The Executive Board of the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) has voted to withdraw the proposed Strategic Plan. This plan called for the creation of a U.S. affiliate with a new governance structure and a realignment of the governance for the NRHA as a worldwide association. The Executive Board has determined that to serve the membership needs better, a new plan will be constructed in the near future. Bylaws changes have been submitted to the membership for a vote in June. If the legal...

Just how smart is a horse, anyway? While much research has been done on horses, hardly any has been on "horse smarts," or equine intelligence. Fascinating discoveries will be made with the airing of a program on RFD-TV, on Jan. 16, 17 and 21, 2007. The program, "The Horse Show" with Rick Lamb, is broadcast on Dish Network, Direct TV, Mediacom and National Cable. Tune in to see horses identify colors, pick out letters, numbers—even play cards! Inspired by the book Beautiful Jim Key (2005,...

On October 31, 2006, the Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) met officially for the first time under the auspices of the American Horse Council at the United States Equestrian Federation headquarters in Lexington, KY. The meeting was attended by representatives from the American Association of Equine Practitioners, American Paint Horse Association, American Quarter Horse Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, The Jockey Club, National Horse Benevolent and Protective Association,...

The AMHA stallion, Noble Flaire, recently went on to greenier pastures. He was laid to rest the night before the East Coast Park Saddle Championship at the 2006 New England Regional, where he was recognized by many. Noble Flaire was born in 1984. In 1986, he debuted in the two-year-old park harness. His emergence on the track caused people to run in order to watch him perform. After his first victory pass, he trotted out of the ring, down the track and around the turn with people running behind...

Bob Langrish (Vaulter Megan Benjamin won an Individual Gold medal.) (Aachen, Germany) – It all came down to one minute. It was years in the making, but it came down to one minute in Aachen, Germany, and when that one minute was over, 18-year-old Megan Benjamin of Saratoga, CA, was the first female American vaulter ever to take a world championship. For the past 20 years, a German woman has always held the title of World Champion, and Germany has also won 23 of the last 30 world championships....

Matt Mills and Easy Otie Whiz (Waltenberry) Lexington, KY – It was a night of upsets at the Kentucky Horse Park during the 2006 Adequan®/United States Equestrian Federation® Open Reining Championship, which was also the selection trial for the U.S Reining Team for this summer’s World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. Twenty-seven of the finest reiners our nation has to offer competed in what many believed was one of the most competitive reining competitions ever held. The...

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Sir Philip Craven and International Equestrian Federation (FEI) President HRH The Infanta Doña Pilar de Borbón have signed an agreement for the transfer of governance of equestrian for persons with a physical disability from the IPC to the FEI. The transfer ceremony took place at the FEI General Assembly in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on May 2 and will come into full effect on July 1 with the IPC Governing Board accepting the provisional membership...

Angela Moore and Land Baron 4 won Palm Beach Toyota’s $25,000 Grand Prix at Littlewood on April 9, 2006. Moore was the last to go in the jump-off, and she and Land Baron 4 were the fastest at 37.675 seconds with a double clear. Frankie Chesler-Ortiz and Ranville came in second with a time of 43.288 seconds and no faults. Bert Mutch and All Star were fast in the jump-off with 38.326 seconds, but downed a rail and ended in third. Pablo Gamboa with Findus had one rail and finished fourth. The...

Lexington, KY - Mike McEntire won the 18th Annual Gordyville Breeders Cup aboard Robert LaPorta’s stallion Mr. Boomerjac. The championship, held in Gifford, IL on March 18, was the second of three qualifiers for the Adequan/USEF Open Reining Championships. With a score of 227.5, McEntire took the Gold medal over a field of 15 entries. Steve Schwartzenberger aboard Linda Wise’s stallion, Country Bay Berry, took the Silver. Shawn Flarida and Keith Crawford’s stallion, Rowdy Yankee, received the...

The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) has recently developed a new certification program -- the Equine Facilities Manager (EFM) program. This program is done as a 2.5 day clinic to certify four levels of stable employees: - Stable Worker- Qualified to work in a barn under the supervision of a manager - Stable Manager- Qualified to manage a small private stable of up to 10 head and 1-2 employees - Herd Manager- Qualified to manage a public equine facility of up to 35 head and 3-4...