Lexington, KY – The Executive Committee of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) will meet to consider Extraordinary Rule Changes to clearly define the implementation of the Federation’s new helmet rule to breed competitions that offer dressage classes. The committee will meet later this month to discuss the changes, which will clarify the rule in the Andalusian, Arabian, Friesian and Morgan divisions of USEF Licensed Competitions. To review the latest memo regarding the use of...

Ocala, FL - If the weather was a sign of things to come, then the 2011 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit is sure to be another spectacular season. The HITS Ocala Pre-Circuit came to an end on Sunday after two special weeks of exciting show jumping, which now paves the way for the highly anticipated six-week, AA-rated circuit set to start on February 8. Where it all begins again The Road to the Pfizer Million HITS, Inc. made history in 2010 when it produced the richest Grand Prix in the world, the...

Wellington, FL - The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation Board of Trustees hosted a cocktail reception on January 28, 2011, to honor the equestrian athletes that represented the United States during the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG), the recipients of the Foundations' Gold Medal Club Anniversary Awards, the Lionel Guerrand-Hermes Trophy, and the Whitney Stone Cup. The reception was held at Player's Club in Wellington, FL. The reception opened with lovely remarks by...

Nick Haness and Catwalk (Flying Horse Photography© ) Thermal, CA - Canadian Olympian John Pearce seems determined to return to the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix after a tremendous first week in the Grand Prix ring at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. Pearce swept both Grand Prix classes at HITS Thermal last week, winning the blue in Friday's $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, aboard Forest View Farm's Chianto, the horse he placed third on in the 2010 Pfizer...

Lexington, KY - The Board of Directors during this year’s United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Annual Meeting approved new helmet rules for riders in both eventing and dressage - just two weeks after dozens of stakeholders in equestrian sport met with the goal of improving rider safety across disciplines. ”If the technology is available to reduce head injuries, the time to use it is now," said USEF President David O’Connor. "I am very proud of our organization for taking this very...

Fairfield, CT — In poker it’s called re-shuffling the deck, and when the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) announced at the start of the 2010 semester that it had realigned its nine Zones to eight - changing the geography of its competitive regions and impacting coaching strategies - it promised to make the road to the 2011 IHSA National Championships, May 5-8, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, an interesting one. With Regional and Zone Championships, and Western...

Lexington, KY - Honors for the best in U.S. sport horse owners, breeders and sires were presented at the Performance Horse Registry’s (PHR) Annual Silver Stirrup Awards during the first of many celebrations hosted at the 2011 United States Equestrian Federation’s Annual Meeting held at the Downtown Hyatt in Lexington from January 19-23. Also on Thursday, the inaugural American Performance Horse Awards and the USEF/ Rood & Riddle Thoroughbred Horses in Sport Awards were also bestowed. Attendants...

Wellington, FL - January 17, 2011 - The first week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) was a great success with horses and riders from around the world competing at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. It was a record opening week for the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, with the number of horses showed increased by 11% from last year. The competition, held in 12 different rings all now on the North Grounds, was fantastic, and spectators and exhibitors enjoyed the venue...

Lexington, KY - The 2011 All American Cup (AAC) Stallion Review and Auction is set to take place on Saturday January 22. The event will begin at Claudia Sanders Restaurant in Shelbyville, KY. The tour will begin at 7 a.m., and in attendance along the tour will be notable Saddlebred personalities Merrill Murray and Debbie Foley. More than 30 show horses and stallions will be presented as the AAC Coaches travel to Sunrise Stables, Alliance Stud, and Copper Coin Farm. The one and only Peter Fenton...

With every eye on the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, 2010 was the Year of the Horse in the United States as the world arrived on our doorstep in Lexington, KY, for 16 days of competition, demonstration and fun. It took years of planning and didn't kick off until the end of the ninth month of the year. Here is how 2010 unfolded before, during and after the Equestrian Event that stopped the American Equestrian community in its tracks. Anyone who makes a life with horses knows it's not...