Pony rider Emma Cullen and green medium pony, Silver Slippers, at the 2009 USEF Pony Finals. (USEF Archive/Randi Muster) Lexington, KY—It was a day many young riders have been waiting to come for months, and it was well worth the wait judging by their excited faces. The 2009 United States Equestrian Federation Pony Finals National Championships welcomed this year’s roster of ponies and their energetic riders who made the grade and were invited to participate in what is certainly the...

The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation is pleased to announce that the Jack Le Goff Memorial Fund has been established in memory of the legendary USET Eventing Coach. The fund will provide annual travel grant(s) to riders selected to represent the United States at the FEI Eventing World Cup Final. The first major gift to start this fund in Jack Le Goff's name was generously made by Cindy and Larry Lippon of Cave Creek, AZ, who had the pleasure and honor of knowing Jack Le Goff and...

Junior Competitor Jessica Deimler Recognized for EAF Fundraising Efforts Lexington, KY – Competitors of the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) enjoyed a chance to relax with a pizza party on Thursday night (7/23) hosted by the Equestrian Aid Foundation (EAF) and EAF board member Stephanie Riggio. The hospitality tent was full of fun and laughter as hundreds of pizzas and drinks were devoured by riders, trainers and supportive families. Giving Thanks In the midst of...

Pat Boyle and Diane Carney Welcome Olympian to Illinois This past weekend Showplace Productions hosted a clinic with Olympic Show Jumping Assistant Chef d'Equipe Melanie Smith Taylor for the United States Hunter Jumper Association's (USHJA) Emerging Athletes Program. The clinic was managed by Pat Boyle and held at the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, IL. "I think the clinic was excellent and great for the area," commented Pat Boyle. "It was a great opportunity too for the kids to learn...

Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP), the manager of the Winter Equestrian Festival, has released the finalized dates for the competitions commencing on January 13 and running through April 4, 2010. As in the past two years, the Festival will feature 12 weeks of AA USEF competition showcasing some of the world's top Olympic riders and awarding major prize money at one of the premiere equestrian facilities in the world. Once again, the Festival will feature the Battle of the Sexes, the Nations Cup...

The 2009 HSBC FEI World Cup™ Eventing moves to North America for the first time this year, with this weekend’s 7th leg at Kalispell in Montana (July 23-26). The annual event at Rebecca Farm has attracted 19 entries from US and Canadian riders, including dual Olympian Amy Tryon (USA), who this time rides Leyland, 13th at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event in April. Canadian Olympian Hawley Bennett brings two horses, her Athens veteran Livingstone and Gin N Juice, and Jil Walton, a member of the...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) has announced the names of five ASHA Youth Scholarship recipients. The individuals receiving scholarships are Crystal Atwood of Hermiston, OR, Shelby Reimer of Senoia, GA, Anna Stoddard of Gibsonville, NC, Allison Strash of Pleasant Prairie, WI, and Katie McAuliffe of Goodrich, MI, who received the ASHA Youth-to-Youth Scholarship. The purpose of these scholarships is to encourage, support and recognize participation in all aspects of the American...

In this day and age, there are many medications available to both human and horses. While some of these medications are quite benign, most of them have varying degrees of side effects. Some of the side effects are relatively minor, while some are rapidly fatal. Recent national events have shown us that we must take great care in what we put in our horses. Obviously, horses can neither tell you where it hurts nor can they tell you what they feel like on a given medication. So, paying attention...

As the Arabian Horse Association’s (AHA) Youth Nationals Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show approaches, AHA continues to celebrate its 2008 Youth of the Year, Kim Luebcke of Peoria, IL. Luebcke, a college freshman at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, past Region 11 Youth Director and past Arabian Horse Youth Association (AHYA) President, maintains her role of Youth of the Year with grace and gratitude. Each year the Youth of the Year subcommittee works to find an Arabian...

The United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Hunter Derby Series was created to bring show hunters to the international level, to increase spectator, media and sponsorship interest and to bring tradition and basic riding principles back to the sport of showing hunters. Over the past 18 months, during the inaugural year of the USHJA International Hunter Derby, this effort has been wildly successful with the help of our sponsors and show managers as well as the owners,...