Tag Archives: USEF

Flarida Is NRHA’s First Four Million Dollar Rider

Shawn Flarida riding Wimpys Little Chic in the $100,000 added NRHA World Championship Shootout. NRHA/Waltenberry

Oklahoma City, OK – December 16, 2010 – Just two short years ago, Shawn Flarida became the National Reining Horse Association’s first Three Million Dollar Rider with earnings accumulated at the 2008 NRHA Futurity. History repeated itself when the gates closed on the 2010 NRHA Futurity and the results were announced. With rides in the finals aboard Quistador (owned by Augustine and Gaynia Revenberg) and Shine Chic Shine (owned by Amabile & Strusiner), plus a tie for third in the $100,000 added NRHA World Championship Shootout on Wimpys Little Chic (owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA), Flarida scooped up more than $100,000 to become NRHA’s first Four Million Dollar Rider. Flarida’s official NRHA earnings are $4,023,885.

Flarida, of Springfield, OH, became the second rider in history to break the $2 million mark in 2006 at the FEI World Reining Masters in Denver, CO. Bill Horn was the first rider to earn in excess of $1 million. Tim McQuay, Craig Schmersal and Andrea Fappani are the only other riders to cross the $2 million earnings level. Only thirteen other riders have crossed the $1 million earnings plateau in addition to Flarida.

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Riders4helmets to Host Helmet Safety Symposium Presented by SUCCEED

Aurora, OH – Riders4Helmets, the helmet awareness campaign founded by Jeri Bryant and equine health product SUCCEED Digestive Conditioning Program, will be hosting a “by invitation only” Helmet Safety Symposium. The event will take place January 8, 2011, at the White Horse Tavern, Wellington, FL, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The symposium is sponsored by Troxel Helmets, Charles Owen Helmets, Tipperary Helmets and Samshield Helmets.

The Helmet Safety Symposium has been organized to bring together representatives from various corners of the equestrian world to discuss the importance of wearing helmets, rider safety and to improve helmet designs, rules and more. The event will provide a series of panel discussions throughout the day. Many in attendance will also sit on the panels, including leading equestrians, representatives from the helmet safety testing authorities, helmet manufacturers, equestrian organizations including USEF and the FEI, and neurosurgeons. The chair of the meeting will be Dr. Craig Ferrell, physician to the United States Equestrian Team.

“We are very excited to be part of the Riders4Helmets campaign and to see it continue to expand,” said Lyndsey White, representative from Freedom Health, LLC, makers of SUCCEED and co-manager of the Riders4Helmets campaign. “Since Courtney King Dye’s tragic accident earlier this year, awareness of the importance of helmet safety has grown to the point where we can now bring together different individuals, corporations and organizations all in one place to discuss the issues and, hopefully, being to change things for the better.”

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The EQUUS Foundation and the USEF Launch America’s Favorite Equestrian

WESTPORT, CT – December 17, 2010 – America’s Favorite Equestrian is an interactive fundraising effort presented jointly in partnership by The EQUUS Foundation and The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) to raise funds to advance the equestrian sport on an annual basis.

Using mobile texting, you can vote to select America’s Favorite Equestrians and support The EQUUS Foundation with a $5 gift. 100% of all donations will be used to support charitable causes. A minimum of $10,000 in “sport welfare” grants will be awarded, with an additional $5,000 grant awarded to the equestrian discipline generating the most votes.

The objective is for the America’s Favorite Equestrians to be an ongoing program with all equestrian disciplines/breeds represented and the winners recognized in a permanent “Hall of Fame”. The original intent was to launch the inaugural program in conjunction with the World Equestrian Games, which is why initially the eight disciplines of dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, jumping, para-dressage, reining, and vaulting were selected. The affiliates of the United States Equestrian Federation representing these disciplines selected the equestrians.  But, there were some logistics involved in establishing the mobile texting system and developing the website, which delayed the launch until December.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12751

More Than 30 Entries Received for the NRHA Open World Championship Shootout

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – November 17, 2010 – More than 30 entries have been received for the inaugural $100,000 added National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) World Championship Shootout. The Shootout is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 2 at the NRHA Futurity & Adequan North American Affiliate Championship Show. It is this year’s largest added money NRHA-approved class in the world.

The $100,000 added Shootout, sponsored by Equine Sports Medicine and Kyle Tack, is an “Open-to-the-World” class where the top Open reining horses on the planet may compete in a dramatic showdown for the winner’s estimated purse of $30,000. Entries can still be submitted with the appropriate late fee.

In addition, the 2010 NRHA Open World Champion will be recognized and honored at the show – even though the World Champion and the Shootout winner may not be the same. To be named the 2010 NRHA Open World Champion, the horse must have earned money in seven or more NRHA Category 1 Open classes. Below is a list of NRHA Open World Championship contenders that have earned money at 6 or more NRHA Category 1 Open classes. These horses are scheduled to compete on December 2.

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2010 U.S. Nationals Underway in Tulsa

Kelly Stayton and DF Magnifico win the Arabian Western Pleasure Select AATR. Photo by Mike Ferrara.

The end of October means Arabian horses in Tulsa, OK, and right now 1,565 of the world’s finest Arabian, Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabian show horses are competing for 134 national championship titles. The U.S. National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (U.S. Nationals) is underway at Expo Square through October 30. U.S. Nationals is the flagship competition for the Arabian horse industry and is produced by the Arabian Horse Association (AHA) of Aurora, CO.

U.S. Nationals
The nine-day show is the grand finale of the Arabian horse national show season, which also includes Youth Nationals, Canadian Nationals and Sport Horse Nationals. The show hosts 134 classes across several disciplines, including English, mounted native costume, pleasure driving, reining, halter, working cow, hunter and Western pleasure. This year 45 states, six Canadian provinces and a total of eight countries are represented, making for outstanding competition.

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USEF Names U.S. Dressage Team for 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

September 17 2010 – Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named the following horse/rider combinations to the U.S. Dressage Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games to be held September 25-October 10, 2010 at the Kentucky Horse Park.

The following horse/rider combinations have been named to the team (in ranked order):

Name/Age/Hometown/Horse/Age/Sex/Breed/Owner

Tina Konyot/ 48/Palm City, FL/Calecto V/12/S/Danish Warmblood/Tina Konyot and John Byrialsen
Todd Flettrich/40/Royal Palm Beach, FL/Otto/14/G/Danish Warmblood/Cherry Knoll Farm
Katherine Bateson-Chandler/35/Wellington, FL/Nartan/15/G/KWPN/Jane Forbes Clark
Steffen Peters/45/San Diego, CA/Ravel/12/G/KWPN/Four Winds Farm

The following horse/rider combinations have been named as substitutes (in ranked order):

Catherine Haddad/46/Vechta, Germany/Winyamaro/10/G/Hanoverian/Catherine Haddad
Pierre St. Jacques/45/Anthony, FL/Lucky Tiger/15/G/Danish Warmblood/Pierre St. Jacques
Sue Blinks/52/Encinitas, CA/Robin Hood/12/G/Dutch Warmblood/The Minnesota Group, LLC
Jan Ebeling/51/Moorpark, CA/Rafalca/13/M/Oldenberg/Ann Romney and Amy Ebeling

By Joanie Morris

Nominations Now Open for The USEF/EQUUS Foundation Humanitarian Award

WESTPORT, CT – September 10, 2010 – Nominations are now open for the Second Annual USEF/The EQUUS Foundation Humanitarian Award.

In 2009, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the The EQUUS Foundation jointly established the Humanitarian Award to celebrate the humanitarian achievements made by a member of the equestrian community. Specifically, the goal of this humanitarian honor is to spotlight and exalt the selfless dedication one individual or a group of individuals has made, whether on a regional or national scale.

From improving the health and welfare of the horse to promoting and expanding the general public’s appreciation and respect of the diverse role of horses not just in equestrian sports but also as aides to the general public, the recipient of this award will be someone who has devoted considerable personal time to making the quality of life of our equine partners paramount.

The award will be presented at the 2011 USEF Pegasus Awards Dinner during the Federation’s Annual Meeting in January. The recipient of the Humanitarian Award will receive a $5,000 grant from The EQUUS Foundation to be awarded to the equestrian or horse-related charity of his or her choice.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12085

Olympian Debbie McDonald Gives Clinic to World Equestrian Games Para-Equestrians

Debbie McDonald © 2010 Lauren Fisher/PMG.

Thousand Oaks, CA – September 2, 2010 – This spring Para-Equestrians were treated to a dressage clinic with Olympian Debbie McDonald. The clinic took place during the Dressage Affaire at the Del Mar Horse Park in Del Mar, California on March 15-16, 2010.  This informational clinic was a wonderful opportunity for riders that are preparing for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. For McDonald this clinic proved to be a learning experience not only for the participants but for herself as well.

McDonald noted, “This clinic was a learning experience not only for them but for me.  I have never had a rider that was paralyzed from the neck down.  At first I was not sure exactly on how to work on each of the riders but I developed a strategy to work on controlling the body.  These exercises included sitting up taller, increase stretching, and many other techniques to increase their strength.  I worked with the para-equestrians just as I would school my own riders.”

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Isabelle Caccamise Garners 2010 EquiSport Insurance/USEF Pony Medal Finals Gold Medal

Isabelle Caccamise and Better Than Good won Gold Medal at the 2010 EquiSport Insurance/USEF Pony Medal Finals. Photo By: Rebecca Walton.

Lexington, KY – August 15, 2010 – The last day of the 2010 United States Equestrian Federation Pony Finals National Championships was marked by a mix of sun and rain, but that did not slow down the exciting competition in the Covered Arena. The EquiSport Insurance/USEF Pony Medal Finals was the last phase of the week, and after a two-horse hack-off it was Isabelle Caccamise and Better Than Good earning the Gold Medal and a $500 gift certificate from Oakcroft.

Over 180 ponies jumped the first course and the top 21 total ponies returned for the second round. The technical courses both consisted of short lines, bending lines, a hedge jump and an optional fence. Caccamise was at the top of the order for today’s second round and rode the tight turn to the stone line with ease and but chose the easier option to showcase her riding abilities. Victoria Colvin was ranked second and took the more difficult option. Both riders impressed the judges with their incredible skill and were invited back for the final test on the flat.

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Medium Pony Hunter Grand Championship Awarded to Meredith Darst and Highlands Make Believe at 2010 USEF Pony Finals

Meredith Darst and Highlands Make Believe earned the Medium Pony Hunter Grand Championship at the 2010 USEF Pony Finals. Photo By: Alyson Sanderford/PMG.

Lexington, KY – August 13, 2010 – It was another hot day at the Kentucky Horse Park but that did not slow down the exciting competition at the 2010 United States Equestrian Federation Pony Finals National Championships. The top ponies and riders gathered at the Walnut Ring to showcase their talent. The pony action began with the Large Pony Hunter model and under saddle phases, and was followed soon after by Medium Pony Hunter over fences phase to determine the grand championship and reserve grand championship titles. The day rounded out with the second phase of the Individual Jumping, which included the Team Competition.

Meredith Darst and Highlands Make Believe, owned by Elizabeth Wenner of Garden City, NY, had an incredible round during the Medium Pony Hunter over fences phase that earned them a total of 259 points. Their excellent score helped them win the over fences phase and also moved them from 14th in the overall standings to first place overall. Their advancement in the standings with a 1006.25 total score garnered them the Medium Pony Hunter Grand Championship.

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