At a tense horse auction in Sugarcreek, OH last weekend, Pure Thoughts Horse Rescue left angry horse "kill" buyers no choice but to haul their trailers home empty. One hundred sixty three horses stood for sale that night facing the same grim future: a grueling trip to a painful slaughter in Canada or Mexico, then on to fill overseas dinner plates. But Pure Thoughts co-founder Jennifer Swanson and sponsor Victoria McCullough gave every one of those horses a second chance. "I have bought...

The USEF Executive Committee met on Monday, May 19, 2008 and approved the following rule changes for immediate implementation. These rule changes were submitted by the USEF Eventing Technical Committee with the support of the USEA Eventing Standards Task Force. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY the first fall of competitor, at obstacles, on the Cross-Country course will result in Elimination. 1) EV141.1 (b) Cross-Country Scoring b. Falls - (1) First fall of competitor 65 penalties Elimination (2) First...

After winning the Hunter Derby at Pin Oak, Peter Pletcher and Argentum took home the Gold for the second time in two weeks, winning the $10,000 United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Hunter Challenge Derby Classic at the Spring Gathering Horse Show in the Houston suburb of Katy, TX. The class was held under the lights in the main arena at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center. An enthusiastic crowd cheered their favorites as 23 entries competed over the first round-track...

Paso Robles, CA - Gina Miles and McKinlaigh galloped away with the win in the CIC3* at Twin Rivers Horse Trials, this year's last USEA/Adequan Gold Cup series event. The pair incurred only a single time fault in show jumping, but left all the rails neatly in their cups to finish with a score of 72.7. The stunning 17-hand Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Thom Shulz and Miles performed beautifully this weekend, after having just come back from the Pan American Games in Rio, Brazil with a bronze...

Kent Farrington may have had a different horse in the $75,000 Fidelity Investments AGA Grand Prix this year but he still had the same magic touch conquering world renowned course designer Richard Jeffery's challenging course. A field of 30 riders entered the grand prix with seven riders advancing to the jump-off. The Ultimate Resort skinny jump with a roll back to the Fidelity Investments triple combination proved the most challenging elements of the course coming down consistently throughout...

Laura Chapot and Cilthe Z had the fastest double-clear round in the $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix at HITS Saugerties on Thursday, September 6, to secure $7,500 in prize money for owners Harold Vogel and Mary Chapot. Chapot has been riding the eight-year-old mare for just over a year. It was only Cilthe Z's third grand prix, but she has now won two of them thanks to a victory in Monmouth two weeks ago. Course Designer Jerry Dougherty trimmed the field down to four riders for the jump-off. Going first...

In October of every year hundreds of Iberian horses and their owners gather in Ft. Worth, TX, at the Will Rogers Equestrian Center to compete for national titles in numerous disciplines. The schedule includes many classes—from carriage to English and Western, from hunt seat to Doma Vaquera and much, much more. Every year the schedule of competition is exciting, educational and beautiful to watch. There are also many unique shopping opportunities oriented toward Iberian horses that will be...

Money makes the world go round, they say. It does indeed, and this certainly is true of the world of sport. From a leisurely activity practiced exclusively by amateurs, sport has now turned into a highly complex profession governed by its own business strategies and rules. Prize money, TV rights, sponsorship fees have never been higher, and there is no indication that the movement is about to slow down. Good things usually march hand in hand with less good ones. If the increase in finances...

The Samsung Super League with FEI leaders from Germany will be last into the ring for Friday's seventh leg of the 2007 series in Dublin following Thursday's draw at the Royal Dublin Society showgrounds. The order of go will be as follows: 1. Belgium; 2. France; 3. Switzerland; 4. Ireland; 5. USA; 6. The Netherlands; 7. Great Britain; 8. Sweden; 9. Germany. Belgian Chef d'Equipe Lucien Somers failed to arrive in time for the Draw Press Conference, but his team's unfavorable starting position had...

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – The first equestrian discipline at the XV Pan American Games came to a close with three medals for the U.S. The dressage team handily won the Team Gold and Chris Hickey with Regent and Lauren Sammis with Sagacious HF won the individual gold and silver medals. The dressage squad has passed the torch to the event riders. The six American riders, four of which are former Pan American Games medalists, are looking for a repeat performance of the 2003 Pan Ams which left them...