awards, and major bragging rights as the 2012 US National Champion in the sport of Reining, the Adequan/USEF National Reining Championship is a welcome addition to the 2012...

I knew, when accepting this job in December, 2011 that I was under-qualified. My writing credentials are fine enough, I have editing experience, a media background, and a good education. My deficiency was that I knew very little about horses and even less about equestrian sports. Compared to my USEF colleagues, I was in a state of almost complete ignorance. I’ve twice been on group trail rides in western Colorado. Adding that to the rest of my riding experience I’d been on a horse...

Sponsorship Benefits USEF Members with Discount on Horseware Products through SmartPak Lexington, KY - An agreement signed on April 12th between the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and Horseware Products, Ltd., has made Horseware the "Official Blanket of U.S. High Performance Teams." As part of the relationship, Horseware will provide custom "U.S.A" branded blankets for teams representing the United States and commemorative coolers for U.S. equestrian athletes competing at the 2012...

Steffen Peters and Ravel at the 2011 Festival of Champions (Susan J. Stickle) Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) announced today that Steffen Peters (San Diego, CA) has submitted a request to not attend the USEF Selection Trials for the 2012 U.S. Dressage Team for the 2012 Olympic Games with Four Winds Farm's Ravel. These Trials will be held as part of the USEF Festival of Champions in Gladstone, NJ. The USEF Dressage Selectors met on May 24, 2012 and approved...

Aiken, SC - The United States Equestrian Team Foundation is pleased to announce that Phillip and Evie Dutton will be hosting their fourth annual Olympic Gala in Aiken, SC on Friday, March 16, 2012 at 7 pm at Bridle Creek, their winter training facility. The night will bring the Aiken community together to enjoy a cocktails, a buffet, dancing, and a silent auction while supporting the U.S. Eventing High Performance programs with a portion of the proceeds going to the USET Foundation. "We are...

Arianna Barzman-Grennan on Red Alert. Photo courtesy of Barzman-Grennan family. Within the past month, The Dressage Foundation awarded a total of $3,800 in grants to provide support to young riders. A grant of $1,800 was given to young rider Arianna Barzman-Grennan (CA) and $2,000 was provided to Dressage4kids, for the Emerging Dressage Athlete Program. The Renee Isler Dressage Support Fund provided an $800 scholarship to Arianna, and the Foundation also provided a $1,000 general grant to help...

Sara Schmitt and Kaboom. Photo: Pics of You. The Dressage Foundation has announced that a total of $10,000 has been awarded to U.S. dressage instructors through the Major Anders Lindgren Scholarship program. Due to the recent restructuring of the scholarship guidelines, to provide up to three scholarships per year for the recipients to train in the United States, interest was very high. This year, the Selection Committee chose the following recipients: Sarah Geikie (CT) was awarded the $6,000...

Washington, D.C. – Looking for that perfect gift for a loved one (or yourself)? The Washington International Horse Show silent auction is offering a wonderful selection of fun, one-of-a-kind and equestrian-themed items for the holidays. How about a private riding lesson with Olympic gold medalist McLain Ward or a weekend getaway at the Blackthorne Inn in Upperville, Va., with two polo lessons and a special dinner at the Fox’s Den Tavern? And for the non-equestrian on your list, who...