Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian (USEF) announces the appointment of Graeme Thom as Director of FEI/High-Performance Sport Programs beginning October 3, 2022. This start date will allow for a smooth and collaborative transition as Will Connell remains with USEF through the 25th of November. Thom has worked in the financial industry, ridden to the CCI4* level in eventing, and was shortlisted for the Canadian Eventing Team. He served as chair of the Canadian High-Performance Committee and has...

Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy – The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team had a fantastic day on cross-country in the hills of Pratoni, finishing all four team combinations and individual combination around the course designed by Giuseppe Della Chiesa (ITA). The team currently sits in second behind Germany on a team score of 77.4, while Tamie Smith and Mai Baum hold third place individually overnight on their score of 24.0. “Today absolutely met my expectations and I think everyone leading up...

Traverse City, Mich. – A dream came through for Erin Nichols on Saturday at the 2022 FEI North American Youth Championship (NAYC) as she finished in gold-medal position for the Individual Young Rider Dressage division. Erin Nichols and Handsome Rob AR. ©KTB Creative Group Nichols (Yorba Linda, Calif.) expertly guided her own Handsome Rob AR, a 2012 Dutch Warmblood gelding, through a precise and flowing test that earned a 69.000% from the judges. The victory comes after Nichols and...

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce the three athlete-and-horse combinations that have been selected to the U.S. Dressage Young Rider European Tour this spring. The athletes will be led by USEF Youth Coach George Williams. The following athlete-and-horse combinations have been selected for the U.S. Dressage Young Rider European Tour for 2022, listed in alphabetical order: Erin Nichols (Yorba Linda, Calif.) and Handsome Rob AR, a 2012 Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by...

Calgary, AB, Canada – The NetJets ® U.S. Jumping Team finished in eighth place at the FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ CSIO5* Calgary during the 2019 Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament on September 7 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland, the team consisted of Sloane Coles, Charlie Jacobs, Beezie Madden, and McLain Ward. “It’s sport,” said Ridland of the team’s disappointing finish. “We didn’t get the best...

Lexington, Ky. – The World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen began on Friday, July 12, with U.S. Vaulters Kristian Roberts, Emily Rose, and Geoffrey Woolson competing in individual competition. Roberts and Rose came away with top 10 placings, earning overall scores of 7.310 and 7.515, respectively. Roberts (Moss Beach, Calif.), who competed with Laser 19, Rufv Schwagstorf’s 16-year-old Hanoverian gelding, and longeur Tanja Eversp, placed eight in the Compulsory Test with a score of 7....

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian has named the following combinations to the U.S. Young Rider Jumping Team for the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Hagen CSIOY from June 12-16 at Future Champions in Hagen, Germany. Anne Kursinski will serve as chef d’equipe for the U.S. team. In addition, this event will serve as the official test event of equestrian formats for jumping and dressage for the 2020 Olympic Games. Samantha Cohen (New York, N.Y.) and Billy Fanta, her 11-year-old Anglo-European mare...

Pacific Coast Vaulting Squad (Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photo) Mill Spring, N.C. – The first day of vaulting competition at the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) Tryon 2018 saw the squad, individual male, and individual female vaulters contest the Compulsory Tests. The U.S. Vaulting Pacific Coast Vaulting Squad from Woodside Calif., with Diva 506, Pacific Coast Vaulting Club’s 15-year-old Oldenburg mare, and longeur Carolyn Bland, turned in a competitive performance to end the day in...

Mill Spring, N.C. - Dr. Ken Marcella is a member of the USEF Endurance Veterinary Advisory Group, a Fédération Équestre Internationale 4*-rated official endurance veterinarian, and owner of KLM Equine in Canton, Ga. What is a control exam and why is it important? Endurance is unique in that, during an event, there are numerous times horses will be examined and checked to ensure that they are sound, metabolically stable, and tolerating the demands of the competition on that...

North Salem, N.Y. – The Quebec/Alberta dressage team swept into the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) North American Young Rider Dressage Team Championship gold medal at the Adequan®/FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC) presented by Gotham North at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, N.Y. The three-rider team claimed gold with a combined score of 210.145 ahead of the Region 4/7 combined team (202.646) and the Region 1 team (202.087) on the opening day of NAYC on Wednesday,...