Lexington, Ky. – The board of directors and staff at US Equestrian would like to extend our condolences to all those who loved Catch Me, the 2016 USEF National Horse of the Year. Catch Me, fondly known as “Snoopy,” passed on Friday, June 27, at the age of 18 due to complications from colic. Photo Credit: WIHS “Catch Me was the most remarkable horse that I ever owned,” said owner Becky Gochman. “He was both competitive and kind. Scott Stewart showed him...

Lexington, Ky. - The FEI Vaulting Working Group, tasked with the revision of the FEI Vaulting Code of Points - Degree of Difficulty (DoD), has created a survey to collect feedback from Vaulters, Coaches, Officials, as well as members of the Vaulting community to identify areas of improvement. The goal is to ensure that the rules governing free tests reflect the true challenge of movements, encourage creativity, and support the growth of the sport. Your insights will help identify areas for...

Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian is pleased to announce a new partnership with US Performance Academy (USPA) for the 2025 calendar year as the Official Online School Partner of US Equestrian. USPA is a fully accredited online middle and high school curriculum designed for actively competing equestrian athletes. ©Avery Wallace/US Equestrian USPA empowers athletes across sports to balance their education with their athletic goals, offering an online curriculum and flexible scheduling that...

Lexington, Ky. - The ability to teach does not always go hand in hand with athletic achievement. The athletes with the most impressive competitive record aren’t necessarily the ones who are the most adept at teaching others to achieve success. In many sports, including equestrian, there are well-supported pathways to competitive achievements as an athlete, but the systems for teaching teachers are less well established. Cam Kiosoglous, Ph.D., is an Assistant Clinical Professor and Program...

US Equestrian Annual Meeting attendees from across all breeds and disciplines reconvened on the morning of Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, to continue the previous day’s discussion about horse welfare in the equestrian world. Representatives from different segments of the industry shared some of the challenges and solutions they’ve seen from their community in an open session moderated by US Equestrian Chief of Sport David O’Connor. Changing Culture “We have worked tirelessly for...

Lexington, Ky. – Following the devastation from the Los Angeles wildfires, US Equestrian is stepping in to help organizations who are working on the ground to help the ongoing recovery efforts. Through the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund, US Equestrian is awarding two grants totaling $100,000 to support the efforts in helping the equine population impacted by the destruction from the wildfires. Fleet of Angels has been awarded a $60,000 grant to further support their work in aiding the...

Dear USEF Members, Competition Licensees and Managers, In October 2024 we provided you with information regarding the new amendments to the Horse Protection Act (HPA or Act). This is a follow-up to that communication. Since release of the new amendments to the Act, USEF leaders have participated in Zoom meetings and webinars with the American Horse Council (AHC) and with USDA/APHIS to voice our concerns and to gain a better understanding of the upcoming implementation of the HPA changes,...

As an FEI athlete, it is your responsibility to be aware of and adhere to the FEI and US Equestrian rules. Below is a highlight of some of the key rule changes in FEI Veterinary Regulations effective January 1, 2025. The updated language is shown below in strikethrough/bold/italics. Please note that there are additional changes and the marked up FEI Veterinary Regulations can be found here . Article 1004 – TRIMMING OF THE EARS Article 1004 Prohibited Methods Horses are not permitted to...

Lexington, Ky . – US Equestrian is pleased to welcome HorseGrooms as an Official MemberPerks Sponsor of US Equestrian’s MemberPerk program, offering resources and educational material tailored specifically to grooms within the equine industry and individuals responsible for daily horse care. HorseGrooms is an online educational hub and digital resource created by fellow horse grooms for other grooms, equine enthusiasts, and individuals who have dedicated their lives to horses. The...

Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian awards five recipients the 2024 USEF Higher Education Equestrian Scholarship . Each year, high school seniors are awarded this scholarship to allow them to pursue equestrian sports during their years of higher education. Meet the 2024 USEF Higher Education Scholarship Winners Emily Arriaga. ©Liz Crawley Photo Emily Arriaga (Bahama, N.C.) is a freshman at the Savannah College of Art and Design where she will pursue a degree in Equestrian Studies and continue...