Tag Archives: Horse of the Year

Awards, USEF

USEF Announces 2012 Horse of the Year Candidates; Voting Is Now Open!

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Rich Fellers and Flexible (Shannon Brinkman)

Lexington, KY – To reach the highest level of excellence in equestrian sport requires talent, perseverance, a tremendous spirit and often, unwavering courage. In 2012, six horses have shown the world those qualities and more.  On January 18, 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. Again this year both a national and international horse will win.

The six champions have earned their places 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 Louisville Marriott Downtown in Louisville, Kentucky.

It will be up to you to choose the two special horses, selecting from a range of talents across the Federation’s breeds and disciplines. Your vote will help determine the champions that join the pantheon of past winners including 2011 winners Friesian horse Sjoerd and eventer Neville Bardos, 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).

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Awards, EQUUS Foundation, Phelps Media Group, USEF

Horse Stars Hall of Fame Established by EQUUS Foundation and USEF

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WESTPORT, CT – December 10, 2012 – The EQUUS Foundation and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) are pleased to announce the establishment of the Horse Stars Hall of Fame to celebrate the extraordinary talent of horses and the magical and powerful bond between horses and people. The joint program will honor the contributions of amazing horses that have excelled in sport and in careers serving the public, feature the incredible stories of their athletic and humanitarian feats, and help build a more informed and compassionate America that values the compelling impact of horses in the lives of millions of people every day.

The USEF Horse of the Year (HOTY) awards program is one of the oldest nationally recognized multi-breed awards programs in the country. Starting in 2005, one horse has been selected as the year’s overall champion by the USEF membership from among a small slate of nominees. All of the nominees have been stellar, accomplished athletes. The “Athlete Horse Stars” in the Horse Stars Hall of Fame will include the USEF overall champion and also the slate of nominees each year since the inception of the program.

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

Neville Bardos and Sjoerd Named 2011 Horses of the Year by the USEF

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Horse of the Year Neville Bardos (Photo Courtesy of USEA)

Cincinnati, OH – For the first time ever, the USEF crowned two horses with its highest honor, one from an International Discipline and one from a National Discipline. Neville Bardos and Sjoerd were named 2011 Horses of the Year at tonight’s USEF annual Horse of the Year celebration. Honored for their accomplishments in 2011 their roads through the last 12 months, while both exceptional, have been very different.

Videos of all of the Horses of Honor are available here: http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/USEFAnnualMeeting2012.

Neville Bardos – Eventing

He shouldn’t have lived. But he did. He shouldn’t have returned to his life as an event horse. But he returned better than ever. Trapped in a burning barn for 45 minutes, Neville Bardos made a miraculous recovery from injuries sustained in a fire that claimed the lives of six other horses at his rider Boyd Martin’s barn in West Grove, PA. The now 13-year-old Australian Thoroughbred gelding won the USEF National CCI3* championship in 2009 and was 10th at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games – leading the U.S. effort. But his life changed dramatically in the early hours of Memorial Day in 2011. Martin pulled him out of the burning barn to safety. Neville Bardos was left with horrific injuries due to massive amounts of smoke inhalation and the subsequent damage to his throat.

Continue reading Neville Bardos and Sjoerd Named 2011 Horses of the Year by the USEF →

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, USDF

Ravel Named Adequan/USDF Grand Prix Horse of the Year

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Lexington, KY (December 21, 2009) – The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) would like to congratulate the eleven-year-old, 16.3 hand, Dutch Warmblood gelding, Ravel, owned by Akiko Yamazaki of Woodside, California, and ridden by Steffen Peters of San Diego, California, for being named 2009 Adequan/USDF Grand Prix Horse of the Year.  Ravel’s median score of 75.574 percent made him the top horse in the United States competing at this level and the recipient of USDF’s highest honor.

Ravel was recognized at the 2009 Adequan/USDF Salute Gala and Annual Awards Banquet with a certificate, a commemorative personalized plaque, an embroidered cooler and $400 gift certificate provided by Dressage Extensions, and a gift certificate for Adequan joint therapy.  Also, Ravel is the recipient of the Colonel Thackeray Award and will have his name engraved on a silver trophy to be on permanent display in the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame housed at the USDF National Education Center, located at the Kentucky Horse Park.

“We are thrilled to be able to recognize this extraordinary horse for his many accomplishments this competition season, and look forward to his future successes,” stated USDF Executive Director Stephan Hienzsch.

For more information about the Adequan/USDF Horse of the Year awards or to access a list of past and current recipients, visit the USDF Web site at www.usdf.org, or contact the USDF office at usdressage@usdf.org.

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