Lexington, Ky. – The U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team presented by Deloitte will compete in its second competition of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) winter circuit, taking place January 19-21, in Wellington, Fla. The U.S. will compete against Canada beginning with the FEI Team Test for all grades on Friday, which will count 50% toward the overall team score. The FEI Individual Test for all grades follows on Saturday, which will count 50% toward the overall team score. In...

One year after launching an ambitious strategic plan—including rebranding the United States Equestrian Federation as US Equestrian—President Murray Kessler took the stage at Thursday’s live-streamed General Session to update members. Kessler set the theme of “Bringing Joy, Embracing Change” right from the start, showing how US Equestrian is rising to the challenges of its vision, to bring the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible. US Equestrian...

Lexington, Ky. – A decorated and respected equestrian with an international acclaim that continues to grow, McLain Ward (Brewster, N.Y.) was awarded the Robert P. Strub Trophy as the 2017 USEF Equestrian of the Year at the USEF Pegasus Awards Dinner. McLain Ward (Shannon Brinkman Photo) Ward started the season by winning the $380,000 Suncast Grand Prix CSI5* during the Winter Equestrian Festival with HH Azur. The following month, Ward clinched a home turf victory, winning the Longines FEI...

Many Fortune 500 companies, sports leagues, professional athletes, and celebrities have faced media crises. Some arise from the incident with little harm, while others experience negative impact to their image, brand, and bottom lines. In the age of social media and a 24-hour news cycle, it is important that every organization have a media plan with guidance to effectively handle a media crisis. Sarah Hamilton (Photo: Taylor Pence) During US Equestrian’s (USEF) Annual Meeting on...

As reports of abuse roil other sports, US Equestrian invited the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s chief operating officer, Malia Arrington to discuss the SafeSport initiative and how its policies and training are fighting emotional, physical, and sexual misconduct—including bullying, cyberbullying, hazing, harassment, and abuse—in equestrian sports and in the other Olympic and Paralympic disciplines. The SafeSport intiative provides information, resources, and a protocol that helps...

Annual Meeting is well underway after two days of exciting and informative meetings. US Equestrian President Murray Kessler will address the membership at the General Session tomorrow, January 18, at 8:30 a.m. EST. He’ll provide an update on the strategic plan and the progress seen in 2017--including the significant increase in membership, revenue growth, and how US Equestrian is reinvesting in membership--and discuss how, while the change has been challenging, it is proving to be worth...

As part of the Annual Meeting’s new moderated forums, US Equestrian’s Director of Sport Programs, Will Connell, made a proposal that the organization should develop a registration process for coaches. And, Connell posited, such a registry—with requirements as well as benefits for participating coaches—would not only improve equestrianism and make it safer for equestrians, but also enhance the nation’s international competitiveness. “If we want to get more...

Mark Bellissimo, the guiding force behind the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018 (WEG), gave a presentation to US Equestrian Annual Meeting attendees on Wednesday. He provided his background, the vision for his properties, and details about the WEG and accompanying World Equine Expo. Bellissimo and his team operate five equestrian venues, including the Tryon International Equestrian Center, the home of the 2018 WEG, and several major competitions, such as the 12-week Winter Equestrian...

Lexington, Ky. - USEF announced today that it has resolved the litigation with Kelley Farmer and Larry Glefke for their alleged July 2016 GABA violation. USEF is voiding the proceeding from the outset and vacating all penalties and suspensions, thereby restoring Ms. Farmer and Mr. Glefke to active membership effective July 1, 2017. They are free to enjoy all privileges of membership including participation in competition. “The USEF must always treat its members fairly,” said Murray...

US Equestrian’s "Competition & Member Summit: Facing Challenges Together" got the organization’s Jan. 17-20 Annual Meeting started a day early on Tuesday in Lexington, Ky. The summit grew out of feedback from US Equestrian’s members, competition organizers, licensed officials, experts, and staff. It brought the equestrian community together to address some of the issues expressed by individual members, licensed officials, competition organizers, experts, and staff...