The USEF Competitions Department staff is currently in the process of reviewing the 2006-2008 license applications received in the Federation office for completeness and for outstanding issues. Those applications not considered complete will be sent a follow-up letter, addressed to the Licensee. The Licensee will have 30 days from the receipt of the letter to re-submit the requested information. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the USEF Competitions Department via email at...

This year’s FEI Children’s International Jumping Final will be held at Hummingbird Nest Ranch in Simi Valley, CA, November 21-27, and it promises to be as exciting as last year’s. The Final for Children between the ages of 12 and 14 as defined by FEI rules brings together riders from various nations around the world not only to compete, but also to meet their peers from other cultures. Qualifying procedures and qualifying classes for the FEI Children’s International Jumping Final are available...

The report detailing the work of those who participated in the nation’s first-ever Unwanted Horse Summit is now available from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP). The Summit was hosted on April 19, 2005, in Washington, D.C., by the AAEP with the purpose of identifying long-term solutions designed to improve the quality of life of unwanted horses. Over 25 equine industry organizations and individuals participated. Attendees worked in small groups during the Summit to examine...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) will hold its National Convention & Symposium, November 30-December 4, 2005, in Los Angeles, CA. The convention will be shortened by one day, with governance meetings beginning on Wednesday, November 30. This change in format will reduce participant expense and time requirements without compromising USDF work accomplished. It will also allow more members to participate in business and governance meetings, USDF University educational sessions, awards...

Tom Struzzieri, Owner and President of Horse Shows In The Sun (HITS), and his staff hosted a press conference on May 16 at the HITS-on-the-Hudson show grounds in Saugerties, NY. Members of the press received details of the $150,000 Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Championship, followed by a tour of the new HITS High-Performance Horse Complex. Struzzieri was joined by Maurice Hinchey, US Congressman for the 22nd District of New York; David Cornstein, Chairman of the New York State Olympic Games...

FEI representatives met with leading footing specialists in Windsor, England, on May 16 for a brainstorming session which will likely provide the criteria upon which all future championship arena footing is to be based. The meeting, which drew riding surface experts from around the world, was a proactive response to the report of the FEI Working Group assigned to assess problems associated with footing after the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. The round table discussion covered many areas, including...

The 60th annual Del Mar National Horse Show came to a climax on Saturday with the $100,000 HBO Grand Prix of Del Mar. There were 27 entries, and for the second year in a row, Rich Fellers riding McGuinness took home the grand prize. Second place went to Leslie Steele and her horse AW Butterfly Hula. Third place went to Carlson, owned and ridden by Guillermo Obligado. The grand prix course was designed by world-renowned Olympic course designer, Leopoldo Palacios of Caracas, Venezuela. World Cup,...

The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) just launched TEAM CHA for kids 15 years old and younger. For only $15 a year, youth members will receive one free issue of Blaze Magazine , quarterly newsletters with a lot of fun activities, a membership card and sticker and a chance to win great prizes by just hanging around with horses. Kids, regardless of if they own a horse or not, can earn great prizes by being involved with horses in the Horse Connection Reward Program. Activities, such as...

With the notification received yesterday evening that an equine animal residing on a single premise in Maricopa County, AZ, has been diagnosed with Vesicular Stomatitis (VS), Kentucky's Administrative Regulation 302 KAR 20:115 will now prohibit the entry of all livestock, wild and exotic animals into Kentucky from the VS Embargoed portions of Arizona identified as being Maricopa County. Both Arizona and New Mexico have regions designated by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture as VS Embargoed...

When will reining be in the Olympics? We have all heard the question. As the only Western discipline approved for Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) competition, reining is on the threshold of Olympic inclusion. While the threshold won’t easily be traversed, reining received a substantial and very encouraging boost when the FEI, during its 2005 FEI General Assembly, April 5-10, in London, England, proposed recommending to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) the addition of a fourth...