Fifth Third Bank has joined the sponsorship ranks of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, as both the presenting sponsor of the Kentucky Experience and the Official Community Bank of the Games. Fifth Third Bank, as presenting sponsor of the Kentucky Experience, is supporting the showcase of the state’s tourism destinations to hundreds of thousands of Games visitors. The Kentucky Experience will be a series of spectacular pavilions encompassing over 25,000-plus square feet in the heart...

McLain Ward and Sapphire Look to go One Better in 2010 (Shannon Brinkman/ USEF Archives) Lexington, KY - With 10 riders representing the United States at the 2010 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final (April 15-18), the American assault on Geneva looks very strong. Led by 2009 runner-up McLain Ward and his legendary Sapphire, the 34-year-old will look to go one better in Switzerland than they did in Las Vegas one year ago. Fortunately, they won't have the fleet-footed Shutterfly to chase as the defending...

Photo Courtesy HITS (The beautiful Grand Prix arena at the HITS-on-the-Hudson show grounds in Saugerties, NY.) As riders gear up for the 2010 grand prix season, qualifying for the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix on September 12 in Saugerties, NY, is topping the list of priorities. Kent Farrington, Jimmy Torano, and McLain Ward were among those announcing intentions to become one of only 46 potential riders to vie for a top prize of $350,000 in September. With a limited number of spots available on...

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...

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...

Arenus-sponsored rider Kassandra Barteau of Maple Park, IL, and her horse GP Raymeister have topped the United States rankings for the FEI World Cup® Dressage Final for Young Riders. As a result, both have been invited to compete in Frankfurt, Germany, for the FEI World Cup Dressage Final for Young Riders, December 17-20, 2009. Barteau and her horse earned the sole United States Young Rider slot for the FEI competition in Frankfurt by averaging 73.375% in their two best test rides in the FEI...

Elkton, MD – The 2009 Dansko Fair Hill International Horse Trails was inundated with a record number of entries, as 141 horses will go forward to the dressage after a chilly Wednesday afternoon horse inspection. Of those, 113 will be vying for the United States Equestrian Federation’s (USEF) National CCI** and National CCI*** Eventing Championship titles. The only fall CCI*** held in the United States, the Dansko Fair Hill International Horse Trials brings the best to Elkton, MD every October....

Lexington, KY – Tucker Johnson staked his claim to a top spot in next year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games with an impressive third place finish out of 25 teams at the CAI-A4 Donaueschingen in Germany. Driving in an international competition for the first time since the World Championships in Beesd 2008, Johnson won the dressage, finished eighth in the marathon but retained third place overall with a strong performance in the cones. In a strong field, which included two former world...

Riders hoping to qualify for the 51st Washington International Horse Show still have time to earn points that will allow them to compete at one of the country’s leading equestrian competitions. Show officials announced the 2009 qualifying periods for hunter, jumper and equitation classes. Entries will close on Tuesday, September 1, 2009. The 51st annual Washington International will be held October 20-25, 2009, at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. Complete details on qualifying criteria as...

Horse owners around the world are being asked to participate in an online questionnaire to help researchers better assess the issues of parasite control and anthelmintic (dewormer) resistance. The study is part of a collaborative effort between equine parasitologists in the United Sates, Denmark, and Germany. Horse owners can find the survey at survey.2ask.de/71d74fafbf0c4562/survey.html . Topics include parasite control strategies, drug resistance, factors behind parasite control decisions,...