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Equestrian Weekly

The all new Equestrian Weekly newsletter showcases the best of US Equestrian, including new Learning Center videos, the USEF Network schedule, and original articles. Equestrian Weekly keeps members informed about affiliate news, international competitions, information on rule changes, membership updates, special member offers, and more.

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How It Works: International and National Horse of the Year and Equestrian of the Year Awards

by Leslie Potter | Dec 20, 2021, 5:00 PM EST

The SmartPak/USEF National and International Horse of the Year Awards and USEF Equestrian of the Year Awards are among the highest honors for achievement in equestrian sports. Many members are familiar with these awards through the voting process; all USEF members are able to participate in online voting to select the ultimate winners of these titles. But there is a multi-step process that takes place before the finalists make it to the ballot. Its purpose is to provide an opportunity for...

Need Health Coverage? USEF Membership Can Help!

by | Nov 16, 2021, 2:37 PM EST

"The rates are better than anything that I have found so far," Paralympian Bea de Lavalette said of the health coverage. Photo: Leslie Potter/US Equestrian Did you know your USEF membership can help you get health coverage , even if you have a pre-existing condition? That’s just one of the many great benefits USEF membership offers. USEF paid-fan members (to be known "USEF Subscribers" as of Dec. 1, 2021) and competing members can take advantage of guaranteed-issue health benefits at...

Laura Graves on the Benefits of Remote Coaching

by US Equestrian | Nov 2, 2021, 10:38 AM EST

Thanks to technology like Move ’N See ’s robot cameramen, equestrians can now take lessons and clinics remotely—which Laura Graves on Verdades at the 2019 FEI Dressage World Cup Final. Photo: US Equestrian translates into more convenience, more lessons, and even coaching with more distant trainers that previously might not have been as easily accessible. There can be advantages for coaches, too, who can reach more students and cut down on travel time. We asked Laura Graves,...

Costume or Cultural Appropriation? A Costuming Guide to Create Joy, not Offense

by US Equestrian and The Inclusion Playbook | Oct 19, 2021, 2:04 PM EST

It is finally “Spooky Season” and Halloween is right around the corner! Costumes for horses and their humans can be fun, cute, or clever. The creativity, enthusiasm, and sometimes downright brilliant horsemanship that equestrians put into creating their costumes is a joy to see every year. However, costumes can sometimes make people feel uncomfortable, unsafe, and unwelcome. Costume decisions can be harmful or offensive to others if they appropriate or mock a culture or faith,...

"It's a Lot More than the Moment a Ribbon Is Won"

by | Oct 8, 2021, 2:17 PM EST

US Equestrian and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association have announced a joint contest between the two organizations, centered around US Equestrian’s “I Am US Equestrian” campaign, which challenges the perceptions of who equestrians are and what it means to be an equestrian. Meet two of the entrants below: Erik Lee and Monica South. The contest will give away a John Deere TS Gator™ to one lucky winner. The contest closes Oct. 15, 2021, and the winner will be...

“Real Equestrians Do It All”

by | Oct 5, 2021, 4:22 PM EST

Deborah Cox US Equestrian and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association have announced a joint contest between the two organizations, centered around US Equestrian’s “I Am US Equestrian” campaign, which challenges the perceptions of who equestrians are and what it means to be an equestrian. Meet two of the entrants below: Deborah Cox and Lori Elrod. The contest will give away a John Deere TS Gator™ to one lucky winner. The contest closes Oct. 15, 2021, and the winner...

Coming Up on USEF Network: Inaugural Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill

by US Equestrian | Sep 27, 2021, 6:12 PM EST

The countdown is on for eventing’s newest CCI5* event: the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill , one of only two CCI5*-L events in the United States and only the seventh worldwide. The event’s prestigious CCI5* designation is the pinnacle of the Olympic sport of eventing. The weekend also features a CCI3*-L competition that will crown the USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Champion, as well as The Dutta Corp. United States Eventing Association Young Event Horse East Coast Championships...

Vaulting on the World Stage

by Leslie Potter/US Equestrian Communications Department | Sep 21, 2021, 12:00 PM EST

Athletes from the U.S. Vaulting Team had a historic outing at the FEI Vaulting World Championship for Seniors last month in Budapest, Hungary, bringing home bronze medals in the Pas-de-Deux and Squad divisions. This marks the first time that American vaulters have won a medal at a senior World Championship since Megan Benjamin and Blake Dahlgren won bronze in 2012. Haley Smith (Woodside, Calif.) and Daniel Janes (Moss Beach, Calif.) were the medal-winning pair in the Pas-de-Deux. They were also...

Five Questions for Marshall & Sterling Insurance’s Don Graves

by US Equestrian Communications | Sep 7, 2021, 1:00 PM EST

Marshall & Sterling has been in the insurance business since 1864 and has been protecting horses, ponies, and their owners for more than 30 years through its Equisport division, led by Don Graves, a lifelong equestrian himself. Graves has shown extensively in Florida, Michigan, and Kentucky during his riding career. Graves joined Marshall & Sterling after selling his own Equisport agency to the firm in 2013 and is now Marshall & Sterling’s Senior Vice-President in addition to...

Making the Musical Freestyle: How Dressage Riders Create the Soundtrack for Their Freestyle Tests

by Leslie Potter | Aug 30, 2021, 11:00 AM EST

For fans of dressage , the musical freestyle is a highlight of any competition. Even spectators unfamiliar with the intricacies of the sport can appreciate a good freestyle to music, as evidenced by the mainstream reach of U.S. dressage athlete Steffen Peters’ ride with Suppenkasper (barn name Mopsie) at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics . When executed well, the music behind a freestyle highlights the horse’s rhythm and movement while enhancing the dance-like quality of a dressage test....