Lexington, Ky. - Two highly engaging workshops were the focus of the programming on Jan. 13 during the 2024 US Equestrian Annual Meeting. The morning and afternoon sessions on “Creating A Good Life for Horses,” graciously sponsored by MARS Equestrian™, were led by two of the leading equine academics in the United States: Dr. Camie Heleski, Senior Lecturer at the University of Kentucky, and Dr. Jim Heird, Executive Professor at Texas A&M University. Creating a Good Life for...

Lexington, Ky. - Dr. Katie Flynn, US Equestrian Senior Staff Veterinarian, led a biosecurity workshop to kick off the 2024 US Equestrian Annual Meeting on Jan. 13 in Louisville, Ky. During the workshop, Dr. Flynn shared ways to best prevent and manage an equine infectious disease outbreak. Attendees were also given biosecurity outbreak situations to problem-solve from the viewpoint of either a veterinarian, competition manager, trainer, or event communications representative. Dr. Flynn...

Lexington, Ky. - David O'Connor, US Equestrian Chief of Sport, reviewed social license and its effect on equestrian sport during the 2024 US Equestrian Annual Meeting on Jan. 13 in Louisville, Ky. O’Connor was joined by Lisa Lazarus, CEO of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), who shared the new reality of horseracing in the United States and how change required a shift in the industry’s culture. O’Connor concluded the workshop by emphasizing the...

Louisville, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce that HH Azur, Double H Farm and McLain Ward’s 2006 Belgian Warmblood mare, was voted the 2023 International Horse of the Year, and Paradigm, Meredith Lipke’s 2012 Warmblood gelding, was voted the 2023 National Horse of the Year by the USEF membership. HH Azur and Paradigm were honored during the SmartPak/USEF Horse of the Year Awards Dinner at the USEF Annual Meeting in Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 13. International Horse of...

Basel, Switzerland – The first FEI championship of 2024 will take place this week as the FEI Vaulting World Cup Final presented by Tommy Hilfiger gets underway at Longines CHI Classics Basel in Switzerland. Kimmy Palmer (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) is the sole U.S. athlete at this year’s final and brings her extensive international experience to the arena. Palmer has competed in vaulting at the FEI level since 2013, first as part of a pas de deux with her sister, Cassidy, and as an...

Louisville, Ky. - US Equestrian President Tom O’Mara and CEO Bill Moroney spoke during the General Session presentation to members and staff on Jan. 12 at the US Equestrian Annual Meeting. During their presentation, they looked back at progress made by US Equestrian in 2023 and shared goals for 2024 and beyond with the theme “Our Future Is Now.” You can watch the presentation here . US Equestrian President Tom O’Mara speaks during the General Session (Devyn Trethewey/US...

Louisville, Ky. – US Equestrian congratulates 2023 International Equestrian of the Year McLain Ward and 2023 National Equestrian of the Year John French. Ward and French were nominated as Equestrians of Honor and selected by US Equestrian member voting in December. Both Equestrians of the Year were honored at the 2023 Pegasus Awards Dinner at the USEF Annual Meeting in Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 14. International Equestrian of the Year – McLain Ward McLain Ward, 2023 USEF...

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce the 2023 Horse of the Year and Equestrian of the Year nominees. The International and National Horses of the Year will be announced at the 2023 SmartPak/USEF Horse of the Year Awards Dinner on Saturday, Jan. 13, and the International and National Equestrians of the Year will be announced at the 2023 Pegasus Awards Dinner on Sunday, Jan. 14, at the 2024 US Equestrian Annual Meeting in Louisville, Ky. Horses of Honor and Equestrians of...

Vejer de la Frontera, Spain – The U.S. Jumping Team put forth great efforts in the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Vejer de la Frontera CSIO3* at the Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera, Spain. Chef d’Equipe Anne Kursinski led the team of Zayna Rizvi and Exquise du Pachis, Caitlyn Connors and Falcon de Hus Z, Hannah Selleck and Cloud 39, and Jacob Pope and Highway FBH to a third-place finish out of 15 teams. The result was even more notable considering it was the senior team debut for...

www.flickr.com/photos/skodak (Rio de Janeiro) The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has elected Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as the host city of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in 2016 during its 121st Session in Copenhagen, Denmark. Rio de Janeiro received 66 votes compared to Madrid’s 32 in the final round of voting. IOC President Jacques Rogge congratulated Rio de Janeiro on its election and praised the high quality of the bid, “I would like to congratulate the city of Rio de...