Steffen Peters and Ravel (Shannon Brinkman) Las Vegas, NV – With the anticipation building in the Thomas & Mack Arena for the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Final, both the Dressage and Jumping competitors got their final tune up in the main arena on Wednesday. 14 Dressage horses from eight nations and 45 Jumping competitors from 22 will take center stage today, the first day of competition. Two masters are back to defend their titles. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly are looking...

American Shetland Ponies are getting their well-deserved time in the spotlight, starring as the Breed of the Week on the United States Eqeustrian Federation’s ClubEquestrian.com website. The American Shetland Pony Club (ASPC) is a USEF recognized breed association and has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with the USEF. The “Breed of the Week” spotlight details the breed’s history as well as the fact that the small but mighty equines are a favorite of children and adults. Many of today’s...

The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation is pleased to announce that Ashlee Bond, 23, of Hidden Hills, CA, and Michelle Spadone, 25, of Califon, NJ, are this year's co-winners of the Maxine Beard Show Jumping Developing Rider Award. The USET Foundation awarded these rising young equestrians this honor because of their competitive records to date and because of their promise for the future in show jumping. Bond and Spadone were given trophies at a presentation during the 2009...

The Show Jumping Hall of Fame held its annual induction ceremony at the Budweiser American Invitational at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL, on Saturday evening, April 4. Honored with induction were Dr. John Steele and the horses Abdullah, Miss Budweiser and Riviera Wonder. Induction into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame is a great honor bestowed annually upon select individuals whose contribution to the sport has set them apart from others and whose influence has had a significant impact on the...

The following championships and finals were allocated by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Bureau during its meeting held March 31-April 1 in Switzerland. 2009 JUMPING · Children’s Final, Singapore (SIN), December 6–13 2010 JUMPING · World Breeding Championships, Lanaken (BEL), September 23–26 (this championship has been allocated to Lanaken for a period of five years, from 2010 to 2014). · Championship of the Americas Juniors, Pre-Juniors, Children, Quilltota (CHI), October 6–10...

George Lucas’ Storm Troopers from the blockbuster Star Wars films were created as an elite army with no fears, just a determination to be victorious. This week saw a new breed of Storm Troopers at the Atlanta Spring Classics finale. Shaker Heights, OH-based David Jennings and partner Marcus Aurelius triumphed over Mother Nature in the Lucky Sevens Welcome Stake and the Atlanta Spring Grand Prix, both presented by Classic Company. Despite torrents of rain that came and went throughout most of...

Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy won the richest ASG Software Solutions/United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Hunter Derby Saturday night, March 28, when they triumphed over a record number of entries to win the $50,000 class at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). Alfano of Buffalo, NY, held on to the lead she established in the first of two rounds of competition to return for the final to post her second straight victory in the multi-year nationwide...

With a faultless show jumping round on the final day of competition at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials, Amy Tryon and Leyland claimed the Adequan/United States Eventing Association (USEA) Gold Cup as the winner of the CIC***. Tryon’s perfect round gave her a final a score of 51.6 penalties, enough to vault her from third to first after second-placed Kelly Prather lowered one rail on Ballinakill Glory (53.8) and third-placed Jolie Sexson lowered two rails on Killian O’Connor (55.7),...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) has announced the schedule for the 2009 ASHA Junior Exhibitor Driving Challenge. The events currently scheduled for 2009 range from March to November, and are set to be held at various shows across the country. The ASHA Junior Exhibitor Driving Challenge, funded by Elisabeth Goth, was developed to promote the American Saddlebred driving divisions among junior exhibitors. Competitors 17 years of age and under are adding driving to their...

Content provided by Pin Oak Charity Horse Show and Kathryn Smith, Smith and Sacco Public Relations Katy, TX— Peter Pletcher of Magnolia, TX, was the overall winner on Alta Basaldua’s Argentum of the $15,000 ASG Software Solutions/USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by Valobra Jewelry and Antiques of Houston. This was a member event of the ASG Software Solutions/USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by Dietrich Insurance, featuring Walsh Harness & Saddlery – and...