The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) of Aurora, CO, is proud to name its top point-earning amateurs for 2008. Natacha Lesburgueres of Louisville, KY, earned 532 points, becoming the adult amateur winner, while Collier McLeod of Augusta, GA, earned 522.5 points for the youth amateur top spot. The AHA Amateur Achievement Award program began in 2002 and has since tracked the points that individual riders, handlers and drivers earn each year. In 2008 the program was adjusted to recognize adults and...

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation’s (USEF) Show Jumping Developing Rider Program is getting into full swing with several initiatives underway for the 2009 season. The Developing Rider Tour will return to Europe this summer and applications for the Tour are now being accepted. Applications can be found on the USEF website: https://www.usef.org/Contentpage2.aspx?id=hpjumping. Applications are due March 20, 2009 and the horse/rider combinations for the tour will selected off...

Endurance riders from across the U.S. and Canada made their way to Louisville, KY, for the American Endurance Ride Conference’s 2008 convention, held February 20-21 at the Galt House Hotel. The convention, which included educational seminars, “hot topics” workshops, trade show, meetings for international competitors, a class for veterinarians, and a dance, concluded with a heartfelt and tearful national awards banquet. Suzy Kelley, a longtime endurance rider from Southern California, was taken...

The Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W/Y outdoes itself every year, and this year’s 26th annual event February 26–March 1 is no exception. From the world-class competition in the CDI, to the fun social activities like the Taste of the Derby and the Competitor’s Party hosted by Purina Mills, the Derby is the one event on every dressage aficionado’s calendar. In excess of $20,000 in purses and awards will be distributed during the show. Riders will also get their first scores for the Challenge...

Lendon Gray, President and CEO of The Dressage Foundation, announced that Jan Brons of Wellington, FL, has won the 2009 “Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize.” The purpose of the prize, established at The Dressage Foundation, is to provide financial assistance for coaching and training to a talented, committed, qualified rider whose plan is to reach and excel at the elite, international standards of high-performance dressage. “A strong field of applicants applied for this important new prize,...

American Hunter Pony Classic Sale graduates captured both of the USEF Horse of the Year Grand Champion Pony Hunter titles in 2008. Small pony hunters won both titles. The American Hunter Pony Classic held each year in conjunction with the USEF National Pony Hunter Finals. Horse of the Year Grand Champion Pony Hunter honors went to 13-year-old Fancy Feet in one of most dominating HOTY performances in years. Fancy Feet was the nation’s leading small pony hunter earning 11,410 points, beating the...

The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) is proud to announce FF Irish Vodka+++//, owned by Collier McLeod of Augusta, GA, as its 2008 High-Point Horse. FF Irish Vodka, a 10-year-old, Anglo-Arabian ended the year with 487.5 points earned in working hunter, hunter hack, sport horse under saddle, dressage and in-hand classes. McLeod, who also picked up the Youth Amateur Achievement Award for the year, rode “Guinness” to three national championships at Canadian Nationals and several Top 10s at both...

Kentucky Horse Shows, LLC, one of the leading horse show management companies in the nation, is pleased to announce the 2009 Kentucky Spring Horse Show dates. The Kentucky Spring Horse Shows are hunter/jumper competitions held for two weeks at the beautiful Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The first week of competition, the Kentucky Spring Horse Show, will be held from May 6-10, and the Kentucky Spring Classic will follow the week of May 13-17, 2009. This stellar horse show series attracts top...

Nearly 500 American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) members, youth, and guests poured into the ballroom at the Marriott Griffin Gate Resort in Lexington, KY, on Saturday night (February 14) to enjoy the Fifth Annual Saddlebred Ball, topped by a series of emotional acceptances delivered by individual award winners. Standing ovations greeted several, including Earl Teater, Jr., and Ed Teater (representing Earl Teater and Sons, who were inducted into the Breeders Hall of Fame in a surprise...

The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) is proud to name purebred Arabian gelding Chase TheWind AH (El Paso x Wind Sonja), owned by Suzanne Ford Huff of Gardnerville, NV, as its 2008 Distance Horse of the Year. Chase received this prestigious acclaim for his outstanding accomplishments in endurance; he completed nine of nine starts during 2008 and received Best Condition twice. As the winner of the Distance Horse of the Year Award, Chase TheWind AH's name will be engraved on a perpetual trophy...