Many Fortune 500 companies, sports leagues, professional athletes, and celebrities have faced media crises. Some arise from the incident with little harm, while others experience negative impact to their image, brand, and bottom lines. In the age of social media and a 24-hour news cycle, it is important that every organization have a media plan with guidance to effectively handle a media crisis. Sarah Hamilton (Photo: Taylor Pence) During US Equestrian’s (USEF) Annual Meeting on...

As part of the Annual Meeting’s new moderated forums, US Equestrian’s Director of Sport Programs, Will Connell, made a proposal that the organization should develop a registration process for coaches. And, Connell posited, such a registry—with requirements as well as benefits for participating coaches—would not only improve equestrianism and make it safer for equestrians, but also enhance the nation’s international competitiveness. “If we want to get more...

As reports of abuse roil other sports, US Equestrian invited the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s chief operating officer, Malia Arrington to discuss the SafeSport initiative and how its policies and training are fighting emotional, physical, and sexual misconduct—including bullying, cyberbullying, hazing, harassment, and abuse—in equestrian sports and in the other Olympic and Paralympic disciplines. The SafeSport intiative provides information, resources, and a protocol that helps...

Deloitte U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team (Photo By SusanJStickle.com) Lexington, Ky. – The Deloitte U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team comprised of Michele Bandinu (Santa Barbara, Calif.), Katie Jackson (Austin, Texas), Margaret McIntosh (Reading, Pa.), and Roxanne Trunnell (Rowlett, Texas) stepped into 2018 with an impressive performance at the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival CPEDI3*. With a total team score of 420.622, the team completed their FEI Team Test on Friday, January...

Lexington, Ky. – The Deloitte U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team has been named for the Adequan Global Dressage Festival CPEDI3* taking place January 4-7 at Equestrian Village in Wellington, Fla. The U.S. team will begin their competition on Friday, January 5, with the FEI Team Test for all grades. The FEI Individual Test for all grades will take place Saturday, January 6, followed by the FEI Freestyle Test for all grades on Sunday, January 7. Michele Bandinu and Soulman 13 (Tamara Torti)...

Lexington, Ky. – The US Equestrian (USEF) Eventing Sport Committee has approved the following 15 athletes from a pool of applicants for the Emerging Athlete Eventing 25 program for 2018. This follows the list of athletes named to the Emerging Athlete Eventing 18 program list . Talent Advisors evaluated several factors to determine the Emerging Athlete Eventing 25 program participants including current form, competition results, and potential to make a valuable contribution in team...

Katy, Texas – Nearly 80 purebred and Half-Andalusian/Lusitano horses competed for National Championship titles at the 2017 International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association (IALHA) National Championship Horse Show, October 10-15 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, Texas. Judges Leslie Connor, Joan Harms, and Richard Petty, joined by dressage judge Peggy Klump and international guest judges Rafael Ortíz Alcalá-Zamora (Spain) and João Ralão...

Lexington, Ky. – The US Equestrian (USEF) Eventing High Performance Committee has approved the following athletes for the Emerging Athlete Eventing 18 program for 2018. The Emerging Athletes List designates athletes with the potential to evolve into future team candidates. “We look at each rider’s resume and videos, and in many cases we have seen them ride in person,” said Mike Huber, Chairman of the USEF Eventing Sport Committee and Emerging Athlete Working Group....

Lexington, Ky. – The 2017 Hagyard Midsouth Three-Day Event at the Kentucky Horse Park saw impressive performances from the CCI1* competitors from October 19-21. The combinations headed into Saturday’s show jumping phase hoping for a strong finish. Bethany Hutchins-Kristen and Geluk HVF led from start to finish in the USEF CCI1* Eventing National Championship for the Richard Collins Trophy, while Elizabeth Scheltema and Bill Owen rose to the top of the leaderboard in the USEF...

Lexington, Ky. – Competitors took on Jay Hambly’s cross-country course at the Kentucky Horse Park on Friday for the second day of competition at the 2017 Hagyard Midsouth Three-Day Event. Bethany Hutchins-Kristen and Geluk HVF (Photo Courtesy of Xpress Foto) Bethany Hutchins-Kristen (Dryden, Mich.) held on to her lead in the USEF CCI1* Eventing National Championship with Geluk HVF, the six-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion she owns with Marian Hutchins. They jumped double-clear in...