At its meeting on Tuesday, July 31, the Executive Committee of the American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) designated regional championship competitions throughout the United States for 2008. The first official regional championship was held in 2005 at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA, for the Northeastern region. That competition was selected again, but in this instance for Region 11 only, encompassing the states of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced that three Olympians will headline a stellar group of speakers for the USDF/USEF Young Rider Graduate Program, to be held January 18-20, 2008, in West Palm Beach, FL: Debbie McDonald, USEF National Developing Rider Coach, 2004 U.S. Olympic Dressage Team Bronze medalist and winner of the 2003 World Cup Dressage Final; Lisa Wilcox, 2004 U.S. Olympic Dressage Team Bronze medalist and 2002 World Equestrian Games Team Silver medalist; and Carol...

The Samsung Super League with FEI leaders from Germany will be last into the ring for Friday's seventh leg of the 2007 series in Dublin following Thursday's draw at the Royal Dublin Society showgrounds. The order of go will be as follows: 1. Belgium; 2. France; 3. Switzerland; 4. Ireland; 5. USA; 6. The Netherlands; 7. Great Britain; 8. Sweden; 9. Germany. Belgian Chef d'Equipe Lucien Somers failed to arrive in time for the Draw Press Conference, but his team's unfavorable starting position had...

The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation's Equestrian Application to field a squad of 12 Olympic riders in the 2008 Rose Parade has been officially accepted by the Equestrian Committee of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses. The USET Foundation will select four Olympians from each of the three Olympic disciplines (dressage, show jumping and eventing) to ride in the 119th Rose Parade on January 1, 2008, in Pasadena, CA. The USET Foundation squad will lead the floral float entered by the...

The Kentucky Horse Council Board welcomes three new members, announced President Madelyn Millard of Waterwild Farm. Latonna Wilson, a marketing specialist with Rood and Riddle Pharmacy and with training and passion for emergency equine rescue, joins as a board member and member of the Health and Welfare Committee. Dr. Doug Byars, an equine veterinarian and nationally known equine health consultant, joins as a board member and member of the Health and Welfare Committee. Kristin Hix, Legal and...

A successful week of hunter/jumper competition at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show came to a close on Sunday, August 5. Produced by Kentucky Horse Shows LLC, the summer shows are held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The Kentucky Summer Classic is scheduled for next week from August 8-12. Jumper Highlights On Wednesday, August 1, ten riders exhibited their talents in the 1.45m Open Jumper class in the famously large Sheila C. Johnson Arena. Course designer Ken Krome, of Westminster, MD,...

Late on August 2, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the funding bill for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for Fiscal Year 2008 after removing the overly broad language that was opposed by the horse industry. When the USDA funding bill was reported out of the House Appropriations Committee two weeks ago, it included language that was intended to apply to slaughter horses. But the provision was so broadly drafted that it would have applied to all horses and been...

Lexington, KY—Sonja S. Keating has been named Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). Before this appointment, Keating served as Associate General Counsel for the USEF. Prior to joining the Federation staff, Keating was associated with the Lexington office of the Cincinnati-based law firm of Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP, where she practiced in the litigation department. Keating worked closely with Julie Goodman, former General Counsel, in both...

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) released its new positioning statement, “amazing awaits,” today in an effort to help communicate the unique values of the Olympic Brand ahead of the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games. “‘Amazing awaits’ is intended to tell the story of how Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls get to the Olympic and Paralympic Games and how that journey is the embodiment of the American spirit,” said Jim...

Karen O'Connor and Theodore O'Connor on Their Way to Pan Am Gold! (Diana DeRosa) Lexington, KY - Karen O’Connor, two-time Olympic medalist and recent double gold medalist at the Pan American Games, will appear on the Today Show in New York City on August 8. Riding the amazing pony, Theodore O’Connor, the three-day event rider bested a field of very talented horses and riders and led the U.S. team to gold medal honors in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The popular morning show runs from 7a.m....