Hong Kong, China – After receiving the lowest score of her career (63.00%), all of Brentina’s connections were concerned that despite training absolutely phenomenally every day leading up to the Games, there may have been something physically wrong with the gallant 17-year-old Hanoverian mare. “She’s fitter and sounder than ever,” said her rider of 13 years, Debbie McDonald. “She’s been schooling so well but she was totally different in the ring than she was in the warm up. I was totally caught...

On August 5, the equestrian events of the 2008 Olympic Games were presented to an array of distinguished guests gathered to honor the achievements to date and the sporting successes that will undoubtedly unfold with the Hong Kong skyline as the backdrop. The FEI President HRH Princess Haya and FEI Secretary General Alex McLin attended the dinner at the Hong Kong Jockey Club Beijing Clubhouse where notable guests such as International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge and former...

At the age of 25, the legendary Holsteiner sire Le Santo (Landgraf I x Metro, by Wildfeuer) was euthanized on Sunday, August 3, 2008, from complications from an injury last week. Le Santo was very well known for being one the highest bonited stallions in the United States, as well as being a leading sire for more than two decades. Le Santo was injured while being collected on July 30, 2008. With recommendation from several veterinarians and sports medicine specialists, his owners at Irish Hills...

With only two more FEI World Cup™ qualifiers to run in the 2008 season, Australia’s Kevin McNab has sensationally swept into a huge lead in the FEI World Cup™ rankings, after scoring a one-two at his local qualifier at Warwick, Australia. A popular member of the local Queensland Eventing Committee, McNab, 30, now has 220 points, 60 clear of his nearest rival, Clark Montgomery (USA) with 160. McNab won at Warwick on Hufflepuff, his Melbourne runner-up, and finished second on Game Play. He is now...

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced the hiring of James Lawson as the organization’s Business Manager for the United States Equestrian Federation’s (USEF) MemberPerks program, which is administered by NTRA Advantage. Based at the NTRA’s Lexington headquarters, Lawson will oversee USEF MemberPerks, which offers significant savings on products and services from John Deere, Sherwin-Williams, UPS, Toshiba, Office Depot, Office Max, Equine Travel Advantage, FarmVet.com and...

Richard Johnson of Great Britain has been appointed to the new position of FEI Director of Communications following an extensive and open international search. Johnson, who is currently Head of Media of The Children’s Society, will join the FEI on September 1. The Children’s Society is a leading charity dedicated to the care of young people and is a benchmark for media relations in that sector. With 14 years’ experience, working in the charitable/not-for-profit sector for organizations with...

Daniel Geitner of the Aiken, SC-based DFG Stables, chalks up another one. At the Sixth Annual Tryon Riding Hunt Club Horse Show, Geitner and Sympa, owned by Mrs. Charles Bostwick, led the victory gallop in the weekend’s $15,000 Equestrian Sports Productions Grand Prix. A field of 20 took on JP Goddard’s 15-effort challenge on Saturday, but only eleven returned for the seven-effort jump-off round, including Geitner aboard Sympa and also Snook, owned by Sara Stumburg. Geitner piloted both of the...

Regular vaccinations, deworming and farrier visits can help prevent damaging and costly diseases. As your partner in equine health care, Merial, the maker of Zimecterin® Gold (ivermectin/praziquantel) is offering a free horse health record available at select veterinary clinics and retailers nationwide. This durable resource helps record important contact information, feeding schedules, vaccinations, deworming dates, farrier visits and Coggins test results. These fundamental, preventive horse...

Lexington, KY – Aiken, SC resident Meghan Benge won an Individual Gold medal today at the 2008 FEI World Championships for Drivers with Disabilities CPEAI4* in Greven, Germany. Driving Jack, a pony borrowed from England, Benge won the dressage and never looked back. She also led the U.S. to a Team Silver at the conclusion of today’s Cones competition. Benge’s teammates were Arroyo Grande, CA.driver Diana Kastama, who drove her own horse Jasper to the Individual Bronze medal, followed very...

In one of the deepest fields assembled in recent memory, Wimpys Little Chic, owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA, Weatherford, TX, dominated a field of impressive four-, five-, and six-year-old reining horses with a decisive win in the 2008 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby. Ridden by NRHA’s Leading Money Earning Rider Shawn Flarida, the team accomplished what no other combination has—winning the NRHA Futurity, NRBC, and the NRHA Derby consecutively! Andrea Fappani piloted...