PhelpsPhotos.com (Brentina and Debbie McDonald) (Cincinnati, Ohio)—Among the regalia of the United States Equestrian Federation’s (USEF) annual meeting and black tie gala, Dressage Champion Brentina was named the inaugural Farnam®/ Platform™ • USEF Horse of the Year, the first time one horse has been selected among all breeds and disciplines as the year’s most exceptional horse. Owned by Peggy Thomas of Hailey, Idaho, Brentina is one of the most successful horses in the history of U.S. Dressage...

Thomas D. Brokken, DVM, of Fort Lauderdale, FL, was installed as the 52nd president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) during the group’s annual convention in Seattle, WA, December 3-7. He will serve through 2006. Dr. Brokken has devoted his veterinary career to the care of the Thoroughbred. He is the senior partner of Teigland, Franklin & Brokken, DVMs, P.A., a 12-veterinarian equine medicine and surgery practice dedicated exclusively to Thoroughbred racehorses. Dr....

It is with great sadness that the USEF ParaEquestrian community acknowledges the tragic death of Margo O’Callahan, of Seattle, WA. O’Callahan was killed in a car accident on Sunday, December 18, near the Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center, where she rode for much of her adult life. O’Callahan’s dog, Eddie, was also killed in the accident, which is still under investigation at this time. Overcoming multiple strokes and an accident which left her with a broken hip,...

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation is pleased to announce the four athletes who have been named to the 2006 USEF ParaEquestrian Advanced Rider List. The following rider/horse combinations have completed the requirements for inclusion on the list and are as follows: • Rebecca Hart and Nordkap (Bay Hanoverian gelding) – 68.917% • Robin Brueckmann and Richmond (Gray Hanoverian gelding) – 67.636% • Lynn Seidemann and Ryan (Sorrel Quarter Horse...

North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) is proud to announce that nearly $50,000 has been raised for a fund to assist NARHA Centers in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida which were affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. Seventy-pound toppled arena lights, flooded barns and several equine deaths are just a sampling of the devastation NARHA Centers faced in the wake of this year’s hurricanes. NARHA’s 2005 Annual Meeting and Conference was held in...

The 2006 National Youth Horse Leader’s Symposium will take place February 3-5, 2006, in Gainesville, FL, offering a diverse group of talented and knowledgeable presenters on four different tracks: youth development, successful programs, tools and games and industry issues. The 29th annual symposium will have something for everyone involved in the youth horse industy. Randel Raub, PhD, of Land O’Lakes Purina, will share his knowledge about quality ingredients in feed as well as offer a keynote...

Monica Christian of Brookville, OH, has been selected as the 2005 Arabian Horse Association (AHA) Youth of the Year by AHA out of a field of 17 nominees. The high school senior from Region 14 also serves as the Arabian Horse Youth Association (AHYA) Treasurer, a position she was elected to at the annual AHYA Convention in July of 2005. AHA honors one outstanding youth member annually with this award, which is based on an individual’s achievements and contributions to the Arabian horse industry,...

(Lexington, KY) -- The USEF, and previously USA Equestrian, reviewed the applications submitted by the organizer of the Las Vegas World Invitational (LVWI) for three years prior to approving the competition in 2005. The USEF committees reviewing the applications established several conditions which had to be met by the organizers, primarily related to technical issues insuring the safety of the horses and riders, and securing payment to the competitors and officials. The USEF approved the event...

The 2006 Paso Fino Horse Association (PFHA) Board of Directors and Annual Membership Convention will be held January 13-15, at the Crowne Plaza in Redondo Beach, CA. The agenda for the meeting is available in the December issue of Paso Fino Horse World . For reservations, call (310) 318-8888. The Proxy Voting Form for the 2006 PFHA Membership Convention is now available on the PFHA web site at www.pfha.org. This form should be used to designate a proxy for your vote on all matters other than...

Lexington, KY – When asked to choose one word that best describes who she is, Teal Dowling pauses, laughs a little and gives a word that all who know her would heartily agree with. The word would have to be “original,” she told the panel of judges in her interview as a finalist for 2005 USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year. The delightful 18-year-old from Spring Prairie, Wisconsin does her best to live up to that word, charting her own course as she navigates life and the world...