The Colorado Horse Park announced that Olympic Gold medalist and president of the United States Equestrian Federation® David O’ Connor has signed on as course designer for the Park’s three-day events and horse trials. O’Connor brings a lifetime of knowledge of eventing and horsemanship to this position. In addition, his persona as the head of national governing body for equestrian sports adds luster to his skills and talents. “We are extremely fortunate to have David O’Connor join the Colorado...

The Supreme Kahuna Pony Classic will be debuting during Week One of the 2006 Biltmore Estate Summer Classics. Providing not only a fun time with great rewards, but also a perfect way to prepare for the USEF Pony Finals, as the event will follow a similar format. During Week One of Biltmore, July 12-16, over $14,000 in prize money and awards will be handed out in the Pony Hunter classes. The Pony Model and Under Saddle will be judged using a numeric system. At the end of each day the points and...

The 2006 USEA/Spalding Labs Young Event Horse (YEH) Series kicked off March 17 at the Rocking Horse Spring Horse Trials in Altoona, FL. Due to the early date, only a five-year-old division was held. Great Britain's defending Olympic Gold medallist and recent U.S. transplant Leslie Law, with youngster Rainman, ran away with the division on a score of 88.35%. It was a tight race for second place, with Eric Dierks and Text, his Thoroughbred gelding, slipping into second on a score of 79.26%, with...

The United States Eventing Association has announced that the 2006 Maui Jim Horse Trials in Wayne, IL, will again be part of the Adequan Gold Cup Series of events, thus designating it as one of the 12 “premier” eventing competitions in the United States. Maui Jim Horse Trials, who recently entered into a five-year sponsorship agreement with Maui Jim, Inc., the Peoria-based manufacturer of high-end sunglasses, will offer riders a new look for the July 7-9 competition. A long unused parcel of...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to announce the new USDF Breeder of the Year Award program, which will be initiated for the 2006 competition season, which started October 1, 2005. This is a year-end award, based on performance in a given competition year. Breeders of dressage performance horses and breeders of dressage in-hand horses will be able to vie for top honors. Scott Hassler, Chairperson of the USDF Sport Horse Committee, stated, "Over the last few years, a...

Equestrian vaulting combines the strength of gymnastics with the beauty of dance on the back of a moving horse. It is one of the seven recognized disciplines in international equestrian sports. Vaulting is also used to develop basic equitation and in many therapeutic programs. Have you ever considered what vaulting might be able to add to your riding program? Would you need to train a horse for a vaulting club? Do you want to know what the judge is seeing when scoring vaulters? Whether you are...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it has issued a license to Fort Dodge Laboratories, Inc., of Fort Dodge, Iowa, a division of Wyeth, for a vaccine to protect horses from viremia caused by the West Nile virus (WNV). The horse vaccine, which was developed through a collaboration of the Centers for Disease Control and Fort Dodge, is the first fully licensed WNV DNA vaccine for animals in the United States. The vaccine contains genes for two WNV proteins, and therefore, does...

Lexington, KY – A recent study profiling the USEF membership (18 and over) provides data important for advertising sales for the Federation’s publications, and is a tremendous asset in USEF efforts to obtain more sponsorship and commercial participation for equestrian sport. These efforts help fund current USEF programs; create new programs; and fund the international teams. Sport sponsorship is a hugely competitive arena and the USEF now has its own proprietary data to assist in...

Public and Media Invited to Attend the USET Foundation Dressage Festival of Champions, Featuring the 2005 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Grand Prix and Intermediaire I Dressage Championships, presented by Paul Miller, Inc. Lexington, KY – Equestrian stars will light up the arena in Gladstone, June 16-18, as one of the nation’s premier dressage competitions unfolds in New Jersey. The 2005 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Grand Prix and Intermediaire I Dressage Championships,...

Tom Struzzieri, Owner and President of Horse Shows In The Sun (HITS), and his staff hosted a press conference on May 16 at the HITS-on-the-Hudson show grounds in Saugerties, NY. Members of the press received details of the $150,000 Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Championship, followed by a tour of the new HITS High-Performance Horse Complex. Struzzieri was joined by Maurice Hinchey, US Congressman for the 22nd District of New York; David Cornstein, Chairman of the New York State Olympic Games...