The FEI Dressage Task Force met in Lausanne, Switzerland, April 21-22. The Task Force discussed the following items: Olympic Games: competition formula and qualification process. A proposal will be included in the Task Force’s final report to be presented to the FEI Bureau in November. Dressage Committee: future composition. A proposal in line with the FEI Statutes is currently being prepared in cooperation with the FEI Nominations Committee. The Secretary General briefed the task force on the...

KATY, TEXAS - Matt Mills caught the attention of all in attendance in the open finals at the 2009 National Reining Breeders Classic in Katy, Texas, with his run aboard The Sargeant Dunnit. The pair laid down an impressive run and walked out with a 228.5, which led the Open finals for several runs. When the dust settled, Mills finished second in the Intermediate Open finals, for a check worth $17,563, and won another $28,000 for a seventh-place finish in the Open finals. “He was just really good...

Steffen Peters and Ravel (Shannon Brinkman) Las Vegas, NV – With the anticipation building in the Thomas & Mack Arena for the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Final, both the Dressage and Jumping competitors got their final tune up in the main arena on Wednesday. 14 Dressage horses from eight nations and 45 Jumping competitors from 22 will take center stage today, the first day of competition. Two masters are back to defend their titles. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly are looking...

Lexington, KY – Reining joined the FEI North American Junior/Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) in 2008 with huge success. 2009 promises to be even more exciting with the addition of SmartPak Equine as the Title Sponsor of Reining. The North American Young Rider Championships will feature the best Reiners, aged 18-21, vying for FEI medals at the Kentucky Horse Park as part of the 2009 Adequan FEI North American Junior/Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North. This Championship will...

One of the Saddlebred world's leading stallions, Callaway's Blue Norther, passed away on Tuesday, March 17. Callaway's Blue Norther's breeding career is among the Saddlebred world's most prolific, having sired Five-Gaited World's Grand Champion CH Callaway's Forecaster, Ladies Five-Gaited World's Champion CH Callaway's Born To Win, and Amateur Five-Gaited Mare World's Champion Callaway's Winning Ways, among many others. The well known stallion reached the age of 28 on March 7, 2009.

Combined driver Chester Weber continued his goal of qualifying for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games by winning the FEI division for four-in-hand horses at the Sunshine State FEI Combined Driving Event held at the Florida Horse Park. Weber, who was recently named a 2008 Equestrian of Honor by the United States Equestrian Federation, was pleased with his weekend, which included a first place in the dressage, FEI horse team and the marathon course. While Team Weber dominated the...

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...

Stadium Jumping, Inc., the world's leading horse show production company, is pleased to announce that tickets for this year's $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational are now on sale through Ticketmaster. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.ticketmaster.com . The $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational is one of the world's richest equestrian show jumping competitions. Annually, this showcase of sheer equestrian power, speed and excellence attracts the greatest riders and horses in the...

Acclaimed professional riders from the United States eventing community announced the formation of the Professional Riders Organization (PRO). PRO is the only organization that represents the interests of career riders competing at the highest levels of the sport of eventing. “We are excited to announce the formation of the Professional Riders Organization,” said Craig R. Thompson, a distinguished event rider and PRO founder. “Until now, professional riders have had no unified voice. With the...

The United Professional Horsemen’s Association (UPHA) will host the Equitation Update III Clinic at William Woods University, Saturday, March 14, and Sunday, March 15, 2009. The topic of the clinic, “Inspiration for Today’s Rider, Instructor, and Judge,” will focus on horsemanship. Attendance to the clinic is free for all UPHA members and college students with proper ID. For the registration form, visit https://www.horseshowcalendar.com/ShowPDFs/2009UPHAInstructorsClinic_Registration.pdf . A...