Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation is pleased to bring the trusted name of Farnam and its new line of Platform™ horse feeds and supplements on board in an exclusive four-year partnership that will propel the ever-popular Horse of the Year awards program to a new level of excellence. Under the new partnership, the program will now be called Farnam®/ Platform™ • USEF Horse of the Year, and will expand on a number of levels, including the creation of a top honor for the year's most exceptional horse—a true Horse of the Year, in the same spirit as the USEF’s prestigious Equestrian of the Year.

“Horse of the Year touches our members in a very vital way, and at all levels of equestrian. It taps into who they are and what they’re doing to further the mission of this sport,” says USEF President David O’Connor. “We already have the makings of a phenomenal program—the incredible demand has simply outgrown the initial 60-year structure. Now it’s time to build on the strength of that base and mold the Horse of the Year awards into a program that fits the 21st century. I can’t think of a more dedicated partner to help make this happen than Farnam/ Platform.”

Now entering its 61st year of success, the USEF Horse of the Year awards started in the early 1940s, when Senior Director Amory Haskell suggested an awards program to honor the high scores of the year. During the American Horse Shows Association’s 1944 annual meeting, AHSA president Adrian Van Sinderen announced the creation of the High Score Division Awards; the first awards were presented a year later. Since then, the program has grown to encompass more than 5,000 competitors and more than 180 divisions, for 17 breeds and disciplines on the National, Zone and Regional levels. This year, Friesians and Driving will join the ranks.

Despite the impressive growth and change, the central ideas of promoting recognized competitions and its best competitors have remained steadfast. And every year, the successes of these distinguished horses and their owners are celebrated at the USEF Annual Meeting, during the Horse of the Year awards gala. Starting with the 2006 Annual Meeting, this too will take on the trusted branding of Farnam’s® Platform™ feeding system.

“This is a program that embodies the central mission of Farnam’s Platform feeding system,” says Farnam President Chris Jacobi. “It’s innovative, it’s exciting, and its internal framework is strong enough to support equestrian sport at all levels. We couldn’t be more pleased to partner with the United States Equestrian Federation and its members, and we look forward to adding dimension to a valuable program like Horse of the Year.”

The nation's leading manufacturer of equine products for more than 50 years, in 2005, Farnam expanded its equestrian product line even further by introducing a signature feed and supplement brand. Adhering to strict standards of quality, the new Farnam®/ Platform™ product line offers a revolutionary, premium selection of feeds and supplements for a comprehensive approach to equine nutrition. Now, by way of this four-year partnership, the visionaries at Farnam have once again pledged to align themselves with the very best in equestrian sport.

~~~For more information, please contact Sarah Lane, Public Relations Manager at (859) 225-6974 or via e-mail at [email protected]. USEF press releases are available on our web site – www.usef.org.