As the show season draws to a close, five professionals who regularly attend Langer Equestrian Group (LEG) shows are making plans to head off to Maui for some much needed rest and recreation, courtesy of LEG. The company sponsors the Maui Trainer Incentive as a way to not only encourage participation at the shows, but reward professionals for their efforts, support and success. Larry Langer, President and CEO of LEG, started the Trainer Incentive because professionals are the hardest working...

The premiere event of the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC), the annual National Championship ride, proved to be a weekend of celebration in Northern California on September 11 and 13. At the site of the annual Patriot’s Day ride in Greenville, CA, competitors arrived from all over the western U.S. and Canada to compete for AERC’s top prizes. The 100-mile championship ride, held Friday, was won handily by Lindsay Graham, a fourth-year veterinary student at the University of California...

Armani and Jeffery Welles in Action at the USEF Selection Trials for Show Jumping (Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com) by Joanie Morris Wellington, FL - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Ad Hoc Committee on Selection has approved naming the horse/rider combination of Armani/Jeffrey Welles to the Show Jumping Short List for the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong August 8-24, 2008. As per the USEF Selection Procedure for the Show Jumping Team, the Selectors have the discretion to recommend...

Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) provides a unique opportunity for individuals or groups to demonstrate their love for horses by helping them via its animal health study/research sponsorships. MAF has published its 2007 directory of 101 sponsorship opportunities. All are invited to sponsor or co-sponsor with a total gift of $3,000 or more per study. Available projects include 12 studies related to the most crucial health issues for horses. Founded in 1948, 100% of MAF donations are used to fund...

Productions East Video, in association with the United States Equestrian Federation® (USEF), GoMobileBroadband.com and LiveBroadcast.tv will present live webcasts of the Pessoa/USEF National Hunt Seat Equitation Medal Finals presented by Becker College and the Adequan/USEF National Junior Jumper Championship as well as other classes from the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. The Pennsylvania National Horse Show is one of the nation’s premier horse shows. It takes place October 12-21 at The...

The American Horse Council (AHC) has confirmed Dr. Bob Hillman as a speaker for the AHC Issues Forum, which will be held on September 25 in Austin, TX. Dr. Hillman currently serves as the Texas state veterinarian and executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission. He is also currently the chair of the USAHA Committee on Livestock Identification and serves on the Secretary’s Advisory Subcommittee for the National Animal Identification System. “We are excited about Dr. Hillman’s...

The American Horse Council (AHC) will be holding an issues forum in Austin, TX, to discuss current issues facing the horse industry, such as the National Animal Identification System and its impact on horse owners. This meeting will also address the recent equine viral arteritis (EVA) outbreak, new developments in taxes for horse owners and breeders, the Unwanted Horse Coalition and access to trails. The meeting will conclude with an “Ask the Experts” panel. “The AHC believes it is critical for...

USEF would like all licensed competitions and officials to be aware of a rule change that became effective on April 1, 2006, requiring ALL competitions to have an accident preparedness plan in place whether the ambulance is on call or on competition grounds. (See GR1212.6. below) The Safety Page on the USEF web site (www.usef.org/content/safety) contains a copy of the rule as well as sample plans that are offered as guides to help competitions prepare their own emergency plan in accordance with...

The vacated position on the Kentucky State Fair Board of Directors occupied for the last nine years by Mary Anne Cronan, and before her for 28 years by Joseph Stopher, is to be filled at the earliest opportunity by appointment of the Governor of Kentucky from a list of six nominees provided to him by the American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA). The Kentucky State Fair is the site of the World’s Championship Horse Show each August, highlighted by the American Saddlebred breed’s most...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association’s (ASHA) 2006 Saddlebred Summit and Annual Meeting business concluded on February 18 prior to a sold-out Saddlebred Ball, with the first meeting of the newly elected board of directors. The board seated the following new directors-elect, who began three-year terms of service: William Blacklaw of Oregon, Louise Gilliland of Oklahoma and Jim Ruwoldt of Georgia. Returning directors elected to begin another three-year term are Mary Anne Cronan of Kentucky,...