Lexington, KY – April 19, 2011 – The National Horse Show Association of America Ltd. announced today that Eric L. Straus has been appointed to the Board of Directors to fill out the term held by the late Eugene R. Mische.
Straus brings a wealth of talent and experience to the National Horse Show Board of Directors.
Straus is a recognized USEF judge, steward and FEI show jumping steward. Recently, at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Straus served as the FEI Honorary Chief Steward General for Reining and previously officiated at the World Equestrian Games in 2002 in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, and again in 2006 in Aachen Germany. He was Chief Judge for Modern Pentathlon at the 1996 Olympic Games and the 1987 Pan American Games.
Straus is a Trustee and Executive Committee member of the American Horse Council in Washington, D.C., and is Secretary and Executive Committee member of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation. He also served as Executive Director of the United States Equestrian Federation in 1996-1997.
March 16, 2011 — Lexington, KY — The Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau (LCVB) officially dedicated a life-size statue of Big Lex to the International Museum of the Horse. This version of the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau’s “blue horse” was signed by all gold medal winning athletes during the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
The signed statue along with a display describing the eight disciplines featured at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games is now housed as a permanent exhibit in the Sport Horse Gallery at the International Museum of the Horse. Big Lex will serve as a permanent reminder of the tremendous success of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
Big Lex was inspired by Lexington, the great stallion from the late 1800s who was named in honor of the city of his birth. The greatest sire of his time, Lexington helped to solidify the title of “Horse Capital of the World” for the city. Lexington still holds the record for number of years he lead America’s sire list with 14 consecutive years and two additional years. On permanent loan from the Smithsonian, the bones of Lexington are now on display at the International Museum of the Horse.
What: Wellington Equestrian Partners’ Master Plan Meeting
When: Thursday, March 10 at 5:00 PM*
Where: The Gallery at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). Located next to the International Arena.
Details: Join Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEP) Managing Partner and CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) Mark Bellissimo and his colleagues as they unveil the plans for the future of PBIEC and surrounding areas in their effort to make PBIEC the premier equestrian facility in the world. The WEP partners believe these efforts will allow ESP to improve and expand its equestrian offerings as well as position the company to bid for the FEI World Cup Finals and the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games. Items to be discussed include the following:
Phase 1: Current Showgrounds
Proposed Changes for 2012 season
Phase 2: Old Polo Stadium.
An improved derby field with permanent seating and lights to support high end Equestrian Events.
A new equestrian facility with covered arena, four competition rings, and permanent stabling for Dressage, Breed Shows, etc.
Proposed 2012 ESP Dressage series.
The new home of the Palm Beach Riding Academy.
New Condo/Hotel to support exhibitors, sponsors, and spectators.
New Commercial/Retail to support equestrian interests.
Phase 3: Lake Worth Road Entrance
New Entrance
Evaluation of Indoor Arena
Various site plans and sketches will be presented and there will be opportunities for Questions and Answers at the end of the presentation.
Lexington, Kentucky, USA – Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), producer of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, Presented by Bridgestone, and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) have announced that the Kentucky Reining Cup, which includes international Reining and the first-ever World Championship Freestyle, will be held in addition to this year’s event at the Kentucky Horse Park, April 28 – May 1.
One of the world’s most prestigious equestrian competitions and the only CCI**** in the Western Hemisphere, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, Presented by Bridgestone, annually attracts 50-100,000 spectators and millions of viewers on international telecasts including a 60-minute domestic broadcast on NBC.
The Kentucky Reining Cup competition, currently pending final approval by the FEI (International Equestrian Federation), will be managed by HorsePower, Inc., Reining’s leading event production firm, and will include a Five Star Reining competition, known as a CRI5* (Concours de Reining International), the sport’s highest level, as well as the first-ever World Championship Freestyle. The CRI5* will offer $50,000US in prize money and will be the only Five Star Reining event in the western hemisphere in 2011.
Jane Forbes Clark awards Whitney Stone Cup to Tucker Johnson with Brownlee O. Currey. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG.
Wellington, FL – February 2, 2011 – The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation Board of Trustees hosted a cocktail reception on Friday, January 28, 2011, to honor the equestrian athletes that represented the United States during the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG), the recipients of the Foundations’ Gold Medal Club Anniversary Awards, the Lionel Guerrand-Hermes Trophy, and the Whitney Stone Cup. The reception was held at Player’s Club in Wellington, FL.
The reception opened with lovely remarks by Foundation President Jane Forbes Clark, recognizing the efforts of all the equestrian athletes that represented the United States during WEG, as well as their team of supporters. The United States earned a Team and Individual Gold Medal and an Individual Silver Medal in Reining, an Individual Gold Medal in Vaulting, a Team Silver and Individual Bronze Medal in Driving, and two Individual Bronze Medals in Dressage.
The party also recognized members of the Gold Medal Club, the most loyal and generous supporters of the USET Foundation. These individuals have been a vital and essential source of support to the U.S. equestrian teams. Special awards were presented to those supporters recognizing their giving at the Gold Medal Club level for 10, 15, 25 and 30 years.
Tom McCutcheon, Don Harris and Kelsey Kimbler. Photo: Geoff Oliver Bugbee/USEF
Lexington, KY – In a year that equestrian sport was forever changed in the United States, an all-American horseman was honored for his golden achievement. For the second consecutive year, the voters for USEF Horse and Equestrian of the Year have crowned a horse and his rider as champions in both categories.
Tom McCutcheon, the only American double Gold medalist at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games had barely finished celebrating the achievements of Gunners Special Nite as 2010 Farnam/Platform USEF Horse of the Year on Friday evening at the USEF Annual Meeting, when he would find himself on stage again, this time picking up an honor all his own.
McCutcheon wrote his place in history, becoming the first reiner to be crowned USEF Equestrian of the Year.
Gunners Special Nite. Photo: Shannon Brinkman/USEF
Lexington, KY – The city of Lexington was largely defined by the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010, so it proved a fitting setting to crown the 2010 Farnam/Platform USEF Horse of the Year.
And the winner couldn’t be more all-American.
The only multiple Gold medal-winning horse for Team USA, Gunners Special Nite, a six-year-old American Quarter Horse, brought the sport of reining to the forefront of the American equestrian community. People who had never heard of reining watched Gunners Special Nite put in a foot-perfect effort to cruise to victory with the Adequan U.S. Reining Team on NBC’s Broadcast. The team won a Team Gold medal by the largest margin in history.
But it was the Individual Championship where Gunners Special Nite stood out above the rest of the field. His performance with steely veteran Tom McCutcheon brought down the house in the Alltech Arena and secured Gunners Special Nite’s place in the history books.
Lausanne (SUI), 27 January 2011 – Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) was tonight awarded the 2010 Pierre de Coubertin World Fair Play Diploma for his generous act of fair play during the Rolex Final Four to decide the individual Jumping medals at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games last October.
The Brazilian Jumping rider, 1998 World and 2004 Olympic champion, and triple FEI World Cup winner was one of the final four fighting for the individual gold. The other challengers were 2008 Olympic Champion Eric Lamaze of Canada, Belgium’s Philippe Lejeune, who had taken part in four FEI World Equestrian Games and eight FEI European Championships, and the young Saudi rider Abdullah Sharbatly for whom competition at this level was a first. While Sharbatly was getting ready to ride Pessoa’s horse Rebozza, he asked the far more experienced Brazilian for some guidance. Pessoa explained at length how to ride the horse, pointed out the most difficult fences, and gave his opponent advice on how to tackle the course. The Saudi rider used Pessoa’s advice to great effect, going on to secure the silver medal, while Rodrigo finished in fourth place just out of the medals. His generous spirited gesture was acknowledged by loud applause from the spectators in Kentucky.
Pessoa is one of three 2010 Pierre de Coubertin World Fair Play Diploma recipients, the other two being Bulgarian judo player Yoana Damyanova and triathlete Raquel Mafra Rocha of Portugal, both of whom competed in the first edition of the Youth Olympic Games held in Singapore last year. Football player Amin Motavassel Zadeh from Iran, decathlete Darius Draudvila from Lithuania and Chinese wrestler Gao Feng were awarded the 2010 Pierre de Coubertin World Fair Play Trophy.
Wellington, FL – January 12, 2011 – On Saturday, January 8, 2011, Tuny and David Page and Kim and Fredrick Boyer hosted a wonderful cocktail reception for the United States Equestrian Team Foundation at the Page residence in Wellington, FL. The evening’s events were held to honor those who support the sport of Dressage through the USET Foundation and give them the opportunity to meet and mingle with the athletes who benefit from their support.
“I had no idea how much it actually costs to train, transport, coach and really make the team work,” noted 2010 World Equestrian Games Dressage U.S. rider and Olympian Steffen Peters. “I am so very thankful to the USET Foundation and everyone who supports the Foundation. The team could not function without their incredible generosity – so thanks again for everything you do for us!”
All four members of the United States Dressage Team who competed at the World Equestrian Games last fall were in attendance on Saturday night, along with many other distinguished Dressage riders. The team was composed of Steffen Peters, Todd Flettrich, Tina Konyot and Katherine Bateson-Chandler.
Tucker S. Johnson earned the Individual Bronze Medal at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games during the Four-In-Hand Combined Driving competition. Photo By: Susan J. Stickle.
Gladstone, NJ – January 10, 2011 – The United States Equestrian Team Foundation is pleased to announce that Combined Driver Tucker S. Johnson of Hobe Sound, Florida, is the recipient of the 2011 Whitney Stone Cup. The award is presented annually to an active competitor who displays consistent excellence in international competition and high standards of sportsmanlike conduct while serving as an ambassador for the United States and equestrian sport. Johnson is a tremendously accomplished driver who helped lead the United States to a Team Silver Medal as well as receiving an Individual Bronze Medal during the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
This is the second year that Johnson has received the Whitney Stone Cup, after being awarded the prestigious honor in 2001. Johnson now plans to retire from the competitive sport as he spent 2010 achieving many milestones. Along with other achievements, Johnson guided his Four-In-Hand team to a second place finish at the Land Rover International Driving Grand Prix at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May.
After helping the United States win a Team Silver Medal at the 2002 World Equestrian Games, Johnson went on to a repeat performance at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky. He was a member of the Silver Medal Team and after earning a 150.06 over the three phases of competition he took home the Individual Bronze Medal, achieving his personal best at a World Championship event.
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