Photo by Randi Muster (Victoria Birdsall and Baheera captured the Third Annual George Morris Excellence in Equitation Exhibition.) The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) is winding down as it finished its 11th week of competition on March 24-28. The week featured the highlight event of the season, the $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI*****, along with a full schedule of hunter, jumper, and equitation classes, including the prestigious Third Annual George Morris Excellence in...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) has announced a membership dues and horse registration fee increase for the 2011 membership year, which begins December 1, 2010. At the 2009 Adequan/USDF Annual Convention in Austin, TX, the following dues and fees were approved by the Board of Governors (BOG); 1-year Participating Membership (PM)-$75, Youth PM-$60, 5-Year PM-$300, Life PM-$1,500, Business Membership-$200, Group Member Organization (GMO) Membership-$20, GMO Supporting Family...

The American Horse Council (AHC) released its 2009 Report on Equestrian Access on Federal Land . The 2009 report is intended to provide a brief overview of the responses the AHC received from equestrians to its ongoing access survey in 2009. The report can be viewed and downloaded on the AHC’s website at: https://www.horsecouncil.org//images/2009 ReportEqAccessFedLand.pdf . In July of 2009, the American Horse Council launched an effort to collect information regarding equestrian access issues...

OCALA, FL —HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, FL, wrapped up its third week of AA-rated show jumping on Sunday after an exciting series of classes and special events highlighted another fantastic week on the road to the Pfizer Million. The week saw HITS Ocala’s 2009 Leading Grand Prix Rider Tracy Magness make her anticipated return to the winners’ circle when she captured Thursday’s $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, aboard Mr. and Mrs. John Bartko’s Tarco Van Ter Moude. "I...

Photo by Robbi Meisel (Taylor Adams and Kassandra) Ocala, FL-based Taylor Adams began the curtain calls for the 2010 Jacksonville Winter Series on Friday evening with a big win in the $10,000 Bruning Equitation Classic, presented by the Jerry Parks Insurance Group. Adams partnered with the Devon Walther owned Kassandra bested a field of 15 over an intricate layout of 11 obstacles co-designed by international great Pierre Jolicoeur and Joe Carnicom. The course zig-zagged the length of the...

Photo by Flying Horse Photography (Keri Potter and Rockford I) The all-new Devoucoux Hunter Derby kicked off with a bang at the 2010 HITS Desert Circuit when one of the top hunter riders in the country, John French, piloted Victoria Komisar’s Over the Moon to the inaugural win in the $10,000 Devoucoux Derby on the West Coast. French of Gilroy, CA, had the highest score in both the first and second rounds of the popular 3'3" class that featured 29 starters on a course set by John Manning, which...

Courtesy Mancini Photos (Kelley Farmer and Habana) Kelley Farmer and Habana repeated their victory in the Baby Green Hunter division, sponsored by Draper Equine Therapy, at the Equestrian Sport Productions New Year’s Show. It was the second victory in the Baby Green Hunter Championship during the winter show circuit for Farmer and the four-year-old gelding Habana, who is owned by the Spencer Ranch, home of Popeye K, the 2008 and 2009 USEF Hunter Breeding Sire of the Year. “It is very exciting...

Have you noticed that traffic signals are looking a little different these days? What you’re seeing is the effort to save money and energy. Cities across the United States are replacing their incandescent traffic lights with energy-efficient light emitting diodes (LEDs). While these new lights provide brighter lights that last much longer and save a lot of energy, it’s also becoming evident that they have a hazardous downside. The bulbs burn so coolly that snow and ice don’t melt. Rather they...

Lexington, KY – US dressage Young Rider Kassandra Barteau placed ninth in the Individual test at the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final for Young Riders in Frankfurt, Germany on Friday, December 18. Riding GP Raymeister, a 10-year-old Holsteiner stallion owned by Grand Prix Equestrian and Ginna Frantz, the 21-year-old from Maple Park, IL is contesting her first FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final for Young Riders. She improved on her 10th place position in the Team test – to go forward to Saturday’s...

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) and Markel Insurance once again hosted three sales during the 2009 NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show in Oklahoma City. The top seller from all three sales was Mister Montana Nic (Reminic x Mollie Montana, by Montana Doc), an eleven-year-old stallion consigned by Craig Schmersal for Montana Nic Syndicate. Ericka Alcorn of Gardner, KS, bought the NRHA money earner of $121,000 in the NRHA/Markel Insurance Marketplace...