The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is protecting Kentucky's multi-billion-dollar stake in its equine and cattle industries from an outbreak of vesicular stomatitis (VS) that has spread through four southwestern states. The Department has expanded its VS embargo to 20 counties in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. Four counties were added to Kentucky's embargo on July 27 after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed cases in La Plata and Mesa counties in Colorado, Rio Arriba...

Rider Aaron Vale of Aiken, SC, rode Alison Register’s 13-year-old Warmblood bay mare Alliance to a double-clear round victory over a field of 26 competitors in the H n’ D Stables’- and Wilton Connor Family-sponsored Lucky Sevens Welcome Stake on July 21. Alliance's first round time of 63.50 made him the third out of four mounts for Vale going into the jump-off. Their second clear round time of 34.70 was just one second enough to pull off the win. Pablo Barrios of Wellington, FL, aboard Wild Cat...

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) will be sponsoring a ParaEquestrian Classification Clinic, September 9-10, at Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center in Woodinville, WA. The clinic will be open to a maximum of ten physicians or physical therapists and is designed to help them recognize and classify eligible riders and drivers with physical disabilities in preparation for national competition. There will also be discussion about the modified classification system in development for...

For the first time in Kentucky Horse Park history, reining will take a dizzying spin to center stage, as the park plays host to the inaugural Adequan®/ United States Equestrian Federation Open Reining Championship, the USEF National Youth Reining Championship, presented by Markel Insurance and Hagyard-Davidson-McGee, and the final qualifying competition in preparation for the 2005 FEI (International Equestrian Federation) World Reining Masters Series Finals—all in the same week, August 23-28....

Lexington, KY – Three junior riders, Jordan Coyne of New Port Richey, Florida, Zazou Hoffman of Santa Monica, California, and Renick Townsend of Wellington, Florida, served as excellent ambassadors of equestrian sport as they represented the United States in the CSI-Ch B Bogotá, Colombia, July 13-17, an FEI sanctioned jumping event for children. Thirteen-year-old, Renick Townsend competed against 43 riders from 12 countries and four continents to claim the championship title as well as the...

Professional Auction Services, Inc., returns as manager of the American Hunter Pony Classic, the industry's premier auction of hunter ponies, for the tenth year. The record setting auction will be held in conjunction with the USEF Pony Finals to be held this year at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, August 10-13, with the auction taking place on August 9. The 2005 sale features 100 ponies, including seven ponies that are qualified for the 2005 Pony Finals. Other feature ponies include:...

The 2005 American Shetland Pony National Championship Congress show is set to kick-off August 3-6 at the Gordyville Arena in Gifford, IL. Last year's Shetland Pony Congress show drew record participation with over 500 entries from all over the United States. "We were pleased by the increased entries last year," said ASPC Executive Director Zona Schneider. "Shetland ponies are very versatile and compete in a variety of open competitions, so it is especially gratifying when we can draw a large...

Christian Rogge on board Monaco for owner Robert Skib of Tulsa, OK, won the $25,000 Juan Hernandez Memorial Grand Prix on July 16 at the Biltmore Estate Summer Classic. Rogge and the 11-year-old Selle Francais gelding had the first clear round among the starting field of 22 riders with a time of 77.453. During the jump-off, owner/rider Michael Tokaruk and Lord Byron of Cordova, TN, were edged into second place by a mere 0.07 seconds in the only other clean round of the jump-off. Course designer...

On October 20, 2005, the American Riding Instructors Association (ARIA) will host an American Riding Instructors Certification Program (ARICP) Test Center in conjunction with its National Riding Instructors Convention in Orlando, FL. The convention, October 20-23, features seminars, workshops and one-on-one consultations for instructors, equine business managers, stable owners, trainers and coaches. Those registering for both the convention and the ARICP Test Center pay a discount rate. The...

The International Friesian Show Horse Association (IFSHA), the only official United States Equestrian Federation-recognized representative of the Friesian horse, has announced the schedule for their regional and national championships. For more information about recognized competitions for the Friesian-bred horse, or on membership to IFSHA, please contact the International Friesian Show Horse Association at www.friesianshowhorse.com , [email protected] or call (410) 658-4932....