The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) of Aurora, CO, is proud to name its top point-earning amateurs for 2008. Natacha Lesburgueres of Louisville, KY, earned 532 points, becoming the adult amateur winner, while Collier McLeod of Augusta, GA, earned 522.5 points for the youth amateur top spot. The AHA Amateur Achievement Award program began in 2002 and has since tracked the points that individual riders, handlers and drivers earn each year. In 2008 the program was adjusted to recognize adults and...

The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation is pleased to announce a very special opportunity for equestrians. The Gold Medal Olympic Show Jumping Clinic Series will be held at the historic training facility at Hamilton Farm in Gladstone, NJ. The series will offer a spring clinic with 1984 U.S. Olympic Team Gold medalist Joe Fargis and will continue in the fall with 2004 and 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Gold medalist McLain Ward. The clinics will benefit the USET Foundation in their pursuit...

Exhibitors who made their way to the desert for the start of the 2009 HITS Desert Circuit will be treated to a perfect week of Southern California weather and an exciting week of equestrian competition that started on January 20 at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. All of the show rings will be action-packed for the next eight weeks as junior, amateur and professional riders start off a new year of competition. Some will be riding new mounts purchased in the fall, while others will be...

Lexington, KY— This year’s USEF Horses of Honor have been decided and your vote will be an integral part of deciding which of the nation’s leading equines will be named the Farnam®/Platform™ USEF Horse of the Year. With the 2009 USEF Annual Meeting around the corner, all heads are turning to five finalists in anticipation of which horse will be adorned with the title of Horse of the Year—one of the most prestigious awards the USEF bestows. This year’s winner will join dressage superstar...

Lexington, KY— Following the decision of the General Assembly FEI Registration has been mandatory for all riders and horses competing in FEI competitions since January 1, 2006. Beginning January 1, 2009, any points acquired at a Competition where the rider or horse are not registered for that Competition year will not be included in the cumulative points. Competitions may not let these riders and/ or horses compete. However, registration is not required for riders and horses who participate...

The world-renowned Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo will open its arenas to one of the most unconventional competitions in its more than 113-year history as it welcomes Mustang Magic January 23-24. Mustang Magic, developed from the highly successful Extreme Mustang Makeover competitions, will debut at the 2009 Stock Show and feature 13 trainers from across the country that have already shown their mettle as Mustang trainers. The trainers are as unique as the horses they are training, with...

In a tune up for Sunday's $100,000 United States Grand Prix League (USGPL) Invitational Grand Prix, Laura Bowery and her mount Indy Star II posted the fastest double-clear round to capture the $25,000 Devoucoux Wild Card Grand Prix at HITS Culpeper. Bowery outlasted a starting field of 26 riders to challenge course designer Olaf Petersen's first-round route and an additional six pairs that advanced to the jump-off to collect $7,500. However, coming into the $25,000 Devoucoux Wild Card Grand...

Laura Chapot took advantage of the enviable last-to-go spot in the jump-off of Thursday's final $25,000 Ariat Grand Prix of the season at HITS Saugerties on September 4, as she captured the blue aboard Church Road to rev up an exciting weekend of show jumping. Chapot and Church Road got the best of 16 pairs to challenge course designer Jerry Dougherty's first-round track and the five combinations that advanced to the jump-off to win $7,500 in prize money for horse owners Sarah Becker and B&B...

Even tropical storm Hanna could not stop the competition at The Laurels at Landhope, September 5-7 in West Grove, PA. With hard ground from a dry summer, drivers in the advanced, intermediate, and preliminary divisions got through dressage, but some had concerns that the hard going would be too rough for them. "If there was anything that had me worried, it was that we wouldn't get the rain. I would have scratched. I was not going to sacrifice my 'A' team to the ground," said Lisa Stroud after...

Phillip Dutton and Connaught in Hong Kong (Ken Braddick) Hong Kong, China – The second day of dressage got underway bright and early at Sha Tin and the overnight leaders, the Australians, never looked in danger of having their lead threatened. The same three scores the team used yesterday (out of the five riders) held their lead on a total mark of 102.80. The U.S. continued to well orchestrated plans, and their two most experienced riders put in very solid performances to leave the U.S....