The Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series enjoyed a great start to the 2009 season at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. The series will see classes at more than 100 horse shows across the country before culminating in year-end championships at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament featuring the 126th National Horse Show in Syracuse, NY, in October. The Series hosts separate divisions for junior and amateur-owner riders in two...

Georgina Bloomberg piloted Street of Diamonds into the winner's circle after a two-year drought at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) when the pair won the $30,000 Braman Motorcars WEF Challenge Cup Series IX Thursday at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Georgina and Street of Diamonds, owned by Gotham Enterprizes, were among only six combinations to go clear from the highest number of starters so far in 2009 FTI WEF and the second highest number in the 20-year history of the...

The Washington International Horse Show (WIHS), a major equestrian event based in Washington, DC, since 1958, generates nearly $7 million in economic impact to the District of Columbia annually, according to a recent study conducted by Stephen S. Fuller, PhD, Dwight Schar Faculty Chair and Director of the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. “During these difficult economic times, it was important for the show to evaluate its spending and its positive...

On Saturday, February 28, the Penn-Ohio Futurity offered an opportunity to learn training tips from accomplished horseman Bret Day, of Grey Ridge Farm in Versailles, KY. The training clinic was held at Champions Center in Springfield, OH. Day is well known in the Saddlebred community, partly for his involvement with the United Professional Horsemen’s Association (UPHA). Notable horses trained by Bret Day include WC Bono, WC Mahvelous Guy, WC Hallelujah Chorus, WC Go Big Blue and many other...

McLain Ward and his two-time Olympic Gold medal partner Sapphire claimed their second grand prix victory in a row Saturday night by winning the $200,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix CSI**** presented by CN at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center during the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). In an exciting six-horse jump-off before a near-packed stadium under lights at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, Ward, of Brewster, NY, and the 14-year-old mare owned by Ward and Blue Chip...

The American Horse Council (AHC) has asked the National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to use stimulus funding for trails. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 signed into law on February 17 appropriates over $1.7 billion for the NPS, USFS, and BLM that can be used for the maintenance and construction of trails and other infrastructure improvements on public lands. The AHC recently wrote to NPS Acting Director Dan Wenk, Chief of...

International competitors from several nations hoping to ride at the FEI World Cup Final in dressage in Las Vegas next month get their last chance at the WEF Dressage Classic CDI-W at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Saturday night, March 14. The Grand Prix Musical Freestyle will start at 7 p.m. under lights in PBIEC's centerpiece International Arena as part of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Tables of six in the International Club can be reserved for $600 or $100...

Stadium Jumping, Inc., the world's leading horse show production company, is pleased to announce that tickets for this year's $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational are now on sale through Ticketmaster. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.ticketmaster.com . The $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational is one of the world's richest equestrian show jumping competitions. Annually, this showcase of sheer equestrian power, speed and excellence attracts the greatest riders and horses in the...

USA Equestrian Trust, Inc. ( www.trusthorses.org ) has announced that its deadline for receipt of written applications for grants from not-for-profit organizations this year is Wednesday, April 15, at the close of business, 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Interested applicants should visit http://trusthorses.org/grant/request.html for instructions and the appropriate forms to be completed. At its annual meeting held in conjunction with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) convention in...

Those interested in owning DVDs of the championship dressage and jumping competition at the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Finals can now place their advance orders online at www.thesporthouse.com . The Rolex FEI World Cup Finals return to the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, April 15-19, featuring the world's best horses and riders competing for the title of FEI World Cup Champion in the two Olympic disciplines of show jumping and dressage. The "Live and Unedited" DVDs feature all the...