Sydney Moriarty is a lifelong hunter/jumper rider and a second-year medical student at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. In 2021, she graduated with a B.S. in Clinical Neuroscience from Virginia Tech, where she worked at the Helmet Lab assisting on the Equestrian STAR helmet rating project . Moriarty gave a presentation on the history, future, and current research around equestrian helmets, body protectors, and air vests. Here are five key takeaways from her presentation: 1....

Sarah Hamilton from strategic communications consulting firm Kivvit gave a presentation on social media to kick off Friday’s Workshop Sessions. She reviewed the basics, different platforms, strengths and weaknesses of social media, and best practices. Hamilton concluded by fielding questions from the audience for a thoroughly informative session. Social media is a communication tool “Social media is just one tool in a larger communications and marketing external relations plan that...

An edit was made in the original release. Under “GR108 – Defining Coach Status,” there is a list of “Important Information for Rule Impementation.” The second bullet now reads “A coach signing the entry blank must be a USEF Senior Active Member." Lexington, Ky. - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) held a Board of Directors meeting Monday, Nov. 13. During the meeting, the Directors heard updates from around the sport and made several important...

Alex Waldrop, the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), shared U.S. horse racing’s history and recapped some of the challenges that horse racing has faced in the past 15 years. The challenges affected horse racing’s social license to operate and required earnest changes to improve horse welfare. “An old adage comes to mind: ‘If you can’t be a good example, you’ll just have to be a horrible warning.’...

USEF Chief of Sport David O’Connor, University of Kentucky Equine Science professor and member of the FEI Equine Ethics and Welfare Commission, Dr. Camie Heleski, and Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare, Roly Owers, spoke to the USEF Annual Meeting about equestrian sport and the social license to operate. Here are five takeaways from their presentation. 1. Social license to operate is an unofficial but essential piece of the puzzle. Owers describes social license to operate as...

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce the equitation athletes who have been selected to compete in the U.S. Team Selection Trials for the 2024 International Saddle Seat World Cup. The Team Selection Trial will take place in Fulton, Mo., Dec. 1-2, 2023. ©Leslie Potter/US Equestrian The following athletes have been selected to compete in the International Saddle Seat World Cup U.S. Team Selection Trials and are listed in alphabetical order: Three-gaited: Ava Bertagnolli...

Lexington, Ky. – The USEF Selection Procedures for athletes interested in competing at the 2024 FEI Endurance World Championship in Monpazier, France, have been updated and are available on the endurance page of USEF.org . The FEI Endurance World Championship will take place in Monpazier, France, on September 7, 2024. View the updated Selection Procedures here . The notable changes include: Extension of the Application of Intent and Selection Event deadlines Increase the minimum and...

Gladstone, N.J. – The 2023 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – East kicked off on Friday with the first phase of the competition, bringing 46 youth athletes to the USET Foundation Headquarters to test their talents on the flat. Joe Craver and Franco. ©KTB Creative Group Athletes entered the ring in groups of five and were asked to perform various movements on the flat in front of judges Anne Kursinski and Ronnie Beard, including leg yields,...

Lexington, Ky . – The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team will contest the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Netherlands CCIO4*-NC-L hosted in Enschede, Netherlands at the Military Boekelo-Enschede from October 5-8. The team consists of a combination of seasoned and up-and-coming athletes with James Alliston, Jennie Brannigan, Phillip Dutton, and Cassie Sanger, who is competing in her first CCI4*-L. This is the final competition of the 2023 FEI Eventing Nations Cup season, and the U.S. will aim for...

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to congratulate the five recipients of the 2023 USEF Higher Education Equestrian Scholarships. These scholarships are awarded annually to graduating high school seniors who are committed to continuing their involvement with horses and equestrian sports through their higher education careers. Each recipient receives a $1,000 grant to be used toward education expenses at their college or university. Meet the 2023 USEF Higher Education Scholarship...