Following consultation with National Federations, riders and event organizers, the FEI Bureau decided that Great Britain and Belgium will both be relegated from the Meydan FEI Nations Cup™. The two teams finished the 2009 season in eighth place on equal points ahead of the Italians, who are also relegated. The two highest-placed teams in the Meydan FEI Nations Cup™ Promotional League Final, which will be held in Barcelona, Spain, on September 20, will be promoted to the FEI Nations Cup™ Top...

The 2009/2010 The Chronicle of the Horse /United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Hunter Derby series is off to a great start with top-level classes being held throughout the country. Many venues are experiencing an increase in exhibitors and spectators alike thanks to the efforts of show managers, course designers, the support of sponsors and the dedication of the High Performance Hunter Committee. In its second year of competition, the International Derby Series is...

Lexington, KY – A seasoned veteran of the USEF Driving Four-in-Hand Team battled the elements to win the 2009 Laurels at Landhope Advanced Horse Teams division in a deluge on Friday. Rain plagued the annual event in West Grove, PA and many of the competitors chose to withdraw from the marathon phase (including reigning Silver medalist from the 2008 World Driving Championships, Chester Weber) but Jim Fairclough (Newtown, NJ) made the best of a very wet weekend. Fairclough’s fortitude prevailed...

The success continued more than 1000 miles away in Belgium where, as the lone American, she swept the CSI-YJPCH-A Nieuwpoort, August 21-23. Kessler won two classes each day. On Friday she was the fastest of three clear rounds in the Speed Class. With Ice d’Ancoeur she zoomed to victory, almost six seconds faster than Julian Kok from Holland. She then had another convincing win in the 1.30m class with Ligist, where she was again lightning fast and was only one of two clears in the four horse...

The Buffalo International Horse Show (BIHS) began its first day of competition on September 9 for the 63rd annual show. The BIHS is held at the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center (BTRC) and runs from September 9-13 in downtown Buffalo, NY. The horse show will host a number of special classes in their large indoor arena, including hunter classics. The BIHS is pleased to welcome trainers Sandy Lobel and Amanda Steege and amateur rider Penelope Ayres, who have traveled the farthest to come to the...

On September 18, 2009, the Kentucky National Indoor Horse Show will make history with the $50,000 CSI-W Lexington Grand Prix. This World Cup Qualifier will be the very first grand prix held in the new indoor arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. The arena was constructed for the upcoming 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, as well as many future equestrian competitions at the park. The $50,000 CSI-W Lexington Grand Prix will kick off at 7:30 p.m., and general admission tickets are free to the...

This past weekend, Canterbury Farm in Hampshire, IL, hosted a clinic for the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Emerging Athletes Program. Held on Saturday, September 5, and Sunday, September 6, the clinic was conducted by renowned equestrians Melanie Smith Taylor and Ray Texel. Diane Carney of Hampshire, IL, was the on-site coordinator for the event, which was a Level II Training Session. The clinic was part of the Emerging Athletes Program, an educational program that focuses on...

From the United States Equestrian Federation and Equestrian Events, Inc. Lexington, KY – The organizers of the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event have been able to avoid a clash of dates in the future. Badminton announced earlier this year that it would be running over the weekend of the May Day bank holiday from 2010, with cross-country day on the Sunday and show jumping on the holiday Monday. Unfortunately, this very occasionally clashes with the...

Lexington, KY – Outstanding lived up to every letter in her name and demonstrated the presence and conformation for handler John Ducharme to be named best 2-year-old filly and Overall Champion at the 2009 Sallie B. Wheeler/USEF National Hunter Breeding Championship West Coast Phase. The West Coast class was held at Showpark All Seasons Summer Tournament in Del Mar, CA on August 29 and judged by Carleton Brooks and Richard Taylor. The bay filly (Popeye K x Delilah) beat a tough field of young...

The Hunter Development Incentive Fund (HDIF) was created by the United States Hunter Jumper Association's (USHJA) Breeders Committee to recognize and reward breeders and owners of American-bred hunters. The program is currently open for nominations and is offering special limited-time discounts for stallion and horse owners. The HDIF will work from a points-based system to award financial bonuses to those who breed and show American-born hunters. Each point earned at a USHJA-approved event by a...