Expanding its already considerable support of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), SmartPak™ has signed on as "Official Tack and Equipment Supplier to the USEF". In addition, SmartPak will be adding sponsorship of the new Adult Amateur Hunter Ranking List to the list of other programs SmartPak supports, which include the USEF Week in Review and the North American Young Rider Reining Championship. "The USEF has done so much for equestrian sport, and we are grateful for their...

Photo by Randi Muster (Victoria Birdsall and Baheera captured the Third Annual George Morris Excellence in Equitation Exhibition.) The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) is winding down as it finished its 11th week of competition on March 24-28. The week featured the highlight event of the season, the $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI*****, along with a full schedule of hunter, jumper, and equitation classes, including the prestigious Third Annual George Morris Excellence in...

Lauren Hough and Quick Study (Randi Muster/Mustphoto.com ) Wellington, FL, – The second USEF Selection Trial for the US Show Jumping Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games got underway as part of the $75,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix. Thirteen horse/rider combinations came into the second Trial tied atop the rankings on a score of zero. After there were only two. Two of the stalwarts of the US show jumping circuit cruised to polished efforts. Lauren Hough and Laura Kraut,...

Photo by Robbi Meisel (Taylor Adams and Kassandra) Ocala, FL-based Taylor Adams began the curtain calls for the 2010 Jacksonville Winter Series on Friday evening with a big win in the $10,000 Bruning Equitation Classic, presented by the Jerry Parks Insurance Group. Adams partnered with the Devon Walther owned Kassandra bested a field of 15 over an intricate layout of 11 obstacles co-designed by international great Pierre Jolicoeur and Joe Carnicom. The course zig-zagged the length of the...

Brazilian superstar Rodrigo Pessoa headed the winning line-up of international riders in Sunday's $75,000 Grand Prix de Penn National on the final day of the 64th Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Pessoa, Olympic Gold medalist and three-time World Cup winner, aboard Let's Fly, was the eighth rider on course and the first to navigate the course designed by Steve Stephens without a rail down. "I have been riding him for a little over a year and a half," said Pessoa. "I started him in the bigger...

The Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) kicked-off it's opening day of competition with the professional hunter divisions at the Verizon Center on Tuesday, October 20. Scott Stewart shot to the top of the leaderboard with his mounts Declaration and Way Cool. Declaration took home three blue ribbons with Stewart during the Green Conformation Hunter division, while Way Cool and Stewart were awarded two blue ribbons in the First Year Green Working Hunter division. The Amateur Owner Hunter...

The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation is pleased to announce that Ashlee Bond, 23, of Hidden Hills, CA, and Michelle Spadone, 25, of Califon, NJ, are this year's co-winners of the Maxine Beard Show Jumping Developing Rider Award. The USET Foundation awarded these rising young equestrians this honor because of their competitive records to date and because of their promise for the future in show jumping. Bond and Spadone were given trophies at a presentation during the 2009...

Considering the present situation, the Chairman of the FEI Dressage Committee today decided to present her resignation, which has been accepted by the FEI. The FEI Bureau wants to thank the chair for the good work she has been doing during almost eight years of contribution she has made to the development of the dressage sport during this time. Mariette Withages will present the Dressage Committee report to the General Assembly.

When show jumping returns to HITS Culpeper for two consecutive weeks in late August, all eyes will be on the third annual United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Tad Coffin Zone III Junior Equitation Finals that will take place on August 23 during the Winston National. Following a ringside dinner reception hosted by Bridgewater College, around 35 talented exhibitors will take aim at the course set in the majestic grand prix ring at HITS Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, VA. “HITS has taken...

Dressage judge Betsy Berrey was the featured speaker at this month's Shop Talk. Michelle Hundt and Betsy Rebar-Sell, co-owners of Sho Clothes, hosted the third in a series of monthly discussions at the Sho Room in Wellington, FL. The Gold Coast Dressage Association (GCDA) co-sponsors the event with Sho Clothes to provide local equestrians the opportunity to learn from top professionals in the area. Betsy Berrey is a well-respected "S" judge who often officiates at dressage shows on the winter...