Endurance riders from across the U.S. and Canada made their way to Louisville, KY, for the American Endurance Ride Conference’s 2008 convention, held February 20-21 at the Galt House Hotel. The convention, which included educational seminars, “hot topics” workshops, trade show, meetings for international competitors, a class for veterinarians, and a dance, concluded with a heartfelt and tearful national awards banquet. Suzy Kelley, a longtime endurance rider from Southern California, was taken...

The Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W/Y outdoes itself every year, and this year’s 26th annual event February 26–March 1 is no exception. From the world-class competition in the CDI, to the fun social activities like the Taste of the Derby and the Competitor’s Party hosted by Purina Mills, the Derby is the one event on every dressage aficionado’s calendar. In excess of $20,000 in purses and awards will be distributed during the show. Riders will also get their first scores for the Challenge...

Isn’t it true? Horse activities are just more fun when youngsters get involved. So the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo is offering a number of “kid-friendly” activities before and during the Expo in Denver to be held March 13-15, 2009. For several weeks now, students at 19 Colorado elementary schools have been up to their elbows in paint and crayons (or pencils and erasers) polishing their entries for the third annual Art & Essay Contest. Winners will be presented at the Horse Expo and their work...

Mexico will be the first of eight teams to start in the FEI Nations Cup presented by CN at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center Friday night, February 27. A sellout crowd is expected to pack the newly created spectator sections of the International Arena in which the only Nations Cup in the United States will be held under lights beginning at 6:30 p.m. The first horse is scheduled to be in the ring at 7 p.m. for the event, which is a highlight of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival...

Lendon Gray, President and CEO of The Dressage Foundation, announced that Jan Brons of Wellington, FL, has won the 2009 “Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize.” The purpose of the prize, established at The Dressage Foundation, is to provide financial assistance for coaching and training to a talented, committed, qualified rider whose plan is to reach and excel at the elite, international standards of high-performance dressage. “A strong field of applicants applied for this important new prize,...

Lexington, KY— Due to the current economic climate, three Presidential Modifications were approved by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) February 17, 2009, which will effect the 2009 competition year for Hunters. The changes to the rules are as follows: 1. HU112.5: This will allow for the combining of the Green and Regular Working Hunter Sections at AA competitions when there are not enough to fill. This was approved at the USEF Annual Meeting to go into effect 12.1.09, in an effort...

From the USEF Show Jumping Department Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has approved the following modifications to the Selection Procedures for CSIO/CSI Competitions, aka “the USEF Computer List”. These changes will become effective on March 1, 2009. The following additions or changes have been made to the Selection Procedures: Under Classes to Count, Page 9: FEI (CSI/CSI-W, CSIO) – Classes at CSI’s, CSI-W’s, and CSIO’s in the United States and Canada meeting the...

The San Antonio Saddle Horse Association (SASHA) will host its annual Charity Horse Show on Friday, March 6, though Sunday, March 8, 2009, at the San Antonio Rose Palace in San Antonio, TX, to benefit their local, non-profit Visitation House of San Antonio. The Visitation House is a transitional housing program for homeless women and their children. The mission of the Visitation House Transitional Housing Program is to assist women in ending the cycle of poverty and homelessness in their lives...

As a result of construction projects at the Kentucky Horse Park, Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), is announcing some major changes for the 2009 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, the only annual four-star three-day event in the Americas. Scheduled for April 23-26, the event draws over 100,000 spectators and is seen by millions more on worldwide telecasts, including a one-hour special on NBC in the United States. Honored with the 2008 Best of Lexington Award in the Special Events category by the U.S....

The American Vaulting Association (AVA) will celebrate its 40th anniversary at its Annual Convention, February 26-March 1, in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. The four-day convention, themed “Reaching Out, Reaching Up!” will feature a special full-day workshop by members of the Pilobolus Dance Company, who have thrilled millions around the world with their own take on the imaginative and athletic exploration of creative collaboration. Well-known equestrian and author Daniel Stewart will...