Lexington, KY - The Board of Directors during this year’s United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Annual Meeting approved new helmet rules for riders in both eventing and dressage - just two weeks after dozens of stakeholders in equestrian sport met with the goal of improving rider safety across disciplines. ”If the technology is available to reduce head injuries, the time to use it is now," said USEF President David O’Connor. "I am very proud of our organization for taking this very...

The USEF Annual Meeting celebrated 2010’s champions and Reining superstars Tom McCutcheon and Gunners Special Nite were honored for an outstanding year of achievement. They were the only U.S. pair to win two Gold medals at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Gunners Special Nite, owned by Sarah Wilemen, was voted USEF Horse of the Year for his achievements and the following night, McCutcheon won the top honor (Equestrian of the Year) for himself. It was an outstanding accomplishment...

Fairfield, CT — In poker it’s called re-shuffling the deck, and when the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) announced at the start of the 2010 semester that it had realigned its nine Zones to eight - changing the geography of its competitive regions and impacting coaching strategies - it promised to make the road to the 2011 IHSA National Championships, May 5-8, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, an interesting one. With Regional and Zone Championships, and Western...

Dr. Tim Holekamp was elected President of the American Trakehner Association at its 36th annual convention in Jacksonville, FL. Holekamp and his wife Cheryl own New Spring Farm in Columbia, MO, and are possibly best known for their acclaimed Trakehner stallion Windfall*Pg*, a U.S. Olympic team bronze medalist. “We started in 1984 with two Trakehner mares that we bought at the ATA auction in Columbus, Ohio,” said Holekamp, explaining that it took just one trip to an ATA convention for him to...

Lexington, KY - The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Regional Conferences are being held around the continent this year. These educational events are open to the public and provide horses for participants to ride with top instructors. Press are invited to attend. Other are being added to the below list all the time at http://www.cha-ahse.org/regions.htm . Region 1 (British Columbia, WA, Western MT, ID, OR, Alberta) Conference –– Canyonview Equestrian Center in Silverton, OR - February...

Lexington, KY - The Pegasus Awards Dinner is now available through Video on Demand on USEFNetwork.com . The gala was live-streamed from the 2011 USEF Annual Meeting in Lexington, providing equestrian fans an opportunity to watch in real-time as the Lifetime Achievement Award, Equestrian of the Year, Junior Equestrian of the Year, Pegasus Medals of Honor, and other prestigious honors were awarded throughout the evening. USEFNetwork.com is the Federation's new multi-media platform, featuring live...

Gunners Special Nite (Shannon Brinkman/USEF) Lexington, KY - The city of Lexington was largely defined by the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010, so it proved a fitting setting to crown the 2010 Farnam/Platform USEF Horse of the Year. And the winner couldn't be more all-American. The only multiple Gold medal-winning horse for Team USA, Gunners Special Nite, a six-year-old American Quarter Horse brought the sport of reining to the forefront of the American equestrian community. People...

New Orleans, LA - The Paso Fino Horse Association Board of Directors and the PFHA Membership have elected the following officers: President: Mr. Lee Vulgaris - Marion, MA Vice-President: Mr. Don Schanche - Marco Island, FL Secretary: Ms. Janice Meyer - Troy, IL Treasurer: Ms. Peggy Tanner - Bixby, OK 3-Year Appointee: Mr. Norman Timbs - Memphis, TN 2-Year Appointee: Ms. Robin Ratliff - Lamont, FL 1-Year Appointee: Mr. Guillermo Iglesias - Miami, FL In addition to the new executive officers, we...

Oklahoma City, OK - At the recent National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Board of Directors meeting, the 2011 Hall of Fame nominations were approved featuring the largest class of inductees to date. The eight inductees include a mix of historic people and horses and some of today’s most well-known names. Those people who will be formally inducted at the 2011 Awards Banquet include Shawn Flarida, Bob Kiser, Mandy McCutcheon, and Ronnie Sharpe. Horses include three stallions Boomernic, Shining...

Lexington, KY - The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) has announced its annual award winners, based on ballots tabulated by the ASHA Board of Directors. Nominees for each award are received from the general membership and committee volunteers, screened by the Executive Committee of the Association, and voted on by the full Board from the candidates selected. The awards are presented at the Annual Saddlebred Gala, to be held at the Griffin Gate Marriott Resort & Spa, Saturday evening,...