Money makes the world go round, they say. It does indeed, and this certainly is true of the world of sport. From a leisurely activity practiced exclusively by amateurs, sport has now turned into a highly complex profession governed by its own business strategies and rules. Prize money, TV rights, sponsorship fees have never been higher, and there is no indication that the movement is about to slow down. Good things usually march hand in hand with less good ones. If the increase in finances...

A successful week of hunter/jumper competition at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show came to a close on Sunday, August 5. Produced by Kentucky Horse Shows LLC, the summer shows are held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The Kentucky Summer Classic is scheduled for next week from August 8-12. Jumper Highlights On Wednesday, August 1, ten riders exhibited their talents in the 1.45m Open Jumper class in the famously large Sheila C. Johnson Arena. Course designer Ken Krome, of Westminster, MD,...

There will be no break in the action between Weeks V and VI at HITS-on-the-Hudson as the 2007 United States Equestrian Federation National Junior Hunter Championship-East Coast, presented by Stacey and Tom Siebel, returns August 6-8, 2007. The annual competition is designed to encourage and promote the basic training and development of junior hunters. Divided into four sections, the finals feature competition for Small Juniors 15 and Under, Large Juniors 15 and Under, Small Juniors 16-17 and...

Buying a horse is a big challenge. Choosing a mount that doesn't fit your needs, skill level or intended use can be painful emotionally, financially and even physically. To give would-be horse owners information that will enable them to make decisions that will lead to years of equine enjoyment, Michigan State University's (MSU's) My Horse University has launched a new online course called "Horse Selection and Evaluation." In this self-paced course, participants will discover a wealth of...

Showplace Productions is pleased to announce that the Wachovia Showplace Spring Spectacular II horse show, held from June 19-24, at Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, IL, is part of the $80,000 Rider Bonus series. The highlight of the spring show is the $50,000 Wachovia Securities Grand Prix on Saturday, June 23, which will feature some of the best show jumpers in the Midwest. The Rider Bonus series is divided among three divisions from 12 participating Showplace Productions shows, including...

The Colorado Horse Park CCI* Three Day Event victory gallop was led by 17-year-old Anisa Tracy of Parker, CO. The local young rider bested a field of professionals and other experienced adults after three days of intense competition that included dressage, cross-country and stadium jumping. Finishing second was her sister, 14-year-old Kendyl Tracy. The sisters have now qualified for the CN North American Junior and Young Riders Championships (NAJYRC) to be held later this summer. “For us it is...

Allentown, PA—Dressage for the CCI*** at the Jersey Fresh Three-Day Event got underway Thursday at the Horse Park of New Jersey in Allentown. The first two horses in the ring put in quality performances, and by the lunch break, they continued to hold the top two places. Veteran U.S. team riders Karen O’Connor (aboard Allstar) and Stephen Bradley (aboard From) got the division underway. Bradley held the lead well through the halfway point of the day on a score of 46.5. O’Connor...

The nation’s horse center at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington set the stage for four different USEF eventing championships over the past weekend, October 19-22. The storms that plagued the region in the week leading up to the competitions left portions of the steeplechase course under water. Officials deemed it necessary to eliminate the steeplechase from the event. The national championships were also run concurrent with the ever-popular Mid-South Team Challenge. In the one-star...

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The U.S. Olympic Committee today announced equestrian athlete Megan Benjamin and swimmer Brendan Hansen as its August Athletes of the Month. The USOC Team of the Month was awarded to the USA National Baseball Team. Benjamin (Saratoga, Calif.) won the gold medal in women's vaulting at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany on August 27. She was the first American woman to win the title. The Germans have won 20 of the last 32 World Championships. Benjamin was also...

The new U.S. Equestrian Team logo found on Ariat apparel. Lexington, KY – Ariat International, the leading equestrian footwear and apparel manufacturer has created a collection of high-performance athletic gear for our nation’s top equestrian athletes that debuted last weekend at the 2006 Adequan®/USEF Open Reining Championship. Members of the newly-announced U.S. Reining Team sponsored by Adequan® were able to try on the gear and be the first team to do so. Through the newly-signed...