(BATON ROUGE¬, LA) - Still recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Southern Louisiana braces for the oncoming power of Hurricane Rita. In anticipation of this Category 5 Hurricane, the Louisiana State University Hurricane Equine Rescue Operation has reinstated the horse rescue hotline at: (225) 578 – 9501 Anyone having knowledge of horses in need of evacuation or rescue due to the hurricane is encouraged to contact a Hurricane Equine Rescue Operation representative at this number....

(Austin, TX) – The Texas Animal Health Commission has set up an emergency hotline to provide pet owners with information on available shelters by county. The number is: (800) 550-8242 and operates Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pre-selected shelters are currently open and have been receiving evacuating horses and other animals. Lists of available shelters/stabling are also available thru local emergency management and the Texas Animal Health Commission. These are published on their web...

Lexington, KY — Merial, a world leader in animal healthcare, has joined the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) as its newest corporate partner. Though the partnership may be new, USEF athletes and veterinarians have depended on Merial for years, as its trusted products have long been used by USEF team horses as they travel to events both nationally and internationally. Through this partnership, we are pleased to announce that ULCERGARD™ and GASTROGARD® (omeprazole) from...

Lexington, KY – In preparing for a solid U.S. Vaulting Team for the 2006 World Equestrian Games, the USEF Vaulting High Performance Committee has announced three new hires, all vaulting professionals who will work tirelessly to prepare our athletes for the rigorous competition that awaits them in Aachen, Germany in 2006. This will be the first time that our U.S. High Performance Vaulters have had the advantage of such rigorous team leadership and instruction. Adrienne Stang has been named...

Reiners and reining enthusiasts from all over the world are pouring into the little town of Manerbio, Italy, where, in the wonderful Palasturla facility, the finals of the second $100,000 FEI World Reining Masters Finals, presented by the Arcese Group and the Italian Equestrian Sports Federation (FISE) will be held on Saturday 24 at 9 p.m. The event is run concurrently with the 2005 Italian Reining Horse Association Maturity. On Friday afternoon at 5.30 pm the FEI Strategic Plan Open...

Lexington, KY – The 2006 United States Equestrian Federation Annual Meeting, previously scheduled to take place in New Orleans, has been relocated to Cincinnati, OH, at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza. The dates for the convention will remain January 11–15. “We were very much looking forward to meeting in New Orleans but USEF was one of hundreds of organizations that had to relocate their convention as a result of the devastating hurricane. The Netherland Plaza is a beautiful Art Deco...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced the winners of its Senior Athletic/Academic Achievement Award. The award was established to recognize senior USDF Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Members (IMs) who have a 3.5 or better grade point average (GPA). The 2005 winners are James Marcotte of the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY, and Ashley Wolfe of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA. To be eligible for the Senior Athletic/Academic Achievement Award, senior IMs must have at...

Nominations for the American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) Annual Individual Awards are due Monday, October 31. Each year at the ASHA Annual Meeting in February, seven prestigious awards-–Lifetime Achievement, Meritorious Service, Breeder’s, C.J. Cronan Sportsmanship, Lurline Roth Sportsmanship, Gordon Jenkins International and Frank Ogletree Youth--are presented to seven of the most deserving people in the industry. Members wishing to send in nominations should include a written...

The West Coast Active Riders Organization kicked off the start of their World Cup qualifier season with the $50,000 Grand Prix of Showpark in Del Mar, CA, held on September 3, 2005. Mario Onate took top honors with his own mount, Banco Del Bajio Otelo. The United States riders who earned World Cup points include Gabriella Salick and her gray stallion, Sandstone Laurin, of Sandstone Horse Sales, LLC; Mike Endicott with Farrokh Moshar’s bay gelding, Lennongrad; and Joie Gatlin with Canyon...

After 30 of 33 events on the 2005 tour, it all comes down to one class in this year’s race for the titles of American Grand Prix Association (AGA) Rider, Horse and Rookie of the Year. Entering its 27th year, the AGA Grand Prix Series of Show Jumping is the world’s richest and longest running series of equestrian show jumping events. The AGA offers over $3 million in prize money on a tour that encompasses 30 events and 20 different equestrian market locations across the United States....