USEF Chief of Sport David O’Connor, University of Kentucky Equine Science professor and member of the FEI Equine Ethics and Welfare Commission, Dr. Camie Heleski, and Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare, Roly Owers, spoke to the USEF Annual Meeting about equestrian sport and the social license to operate. Here are five takeaways from their presentation. 1. Social license to operate is an unofficial but essential piece of the puzzle. Owers describes social license to operate as...

Blacksburg, Va. – On Dec. 7, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab released the results of its first-ever rating of equestrian helmets. Over the past two years, Virginia Tech researchers analyzed over 100 videos of riders falling off horses, precisely measured the hardness of the sand, dirt, grass, and synthetic surfaces underfoot at equestrian events, and dragged dummy heads and other equipment — and boxes and boxes of helmets — out to Virginia Tech’s equestrian facilities to...

As the start of the 2023 competition year approaches and new rules come into place, USEF has received feedback from members requesting clarification about the qualification process for the 2023 Devon Horse and Pony Show, Pennsylvania National, Washington International, and the National Horse Show. Additionally, there have been questions raised about how awards separate from prize money affect HOTY standings or qualifications for these competitions. Earlier this Fall, a Presidential Modification...

Kansas City, Mo. – The 2022 competition season for saddle seat equitation riders closed with a grand finale at the UPHA American Royal National Championship in Kansas City. The USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final , one of the oldest and most prestigious classes for saddle seat riders, was held on Saturday, Nov. 12, and saw 15 finalists compete for the championship. ©Howard Schatzberg Ella White (Medina, Ohio) took home the day’s top prize riding Jalapena Lena, her own American...

Mill Spring, N.C. – The Para Dressage competition at Tryon Fall Dressage 3 saw a small but mighty contingent of five up-and-coming combinations who took advantage of the opportunity to gain experience at the CPEDI3* level. The athlete-and-horse pairs completed their FEI Para Dressage Team and Individual Tests, then completed the weekend with the FEI Para Dressage Freestyle Tests. At the end of the three tests, Fiona Howard (Boston, Mass.) had the top combined score to win the CPEDI3*...

Enschede, the Netherlands – The FEI Eventing Nations Cup Netherlands CCIO4*-L at Military Boekelo-Enschede concluded on Sunday with the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team of James Alliston, Liz Halliday-Sharp, Boyd Martin, and Alyssa Phillips finishing in fifth place out of 10 nations. Under the guidance of Chef d’Equipe Bobby Costello, the U.S. team consisted of veteran athletes with newer mounts and up-and-coming combinations testing out their skills against top international...

Mill Spring, N.C. – Drivers in four intermediate divisions competed for USEF Combined Driving National Championships at the Tryon International Equestrian Center last week. Single and pair horses and ponies were in the spotlight across three phases of competition. Anna Coopman and Chandler Creek Eclipse. ©Sharon Packer Photography Intermediate Single Pony Anna Koopman (Middleburg, Va.) and Chandler Creek Eclipse, her own 2010 Morgan gelding, took an early lead in the Intermediate...

Le Pin-au-Haras, France – The 2022 FEI Driving World Championship for Single Horses concluded on Sunday at Haras National du Pin in Le Pin-au-Haras, France. The U.S. contingent, led by Chef d’Equipe Dee Aldrich and Team Coach Suzy Stafford, had solid performances against a world-class field. The Land Rover U.S. Driving Team of Taylor Bradish and Katydid Duchess, Raymond Helmuth and Kendro, and Carrie Ostrowski and Gellerduht finished seventh out of 16 teams, with the combinations...

Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy – The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team had a fantastic day on cross-country in the hills of Pratoni, finishing all four team combinations and individual combination around the course designed by Giuseppe Della Chiesa (ITA). The team currently sits in second behind Germany on a team score of 77.4, while Tamie Smith and Mai Baum hold third place individually overnight on their score of 24.0. “Today absolutely met my expectations and I think everyone leading up...

Calgary, Alberta, Canada - The NetJets® U.S. Jumping Team finished seventh in the $600,000 BMO Nations Cup during the 2022 Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament CSIO5* on September 10, 2022, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland led the team of Kent Farrington, Nicholas Dello Joio, Giavanna Rinaldi, and McLain Ward to tackle the course designed by two-time Olympic course designer Leopoldo Palacios (VEN). Kent Farrington (Wellington, Fla.) was the...