Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. invites licensed dressage competitions to apply to become an official “qualifying competition” for the 2009 USEF National Grand Prix Dressage Championship and the 2009 USEF National Intermediaire I Dressage Championship. For the 2009 Championship season, only CDI 3*/CDI-W competitions will be used as qualifying competitions for the 2009 USEF National Grand Prix Dressage Championship, and therefore all CDI’s will also be qualifiers...

The American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC), the national governing body for endurance riding in the United States, will hold its 2008 annual convention in Reno, NV. The two-day program of seminars, informational meetings and a free trade show is set for February 29-March 1 at the Silver Legacy Resort Casino. Leading experts in equine health care and endurance-related fields will be featured at several seminar sessions as part of the convention’s “Riding With Education” theme. Other...

The Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series is officially underway, and 2008 is expected to be a great year for the series and its competitors. The series will see classes at more than 100 horse shows across the country before culminating in year-end championships at the National Horse Show in Wellington, FL, in December. The series hosts separate divisions for junior and amateur-owner riders in two conferences—the East Conference and the West Conference. Series standings are used...

HITS is pleased to announce that the Stallion Services Department of the Equine Medical Center of Ocala, FL, will offer the Leading Mare Award to the mare that finishes the highest in the $100,000 DeLuca Toyota Tundra Grand Prix, presented by Great American Insurance Group on Sunday, March 16, at HITS Ocala. The award consists of a free embryo transfer, which will be performed by Dr. Corey Miller, head of reproduction at the Ocala-based veterinary hospital. Any mare based in the United States...

LEXINGTON, KY— National Diversity Solutions (NDS) has been selected to manage the supplier recruitment, registration and qualification process for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. "The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games represent a tremendous opportunity for our state and the Central Kentucky region," said D. Mitchell, Chief Executive Officer for National Diversity Solutions, which is a Lexington, KY-based certified minority owned business. "We are honored to be selected as a...

The deadlines for entries for the first three weeks of the CN Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) have been extended, announced Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC (ESP). The WEF prize list of the schedule of events for the 12 weeks at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center has been available online since December 19, 2007, only four days after ESP took over operational management of WEF. The extended Wellington WEF series and additional sponsorship to bring prize money to a record $5...

Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC (ESP), is offering individual reserved seating with in-seat a la carte food service for the first time during the 2008 CN Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). WEF begins its 12-week season at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington on January 16 and runs through April 6. Six hundred flip-up stadium-style seats are being installed in four rows on the south side of the main International Arena in front of what used to be the Jockey Club...

The United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) has implemented an Equitation Awards program through its Affiliate Organizations Medal Classes primarily offered at local and unrecognized horse shows. The goal of this program is to increase the USHJA membership and outreach in the equestrian community, by further informing and educating individuals who partake in equestrian sports at the unrecognized and local horse show level and demonstrating that USHJA has something to offer them through...

Bella Casa Linens, importers of custom bedding and linens, is dressing the Equine Motorcoach for its American debut. Bella Casa Linens owner Debra Howard has a daughter who competes and rides horses with Coach principal, Julie Calzone. Howard is a top interior designer and represents some of the finest bedding and linen manufacturers from Europe. “I’ve watched Julie and her partners, Tom and Carolyn Stinnett, bring this beautiful horse transport and motorcoach to fruition for America,” said...

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) reported that it has funded 503 horse-related organizations and their activities across Kentucky over the past three years totaling $352,627. KEEP created this local funding program as part of its grassroots efforts to help horse organizations around the state. The grants program is divided into four categories: 4-H clubs, horse shows, equine associations and equine education programs at Kentucky colleges and universities. Each category has a funding...