Lexington, Ky. – After a year of unprecedented success for the U.S. Para Dressage team, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has recognized Para Dressage Chef d’Equipe Michel Assouline as its Paralympic Coach of the Year for 2020. Assouline was one of eight coaches from across all Olympic and Paralympic sports recognized by the USOPC in its annual Coach of the Year program. Michel Assouline with Roxanne Trunnell, Sydney Collier, Kate Shoemaker, and Rebecca Hart...

At a time when the para-equestrian dressage program is gaining momentum, US Equestrian will be looking at the sport’s bright future at a special panel discussion on Friday, Jan. 11, at US Equestrian’s 2019 Annual Meeting. The panel, “Para-Equestrian Dressage: Launch of the Coach Certification Program and Building for the Future,” will take place on Jan. 11 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in Coral Ballroom C at the Hilton West Palm Beach in Florida. Attendees will hear from a range...

Lexington, Ky. - Para-equestrian dressage athlete Katie Jackson has been named a recipient of a 2017 Travel & Training Grant from the Women’s Sports Foundation. Jackson, a Grade V para-equestrian dressage competitor, joins 14 athletes and five teams across 17 sports who have received grants through the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Travel & Training Fund program. Jackson will use the grant to help offset expenses associated with training for a spot on the U.S. team at...

Lexington, Ky. – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named three athletes for the FEI World Para-Driving Championships for Singles. The Championships will take place August 3-6, 2016, in Beesd, The Netherlands. The following athletes will compose the Team (in alphabetical order): Virginia Boo Fitch West (Penhook, Va.) Theresa Leal (Auburn, Calif.) Stefanie Putnam (Lafayette, Calif.) The USEF International High Performance Programs are generously supported by the USET...

Lexington, Ky. – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named three athletes for the FEI World Para-Driving Championships for Singles. The Championships will take place August 3-6, 2016, in Beesd, The Netherlands. The following athletes will compose the Team (in alphabetical order): Virginia Boo Fitch West (Penhook, Va.) Theresa Leal (Auburn, Calif.) Stefanie Putnam (Lafayette, Calif.) The USEF International High Performance Programs are generously supported by the USET...

Lexington, Ky . – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce its partnership with the United States Para-Equestrian Association (USPEA) to establish International Para-Equestrian Dressage Centers of Excellence (COE). COEs will serve as the foundation to attract new athletes to para-equestrian dressage and develop athletes and coaches for competition at the international level, including the Paralympic Games. There are many excellent centers around the U.S. that...

Lexington, Ky. - The United States Federation (USEF) has named Kai Handt as the U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Chef d’Equipe/Technical Advisor. The Search Committee, chaired by Eric Straus, USEF Para-Equestrian Eligible Athlete Committee, and USEF Para-Equestrian High Performance Kai Handt (USEF Archive) Committee recommended Handt for this position. Handt (Wylie, Texas) has a great depth of experience in the equestrian world as a competitor, trainer, and coach. Since August of 1985, Handt...

U.S. Air Force veteran Derrick Perkins and Gallo del Poco Tivio, owned by Luke and Caleb Kelley competing in the Para-Reining competition at the 2013 AQHA World Championship Show (Lindsay Y. McCall) Oklahoma City, Okla. - November 17, 2013- The 2013 American Quarter Horse (AQHA) World Championship Show featured 3,401 entries, a total purse more than $2.4 million, riders from 49 states and 7 countries, and the best Reiners in the business. From November 8-23, equestrians competed in halter,...

Oklahoma City, Okla. – A new discipline will be on display at the 2013 AQHA World Championship Show: para-reining. USA Reining and the United States Para-Equestrian Association (USPEA) announced last month that along with the help of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA), reining would be introduced as a discipline for para-equestrian athletes. With the aim of making para-reining a fully recognized sport in 2014, a clinic and...

Para-equestrian drivers and their supporters enjoyed some time off and toured the Hague on Monday. They got an up-close look at Queen Beatrix's Golden Coach Breda, The Netherlands - International para-equestrian drivers are in Breda, The Netherlands right now ready to compete at the 2012 FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships for Singles. The first vet check took place Wednesday and the three horses that will be driven by Americans passed with ease. Athletes schooled in dressage today...