The American Saddlebred Horse Association’s (ASHA) 2006 Saddlebred Summit and Annual Meeting business concluded on February 18 prior to a sold-out Saddlebred Ball, with the first meeting of the newly elected board of directors. The board seated the following new directors-elect, who began three-year terms of service: William Blacklaw of Oregon, Louise Gilliland of Oklahoma and Jim Ruwoldt of Georgia. Returning directors elected to begin another three-year term are Mary Anne Cronan of Kentucky,...

By Mary Creech Brandie Holloway and S&L So Be It, the winners of last week's $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, were the first to attempt the jump-off course. Holloway left all the rails up, stopping the timers in 37.87 seconds. A time that would end up giving her second place. Monica Rahman rode Cyrano to chase Holloway's time. They also posted a clear round, but a second shy with 38.85 seconds left them in third place. Next to go was Sharn Wordley aboard Mr. Flanagan. The pair took second place in last...

Bob Tarr (TCE Balastrana+++// with Mercy Burwell) TCE Balastrana+++// (TC Expression x Brooklynn), owned by Mercy Burwell of Brentwood, MO, ranked as the top horse among a field of more than 3,000 Arabians, Half-Arabians and Anglo-Arabians to become the 2005 Arabian Horse Association (AHA) High-Point Horse. To reach this pinnacle, the mare accumulated 388 points in Horse Achievement Awards (HAA), the Association's premier rewards program for actively competing horses. The Arabian horse...

Membership fees for the Paso Fino Horse Association changed as of January 1, 2006, and now includes a subscription to Paso Fino Horse World . The individual membership fee is now $55 per year, and the family membership is $75; junior membership is $35. For a complete listing of membership rates, visit www.pfha.org/includes/html/infoseek.fee.schedule.asp . ~~~

Please remember that the FEI has issued new Junior Tests (Preliminary, Team and Individual) which have been in effect since January 1, 2006. Previous test editions may not be used, and competitions which continue to use outdated versions will be subject to penalty, and competitors’ scores may not count towards qualifications. All FEI score sheets are now available for free download from the FEI website at www.horsesport.org . ~~~

The United States Equestrian Federation is excited to announce the appointment of Scott Hassler of Colora, MD, as the USEF National Young Horse Dressage Coach. Pursuant to this appointment, USEF will be immediately putting together two young horse training sessions in March--one in Wellington, FL, and another in Burbank, CA. Applications are now being accepted for four-, five-, six-, or seven-year-old young horses for this exciting training opportunity. Application deadline is Friday, March 3,...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (AHSA) and American Saddlebred Registry, which conduct their annual meetings in Lexington, KY, this week, announced results for the year ending December 31, 2005. On a consolidated basis, net income for the two combined corporations doubled to $168,145 from year-ago figures, from $83,713. Combined revenues rose $174,464 or 10%, to $1,928,291 from $1,753,827, net of the Registry’s prize programs, which accounted for another $548,535 in gross revenues,...

The American Horse Council (AHC) 2006 National Issues Forum (NIF) is right around the corner. It will be held in Washington, DC, April 3-5. The AHC NIF will be held at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capital Hill. To make room reservations, call (800) 228-3360 or (202) 737-1234 and ask for the American Horse Council rate of $219 per night. You can also make reservations online at www.hyattregencywashington.com and enter the internet code G-AHOC to get the AHC rate. The cut-off date for...

The American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC), the national governing body for endurance riding in the United States, will hold its annual convention in Texas for the first time in 2006. The two-day program of seminars, informational meetings and a free trade show is set for February 24-25 at the Crowne Plaza Riverwalk in San Antonio. Leading experts in equine health care and endurance-related fields will be featured at several seminar sessions. Other highlights of the AERC's convention will...

Lexington, KY - The Florida Classic horse show in Wellington will host a qualifier for the 2006 FEI Children’s International Jumping Final this Saturday and Sunday, February 18 and 19. Please note that, unlike the past two years, the 2006 Children’s Final will NOT be held in the U.S. What this means is that U.S. riders are considered “foreign” and will be invited according to the FEI Children’s International Jumping Competition rules using the worldwide standings listed on the FEI’s web site at...