Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is now accepting bids to host the 2009 USEF National Pony Championships (Pony Finals). This bid will be for a three-year contract with up to two additional one-year options. To request a bid packet, please contact USEF Director of Hunter and Collegiate Activities Marion Maybank at (859) 225-2033 or via email at [email protected]. Bids are due in the office by the close of business on Friday, June 20, 2008. Any request received after...

Attention all juniors interested in competing in the 2009 Adequan/USEF National Pony Jumper Championships. The 2009 Adequan/USEF National Pony Jumper Championships selection procedures and qualifying periods have been approved and are now available on the Jumping Discipline page of the USEF website at http://www.usef.org/Contentpage2.aspx?id=natjumping Please direct questions to Jennifer Haydon, Director of Show Jumping for National Programs at [email protected] or (859) 225-6911. ENDS

Theodore O’Connor, the 2007 Farnam/Platform® USEF Horse of the Year, known as Teddy to his adoring fans, and his rider Karen O’Connor, were honored with a special treat at the 2008 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. The special treat was a pail of Platform® Treats with the winning pair pictured on the label. Picturing the Farnam®/Platform® USEF Horse of the Year and his rider on the label of Platform® Treats is a tradition begun in 2006 with the inaugural winner of the award, Brentina and her...

Theodore O'Connor is one of two Horses Named to the USEF Short List for Eventing with Karen O'Connor (Shannon Brinkman) Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation has approved the following horse/rider combinations to the Eventing Short List for the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong August 8-14, 2008. The combinations are as follows (listed alphabetically): Name/Age/Hometown/Horse/Sex/Age/Breed/Owner Stephen Bradley / 46 / Leesburg, VA / Brandenburg’s Joshua / G / 13 /...

Lexington, KY – After three days of competition at the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, IL, Rebecca Hart and Norteassa claimed the title of the United States Equestrian Federation’s (USEF) 2008 National Para Equestrian Championships. With a final score of 72.473, twenty-four-year-old Hart from Erie, PA couldn’t stop smiling after winning the championship. “I think he (Norteassa) was really good,” said Hart. “He was really focused and was listening to me. I could not have asked for more...

C. Marvin Harwood, Sr., a 2007 recipient of the United States Equestrian Federation’s Pegasus Medal of Honor, along with his wife of 55 years, Marjorie, has passed away at the age of 89, on May 10, in St. Louis, MO. A lifelong resident of St. Louis and graduate of Washington University (B.A. '39), Harwood was an active part of the St. Louis equestrian community for over 60 years. Marvin gave unselfishly to a variety of equine disciplines and organizations both locally and nationally, including...

The Laurels At Landhope International Combined Driving Event, the most prestigious event of its kind held in the U.S., will be held in West Grove, Chester County, PA, September 5-7, 2008. Combining family fun with international equestrian competition in a beautiful country setting just 40 miles from Philadelphia, the event hosts the best drivers from Canada, Mexico and the United States who compete in a series of three events with combinations from single horses and ponies to four-in-hands. It...

Powerful winds and rain on the final day of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show instigated a change of plans for the $55,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix CSI***. Originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in the Sheila C. Johnson Arena, early announcements informed exhibitors that the grand prix would be held in the indoor arena at 2:30 p.m. This alteration did not daunt Hidden Creek's Pamina L, who Margie Engle maneuvered flawlessly for an expeditious grand prix win. Out of 34 starters, 13 horses completed...

Highlights of both the 2007 Platform® American Miniature Horse National Championships and the 2007 Platform® Shetland Pony Congress will be aired in May and June on RFD-TV. The American Miniature Horse Registry (AMHR) National Championship Show and the Shetland Pony Congress are the equivalent of the Super Bowl for Miniature horses and Shetland ponies. The shows attract the top small equines from throughout the U.S. Last year’s televised highlights from the shows are back on air just in time to...

Photo by Randi Muster (Alex Matz and his pony, Wise Guy.) A famous jumping name will again be present in the Devon Horse Show catalog. The name is Matz, but this time it isn’t Michael, who showed for many years very successfully at Devon, but his son, Alex. Alex is only 11 years old and he’s only been competing in pony jumpers for a couple of months, but it’s already beginning to look like he’s inherited his famous father’s talent. The first time he ever competed...