The American Saddle Horse Breeders Futurity of Wisconsin announced that it will once again host the American Saddlebred Horse Association’s National Pleasure Equitation Championship. The national championship attracts exhibitors from across the United States and is a “must do” for the most accomplished pleasure equitation competitors. The competition includes rail work followed by a workout. Competitors are scored using a numerical scale by each of the three judges. Scores for rail work and the...

This year’s prestigious Lexington Junior League Horse Show opened Monday evening, July 7, with a star-studded cast of the best American Saddlebreds in the world, among nearly a thousand horses and ponies entered for competition at The Red Mile. Two of the three reigning Saddlebred World’s Grand Champions, Grande Gil and CH Along Came A Spider, will meet all comers in the first jewel of the breed’s Triple Crown of competitions. Other shows in the Triple Crown are the Kentucky State Fair World’s...

The American Shetland Pony Club (ASPC) is ready to rock and roll with the celebration of their 120th Anniversary during the 2008 American Shetland Pony National Championship Congress Show in Cloverdale, IN. The Shetland Pony Championship Congress Show will be held at the new Crossroads Arena facility in historic “Covered Bridge Country” on July 30 through August 2. The excitement is steadily growing as the Shetland Pony Congress kick-off date approaches. “In honor of the 120th Anniversary of...

Lexington, KY – The U.S. duo of Chester Weber and Tucker Johnson equaled an Chester Weber Drives to Third Place (Franz & Andreas Steindl) American best on Sunday by placing third overall in the Four-in-Hand Nations Cup at the World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen. Weber made a mistake at the very first cone and added some time faults in the final phase to finish the three phases in third individually, a personal best in Aachen, by less than a point on a score on 154.06. “We had...

Lexington, KY - U.S. Drivers Chester Weber and Tucker Johnson prepared for September's World Championships with solid performances at the prestigious CHIO Chester Weber's Second Place Team (Andres Steindl) Aachen today in Aachen, Germany. Weber and Tucker sit in second and fourth individually after the marathon and lie second, on a score of 296.81, less than a point behind The Netherlands (296.23), in the team portion of the competition. Weber, from Ocala, FL, has a two-day score of 144.64...

Lexington, KY - Two of the top U.S. drivers are taking on some of the world’s best at the World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen in Aachen, Germany as part of their important preparation for the 2008 World Driving Championships. After the dressage, U.S. drivers Chester Weber and Tucker Johnson are sitting comfortably in first and third. Weber, the current USEF National Champion, bested a star studded field of 25 four-in-hands to go into the lead after the dressage on a score of 36.48. Driving...

Lexington, KY – Aiken, SC resident Meghan Benge won an Individual Gold medal today at the 2008 FEI World Championships for Drivers with Disabilities CPEAI4* in Greven, Germany. Driving Jack, a pony borrowed from England, Benge won the dressage and never looked back. She also led the U.S. to a Team Silver at the conclusion of today’s Cones competition. Benge’s teammates were Arroyo Grande, CA.driver Diana Kastama, who drove her own horse Jasper to the Individual Bronze medal, followed very...

Lexington, KY ­– The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has approved the following short list for the 2008 FEI World Single Horse Driving Championships to be held in Jarantow, Poland, August 25-31, 2008. The definite entries will be named July 27, 2008. The following short list has been approved for the 2008 FEI World Single Horse Driving Championships: Leslie Berndl / 45 / Newcastle, CA / Koopman's Lightning Rod / Gelding / 12 / Hackney/ Ann McClure Marjas Becker / 61 / Brooker, FL /...

Michelle Gibson and Don Angelo (Amy McCool) San Juan Capistrano, CA – The first day of the USEF National Intermediaire Dressage Championship showcased the top horse/rider combinations in the country at the fiercely competitive Intermediaire level. Some of the most exciting up-and-coming horses performed the Prix St. Georges test in the arena at The Oaks Blenheim facility this afternoon. Two riders, who duel on a regular basis, ended the day separated by only four-tenths of a percent. Last...

The facilities for providing first-rate care of horses brought to Hong Kong for the Olympic Games in August have been given the thumbs-up by members of the Animal Welfare Advisory Group (AWAG) who visited the two equestrian venues. “I think the welfare of the horses is being very well taken care of,” said Chan Pui-tin, after he and five colleagues inspected the venues on June 24.. “We have asked a lot of questions on a range of topics, big and small, such as whether the horses will suffer from...