With the competition season drawing to a close, final nominations from its membership for the American Saddlebred Horse Association’s (ASHA) individual awards are due at ASHA no later than the close of business Friday, October 31, 2008. Each year, the association’s highest honors are presented at the annual Saddlebred Ball, held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting. This year, both the Annual Meeting and the Ball will be held at the Griffin Gate Marriott Resort in Lexington, KY, February...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) Junior Judging Contest will be a highlight at the Ninth Annual National Academy Championship, held at Miller Coliseum in Murfreesboro, TN. On Saturday, November 1, 2008, starting at 9 a.m., Junior Judges will have the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge as they judge four to six classes. Junior Judges must be in the judging section before the gate closes in order to judge the class. The Junior Judging Contest, sponsored by Directional...

The 54th Annual Convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) will be held in San Diego, CA, December 6-10, continuing its long history of providing unsurpassed professional development for equine veterinarians. More than 4,000 practitioners, veterinary students and technicians attend the convention each year, making it the largest equine veterinary meeting in the world. The San Diego Convention Center will be the primary location for convention events. Program Chair...

Molly Rosin and Havarah's Charly Hold their Lead (Shannon Brinkman) Elkton, MD ¬– The temperatures dropped overnight but the competition continued to heat up at the 2008 Dansko Fair Hill International which is playing host to the 2008 USEF National CCI** and CCI*** Eventing Championships. The second day of dressage unfolded without a change to the top of the leaderboard in the CCI**. Local rider Molly Rosin and Havarah’s Charly staved off a charge from the Californian...

Six young competitors earned the American Morgan Horse Association's (AMHA) highest equestrian honors for their wins at the 2008 Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show, held October 4-11 at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. Sponsored in part by AMHA, this annual showcase brings together top finishers from horse shows from across the country. Gold medals are awarded in the six equitation seats: saddle seat, Western seat, hunter seat on the flat, hunter seat over...

Lexington, KY – A mutual decision has been made not to renew the contract of USEF National Dressage Coach Klaus Balkenhol which expires at the end of 2008. The decision between Balkenhol and the USEF’s High Performance Dressage Committee means that his role as Chef d’Equipe, National Dressage Coach and Technical Advisor to the Committee shall be concluded according to the terms of the existing contract on December 31, 2008. In recognition of Balkenhol’s excellent service to the USEF over the...

The Kentucky Horse Council (KHC) will be holding its annual conference, open to both members and the general public, on November 22, 2008. This conference offers educational sessions relevant to the horse community, and provides an enjoyable day for networking with other members, guests and the public. This year's conference will be held November 22 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Lexington. Three concurrent educational tracks will offer speakers discussing "Safety for Horse and Rider," "Trails...

Equestrian Events, Inc., has been honored with the 2008 Best of Lexington Award in the Special Events category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA). The USLBA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through...

Horse enthusiasts at our 2008 Extravaganza can plan on three action-packed days of everything equestrian from October 31-November 2 at the Richmond Raceway Complex in Richmond, VA. With multiple arenas of non-stop clinics and demonstrations, some of the best clinicians in the country, an exciting Trainer Challenge, an acclaimed seminar series with some of the leading equine practitioners in the country, and America's Ultimate Horse Idol competition, equestrians of all levels and interests can...

Last year when two-time Horse of the Year John Henry passed away at the age of 32, five hundred fans from across the country attended his memorial service, thousands watched that same service on a live television broadcast, and thousands of others sent letters of condolence. On October 8, the one-year anniversary of John Henry’s death, the Kentucky Horse Park and the organizers of the John Henry Memorial Fund will dedicate a permanent memorial to one of the Thoroughbred racing industry’s...