Diana DeRosa (Karen O'Connor and Theodore O'Connor at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.) It is with great sadness that the United States Equestrian Federation reports that super pony Theodore O’Connor was humanely euthanized Wednesday, May 28, as a result of an injury sustained in an accident at Karen and David O’Connor’s barn in The Plains, VA. The 13-year-old eventing pony defied odds and gravity throughout his career. Standing only 14.1 hands, the...

HITS is pleased to report that last week it received unanimous support from attendees of the 2008 USEF World Cup Riders Meeting held at The Oaks in San Juan Capistrano, CA, to once again host four FEI World Cup™ Qualifiers at the 2009 HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal. HITS has successfully run the World Cup classes at its West Coast circuit since 1991, giving riders on the West Coast an opportunity to qualify for the prestigious World Cups year after year right in their own backyard....

Kathy Hickerson at Majestic Gaits announced the arrival in New Hampshire of Hanoverian stallion Schroeder (Sandro Hit x Esmeralda, by Escudo I) from Germany. Schroeder was bought at the prestigious Hanoverian Elite Stallion Auction in 2006 and completed his 70-day stallion performance test at Gestut Redfin in Germany in October 2007. Hickerson is very excited to have Schroeder in the United States. He has a fabulous character, trainability and bloodlines. He is so nice to work with and has...

Langer Equestrian Group, Inc., kicked off the 2008 show season with record entries and sunny skies at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center (LAEC) Season Opener, January 18-20, 2008, at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. Junior rider Laura Ware started off 2008 on a winning streak. She piloted Parker to the large junior championship, and then showed the gelding’s versatility by garnering wins in equitation as well. The pair captured both the USEF Medal and the ASPCA Maclay, as well as a...

Horse Shows in the Sun (HITS) is pleased to announce that Ocala Style Magazine will be the title sponsor of the Ocala Style Award that will be presented on March 16, 2008. This special award will be presented to the rider who exhibits the best American style of riding and possesses the respectful, dignified, courteous and workmanlike manner of a true sportsman at the 2008 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit. The award winner will be revealed prior to the $100,000 DeLuca Toyota Tundra Grand Prix,...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation’s Eventing High Performance Committee has approved the following horse and rider combinations to participate in the Developing Riders Program to be instructed by World Equestrian Games Individual Bronze medalist Amy Tryon. The Developing Riders Program is available to riders of any age who aspire to compete at the highest levels of the sport. To qualify, each horse/rider combination must have completed a CCI** or above. Precedence is given...

Mansfield, ON, Canada - If Phillip Dutton keeps up this winning business, they'll have to stop him at the Canadian border next year so that someone else can have a shot at winning. For the second year in a row Dutton, from West Grove, PA was the overall winner at the Wits End CIC-W*** in Mansfield, ON September 28-30. Last year he won the event riding Tru Luck and this year he was partnered with Acorn Hill Farm's handsome chestnut gelding Woodburn, who was previously successful with Emily...

It was a “typical day” at the office for Chester Weber as he went out and captured yet another USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship, his fifth in a row. Yet, Weber, of Ocala, FL, had some top-notch competition to challenge him as two previous five-time winners sought to win their sixth title. Both Tucker Johnson of Hobe Sound, FL, and James Fairclough of Newton, NJ, have accomplished what Weber has done, but neither has had the reign that Weber has maintained over the past five years. This...

Last weekend, eight American vaulters competed at CVI Krumke** in Northern Germany. In the women's division, three American vaulters took the podium—a first for Americans at a foreign CVI. Alicen Divita of Woodside Vaulters (CA) placed first, followed by Mary McCormick of Mt. Eden Vaulters (CA) in second. Third went to Alicen's teammate, Elizabeth Osborn. The competition was very tight between the three top Americans. Each vaulter was in first place from one of the three judges, with...

The Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Selection Trials concluded the 2007 qualifying season for the FEI World Breeding Championships at the CDI-W/Y/J Raleigh and Capital Dressage Classic, June 1–3 in Raleigh, NC. Winning both the Preliminary and Final Tests with an overall score of 8.240 secured the Five-Year-Old Selection Trial Championship for Cabana Boy (Contucci x Britania, by Bordeaux; bred in the United States by Doug and Shannon Langer). Cabana Boy is a bay Hanoverian gelding who was...