SmartPak announced that they have joined the blogosphere with two new blog forums—Ask the Vet and A Peek at the Pak. "Blogging is a perfect fit for SmartPak because as a company, we are all about sharing our culture and personality, while also providing horse owners with the most up-to-date horse health care information," said President Paal Gisholt. "Our employees are horse and dog owners, too, and they’re excited to share their experiences with our customers.” A Peek at the Pak will...

Mansfield, ON, Canada - If Phillip Dutton keeps up this winning business, they'll have to stop him at the Canadian border next year so that someone else can have a shot at winning. For the second year in a row Dutton, from West Grove, PA was the overall winner at the Wits End CIC-W*** in Mansfield, ON September 28-30. Last year he won the event riding Tru Luck and this year he was partnered with Acorn Hill Farm's handsome chestnut gelding Woodburn, who was previously successful with Emily...

If you like a saddle seat horse, the National Show Horse (NSH) Finals was the place to be September 19-22. This was the 24th year for this show that was held at the beautiful Springfield, Illinois State Fairground. The judging panel of Nancy Becker, Scott Brumfield, and Richard Wright did an outstanding job of awarding this year’s many National Championships. Offering National Show Horse, All Breed, and Show Horse Alliance classes, the show is considered to be one of the most fun shows of the...

The 61st Annual Buffalo International Horse Show concluded on Sunday afternoon at the Buffalo Equestrian Center in Buffalo, NY. Jennifer Alfano swept the professional hunter divisions, Wednesday and Thursday, proving to be unbeatable. She started off her morning with the tricolor in the First Year Green Hunters aboard Violets Are Blue, owned by Helen Lenahan. In the Second Year Green Hunters, Alfano and Rock Star proved again that they were the pair to beat. Over the two days of competition,...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) will induct Major General Jonathan “Jack” Burton, Hilda Gurney and Edgar Hotz into the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame (HOF) at the Salute Gala on November 30, 2007, during the Adequan/USDF Annual Convention in Orlando, FL. Inclusion in the HOF is an honor bestowed on those who have made outstanding contributions to dressage in the United States. Burton, 88 years young, can still be seen traveling across the country officiating as a USEF “S”...

Lexington, Kentucky – The Youth Council is pleased to announce the completed panel of Star Power athletes for the Inaugural Youth Council Convention to be held January 18, 2008 in Louisville, KY. These representatives of the USEF recognized breeds and disciplines have been high profile successful competitors for many years. Karen O’Connor will represent the Eventing discipline. Her most recent successes have been astride the notable Theodore O’Connor, a pony who has accomplished feats that have...

The USEF is pleased to announce the 2007 Connemara and Welsh Judges’ Clinic to be held Saturday, October 20, 2007 in Rancho Cordova, California and Starr Vaughn Equestrian in Elk Grove, California. This clinic is being offered to all Federation licensed Connemara and Welsh judges and any applicants or potential applicants for these licenses. Attendance at the clinic fulfills the Federation’s clinic requirements as outlined in GR1040 of the current Federation rule book. To provide attendees with...

The FEI does not report the existence of a positive case until the earlier of the following: the results of an initial (“A”) test are accepted by the person responsible, or the results of a confirmatory (“B”) test also return a positive result. This policy is grounded in the principle that athletes’ rights must be respected in the fight against doping. “It is understandable that an athlete or an athlete’s attorney may try to influence public opinion prior to receipt of final results in an...

Lexington, KY - Baseball is baseball, but baseball at Fenway Park or Wrigley Field is a whole new ballgame. Horse racing is horse racing but watching the field come around the turn at Saratoga provides goosebumps race after race. Show jumping is show jumping but at Spruce Meadows the mountains make a difference. Dressage is dressage but Dressage at Devon is a completely unique experience. Located in Berwyn, Pa. the 33rd consecutive running of the show has attracted some of the country’s...

Burbank, CA - The first of the two Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals provided top-class competition despite a nasty battle with Mother Nature which resulted in lots of cancelled classes and some creative competition management by the Los Angeles International Horse Show. Held in Griffith Park, the horse show was abbreviated by a powerful storm on Friday night which knocked out power to the show grounds and over 25,000 homes in the surrounding area. This warranted the...