Lexington, Ky. - USA Equestrian Trust has awarded nearly $300,000 in grants to help fund more than a dozen projects by equine non-profits. Since the inception of the Trust’s grants program, the organization has awarded more than $1.8 million in grants. The projects funded as part of the grant application period ending in May were: AMERICAN MORGAN HORSE EDUCATIONAL CHARITABLE TRUST ($44,500) to develop an online home school module that teaches courses through horsemanship and to purchase...

Chester Weber and his team during the cones phase. (Photo courtesy of PicsofYou.com) Ocala, FL - From a record 11th national title for four-in-hand’s Chester Weber to two-time NFL Superbowl linebacker Max Montoya scoring a win in the Intermediate Pair Horse division, this year’s Live Oak International Combined Driving had it all. Ocala, Florida, known as the ‘Horse Capital of the World’ saw hometown hero, Chester Weber drive Jane Clark’s KWPN geldings to an...

Abigael Kaufman and Ivanhoe (©Shawn McMillen Photography) Washington, D.C . - The 55th annual Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) hosted its opening day at Verizon Center in downtown Washington, D.C. on Tuesday with a full day of hunter competition. The professional and amateur-owner riders showed throughout the day in the first classes of their divisions and will conclude their competition for championship honors on Wednesday. The children's and adult hunter riders competed for...

Conor Swail and GAME READY (photo © AlCookPhoto.com) Harrisburg, Pa. - It was a thrilling finale on the last night of the Pennsylvania National Horse Show as many of the world's top riders competed in the $85,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix De Penn National. You could hear the crowd collectively hold its breath as each horse sped around the course, but it was Irish rider Conor Swail and GAME READY who pulled out all the stops to clinch the win. Twenty four competitors attempted course designer...

VALENTINE and Jaime Auletto receive their award (AlCookPhoto.com) Harrisburg, PA - Jaime Auletto, from Tabernackle, NJ, and her own bay mare VALENTINE were crowned Amateur Owner Hunter 3'3" Grand Hunter Champion this morning at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Auletto really didn't think they would win, but decided to 'just keep her braided'. "I'm very surprised!" said Auletto. "That division is SO tough - Jane [Gaston] and Daryl [Portela] are both amazing". Auletto...

Grand Green Working Hunter Champion BACARDI and Havens Schatt (AlCookPhoto.com) Harrisburg, PA - The stunning 7 year old grey gelding BACARDI, owned by Caroline Moran and ridden by Havens Schatt, won the prestigious Grand Green Working Hunter Championship tuesday at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. "He's the horse of a lifetime", said a teary-eyed Schatt when she came out of the ring. "He's done everything I've ever asked him to do. I'm just so proud of him", she beamed....

Sinead Halpin and Manoir De Carneville (Jenni Autry) Unionville, PA - The sixth annual Plantation Field International Horse Trials weekend concluded Sunday with an exciting finish in the CIC3*, as Sinead Halpin and Manoir De Carneville smoked the course to finish double clear and 13 seconds inside the time. Halpin led wire to wire all weekend, and she won the event on a very impressive dressage score of just 37.8. While Halpin said Saturday she didn't intend to go for time Sunday and...

Kate Mullen & "Elnieta" win the HorseShow.com/CDS Dressage Seat Equitation Challenge on the first day of the CDS Championship Show (Jennifer M. Keeler) Rancho Murieta, CA - California is well-known as home to some of the best dressage horses and riders in the country, and many of those were on display as the first championship titles of the weekend were awarded today at the California Dressage Society (CDS) Annual Championship Show at the Murieta Equestrian Center in Rancho Murieta, CA,...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has revamped the selection criteria for the 2014 FEI World Breeding Championships for Dressage Young Horses. Seven Markel/USEF Selection Events will be held at CDI competitions throughout the United States. Combinations wishing to compete at the FEI World Breeding Championships for Dressage Young Horses need to compete in at least one Markel/USEF Selection Event and one Markel/USEF Qualifying Competition. Markel/USEF Selection...

Devin Ryan rode Dillandra to the $20,000 SHF Enterprises 5-Year-Old Young Jumper Championship at the Hampton Classic. (Shawn McMillen) Bridgehampton, NY - Devin Ryan rode Dillandra to the $20,000 SHF Enterprises 5-Year-Old Young Jumper Championship, and McLain Ward rode Adele to the $30,000 Split Rock Farm 6-Year-Old Young Jumper Championship on Saturday at the 38th Annual Hampton Classic. The young jumpers had completed two rounds on Wednesday and Thursday in Jumper Ring 2, and the top 15 from...