The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) would like to congratulate the 11-year-old 16.3-hand Dutch Warmblood gelding Ravel, owned by Akiko Yamazaki of Woodside, CA, and ridden by Steffen Peters of San Diego, CA, for being named 2009 Adequan/United States Dressage Federation Grand Prix Horse of the Year. Ravel’s median score of 75.574% made him the top horse in the United States competing at this level and the recipient of USDF’s highest honor. Ravel was recognized at the 2009 Adequan/USDF...

The Stephens College Department of Equestrian Studies was host to an International Saddle Seat Invitational competition with South Africa. The event, which took place December 11-12, was patterned after the Saddle Seat World Cup competition, which consists of five countries fielding two teams each. Saddle seat is typically an individual discipline, so team competition requires strategy, which enhances the challenge. South Africa brought two teams to Stephens for the event—a three-gaited...

The 2009 winners of the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Members Choice Awards Program were announced, Wednesday, December 9, 2009, at the USHJA Annual Meeting in St. Petersburg, FL. Lynn Walsh, Chair of the Show Standards Committee, gave a brief overview of the program and announced the winners. Winners were selected in two categories; AA- and A-rated competitions, as well as B- and C-rated competitions. Winners will receive a banner, which can be displayed at their competition,...

The final shows have been posted and the 2009 Performance Horse Registry’s (PHR) Silver Stirrup Award winners have been announced. One of the Hunter winners include Krishna Buyalos’s beautiful two-year-old filly, Outstanding. This bay filly is by Popeye K and out of Delilah. She was bred in California by Leslie Nelson. She is the winner of the Hunter Breeding Award. The Anglo-Trakehner gelding Unbelievable (Zarr x Rhapsody II) took home the award for the best Green Working Hunter. The Jumper...

Photo by Ken Braddick (Steffen Peters and Ravel) Lexington, KY – Talk about busy. 2009 has been a whirlwind, new champions of all kinds, title defenders, legends and innovators made headlines this year. The line between winning and losing has become increasingly fine as all the USEF competitors in every discipline continue to up their game, hone their skills and make the US Team proud both locally and across the globe. With the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) looming on the...

Eva Salomon Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) announced today that Eva Salomon has accepted a position as the Managing Director and Chef D'Equipe for Dressage for the United States. A Swedish National, Salomon’s resume makes her impeccably suited for this position. She served as the FEI Director of Dressage from 2003-2009, worked with the Swedish Federation from 1984-1989, and then served on the Swedish Dressage Committee from 1992-2000, including Chef d' Equipe...

Photo by Lynn Coakley (Nancy Koch) Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation and The EQUUS Foundation are pleased to announce the winner of the inaugural EQUUS Foundation Humanitarian Award. Nancy Koch, Executive Director of CANTER National, was chosen from a number of qualified nominees to receive this distinctive honor. The award will be presented January 16, 2010, at the USEF Pegasus Awards Dinner during the Federation’s Annual Meeting. Nancy Koch has successfully improved the...

The American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) is pleased to recognize the following members who will receive top awards at its annual convention, which will take place in Lexington, KY, February 17-20. Man and Woman of the Year Awards honor those individuals for their continued support of the breed. This year's honorees are Roger Barricklow and Connie Barker. Nicole Nicholson will be awarded the Cecil Brown Memorial Sportsmanship Award, which is given to a Morgan exhibitor who has displayed...

New equine research, practical veterinary techniques and business education attracted a record 7,611 attendees to the American Association of Equine Practitioners’ 55th Annual Convention in Las Vegas, NV, December 5-9. The previous record was set during the 2007 convention in Orlando, FL. “The economy has affected all aspects of the horse industry in 2009, and I believe our record attendance indicates how strongly equine veterinarians value quality continuing education,” said David L. Foley,...

Mikala Munter Gundersen and Festivo Win Equilite Sponsored Class International dressage trainer and competitor Mikala Munter Gundersen was in the ribbons at the Wellington Classic Holiday Challenge, winning the USEF Third Level Test 3 with Christine DeHerrera’s Westphalian gelding Festivo. The class was sponsored by Equilite, makers of Sore No More, Herbal Blends and Botanical Animal Flower Essences, and Gundersen took home a giant tote filled with Equilite products. “Christine, who owns...