*Featured/Spotlights, Auctions, Diana de Rosa, Driving, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping, Washington Int'l Horse Show

WIHS Silent Auction Holiday Edition Is Now Open for Bidding

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McLain Ward. Diana De Rosa Photography

Online auction offers fabulous, one-of-a-kind and equestrian-themed holiday gifts

Washington, D.C, Dec. 16, 2011 – Looking for that perfect gift for a loved one (or yourself)? The Washington International Horse Show silent auction is offering a wonderful selection of fun, one-of-a-kind and equestrian-themed items for the holidays. How about a private riding lesson with Olympic gold medalist McLain Ward or a weekend getaway at the Blackthorne Inn in Upperville, Va., with two polo lessons and a special dinner at the Fox’s Den Tavern? And for the non-equestrian on your list, who wouldn’t love tickets to NBC’s Saturday Night Live, or the ultimate father/son getaway at the Otesaga Hotel & Resort, golf at Leatherstocking Golf Course and a private tour of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

For one week only, Dec. 13-20, these and a dozen other specially selected items are available for your bid in the WIHS Silent Auction Holiday Edition, an online auction allowing you to join in the fun and place bids from your computer or smart phone at home, at the barn, at work or anywhere you have Internet access.

Continue reading WIHS Silent Auction Holiday Edition Is Now Open for Bidding →

*Featured/Spotlights, Awards, Breeds, Community/Charity, Driving, Eventing/H.T., Events, Hunter/Equitation, USEF

Wofford, Arnold to Receive Year’s Highest Equestrian Awards at the 2012 Pegasus Awards

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Jacob Arnold. Photo: Joanie Morris/USEF Archive

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is proud to announce the names of five equestrians who have been selected to receive the year’s most coveted awards. Presented by the USEF, the Lifetime Achievement Award, Junior Equestrian of the Year, and the Pegasus Medals of Honor will be presented during the Pegasus Awards gala on Saturday, January 14, at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza. Additionally, the Equestrian of the Year Award will be announced at the Pegasus Awards. More information about that is available here: http://www.usefnetwork.com/news/7915/2011/12/14/usef_announces_the_2011_equestrian.aspx.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Virginia’s James “Jim” Wofford, 67, is a legend in his sport of Eventing. A decorated athlete, Wofford has helped shape an industry as a trainer, clinician, author, and administrator. His lifelong involvement with equestrian sports and his incredible list of accomplishments have secured his place in history.

Continue reading Wofford, Arnold to Receive Year’s Highest Equestrian Awards at the 2012 Pegasus Awards →

Community/Charity, Events, Jennifer Wood, Seminars

IHSA, ANRC, IDA and NCAA Representatives to Speak at Seminars during 2012 College Preparatory Invitational

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Eddie Federwisch

Wellington, FL – December 16, 2011 – Coaches representing the four main governing bodies of collegiate riding will host seminars for the young riders at this year’s College Preparatory Invitational (CPI) Horse Show. Representatives from the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA), American National Riding Commission (ANRC), Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA), and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), will all be on hand. Presenting its second annual event, the 2012 CPI will be held January 13-15 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL.

Everyone is invited to attend the seminars and meet the college coaches at this year’s CPI, not just riders entered to show. On the website, www.collegeprepinvitational.com, you can sign up by purchasing the “Seminar Only”. In addition, if you purchase the seminar only, you can also purchase the “Rider Bio” to post bios, photos and videos online for coaches to see. The “Rider Bio” can only be purchased through attending the seminars. Volunteers are also welcome at the event; please contact Heidi Lengyel at heidiL@collegeprepinvitational.com to sign up.

Continue reading IHSA, ANRC, IDA and NCAA Representatives to Speak at Seminars during 2012 College Preparatory Invitational →

*Featured/Spotlights, Associations/Breeds, Awards, Breeds, Community/Charity, Competitions, Dressage, Driving, Events, Hunter/Equitation, USEF

USEF Announces the 2011 Equestrian of the Year Nominees; Voting Is Now Open!

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Chester Weber. Picsofyou.com

Lexington, KY – Voting is now open for the coveted 2011 USEF Equestrian of the Year, which, following decades of tradition, comes at the end of the 2011 competition year and is announced when the horse world meets at the United States Equestrian Federation’s annual Pegasus Awards celebration in January.

Known as the USEF Equestrians of Honor, eight stars of equestrian sport – across breed and discipline – each recently received a unique competitive trophy. These honors will be presented during the celebrated Pegasus Awards on January 14 at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza in Cincinnati, OH.

But now it is time to pick just one of these Equestrians of Honor to win the distinguished grand prize: the 2011 USEF Equestrian of the Year. Here are the nominees, and the distinctive honors they have achieved:

Continue reading USEF Announces the 2011 Equestrian of the Year Nominees; Voting Is Now Open! →

*Featured/Spotlights, Awards, Breeds, Community/Charity, Competitions, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, Show Jumping, USEF

USEF Announces the 2011 USEF Horse of the Year Candidates; Voting Is Now Open!

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Sjoerd. Rick Osteen photo

Lexington, KY – To reach the highest level of excellence in equestrian sport takes talent, perseverance, a tremendous spirit and often, unwavering courage. In 2011, six horses have shown the world those qualities and more. And on January 13, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) will bestow two of them with the prestigious title of Horse of the Year, the highest honor the USEF awards a horse. This year – a change from years past – both a national and international horse will win.

The six champions have earned their place on the elite list as USEF Horses of Honor, and each will be recognized at the USEF Horse of the Year Awards gala and dinner in January – part of the USEF Annual Meeting – at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza in Cincinnati, OH.

It will be up to you to choose the two special horses, selecting from a range of talents and from across the Federation’s breeds and disciplines. Your vote will help determine the champions that join the pantheon of past winners including reining horse Gunners Special Nite (2010); dressage horse Ravel (2009); driving horse Jamaica (2008); eventer Theodore O’Connor (2007); show jumper Authentic (2006); and dressage horse Brentina (2005).

Continue reading USEF Announces the 2011 USEF Horse of the Year Candidates; Voting Is Now Open! →

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, National Horse Show, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

2012 Alltech National Horse Show Set for October 31 through November 4th

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National Horse Show Association President Mason Phelps, Jr. and Dr. Pearse Lyons, President and Founder of Alltech. PHOTO CREDIT: ©Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com

Lexington, KY – December 14, 2011 – Following an amazingly successful debut this year, the second edition of the Alltech National Horse Show in Lexington, Kentucky, is set for October 31 through November 4, 2012. The show will once again be held at the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park.

The Alltech National Horse Show, 128th edition, closed with great excitement, receiving unanimous approval from the horse show community. The Show was a great success with the thousands of attendees, in addition to nearly half a million viewers who watched the events unfold online.

More than 560 horses and 350 riders from nine countries, including nine Olympic veterans, competed this year, and according to Mason Phelps, Jr., the President of the National Horse Show Association, next year’s show will build on the excitement of the 2011 debut. “We couldn’t have been happier with our first year effort in Kentucky. But, that being said, we are already working on a bigger and better event for next year,” he said. “We expect bigger prize money; we’ve already added an extra competition day and the American Saddlebreds will return to the Alltech National Horse Show next year. So we are very excited about what lies ahead.”

Continue reading 2012 Alltech National Horse Show Set for October 31 through November 4th →

Awards, Competitions, Events, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Platinum Performance to Honor Top Performers at HITS Horse Shows in 2012

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© Flying Horse Photography. Emily Smith of Platinum Performance and Tony Hitchcock of HITS present Rich Fellers and Flexible with the 2011 Platinum Performance Leading Rider Award.

OCALA, FL (December 14, 2011) — HITS, Inc. is pleased to announce that Platinum Performance has expanded its sponsorship with HITS Horse Shows and will present the Leading Grand Prix Rider Award at HITS Thermal, HITS Ocala and HITS Saugerties during the 2012 season.

“We are proud to be a sponsor and we have a great deal in common with the competitors at HITS – high expectations, impeccable quality and a desire to constantly improve,” said Amy Quintana of Platinum Performance.

The competition among High-Performance riders is sure to be action packed this winter as some of the top riders in the world ride for the coveted Leading Grand Prix Rider Award at HITS Thermal and HITS Ocala.

The 2012 HITS Desert Circuit will offer 16 Grand Prix events, including four FEI World Cup Qualifiers. On the East Coast, HITS Ocala will also boast 16 Grand Prix classes. In addition, every Grand Prix class at HITS Horse Shows in 2012 is a qualifier for the $1 Million Grand Prix that will take place at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York in September.

Continue reading Platinum Performance to Honor Top Performers at HITS Horse Shows in 2012 →

Championships, Competitions, Events, Show Jumping

Emerging Talent Showcased in 2011 Spy Coast Farm Young Horse Show Series Year-End Championships

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Two-Year-Old Jump Chute champion Bragging Rights MF. Photos © ManciniPhotos

Wellington, FL – December 14, 2011 – Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) in cooperation with The North American Studbook and Spy Coast Farm LLC hosted the finals for the 2011 Spy Coast Farm Young Horse Show Series this weekend at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL. The exciting 2011 Young Horse Show Series (YHS) Year-End Championships awarded $10,000 in total prize money and was held on December 8th and 9th, 2011.

The competition began on Thursday, December 8th, featuring the first round of competition for classes in the Suitability for Sport In-Hand and Jump Chute divisions. Jos Sevriens and Jana Olof Wannius served as judges, with B. Nicho Meredith announcing. Handlers included Klaus Schengber, Phil Silva, and Brandon Curtis.

On Friday, December 9th, the finals were held for the Suitability for Sport Under Saddle, Style Jumping Under Saddle, and Schooling Dressage divisions.

Continue reading Emerging Talent Showcased in 2011 Spy Coast Farm Young Horse Show Series Year-End Championships →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Events, FEI, FEI

Bechtolsheimer Leads British Whitewash at Olympia

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Laura Bechtolsheimer steered Mistral Hojris to victory as British riders dominated the fourth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage series. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

Olympia (GBR), 14 December 2011 – Laura Bechtolsheimer led the cavalry-charge, as British riders sensationally claimed the top four places in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2011/2012 qualifier at Olympia in London, Great Britain tonight.  Riding Mistral Hojris, the horse with which she claimed three silver medals at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA last year, the 26 year old rider scored 83.975 to pip fellow-countrywoman Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, while 2011 European silver medallist, Carl Hester, slotted into third with Uthopia.  And, rounding up the host-nation whitewash, Richard Davison steered Hiscox Artemis into fourth.

“I’m thrilled,” said Bechtolsheimer. “We won the Grand Prix here last year, but we have never won the Freestyle, and this is such a special show – the home crowd are great.  It means everything to have won this competition!” she added.

Continue reading Bechtolsheimer Leads British Whitewash at Olympia →

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Events, Olympic Games, USEF

USEF Report from First Pre-Olympic Games Dressage Clinic

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David Wightman on Partous with Anne Gribbons and Steffen Peters (Photo: USEF Archives)

Lexington, KY – The first of six pre-Olympic Games Dressage Clinics kicked off at beautiful Epona Farm in Thousand Oaks, CA. These clinics, a joint effort by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the USET Foundation will help prepare horses and riders for the 2012 London Olympic Games. Linda and Michael Fowler were gracious hosts at Epona Farm. Nine horses (with seven riders) worked with USEF Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons and Olympian Steffens Peters. For two days the riders focused on schooling the Grand Prix and then rode a test in front of Gribbons. Gribbons is also an FEI 5* judge.

“Going into 2012 it was useful for the riders to practice the new Olympic Grand Prix Special test,” said Jenny Van Wieren-Page USEF Director of Dressage, High Performance. “Another important aspect of these clinics is planning the 2012 competition and training schedules with Anne.”

Continue reading USEF Report from First Pre-Olympic Games Dressage Clinic →

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