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...

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 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...

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...

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...

McLain Ward and Pjotter van de Zonnehoeve. (Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - Saturday night at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival featured an exciting victory for McLain Ward (USA) and Pjotter Van De Zonnehoeve in the $78,000 Fidelity Investments® CSI 2* Grand Prix. The class was held on a beautiful Florida evening under the lights at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Riders representing 12 different countries made up the international field this evening, showing over a course...

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...

Santa Fe, NM - Santa Fe’s premier charity horse show-jumping event and the first Grand Prix in New Mexico, the Grand Prix de Santa Fe, announced today that it is cancelling its 2011 event, scheduled for June. The Board of Directors of the Grand Prix de Santa Fe continues to pursue a permanent, new and larger venue and title sponsor with the goal of resuming the charity horse show event in 2012. In 2010, the Grand Prix de Santa Fe lost its title sponsor and venue host, Las Campanas Santa Fe, due...

Wellington, FL - Yvonne Losos de Muniz of the Dominican Republic received one of the highest scores on Dondolo Las Marismas at the West Palm Beach National Show on Saturday. The pair won the Freestyle with 77.875% at the Stadium show grounds of the Global Dressage Festival. (GDF) "It was amazing! It felt like one of the best tests I have ever done with him," said Losos de Muniz. "It was so smooth and he was with me the whole way. I have not had such a good ride with him in a long time. It was...