McLain Ward and his Beloved Sapphire at the 2009 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final (Shannon Brinkman for USEF) Gladstone, NJ -The USET Foundation is pleased to announce that the Whitney Stone Cup has been awarded to McLain Ward of Brewster, NY. The Whitney Stone Cup is awarded annually by the USET Foundation Executive Committee to an active competitor who displays consistent excellence in international competition, high standards of sportsmanlike conduct, while also serving as an ambassador for the...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to announce that Charles “Chuck” Smith has received the 2009 USDF Volunteer of the Year Award, presented by The Paddock Saddlery. This award recognizes a USDF member who, through consistent and cumulative volunteer activities, has demonstrated exceptional commitment towards carrying out USDF’s mission. As the winner, Smith will be presented with a perpetual trophy, which is permanently on display in the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame,...

The international sport of reining will host the world’s premiere event for reiners—the 2009 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show, November 26 through December 5, at Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, OK. The $1.9-million show features the NRHA Futurity—the premiere event for three-year-old reining horses. At the end of the Open Finals on Saturday, December 5, one entry is guaranteed a check for $125,000 as...

The Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center hosted a very successful teaching clinic recently with George H. Morris, world-renowned trainer, rider, and U.S. Show Jumping Chef d'Equipe. The clinic was also a United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Trainer's Symposium. The clinic, held November 6-8, 2009, was scheduled and organized by Susie Schoellkopf, Executive Director of the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center and head trainer of SBS Farms, Inc., at the Buffalo Equestrian Center. The clinic...

Today, with the help of First Lady Jane Beshear and executive cabinet members, the Kentucky Horse Park (KHP) announced plans for several new permanent greening initiatives that will be ready by the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, being held at the park September 25-October 10, 2010. The park has been approved for a combination of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus funds and low-interest loans, totaling nearly $5.7 million that will be repaid by the cost savings in energy...

Olympian and international dressage rider Lisa Wilcox turned in an all-American ride at the Gold Coast Fall Fling show, winning the Grand Prix aboard Ingred Lin’s Lusitano Quemacho Hi. The Grand Prix was sponsored by The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center, and Quemacho Hi won a beautiful Sanctuary signature orange embroidered polar fleece cooler and a $250 gift certificate for services at The Sanctuary. Wilcox and Quemacho Hi earned a score of 64.043% in the grand prix...

As the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation Holiday Fundraiser draws closer, many exciting performances have been announced for the feature event. SUCCEED® and Wellington Classic Dressage will be hosting the Holiday Gala Fundraiser, December 11-12, 2009, to benefit the USET Foundation. The venue for the fundraiser will be the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. The two nights of exciting performances will include Pony Club Mounted Games featuring Gina Miles, Cathy...

American Quarter Horse Racing World Champion Be A Bono has moved to the Kentucky Horse Park’s Hall of Champions. Be A Bono earned American Quarter Horse racing’s top honor when he was named the World Champion of 2004. He also earned champion three-year-old and champion three-year-old gelding honors for 2004. Owned and bred by the late Spencer Childers of Fresno, CA, the sorrel gelding was trained by Dan Francisco. Be A Bono was foaled February 22, 2001, and retired from racing as a...

The Kentucky-born trotter Mr. Muscleman, a winner of $3,582,823, has a new home at the Kentucky Horse Park. He arrived on October 16, and will take up residence in the Hall of Champions along with the other breed ambassadors. The nine-year-old Standardbred was foaled at Brittany Farms in Versailles, KY. John Nicholson, Executive Director of the Kentucky Horse Park, said, "The Kentucky Horse Park is considered 'hallowed ground' in the Standardbred world, as it was built on the former Walnut Hall...

As the show season draws to a close, five professionals who regularly attend Langer Equestrian Group (LEG) shows are making plans to head off to Maui for some much needed rest and recreation, courtesy of LEG. The company sponsors the Maui Trainer Incentive as a way to not only encourage participation at the shows, but reward professionals for their efforts, support and success. Larry Langer, President and CEO of LEG, started the Trainer Incentive because professionals are the hardest working...