Wellington, FL —With seven World Cup slots hanging just out of reach, and the possibility of two wild cards factoring in, East Coast League riders hold a collective breath as the latest round of qualifying points is tallied. After eight rounds of competition, the rivalry stays ever close, with McLain Ward emerging the new leader as the group takes a short recess for the Winter months. Closely following Ward’s 92 points are Kimberly Frey with 81, Laura Kraut with 72, and Lauren Hough...

Lexington, KY —Adding their names to a long list of respected breeders from across the country, Diana Dodge of Montpelier Station, VA, and Herb Kohler of LaGrange, KY, have been named the winners of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) 2004 Ellen Scripps Davis Memorial Breeders’ Award. Given in memory of American Saddlebred owner and breeder Ellen Scripps Davis, the Award recognizes an individual who consistently breeds outstanding show horses. The award also honors the...

Simi Valley, CA —Making a name for herself among the top riders at the 2004 FEI Children’s International Jumping Final, Jennifer Stillman of Beverly Hills, CA, rode Masterpiece’s Montero (Bay Hanoverian gelding) to a second place finish at the Final competition November 28, giving champion Daniel Bluman of Columbia a real run for the title. "At first, my goal was just to go clean and when it came down to the final, I knew I had to go out there and I had to do good," says the...

Los Angeles, CA —As the 2004 season comes to a close, West Coast League riders step out of their saddles for a moment to reflect on five rounds of World Cup qualifiers that have determined their standings at the halfway mark. Separated by only a few points, Richard Spooner, Joie Gatlin and Gabriella Salick maintain an incredibly close race for the three World Cup slots afforded to the League. A tenth place finish atop Hilton Flight (Bay Irish Sport Horse gelding; Errigal...

The 121st National Horse Show & Family Festival opened today with the first rounds of the Open Division of the $150,000 National Horse Show Hunter Championship in the Internationale Arena. The next two rounds of Phase One will be contested December 1-2 to determine the top 12 that will move on to Phase Two, the final two rounds on December 4 that ultimately determine the National Horse Show Hunter Champion. A highlight of today’s hunter competition--Shachine Belle aboard In Disguise won the...

Kansas City, MO —Kelsey Nicole Smith, 17, of Delafield, Wisconsin, was crowned champion of the 2004 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Saddle Seat Medal Finals, held November 20, as part of the UPHA/American Royal National Championship Horse Show in Kansas City, Missouri. Riding Chimere (Chestnut American Saddlebred mare, Periaptor—RHR Fury’s Wild Flame), Smith topped the class of 31 entries in the two-phase competition that required both rail work and patterns in both...

The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation officially announced that it has retained GráficaGroup as its Public Relations Agency of Record. The USET Foundation, based in Gladstone, New Jersey, supports American equestrian athletes competing in national and international competitions, including the World Equestrian Games, the Pan American Games, and the Olympics. Gráfica ( www.grafica.com ) is a nationally ranked, full-service, fully integrated advertising and public relations agency...

Todd Minikus of the United States flew to victory riding Flier in the $60,000 CN World Cup Grand Prix held Wednesday, November 10, at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON, Canada. From the original starting field of 23 riders, only five advanced to the jump-off over the course set by Olympic master Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela. Minikus of Wellington, FL, was one of only two riders to post double-clear rounds in the jump-off, stopping the timers a full two seconds ahead of second-placed...

Margie Engle Takes Home the Syracuse Cup In the end, it was just one rail that kept Beezie Madden from her first Syracuse Cup win at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament in Syracuse, NY, November 3-7. In the Syracuse Cup’s unique three-phase competition, it was Margie Engle of Wellington, FL, riding Nobility and Animagus that claimed the title for 2004. Engle went faultless through all three phases. Second was Laura Kraut and Madden was third. Seven riders in all qualified to compete....

Lexington, KY – The USEF Search Committee for the new Show Jumping Chef d’Equipe has developed a job description for the position after soliciting important input from owners and riders at two forums, one in Del Mar, California on October 1st, and the other in Syracuse, New York held on November 7th. Eric Straus, Chairman of the Search Committee, emphasized that this position will be different than ever before because it is, “a generational change, a functional change. We are...