Tallahassee's Red Hills Horse Trials, Inc., which began nearly a decade ago and has grown into one of the nation's top eventing equestrian competitions, will have a change in leadership following the March 2006 event. Red Hills Co-Organizers, Sallie Ausley and Sylvia Ochs, announced this week they will step down from their leadership roles following the March 2006 Trials. An initial search to locate an individual or individuals to succeed the co-organizers proved unsuccessful and it appeared...

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—Team USA won the FEI CRIO that took place on December 1, 2005, in Oklahoma City, OK, during the National Reining Horse Association Futurity. Tim McQuay of Tioga, TX; Scott McCutcheon of Whitesboro, TX; Tom McCutcheon of Aubrey, TX; and Dell Hendricks of Tioga, TX rode for the United States and came away victorious with a combined score of 654.5 Team Brazil took home the Silver, while Team Canada received the Bronze. Team Mexico came in fourth. All teams secured their place to ride...

Governor Ernie Fletcher and United States Equestrian Federation President David O'Connor answered questions about the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games after the announcement was made that Kentucky had won the bid. (Marc Manning) First Time Outside of Europe, the United States Will Host World’s Largest Equestrian Competition at Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky LEXINGTON, KY – For the first time, the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) will be held outside of Europe in 2010,...

Craig Schmersal had four horses to show at the Southwest Reining Horse Association (SWRHA) Futurity and Horse Show in Ardmore, OK, in October. He had Commanders Nic and Im Genuinely Smart for Open and Novice Horse Open competition. He had two three-year-olds for the SWRHA Futurity, Wrangle Whiz and Conquistadors Star. All four horses earned NRHA paychecks. After the show, Schmersal, his wife Ginger and their sons Chris and Nick drove to their new home and training facility in Overbrook, OK,...

The Education Department at the Kentucky Horse Park wants to make better caretakers out of horse owners, and consequently better horses. To that end, they will offer a variety of equine classes and programs for both adults and youngsters in 2006. Equine professionals and novices will benefit from courses on a wide variety of topics, designed to make participants better horsemen and horsewomen. John Nicholson, Executive Director of the park, noted “As the Horse Capital of the World, we have a...

The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) and the American Vaulting Association (AVA) have combined efforts to create the Recreational Vaulting Certification program. Vaulting is gymnastics and dance in harmony with the moving horse. As a competitive sport, it is stylized and disciplined. As a recreational activity and teaching aid it is enormously adaptable in scope and application. The goal of the Recreational Vaulting Coach (RVC) certification clinics are to provide the vaulting community...

(Lexington, KY) As approved by the 2005 FEI General Assembly, an annual FEI registration is now mandatory for all riders and horses competing in FEI events. This would include the following disciplines: Dressage, Reining, Show Jumping, Driving, Endurance and Vaulting, Paraequestrian and Eventing. The fee requirement will take effect on January 1, 2006 and it is renewable annually. Fees are $15.00 for each horse and $15.00 per rider. This registration is in addition to acquiring a passport or...

The Spanish Andalusian and the Portuguese Lusitano are known collectively as the "Iberian Horse" from their place of origin, Europe's Iberian Peninsula. A new brand to represent these beautiful horses was approved by the International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association (IALHA) at their recent board meeting in Tulsa. The IALHA is the North American registry for all bloodlines of the Iberian Horse, including pure Spanish, pure Portuguese, pure Spanish/Portuguese and Half-Andalusians. The...

The first American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) regional champions were named from the Northeastern regions made up of USEF Regions 11 and 12 at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA, October 19-October 22. In the open divisions, Whimsicality and Michael Richardson won the Five-Gaited Regional Championship, I’m Sky High and Francis A. Garone won the three-gaited championship and Definitely Dianna and Kaye Bowles Durnell won the fine harness championship. In the amateur...