The first meeting of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Dressage Force took place on January 12-13, 2009, in Frankfurt, Germany. The meeting was chaired by Frank Kemperman with Richard Davison (GBR), riders’ representative; Robert Dover (USA), trainers’ representative; Alain Franqueville (FRA), representing chefs d’equipe; Elisabeth Max-Theurer (AUT), owners’ representative; and Katrina Wuest (GER), judges’ representative, in attendance. The FEI was represented by its Sports and...

It's not too late to make plans to attend this years Paso Fino Horse Association (PFHA) Board of Directors Meeting and Membership Convention. Let your voice and opinions be heard. Without your imput changes cannot be made. Election of new officers of the Association will be held at this meeting. The 2009 PFHA Board of Directors Meeting & Membership Convention is taking place January 22-24th, 2009, at the Four Points by Sheraton Orlando City Hotel, located at 5905 International Drive in Orlando,...

Lexington, KY – The US show jumping riders had their first training session on their borrowed horses at the 2009 Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney, Australia. The four riders all spent some time getting to know their borrowed horses and found both the horses and their Australian owners and riders very accommodating. Each nation is invited to bring four athletes between the ages of 15-20 and the four promising young stars representing the US are: Mavis Spencer, 17, from Santa Monica,...

The American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) is pleased to announce those members who will receive the top awards at its Annual Convention in February. For the first time, awardees are announced prior to the convention, with hopes that friends and family will be able to join them for this special recognition before the Morgan community. The 2009 AMHA Annual Convention will take place in Sacramento, CA, February 18-21. Man of the Year and Woman of the Year Awards honor those individuals for...

HITS, Inc., is pleased to announce the HITS Saugerties spring and summer horse show dates at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, NY. This year, HITS Saugerties will offer seven weeks of AA-rated hunter/jumper competition at its state-of-the-art facility, as well as several special events, including the 2009 USEF Junior Hunter East Coast Finals and the 19th Annual Marshall & Sterling League National Finals. "Our spring and summer show series in Saugerties are quite special, as they provide a...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association's (ASHA) Annual Convention and Youth Conference will be held Thursday, February 12, through Saturday, February 14, at the Griffin Gate Marriott Resort and Spa in Lexington, KY. With registration set to begin on Thursday morning, the convention will consist of open meetings, forums, youth events, and multiple vendor exhibits, culminating in Saturday night’s Saddlebred Ball, also set to be held onsite at the Griffin Gate Marriott. Thursday afternoon the...

The 2009 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) opened Wednesday to rave reviews for the $10-million makeover of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Opening day in almost perfect weather with temperatures reaching a high of about 80 degrees F (27 degrees Celsius) saw 854 hunter and jumper trips in 10 competition arenas. The annual George H. Morris Horsemanship Clinic filled another arena. Although the premiere jumper rings, International, DeNemethy and Mogavero arenas drew 231 entries...

A black Shetland Pony who closely resembles the pony Little Black in the Walter Farley book Little Black, A Pony has a new home with the Black Stallion Literacy Foundation at Arabian Nights in Orlando, FL. Thanks to the donation of the pony by the American Shetland Pony Club (ASPC), thousands of children involved in the literacy program will have the chance to meet Little Black in person. The Black Stallion Literacy Foundation has helped motivate hundreds of thousands of children to enjoy...

The International Friesian Show Horse Association (IFSHA) now has a limited-time discount offer on IFSHA Lifetime Memberships through the end of July 2009. The normal IFSHA Lifetime Membership fee is $1,000. If you join IFSHA now through July 2009 you will receive a 50% discount, allowing you to join IFSHA for your lifetime, for only $500. This offer is available to new and renewal memberships. If you have already joined for 2009 for an annual membership, you can up-grade your membership and...

Karen O'Connor (right) was named USEF's Equestrian of the Year in 2008. (USEF Archives/Geoff Oliver Bugbee) Lexington, KY — Voting is now open for the United States Equestrian Federation’s (USEF) most prestigious awards, the 2008 Farnam®/Platform™ USEF Horse of the Year award and the 2008 USEF Equestrian of the Year award. Any USEF member can vote for the Farnam®/Platform™ USEF Horse of the Year or USEF Equestrian of the Year. Your vote will help decide which of...