The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) has announced the newly revamped business membership available for the 2008 membership year, December 1, 2007 to November 30, 2008. The USDF Business Membership (BM), which previously was divided into two levels, has been combined into one to provide a better value package that is more cost effective to the member. BM dues will now be $175, and benefits will include member discount rates at USDF events, a 10% trade show booth discount, a 15%...

The United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) High-Performance Hunter Committee has been hard at work hosting demonstrations and classes this summer and fall, and the horse world is starting to take note. On Saturday night, the Verizon Center and the Washington International Horse Show played hosted to a $15,000 High-Performance Hunter Classic that wowed riders and spectators alike with its natural, rustic obstacles and similarity to a true hunt field. Diane Carney, a Chicago-area trainer...

With the completion of Wednesday's veterinary inspections, the 19th annual Dansko Fair Hill International Festival in the Country, is set to begin competition Thursday morning. This year's Festival features competition in two equestrian disciplines, as well as a wide array of family entertainment and attractions, at the Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area in the beautiful countryside of Fair Hill, MD. The Festival features the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Eventing CCI***...

The American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) is joining in Oklahoma’s 100th Centennial Celebration with a special flag ceremony on Friday, October 12, at 7 p.m. at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds. The salute takes place in the Fairgrounds Main Coliseum during the annual Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show. Admission is free to the ceremony. AMHA youth and their Morgan horses will participate in the flag presentation representing individual states, Canada, England and Austria...

On November 10, NickerTV charges out of the gate with an initial offering of 26 different equestrian channels all dedicated to a variety of horse-oriented themes and subjects. Nicker Network will be the first Internet-based, on-demand multi-channel television network targeted to the horse world. Each channel will have its own selection of programs, with new ones being added to the rosters on a regular basis. Programs will be available for viewing at no cost, with additional options for viewers...

WELLINGTON, FL -- The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation has announced that Darren Chiacchia, Nina Fout, Kim Severson, and Karen Stives from the Olympic sport of eventing will represent the USET Foundation in the 2008 Rose Parade in Pasadena, CA. The four eventing riders will join dressage Olympians Sue Blinks, Debbie McDonald, Guenter Seidel, and Steffen Peters as riders in a 12-member squad representing the USET Foundation. Next to be selected and announced will be the show...

An active and well-known member of the Saddlebred community, Shan Ellis Donaldson, died on Tuesday, September 25, 2007, at St. Joseph Hospital in Lexington, KY. She was 60. The Georgetown, KY, native became an equestrian at an early age, and her love of horses led to her parents, R. E. Ellis Jr., DMD, and Martha “Perkie” Ellis, founding the Longview Riding Camp. Shan and her husband of 40 years, Jamie Donaldson, started their own horse photography business. For many years, Shan could be found...

New! Lightweight! Eco-friendly! Searchable! Lexington, KY — Those USEF members who wish to receive a 2008 USEF Rule Book now have a choice of formats. Beginning with the 2008 competition year, the entire USEF Rule Book will be available on a convenient USB flash drive commonly known as a “memory stick.” This initiative is sponsored by the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. When you renew your membership for 2008, and if you desire a USEF Rule Book , you can choose to either...

The 61st Annual Buffalo International Horse Show concluded on Sunday afternoon at the Buffalo Equestrian Center in Buffalo, NY. Jennifer Alfano swept the professional hunter divisions, Wednesday and Thursday, proving to be unbeatable. She started off her morning with the tricolor in the First Year Green Hunters aboard Violets Are Blue, owned by Helen Lenahan. In the Second Year Green Hunters, Alfano and Rock Star proved again that they were the pair to beat. Over the two days of competition,...

Lexington, Kentucky – The Youth Council is pleased to announce the completed panel of Star Power athletes for the Inaugural Youth Council Convention to be held January 18, 2008 in Louisville, KY. These representatives of the USEF recognized breeds and disciplines have been high profile successful competitors for many years. Karen O’Connor will represent the Eventing discipline. Her most recent successes have been astride the notable Theodore O’Connor, a pony who has accomplished feats that have...