The American Saddlebred Horse Association's (ASHA) Annual Meeting and Youth Conference will be held Thursday–Friday, February 14-16, at the Embassy Suites in Lexington. The weekend ends with the annual Saddlebred Ball at Keeneland Race Course. Open meetings and forums with committees begin Thursday, as is customary, and the Charter Club Council will also conduct a workshop. Thursday evening is highlighted by a Welcome Reception sponsored by the FEI & Emerging Disciplines Committee. Friday...

The Board of Directors of Fair Hill International, Inc. (FHI), has voted not to host a combined driving event at the Dansko Fair Hill International when it returns to the Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area in Fair Hill, MD, October 16-18, 2008. The board made the decision with great reluctance at the recommendation of Fair Hill International Co-President Lana Wright. While Wright reported to the Board that the National Advanced Combined Driving Championships held at Fair Hill in 2007...

On January 5, 2008, the Raleigh Hunt Horse Complex will be the site of the first annual Sporthorse Stallion Exhibition. This location is convenient to the airport and major interstates, nearby hotels and dining. Even if you don’t breed horses, this event is going to be fun and educational—unique opportunity to see many different stallions all in the same place at the same time. Take this chance to meet those breeding stallions that you are considering for your mare for the 2008 season in...

Dream Street Stallion, Starlight, swept the top honors for a breeding stallion at the United States Dressage Federation’s (USDF) annual awards banquet hosted in Orlando, FL. Starlight was awarded the USDF All-Breeds Dressage Sport Horse Breeding Horse Of The Year. The seven-year-old black Oldenburg stallion is owned and shown by Rick Silvia of Dream Street Stallions. Silvia was also informed that Starlight’s score was the highest median score ever recorded. Silvia was awarded both a perpetual...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced the winner of the 2007 USDF Volunteer of the Year Award, presented by The Paddock Saddlery, at the 2007 Adequan/USDF Annual Convention. This award recognizes a USDF member who, through consistent and cumulative volunteer activities, has demonstrated exceptional commitment towards carrying out USDF’s mission. As the winner, Higgins was presented with a perpetual trophy, which is permanently on display in the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of...

The United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) has implemented an Equitation Awards program through its Affiliate Organizations Medal Classes primarily offered at local and unrecognized horse shows. The goal of this program is to increase the USHJA membership and outreach in the equestrian community, by further informing and educating individuals who partake in equestrian sports at the unrecognized and local horse show level and demonstrating that USHJA has something to offer them through...

Of all the awards the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) offers, it is the Volunteer of the Year Award, that is deemed the most prestigious. The 2007 Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Shelby French of Sweet Briar, VA, on December 13, at the USHJA Evening of Equestrians Dinner. French has been instrumental in developing grassroots outreach programs, has traveled to the Lexington office for program meetings, has been a member of the Board of Directors, co-chaired the...

“The Campaign for the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) National Education Center (NEC) has been a big success. We have also made a very good start towards building a long-term endowment,” announced USDF President Sam Barish during the Adequan/USDF Annual Convention, held in Orlando Florida, November 27-December 2. USDF has been tremendously successful in its first capital campaign effort, having secured campaign commitments of over $4.1 million that, when paid, will fully satisfy all...

Jeff Wonnell, a lifelong consummate horseman who assisted with the introduction of the Friesian breed to the Federation, passed away on November 21, 2007, from injuries related to an accidental fall at his Branson West, MO, home. He was 86. For the past seven decades, Wonnell’s accomplishments were as a horseman, trainer, mentor, breeder and friend, each documented by countless championships and the horses he was responsible for breeding and showing. Wonnell never ceased to serve the equine...

As the year comes to a close, the United States Equestrian Federation® (USEF) is pleased to announce the 2007 Equestrians of Honor. Of these seven honorees, one will be selected as the 2007 USEF Equestrian of the Year, one of USEF’s most prestigious awards. All of the Equestrians of Honor will be recognized during the Annual Pegasus Awards Dinner at the USEF Annual Meeting on Friday, January 11. The Annual Meeting will be held January 9-13 at the Louisville Marriott Downtown in...