Lexington, KY – As part of an ongoing series of structural changes designed to offer increased service to members while streamlining efficiency, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) announces the creation of its new Education Department, effective June 1, 2009. The Education Department, formerly a part of Licensed Officials, will strive to improve service to the membership through the expansion of educational opportunities for competitors and licensed officials alike, offering...

On Friday, May 29 2009, just two days after having seen the exciting final match for the crown of European club football, Italian capital Rome will be back in the spotlight of international top level sport by hosting the second leg of the 100th anniversary edition of team jumping’s most important annual competition, the Meydan FEI Nations Cup™. Thanks to FEI TV, fans across the U.S. won’t have to miss a moment of the action following their favorite American jumpers across Europe. Four of the...

With a faultless show jumping round on the final day of competition at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials, Amy Tryon and Leyland claimed the Adequan/United States Eventing Association (USEA) Gold Cup as the winner of the CIC***. Tryon’s perfect round gave her a final a score of 51.6 penalties, enough to vault her from third to first after second-placed Kelly Prather lowered one rail on Ballinakill Glory (53.8) and third-placed Jolie Sexson lowered two rails on Killian O’Connor (55.7),...

Recipient of the 2008 USEF/Performance Horse Registry Leading Breeder Award, Sheila Varian enjoyed much success at the 54th Annual Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show. With more than 2,500 Arabians competing, there were 50 horses bred by Varian Arabians that placed in nearly every discipline. Varian Arabians remains the leading farm in production of national, regional and Scottsdale champions. Here are the statistics for horses bred by Varian Arabians for the 2009 Scottsdale show: Varian Arabians...

The Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series enjoyed a great start to the 2009 season at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. The series will see classes at more than 100 horse shows across the country before culminating in year-end championships at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament featuring the 126th National Horse Show in Syracuse, NY, in October. The Series hosts separate divisions for junior and amateur-owner riders in two...

The United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) along with title sponsor SmartPak will offer a Trainers Symposium, May 1-3, 2009, at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, GA. Top industry professionals, Candice King, Patricia Griffith and Val Renihan will headline the event giving riders and trainers the opportunity to participate in practical training sessions and roundtable discussions. The USHJA first introduced the Trainers Symposiums in the fall of 2006 as a means to...

American Hunter Pony Classic Sale graduates captured both of the USEF Horse of the Year Grand Champion Pony Hunter titles in 2008. Small pony hunters won both titles. The American Hunter Pony Classic held each year in conjunction with the USEF National Pony Hunter Finals. Horse of the Year Grand Champion Pony Hunter honors went to 13-year-old Fancy Feet in one of most dominating HOTY performances in years. Fancy Feet was the nation’s leading small pony hunter earning 11,410 points, beating the...

The rated series of the 2009 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit crowned its first winning grand prix pair on Thursday, when Tracy Magness rode Mr. and Mrs. John Bartko's Tarco Van Ter Moude to the blue in the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix at HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, FL. Magness guided Tarco Van Ter Moude to the fastest double-clear round on course designer Guilherme Jorge's route as she collected $7,500 in first-place prize money. Magness outlasted 23 riders in the first round and the six who advanced to...

If horses could talk, humans would certainly hear some amazing tales. The stories told by Jamaica, the 17-year-old combined driving horse that helped his owner Chester Weber win a Silver medal at the FEI World Championships in The Netherlands, would be some of the most inspiring. At first glance, the high-spirited champion combined driving horse bears little resemblance to the carriage horse in the childhood story Black Beauty . That’s until you learn that the gelding was rescued from a...

The audience cheered even more enthusiastically when Will Simpson entered the arena aboard Archie Bunker to contest the $50,000 Los Angeles National Grand Prix. The 2008 Olympic Gold medalist did not disappoint as he piloted Archie Bunker to one of just four clear rounds during the featured class at the LA National, November 12-16. Olaf Petersen, Jr., designed a challenging course for the 34 horse field that served as a West Coast League World Cup Qualifier. "This was a difficult course. This...