William Shatner and CH Call Me Ringo. (Photo by Shannon Brinkman for USEF. ) Lexington, KY - From the Opening Ceremonies to the daily breed demonstrations, the American Saddlebred has been represented by some of the best and the brightest of the breed, both human and equine alike. In what proved to be a wonderfully produced and perfectly orchestrated demonstration of the breed's best attributes, the American Saddlebred put on an impressive display during the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) convention will honor Saddlebred Stars of Saddle Seat Equitation in a unique setting on Friday evening, February 19. The Lexington Country Club on historic Paris Pike will be the site of the Cocktail Buffet beginning at 6 p.m. Friday. The new event was made possible this year when ongoing construction of the newly expanded Saddlebred Showcase at the American Saddlebred Museum in the Kentucky Horse Park prevented the usual Museum reception that...

Excellence in equestrian sport does not come easy. It takes an amazing sense of dedication, incredible skill and a courageous heart. And in 2009, five horses (and their riders, drivers and handlers) have shown the world exactly those qualities. For each of them, their hard work and brilliant talent has garnered them a nomination for the United States Equestrian Federation's highest honor bestowed upon a horse - the Farnam/Platform USEF Horse of the Year Award. The five nominees represent the...

The 2009 World's Championship Horse Show (WCHS), held annually in conjunction with the Kentucky State Fair, was held at Louisville's Freedom Hall from Sunday, August 23, through Saturday, August 29. There was plenty of excitement at WCHS this year, as new World's Grand Champions were crowned in the Five-Gaited and Fine Harness World's Grand Championships, while the 2008 Three-Gaited World's Grand Champion repeated as such in 2009. Among a formidable field of competitors, as in each class,...

Wilbur "Sug" Utz, American Saddlebred trainer and owner of Blue Ridge Stables in Raytown, MO, died Wednesday, November 5, 2008. He was 90 years old. Sug, son of Emil and Sudie Utz, was born and raised on a farm outside Maysville in northwest Missouri. Coming from a horse training family, Sug learned his craft at his father’s side, along with his three brothers. Two of his brothers, Don and Jay, similar to Sug, went on to become world’s champion caliber Saddlebred men. They were all exciting...

This year’s prestigious Lexington Junior League Horse Show opened Monday evening, July 7, with a star-studded cast of the best American Saddlebreds in the world, among nearly a thousand horses and ponies entered for competition at The Red Mile. Two of the three reigning Saddlebred World’s Grand Champions, Grande Gil and CH Along Came A Spider, will meet all comers in the first jewel of the breed’s Triple Crown of competitions. Other shows in the Triple Crown are the Kentucky State Fair World’s...

With Grande Gil’s win at the American Royal in November, the five-year-old gelding has claimed the first American Saddlebred Triple Crown since 2004, sweeping the three-gaited open championships at Lexington Junior League, Kentucky State Fair and American Royal—the three shows which comprise the Saddlebred Triple Crown. The last Saddlebred to accomplish the feat in three-gaited was CH An Heir About Her in 2004. That same year, CH Boucheron took top honors at each of the Saddlebred Triple...

Lexington, Ky. – Top combinations from around the world competed in the 2022 FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championship for Young Horses at Le Lion d’Angers, France, from October 20-23. The championship is a collaboration between the FEI and the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses that showcases six- and seven-year-old eventing horses at the CCI2*-L and CCI3*-L level, respectively. A total of six U.S. combinations proved their mettle in the strong field of competitors...

Fair Hill, Md. - Fair Hill International celebrates 31 years of eventing this weekend with the start of The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International Three-Day Event (FHI). Held at the picturesque Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area in Fair Hill, Md., the historic fall event draws top riders from across the country to contest The Dutta Corp./USEF CCI3*-L and CCI4*-L Eventing National Championships. In addition, the USEF Young Rider Eventing National Championship and USEF Young Horse Eventing...

Lexington, Ky. – It was a week to remember as champions were crowned in the Platinum Performance / United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Green Hunter Incentive Championships and International Hunter Derby. Noah and Sara Taylor Shine in the 3'6"/3'9" Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championship Sara Taylor and Noah Wowing the judges with their precision and handiness, Sara Taylor (Marshall, Va.) and Noah, Ingrid Avera’s nine-year-old Warmblood...