Donna Miller and ArdCeltic Art. (Photo courtesy Donna Miller) Lexington, KY - Each year at the United States Equestrian Federation Horse of the Year awards dinner, two Connemara Ponies are honored with special awards from the American Connemara Pony Society for excellence in USEF eventing and hunter competitions. The McKenna Trophy is awarded in memory of Joan McKenna, and is presented to the high scoring purebred or halfbred Connemara competing in USEF eventing competitions at the Preliminary...

The USEA is pleased to announce that its online express entry system, Xentry, will be available by open invitation on February 8 for current open events. Xentry will make entering all USEA recognized horse trials a simplified and speedy process through the USEA website. When Xentry is launched on February 8, it will offer a wide variety of helpful features including: • A streamlined, easy-to-use process • Option of paying by credit card for all events with only a 3.5% convenience fee • Digital...

Wellington, FL - The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation Board of Trustees hosted a cocktail reception on January 28, 2011, to honor the equestrian athletes that represented the United States during the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG), the recipients of the Foundations' Gold Medal Club Anniversary Awards, the Lionel Guerrand-Hermes Trophy, and the Whitney Stone Cup. The reception was held at Player's Club in Wellington, FL. The reception opened with lovely remarks by...

Lexington, KY — The USA Equestrian Trust is pleased to announce it is now accepting applications for financial grants to non-profit equine organizations to be funded in 2011. Go to http://www.trusthorses.org/grant/request.html and fill out a grant application for the USA Equestrian Trust Grant Program. The deadline is May 2 at 5 p.m. (EST). Despite the continued economic struggles, the Trust's board was pleased to grant nearly $135,000 to seven applicants in 2010. Past recipients of grants...

Nick Haness and Catwalk (Flying Horse Photography© ) Thermal, CA - Canadian Olympian John Pearce seems determined to return to the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix after a tremendous first week in the Grand Prix ring at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. Pearce swept both Grand Prix classes at HITS Thermal last week, winning the blue in Friday's $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, aboard Forest View Farm's Chianto, the horse he placed third on in the 2010 Pfizer...

Pablo Barrios dominated the 2010 Kentucky Spring Horse Shows. (Photo by Rebecca Walton/PMG) Lexington, KY - Kentucky Horse Shows, LLC, one of the leading horse show management companies in the nation, is pleased to announce the dates for the 2011 Kentucky Spring Horse Shows. With two weeks of exciting hunter/jumper shows at the beautiful Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows are always a highlight event. The first week of competition, the Kentucky Spring Horse Show,...

Lexington, KY – For more than 30 years, the Adequan FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North traditionally hosts championships for teams and individuals in the three Olympic Equestrian disciplines of dressage, eventing and jumping. In 2008 reining was included, and in 2011 the sport of endurance will be introduced for the first time. Included as a non-championship event since 2008 – participation and support for the program continues to grow. The 2011...

Oklahoma City, OK – A group of enthusiastic young leaders are gearing up for an exciting year with the National Reining Horse Youth Association (NRHyA). Five outstanding youth members were recently elected by their peers to lead the NRHyA. After stating their goals for the year, they are ready to get their hands dirty to better the association they are proud to serve. The NRHyA annual meeting, which included officer elections, was held during the NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American...

Pablo Barrios and G&C Quick Star 11 won the $40,000 Surpass Grand Prix, CSI 2* (Sportfot©) Wellington, FL - The third week of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) has concluded at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. In addition to 12 rings of hunter, jumper, and equitation competition, there was plenty happening on the grounds. $40,000 Surpass Grand Prix, CSI 2* Pablo Barrios (VEN) and G&C Quick Star 11, owned by G&C Farm of Wellington, FL, captured the top prize in Saturday...

Taylor Ann Adams after winning the 2009 Essex Classics/USHJA Hunterdon Cup at HITS Saugerties. (Lili Weik Photography©) Saugerties, NY - HITS, Inc. is pleased to announce that the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has selected HITS-on-the-Hudson to be the host site for the 2011 Junior Hunter National Championships – East Coast, marking the return of the event to HITS facility for the sixth time in the past seven years. The 2011 USEF Junior Hunter Championships - East Coast will be held...