Diana DeRosa (Team USA's Christopher Hickey, Katherine Poulin-Neff and Lauren Sammis) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil—Gold is definitely a color that looks good on the necks of Americans equestrian athletes, and Team USA’s dressage squad were the first to have the honor to wear it among the three disciplines invited to the XV Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro. The three-member team comprised of Lauren Sammis, Katherine Poulin-Neff and Christopher Hickey finished their combined work to...

New Jersey's Sammis and Sagacious HF in Rio De Janeiro. (Diana DeRosa) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil —Equestrian competition began on Saturday morning at the National Equestrian Center at Deodoro, outside of Rio de Janeiro. Up first for the three disciplines contested in the Pan American Games was dressage, and there was one American to take to the arena—Lauren Sammis. At the end of the 13 riders going on Saturday (one from Columbia withdrew), she sat in the early lead headed into...

Lexington, KY— A last minute decision to enter the class paid off for first-time USEF Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal Finalist Michelle Krentz as she swept the class with a unanimous decision from the judges and went home with the title. Krentz beat six other finalists in the 71st Lexington Junior League Horse Show at the famous The Red Mile racetrack. Even though Krentz has not been regularly riding her 17-year-old mare, CH Louisville Lass, the chemistry was right between them. “Since I’ve...

The horse-show management firm The Classic Company is pleased to announce it will again present the Biltmore Estate Summer Classic, to be held July 18-22 and July 25-29 at the equestrian center of the illustrious Vanderbilt mansion in Ashville, NC. The only nationally ranked, sanctioned, hunter/jumper equestrian event held on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate, this year’s classic, part of the Mountain Air Circuit of Shows, will feature more than 300 competitive classes in six show rings from...

The six selected chairmen of the newly established FEI Endurance Task Force held conference calls over the last two weeks to discuss and agree on their respective timetables and reporting procedures. Each chairman, together with their two co-members, will now start to review the various areas that have been designated to each division. Specific e-mail addresses have been established so that National Federations can send any comments and suggestions they may received from their members directly...

Vermont Summer Festival is presenting live webcasts of its horse show competition. The webcasts are being produced by LiveBroadcast.TV and Productions East Video. The Vermont Summer Festival began on July 11 and features six full weeks of hunter/jumper competition. The Vermont Summer Festival offers $800,000 in prize money, making it the largest sporting event in the state of Vermont based on total purse. The Vermont Summer Festival is New England’s largest “AA” rated hunter/jumper horse show...

Rio de Janiero, Brazil—The U.S dressage riders and horses have settled nicely into the newly constructed National Equestrian Center at the Deodoro Sports Complex located on a military base 26 kilometers outside Rio de Janeiro. Deodoro also includes the competition facilities for archery, field hockey, shooting and modern pentathlon. The U.S dressage team members and the USEF sports staff give their venue high marks. “It is an excellent facility by anyone’s quality standards;...

For the second consecutive year and the third time in his career, Steffen Peters was the recipient of the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation's Equestrian Bowl for the National Dressage Championship. The USET Foundation presents the trophy annually to the winner of the National Grand Prix Championship. The Franklin Mint donated the elegant Equestrian Bowl to the USET in 1978. The first recipient was Edith Master. Peters was presented with the trophy at the 2007 Collecting Gaits...

Lexington, KY – One of the nation’s leaders in the fight against degenerative joint disease in horses, Adequan® (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan), has renewed their commitment with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) in a multi-faceted sponsorship. In addition, Adequan® remains as “The Official Joint Therapy of the USEF.” Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, manufacturer of the flagship equine health product, Adequan®, continues their commitment as title sponsor for three USEF championships for...

The Hagyard Challenge Series, a series of seven major show jumping competitions, will continue during the Kentucky Summer Horse Shows at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The first week of competition, the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, will be held from August 1-5, 2007, with the Kentucky Summer Classic following on August 8-12. The $30,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic Grand Prix classes are scheduled for Thursday, August 2, and Thursday, August 9, in the Sheila C. Johnson Arena. The Hagyard...