The Humane Society of the United States Press has announced the release of The Humane Society of the United States Complete Guide to Horse Care , an educational resource for first-time and experienced horse owners. The book includes information on how to choose a horse; meeting a horse’s physical, emotional and nutritional needs; an overview of horse breeds and disciplines; and advice to help guide horse owners through good decision-making at all stages of a horse’s life. Coauthor Erin Harty, a...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) welcomes all of it’s new and returning all-breeds participating registries/organizations (POs). The newly added POs for the 2008 competition season include: the Palomino Horse Breeders of America, the Fell Pony Society of North America, the United States P.R.E. Association, the Canadian Horse Breeders Association, the Friesian Sporthorse Association, the Friesian Heritage Horse & Sport Horse International, and the Nokota Horse Conservancy. All POs,...

From a Baylor University release WACO, Texas — The seventh annual Varsity Equestrian National Championships (VENC) are slated to begin on Thursday, April 17, at the Heart O’ Texas Fairgrounds. South Carolina enters the show as the defending overall national champion. For the second straight year, the varsity collegiate riding national championships are being hosted by Baylor University. Baylor is in its third year as a fully funded varsity program after the university’s athletic department...

Mike Plumb Will Join the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2008 (USEF Archive) By USOC Media and Public Relations Division Chicago, Ill. - Karch Kiraly, three-time U.S. Olympian in volleyball (1984, 1988 and 1996) and three-time gold medalist, leads the distinguished Class of 2008 that will be inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Presented by Allstate. The induction ceremony will take place June 19 in Chicago. The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Class of 2008 is comprised of nine Olympians, one...

Lexington, KY - Following the last World Cup Qualifiers which were held in Tampa, FL, and San Juan Capistrano, CA, 10 riders will represent the U.S. at the 2008 Rolex FEI World Cup Final (seven from the U.S. East Coast League and three from the U.S. West Coast League). To be held in Goteborg, Sweden, April 23-27, the Final showcases the world’s best show jumping riders, who qualify by accumulating points throughout the competition year at designated FEI events in one of the FEI worldwide...

Statement by David O’Connor: Recent injuries and the media coverage of those injuries and our sport give us all reason to pause and reflect on the evolution and safety of equestrian sport and in particular Eventing. Many of us have devoted our professional lives to the joy of partnering with the horse and skillfully riding a course. Underlying the fun and excitement of the sport, for that matter any sport, is reasonable risk with the assumption of reasonable safety. In fact, our sport is...

Statement by Mark Phillips-- Eventing is a sport I love and have been involved in personally and professionally for more than 40 years. I am always deeply concerned whenever an athlete or horse is injured while competing regardless of circumstances and even more so when it occurs on a course I designed. In every course I have ever designed the top priority has always been for the health and safety of the athletes and the horses. Our great sport is evolving and becoming more technically...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced that 2008 preliminary award standings for the Adequan/USDF Year-End Awards, including the Adequan/USDF All-Breeds Awards, are now available on the USDF website, as well as archived award results for the previous two competition seasons. Anyone who logs into the USDF site can access the most up-to-date award standings and monitor these standings throughout the competition year. Archived results are available only to those individuals who are...

Trakehners International and friends have joined together to host an online auction to raise funds for Darren Chiacchia, the international event rider who was critically injured in a fall on course at Red Hills Horse Trials on March 15, 2008. All bids are paid to the Equestrian Aid Foundation in Darren Chiacchia’s name and are tax-deductible. Online bidding begins on Thursday, April 24, at www.trakehners-international.com . There are multiple ways to support this fundraiser: 1. Bid on the...

After winning the Hunter Derby at Pin Oak, Peter Pletcher and Argentum took home the Gold for the second time in two weeks, winning the $10,000 United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Hunter Challenge Derby Classic at the Spring Gathering Horse Show in the Houston suburb of Katy, TX. The class was held under the lights in the main arena at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center. An enthusiastic crowd cheered their favorites as 23 entries competed over the first round-track...