Lexington, KY— Voting is now open for the United States Equestrian Federation’s (USEF) most prestigious awards, the 2008 Farnam®/Platform™ USEF Horse of the Year award and the 2008 USEF Equestrian of the Year award. Any USEF member can vote for the Farnam®/Platform™ USEF Horse of the Year or USEF Equestrian of the Year. Your vote will help decide which of the nation’s leading equines and equestrians will be awarded top honors.

There are five Horses of Honor nominated for the 2008 Farnmam®/Platform™ Horse of the Year award. This year’s winner will join dressage superstar Brentina (2005 winner) jumping champion Authentic (2006 winner) and the late eventing great Theodore O’Connor (2007 winner). This year’s nominees include Adams Fire (Half Arabian), Dante FQ (Friesian), Flexible (Jumper), Jamaica (Driving) and Tiziano (Hunter). The finalists for Farnam®/Platform™ USEF Horse of the Year award will be recognized during the Horse of the Year gala Friday, January 16 as part of the USEF Annual Meeting. To vote for the USEF Horse of the Year, go to http://www.usef.org/contentPage2.aspx?id=hotyaward.

Out of the seven Equestrians of Honor nominees, only one will be selected as the 2008 USEF Equestrian of the Year. This year’s nominees include Steffen Peters (Dressage), Chester Weber (Driving), Harry Sebring (Morgans), Scott Stewart (Hunter), Jim Stachowski (Arabian), Brett Becker (Arabian) and Joan Lurie (American Saddlebred, Morgan). All of the Equestrians of Honor will be recognized during the Pegasus awards dinner Saturday, January 17 at the USEF Annual Meeting. To vote for the USEF Equestrian of the Year, go to http://www.usef.org/contentPage2.aspx?id=eoty.

Voting will close January 9, 2009 at 5 p.m. EST.

For additional information on the USEF Annual Meeting, please go to http://www.usef.org/convention/2009/sponsors.aspx or contact Ilse Dehner, USEF’s Manager of Travel and Events, at (859) 225-6961 or via email [email protected].


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