Lexington, Ky. - The United States Equestrian Federation is announcing an exciting contest for Saddle Seat riders, sponsored by Freedman's Harness and Saddlery. From today, May 1, through May 19, contestants are asked to create a short video that answers the question, "What would it mean to you to be on a Saddle Seat World Cup team?" From the submitted videos, a panel of judges will select 10 finalists. Those ten finalists will be announced on June 2, and for 15 days the general public will...

Important Changes to the USEF EquineDrugs and Medications Rules for the 2014 Competition Year became effective December 1, 2013. These important changes were discussed and published in multiple distribution channels in 2013. The change to General Rule 414 introduces a new concept called Prohibited Practices to the Equine Drug & Medication Rules. For your convenience GR 414 rule is printed at the end of this advisory. There are a few bullet points to remember to comply with GR 414: - No...

Jeffery Welles and Bilion (Phelps Media Group, Inc.) Wellington, Fla. - The final week of the Wellington Turf Tour kicked off today at Deeridge Farms. It was a heated competition, with some of the nation's top riders, both professional and amateur, going neck to neck for the top awards in the 1.30m-1.35m Jumper classes and the YJC Finals. Jeffery Welles and Bilion once again rode to the top of the leader board in the first 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers, proving exactly why he sits at the pinnacle of...

Adrienne Lyle and Wizard (SusanJ.Stickle.com) Wellington, Fla. - The 2014 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) continued with its fifth week of competition on Saturday at The Stadium at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) featuring CDI 4* and 3* competition presented by The Dutta Corp. and Havensafe Farm. Saturday's FEI Grand Prix Special 4*, presented by The Dutta Corp., saw a top finish for Adrienne Lyle (USA) aboard Wizard, a 15-year-old Oldenburg gelding by...

Juan Matute, Jr. and Don Diego Ymas (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, Fla. - January 26, 2014 - Spain's Juan Matute, Jr. collected another blue ribbon prize after winning the FEI Intermediare Freestyle presented by Chespeake Dressage Institute on Sunday at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF). Sixteen-year-old Matute, Jr. and the 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Don Frederico finished on a score of 74.400% for victory. Second place went to American Heather Mason and Zar for their...

Heather Mason and Zar (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, Fla. - Heather Mason (USA) and Zar won the FEI Intermediaire-I presented by Chesapeake Dressage Institute on Saturday afternoon. Mason and Zar also won the FEI Intermediaire Freestyle during the first week of competition and topped week three's class with a score of 71.842%. Second place went to Brittany Fraser of Canada and All In for their score of 71.053%. Fellow Canadian Chris Von Martels rounded out the top three with Zilverstar....

Heather Mason and Zar (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, Fla. - Heather Mason (USA) and Zar finished on top of the FEI Intermediaire Freestyle, presented by Everglades Dressage, with a winning score of 72.275% at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AFDF). Second place went to Leida Collins-Strijk (NED) and West Side for a score of 71.150% and Austria's Katharina Stumpf rounded out the top three with a score of 67.000% on Nymphenburg's Love. The FEI Intermediaire Freestyle was on the...

Don Auriello and Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven (Susan J. Stickle) Wellington, Fla. - January 10, 2014 - The Adequan Global Dressage Festival kicked off the "Friday Night Stars" series with an exciting FEI Grand Prix Freestyle competition and full spectator stands at The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Leading the way was Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven (SWE) on Don Auriello, who won with a score of 81.575%. Lars Petersen (DEN) and Mariett scored 76.925% for second place. Fellow Dane...

Karl Cook and Banba (McCool Photography) Las Vegas, Nev. - Brazilian course designer Guilherme Jorge is brilliant at asking just the right questions for the field. With sixty-six entries, Jorge created a course that tested the technique necessary to tackle tight turns and tidy tracks. It included an interesting option fence - a skinny 1.40m gate 'winged' by a simpler vertical on each side. Heading home as fence 4, the skinny was the quicker choice to rollback to 5a-b; and later going...

Andres Rodriguez and Caballito (McCool) Las Vegas, Nev. - Wrapping up the indoor season, the Las Vegas National offers the final FEI classes on the West Coast until February 2014. Fifty-six horse and rider pairs representing eleven different countries gave it a go in tonight's $33,000 EquiFit, inc. Jumper Classic. The course was technical and the competition fierce. Brazilian Guilherme Jorge set the track. Knowing he had a large field, he intentionally built a course with technical...