As he opened the 2025 Annual Meeting general session, President Tom O’Mara explained why the horse should be put above all else as the focus. “The theme of this year’s Annual Meeting is quite simple, but also quite powerful. It’s all about the horse,” he stated. “Our industry is completely dependent on the horse. It is the reason we are all here, and the reason we were all drawn to this sport.”

In today’s social-media-filled world, a righteous and very public spotlight shines on the treatment of equines by their owners, riders, trainers and caretakers. It was reported in a recent Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI, the international governing body for equestrian sports) Ethics and Well-Being Survey that 52 percent of the non-equestrian public believes that the welfare of horses used in sports needs improving. When asked the same question, 78 percent of equestrian stakeholders stated that they think horse welfare standards need to be higher. View the study here.

So, while the general public definitely thinks that horse welfare should be better, those in the horse world are even more passionate that change needs to happen. “There is no question that horses, horse welfare, and safety need to be our top priorities,” stated Bill Moroney, US Equestrian Chief Executive Officer during the general session.

Education & Horse Welfare Sessions

Prominent on the 2025 US Equestrian Annual Meeting agenda were two days of “It’s All About the Horse” workshops moderated by Olympic gold medalist and US Equestrian Chief of Sport David O’Connor. Day one of the workshop included an insightful panel discussion on sympathetic training methods with FEI dressage competitor Katherine Bateson-Chandler, noted horsemanship trainer Dana Glass (and husband of Olympic dressage rider Kasey Perry-Glass), and Olympic jumper Beezie Madden.

Each equestrian on the panel shared stories of how they have approached training challenges using ethical methods designed to fit the way a horse thinks. Tidbits of wisdom filled the room as they spoke. These ranged from Madden’s “The slower you go, the faster you get there” to Glass’s “The reward side [of training] for me is the ability to get there together; the horse seeks out that reward and any try they make gets rewarded” to Bateson-Chandler’s sharing that she regularly uses groundwork with the horse wearing a simple rope halter to establish trust and communication.

Day one of the “About the Horse” workshop ended with a report by Keith Dane of the Humane Society of the United States in regards to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Horse Protection Act requirement changes for 2025. The HPA is federal law prohibiting “soring” (the applying of mechanical devices or caustic substances to an animal with the intent to artificially enhancing performance) of horses at shows. The act was created to prohibit these practices at Tennessee Walking and racking horse shows.

During the second day of the “About the Horse” workshop, O’Connor challenged the various breed and sports discipline representatives in the room to outline what their groups are doing to promote equine welfare and humane training practices. One by one spokespersons from the Western Dressage of America, the Arabian Horse Association, the United States Dressage Federation, the American Morgan Horse Association, the United States Hunter Jumper Association, the Welsh Pony and Cob Society of America, and others, stood and listed their action points.

Eventually the workshop discussion led to certification of equestrian trainers and coaches. “I’m a full-on believer that our coaches should be educated and licensed, but how do we get that done?” posed O’Connor as he invited attendees back later that day for a presentation on how to be an effective coach by Dr. Cam Kiosoglous, Assistant Professor at Drexel University and long-time U.S. Rowing National Team and Olympic coach.

Other engaging educational sessions during the first two days of the convention included:

◆ “Pictures (and video) say 1,000 words―and they all matter. Viral news, social license, and the importance of communications” by Sarah Hamilton, a specialist in political campaign management and strategy, crisis communications, media relations, and message and policy development. View her full presentation here and here.

◆ “Biosecurity and medications, an explanation of microchipping and the new biometric-measuring microchips and how they safeguard horses by aiding in biosecurity and health care” by Dr. Katie Flynn, US Equestrian Senior Staff Veterinarian Equine Health and Biosecurity. Watch her presentation here.

◆ “Biosecurity and medications, a presentation on the use of pharmacology (the science of drugs and medications, including a substance’s origin, composition, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, therapeutic use, and toxicology) to improve the health of equines” by Dr. Stephen Schumacher, US Equestrian Chief Veterinary Officer. View his presentation here.

Watch for posting of additional videos from the 2025 US Equestrian Annual Meeting workshops and educational sessions as they become available here.

Nuts & Bolts Review

A statistics-packed general session, chock-full of colorful slides and upbeat videos and led by President O’Mara and CEO Moroney, rocked the house on the second afternoon. Among the impressive growth measurements cited from 2023 to 2024 were an 8 percent increase (to over 500,000) in memberships (a combination of competing, subscriber and fan membership categories), and the total number of followers on US Equestrian social media platforms (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and X) passing the 1.65 million mark, up 22 percent. Another impressive increase was the more than 73 million video views across all US Equestrian platforms, up more than 189 percent.

Also included in the general session was a “Journey to Gold” presentation by the US Para Dressage Team Chef d’Equipe and Technical Advisor Michel Assouline about the team’s unprecedented success at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games (their first team gold and four individual golds, plus an individual silver and bronze). The depth of the seven-year strategic plan for the U.S. Para Dressage Team leading to Paris was stellar. His “Midas touch” is well-worth noting since he guided not only the U.S. team to gold in Paris last year, but before that the British Para Dressage Team to gold in all the other Paralympics offering para equestrian competition. Thankfully, Assouline’s contract to lead the U.S. Para Equestrian Team has been extended through the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games.

Catch up on other 2024 US Equestrian benchmarks, and Assouline’s entire “Journey to Gold” presentation included in the US Equestrian USEF General Session video here or read the US Equestrian General Session news release here.

Additionally, a PDF document of the US Equestrian’s Strategic Plan for 2025-2028 may be downloaded here.

The International Disciplines Council meeting (which includes representatives from all of the FEI sports), held on the first day, also highlighted the U.S. Equestrian Team’s performance from Paris 2024, and other world championships from last year. Hallye Griffin, US Equestrian Director of FEI/High Performance Sport, opened with an overview of 2024 accomplishments and plans for the 2026 FEI World Championships in Aachen, Germany, the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, plus upcoming world championships in driving, endurance and vaulting.

US Equestrian Managing Director, Sports Logistics, Steven Morrissey followed with an explanation of, among other tasks, the logistics of booking athlete and staff lodging and transportation for upcoming Games. Then, individual reports for the various FEI disciplines for the coming four-year competition cycle were delivered by the US Equestrian Managing Directors for dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, show jumping and vaulting and by Assouline for para dressage. Will Faudree, U.S. athlete representative to the FEI Eventing Forum, also gave a quick report. A National Breeds and Disciplines Council meeting was held the same day.

The final session on day two of the Annual Meeting was a rule change forum allowing attendees to weigh in on the proposed rule changes before they were presented at the Board of Directors meeting the next day. Most of the rule changes were either horse welfare or human athlete safety related.

US Equestrian Paris 2024 Media Campaign Skyrockets

Another presentation jam-packed with impressive accomplishments was “Measuring Media Success from the Paris 2024 Olympic & Paralympic Games” presented by Griffin and Carly Weilminster, US Equestrian Senior Director of Sport Communications and Social Media. During their presentation they displayed the tools and media platforms used to engage and inform the public about the US Equestrian Teams competing in France. The fan participation and views stats for Paris 2024 easily topped previous Games. One example was that US Equestrian TikTok video views increased by a whopping 965 percent.

In addition to clever use of behind-the-scenes reports and athlete spotlights, US Equestrian was able to take advantage of several celebrity visits and endorsements for their Paris media campaign. The fact that NBC sent Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg to the equestrian venue at Versailles gave a huge, positive boost to the sport. And when NFL football great Tom Brady and his daughter Vivian visited the U.S. stabling in France, US Equestrian benefitted from Brady’s huge fan base as well (95.7 percent of Brady’s followers were not US Equestrian members, so this exposed horse sports to a whole new audience). Another NFL player, Devin White who is a horse owner, sent well wishes to the the team via his social media, bringing more attention and his fans on board too.

Board Embraces New Technology

A US Equestrian Board of Directors meeting capped the convention on the final day with two sessions open to the public. Along with the normal business of running the Federation, these four newly adopted technology tools were introduced:

◆ EquiRatings: A comprehensive data analytics and content plan focused on the fan experience for the new US Equestrian Open competition.

◆ Black Horse One: A US Equestrian platform of sports data designed to give breeders, buyers, sellers, and fans information on performance and bloodlines.

◆ EZ Entry: Currently in development for proposed rollout in 2026; designed to provide a free, user-friendly, centralized entry system for organizers and members to use.

◆ USEF App: New features will be included in a rebranded US Equestrian mobile app this year.

Find an expanded report of the Board of Directors meeting actions, including adopted rule changes, and these new tech tools here.

2024 US Equestrian Equine & Human Honorees

The US Equestrian Annual Meeting features two awards banquets, one to honor the accomplishments of human equestrian athletes called the Pegasus Awards on Thursday, and the other to recognize outstanding equine athletes called the Horse of the Year Awards on Saturday. Evening wear and a festive atmosphere were the order of the day for both events. Check out this brief, very cool video review of the 2024 US Equestrian breed and sports discipline group National Champions here.

US Equestrian’s newest equine honor, the Heart Horse Award presented to a horse serving the public at one of the US Equestrian’s community outreach partners, was bestowed during the Pegasus dinner. The winner of that inaugural award, sponsored by Neue Schule, was Kilcarna French Fancy “Arnie”, a 2008 Irish Sport Horse gelding from Great Oak Equine Assisted Programs in Aiken, S.C. Learn more about Arnie in this video and read more about him here.

Mette Larsen from Neue Schule Bits USA, explained why they decided to sponsor the award, “We are all about the connection between horse and rider. I have known many service horses in therapeutic programs and I’m always amazed how much they give to people, both physically and mentally. Recognizing our Heart Horse nominees, and of course, our winner, just seemed like a good fit. It’s our way of saying thanks to these amazing animals.”

Other 2024 US Equestrian Heart Horse finalists were: Bear, a 1996 Haflinger gelding from Special Equestrians, Warrington, Pa., Buck, a 1998 Paint gelding from Prancing Horse Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship, Southern Pines, N.C., and Tigerlily, a 2002 Welsh Pony from Ride On Therapeutic Horsemanship, Chatsworth, Calif.

During the Pegasus banquet, among the many award recipients, US Equestrian recognized 11 Equestrians of Honor and from that pool a National Equestrian of the Year and International Equestrian of the Year were chosen. Winner of the National Equestrian of the Year was hunter rider Nick Haness of San Clemente, Calif., and of the International Equestrian of the Year was Olympic eventer Liz Halliday of Lexington, Ky.

Among the many other top honors given during the Pegasus banquet, notable were the USEF/Equus Foundation Humanitarian Award won by Mary Elena Moran, the Junior Equestrian of the Year won by hunter rider Paige Walkenbach, and the USEF Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Lendon Gray.

For more about the Pegasus Award winners, visit here and see a video from the Pegasus banquet here.

For Saturday’s Horse of the Year dinner, riders, trainers, horse breeders and owners turned out in droves to celebrate the accomplishments of their favorite horses with a treasure trove of trophies. Chief among these prizes were the two National Horses of Honor, with one of those being named the National Horse of the Year, and the four International Horses of Honor, from which the International Horse of the Year was chosen.

National Horse of the Year was McQueen, a 10-year-old KWPN hunter gelding ridden by Lanie Walkenbach and Nick Haness. “There is no horse quite like him,” Walkenbach remarked, “[He] has without a doubt created a special place in my heart and I am so thankful to be his owner.”

The final award of the evening, the International Horse of the Year, went to the 2024 Olympic jumper Caracole de la Roque, a 12-year-old Selle Français mare owned by Signe Ostby and ridden for the U.S. Jumping Team by Karl Cook of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. In her acceptance speech, Ostby shared that the mare is known as “Roly Poly” around the barn and, as feisty as she is in competition, she is the opposite at home, often laying down in her stall or pasture for naps.

She said that Caracole normally jumps barefoot, but they had to use custom-made 3D-printed, glue-on plastic shoes and titanium studs milled by Cook for some pre-Olympic competitions which were held in grass arenas. She also explained that the mare competes in a bitless hackamore after warming up in a bitted bridle. “It’s an incredible honor to own a horse like Caracole,” Ostby remarked, “I am full of joy and thrilled to be her owner.”

See more about the 2024 USEF Horse of the Year winners here and watch a video of the awards program here.

2026 US Equestrian Annual Meeting Dates

Next year’s US Equestrian Annual Meeting will be held January 15-18, 2026 at the Omni Hotel in Louisville, Ky. For more information, visit here.

This article about the 2025 US Equestrian Annual Meeting is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post 2025 US Equestrian Annual Meeting Review: The Horse Above All & 10 Other Things to Love About USEF appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Charlottesville, Va.— American Horse Publications (AHP) is excited to announce Dallas, Texas as the destination for its 2025 Equine Media Conference, to be held May 15-17, 2025, at the Doubletree Galleria Dallas.

“The board of directors of AHP is really excited about next year’s venue,” explained AHP president Barrie Reightler. “We are ready to jump into planning our 2025 annual conference and bring our members together for a classic AHP experience.”

This “members only” AHP event features three days of educational sessions and unique opportunities to build industry relationships.

“The AHP conference never disappoints,” said past attendee and sponsor Rebecca Didier of Trafalgar Square Books. “Providing valuable networking opportunities and continuing to grow our businesses and careers ensures a thriving equine media industry and a positive, supportive community we can learn from and enjoy. It is absolutely worth being a member and attending the conference.”

Information about the schedule, speakers, and registration details will be available in early 2025. In the meantime, current AHP members are encouraged to save the date, and prospective members involved in equine content creation, publishing, and marketing are invited to join AHP to gain access to this valuable experience and many other member benefits. Learn more here.

—Edited Press Release | Source: American Horse Publications

The post AHP Announces Dallas as 2025 Equine Media Conference Location appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

CHA School Horse of the Year

We all started out learning how to ride on a certain horse. If our family did not own horses, it was very likely that a wonderful school horse taught us how to ride. So it is only fitting that an outstanding horse be honored as the Certified Horsemanship Association School Horse of the Year. To commemorate such an outstanding honor, the winning horse receives a hand-painted oil painting from CHA member Julie Fischer from Colorado with bark from her camp as the frame and a wooden and leather trophy plaque from Lone Star Awards.

Earning the 2020 Certified Horsemanship Association School Horse of the Year award was 30-year-old Quarter Horse gelding Dallas from SpringHill Camp in Evart, Mich. “Without fail, kids that come through the barn will ask who my favorite horse is,” says Katrina Lechlitner. “As the barn manager, I am always diplomatic and will say that I have lots of favorites. It just depends on the job that needs to be done. Then I whisper, ‘It’s actually Dallas, but don’t tell the other horses.’ They usually giggle and then ask if I always ride him because I love him so much. It’s then that I have to confess that I have never ridden him in the 15 years I have been in charge. ‘I only get to ride the ones that need help listening, and Dallas never does anything wrong, so you get to ride him.'””

The students will then ask her, “Why do you like him so much then?” and Lechlitner shared, “That is my favorite moment. ‘Dallas makes me proud, and I can trust him to take care of you. I’m kind of like his mom now, and all the lessons he learned growing up, he is teaching you. He’s my favorite because he’s using all of his lessons to help other people, and I know that you will do the same thing when you are older. We should all want to be just like Dallas.'”

“It doesn’t stop there though,” continued Lechlitner. “The staff always ask that question too. With them I am a bit more coy. I’ll ask them who their favorites are and why. Without fail, they will name a horse that they feel like they are training or one of our flashy colored horses. They are almost disappointed when I tell them it’s Dallas. My response is a bit more age appropriate though. ‘You like the idea of that other horse, I’d say that makes them dateable. Dallas is marriage material.’ Of course those conversations lead to talking about their future, but when they do get distracted by a boy at camp, it gives me a chance to offer some perspective. ‘Is he a Dallas or just dateable?’ That is the kind of reputation every man should strive for.

“He’s 30,” shared Lechlitner. “We’ll never be able to replace him. I am confident I will cry uncontrollably on his last day. Until then I will keep asking the dentist for the ‘live forever float,’ the farrier for the ‘stay sound forever trim,’ the vet for secrets to ‘make him live forever,’ and myself to learn how to care for him the best I can.”

Lechlitner called it an honor to have Dallas be recognized by CHA as the 2020 School Horse of the Year. “There are so many special lesson horses in CHA programs everywhere ,and Dallas truly is our backbone,” seh said. “It was so hard to put his 18 years of service into words to nominate him, because we felt we could not do his history with us justice. His name puts a twinkle in the eye of so many campers, guests and staff alike. It’s been fun to share this recognition with all those who have crossed paths with him. He might just be another sorrel horse, but he’s the heart and soul of our herd. SpringHill Camps has been blessed to have a horse like him.”

The CHA School Horse of the Year Program honors the best of the school horses who are part of CHA member programs. Each equine finalist receives a plaque from CHA and were also honored at the virtual CHA Awards Ceremony. The top five finalists included:

◆ Cresson – Whispering Willow Farm in Wisconsin
◆ Dallas – Spring Hill Camp in Michigan
◆ Indy – JT Ranch in Washington
◆ Maverick – Birch Bay Ranch in Alberta
◆ Sonora – Camp Chippewa in Kansas

CHA Volunteer of the Year

The first award recipient to be honored during the virtual awards ceremony was the CHA Volunteer of the Year. The coveted award that recognizes the countless hours and dedication CHA volunteers spend changing lives through safe experiences with horses. The winner was Pam Prudler of Sacramento, Cali.

“Pam has devoted her life to enriching newcomers to the safety and joys of horsemanship since 1972,” said CHA member Lisa Lombardi about Prudler. “At that time, she first became a CHA certified riding instructor and was immediately hired to teach at the location where she was certified, Shady Lawn Farm in Oakdale, Cali. It was there at Shady Lawn that she met educators who wanted to include safe horseback riding at their camps, and she got involved with further developing what was then called Camp Horsemanship Association. The main idea was to come up with a leveling system that resembled what was already in place for Red Cross water safety. The earned certificate or patch would mean the same in any camp program, so that the campers riding skills would not need to be re-tested if they chose a different camp.

“In approximately 1980, she and others from around the country met in Illinois to put together official CHA manuals that would include the written materials and illustrations already being used by Shady Lawn Farm,” continued Lombardi. “During her time at Shady Lawn Farm (1972-1989), Lois Orr, Pam, and others pushed for having certified instructors, helmet use, coordination with liability insurance companies, and to expand the CHA program to include western states. She still owns horses and has taught hundreds to ride, including her own nieces and grandnieces. Today nothing gives her more joy than watching children with horses. She has dedicated her life to educating others in the safety and joy of horsemanship. Pam is, and always has been, a contributor to the horse world and to CHA.”

CHA Partner in Safety

The CHA Partner in Safety Award is given to a person or entity that embodies horsemanship safety at the core. The CHA Partner in Safety goes to Marmon Valley Farm in Ohio.

Marmon Valley Farm began as a samll farm camp with five horses in 1964 with 75 acres and began certifying CHA instructors and campers soon after. Programs have included both English and Western at all four levels, jumping, drill teams, driving, vaulting, pack trips, gymkhana and simple trail courses. Now over 50 years later, it’s an established horse facility with 500 acres and 150 horses. All campers ride on the 250 wooded acres of trails. They also host small horse shows and have a public riding stable that serves hundreds of guests every year. They can put out 25 riders every half hour on a busy fall Saturday.

Marmon Valley Farm and the Wiley family have been a supporting member of CHA, holding clinics to provide safe programs for over 50 years! This family has three generations of CHA Certifiers. Marmon Valley Farm in Zanesfield, Ohio has hosted 49 certifications clinics since 1996, certifying 353 CHA Instructors.

“The Marmon Valley Farm staff was excited to be this year’s proud winner of the CHA Partner in Safety Award,” said Jane Wiley Olsen. “We appreciate the recognition for all the hard work our staff have put in over the 50 years to keep horseback riding and horse-related activities safe in our organization and many others. Thank you for recognizing us in this wonderful association.

CHA Certifier of the Year Award

CHA Certifiers are vital in order to continue growing the association and accomplishing CHA’s mission. The CHA Certifier of the Year Award is reserved for someone who has shown outstanding service to CHA by conducting meaningful certifications and influencing the careers of equine professionals over many years. This year’s award was given to Cheryl West from Oklahoma.

West is a CHA Certifier in the CHA English/Western Instructor Certification, Equine Facility Managers Certification and Instructors of Riders with Disabilities Certification. She has also been a very active regional director for her area of the country.

West has had this said about her someone who nominated her for the award: “It has been a pleasure to learn the ropes of how to conduct a CHA Certification from her. She runs a smooth, orderly and clearly lined-out clinic. She is quick to make adjustments and adapt when needed. She remains positive, fair and energetic throughout the process, even during the long days. She challenges each equine professional attendee in a way to help them see their fullest potential and encourages them to shine in their unique individual style. She brings years of experience with passion, enthusiasm, pride and encouragement for each participant. She takes pride in representing CHA to others. Cheryl challenges herself and continues to grow in order to bring out her very best for those around her. She is an inspiration and models grit, determination, perseverance and passion.”

“It is humbling and gratifying to know that I could have a positive influence for others in our industry,” said Cheryl West. “It’s a huge responsibility to be a CHA Certifier, and I enjoy making a difference.”

CHA Instructor of the Year

Often described as the lifeblood of the association, individual certified instructors undoubtedly play a key role in the success of the association and its mission. Earning the title of 2020 CHA Instructor of the Year was Trisha Kiefer-Reed from Montana.

Kiefer-Reed has had this said about her by a nominee: “She has the ability to teach each student regardless of what level they are at. She not only tells the students how to adjust themselves and their horses, she breaks down the mechanics and explains the why and how of the maneuvers and the adjustments. She has the ability to adjust how she explains things to the level of each rider. This results in success for each and every student. I think this is the ‘pot of gold’ for the students that are fortunate enough to ride with her. Trisha is a powerhouse of energy. In the past twelve months alone, she has tirelessly spread enthusiasm for safe and sane horsemanship throughout her home state of Montana as well as Alberta, Wyo., and the far reaches of Alaska.

“Trisha is very involved with WE United Association that is about the sport of working equitation,” continued the nomination comments. “One of the things that impressed me the most about Trisha is that she took the time to learn about the sport before she jumped in and began to offer instruction in it. Trisha began to teach clinics and private lessons grounded in the discipline of working equitation after over a year of intensive professional growth. As word of the quality of her instruction began to spread, her clinics began to sell out, and her weekends quickly filled. Trisha is a CHA Master Instructor and Clinician and is the consummate professional. She is excellent at meeting the horse and rider where they are on any given day. Her enthusiasm and humor make her instructions fun and memorable. She’s patient, fair, encouraging, and possesses the best sense of humor ever!”

Kiefer-Read said she was deeply honored and humbled to be recognized among such an outstanding group of men and women. “My goal now is to keep learning and sharing information, keeping this chain of knowledge strong for our aspiring instructors,” she said.

CHA Distinguished Service Award

The CHA Distinguished Service Award is a lifetime achievement award for an individual who has gone above and beyond through the years promoting and upholding the mission of the association. The 2020 recipient is Beth Powers of Bellefontaine, Ohio.

For 30 years since the beginning of her equestrian career, she has been a friendly face to everyone she meets while she shared her love for CHA, its members, staff, and mission. Her passion for life is evident immediately in conversation. She will quickly share that she is a lifetime member of the CHA proud team! Powers is a fixture each year at the CHA booth at Equine Affaire in Ohio where she continues to share her love of the profession and the organization. She has volunteered her time in that booth for more than 20 years! Setting it up, spending each of the four days talking to members and prospective members, tearing it down and keeping all the furniture and carpet at her house throughout the year.

Powers is a CHA Life Member and is certified in both English/Western Instructor and Trail. She is a CHA Site Visitor and Site Visitor Trainer, and she conducts trainings of new site visitors at CHA International Conferences every other year. She has been many roles in leadership with CHA, including committee chair all the way up to president. Powers was nominated and elected to the Board of Directors in 1999 and is just now rotating off after 21 years of service.

“I was completely surprised by this recognition,” said Powers. “I have had many opportunities over the years to tell our CHA story of safe, fun and effective horsemanship to anyone who would listen. I have traveled all over doing conferences and trade shows for CHA and realize CHA is still needed and is just as relevant as it was over 50 years ago. Thank you so much.”

Beyond the 2020 awards, you can see a complete list of past Certified Horsemanship Association award winners at www.cha.horse/international-conference/#award-winners.

About the Certified Horsemanship Association

CHA’s motto is “CHA Equine Professionals Change Lives Through Safe Experiences with Horses.”” The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship videos and webinars, and hosts regional and international conferences. For more information on the largest certifying body of equine professionals in North America or to find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, please visit www.CHA.horse.

The post Deserving Award Winners Honored at the 2020 Certified Horsemanship Association Virtual Awards Ceremony appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) is holding its first-ever Virtual International Conference on Friday, October 30, 2020. This event will be open to all horse enthusiasts with a CHA member and non-member rate for the educational day.

This conference will not just be your typical Zoom call with talking heads and PowerPoint presentations. The sessions will be very interactive, and some will be doing videos ahead of time with riders up on horses to showcase what they are teaching during their presentations. They will then be online to answer any questions during the video sessions and afterwards.

CHA has already confirmed the following as interactive speakers: CHA Spokesperson and Certifier Julie Goodnight, Jochen Schleese with SaddleFit4Life, Dr. Julie Fischer on grant writing and fundraising for your equine business, Tara Reimer of Cloud 9 Ranch in Manitoba on turnbacks and rollbacks, and many more!

To find out more about the event or to register to get the recording for after the event, visit https://cha.horse/international-conference.

CHA’s Online Silent Auction is Open to the Public

CHA is hosting an online silent auction this year. Great horse owner supplies, travel, gift baskets, household items, gift certificates, clothing, art, jewelry and much more is up for bid. The auction will be live from October 15–November 2, 2020.

Any items will be shipped to the winning bidder after the closing of the auction, and shipping is included for free. Funds from this auction will go towards CHA scholarships for those that are in financial need due to hardship to support attendance at a CHA certification clinic. These clincs help jumpstart careers for riding instructors or equine facility managers.

The silent auction is now open for bidding at www.32auctions.com/CHASilentAuction.

The post Certified Horsemanship Association International Conference Goes Virtual on October 30; Online Auction Now Open to the Public appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The equine industry won’t have to wait a year to celebrate the horse with Equitana USA after all. Equitana USA will showcase a month-long virtual celebration of the horse in September, and the program is free and open to anyone. Registration and more information about the full programming schedule can be found at www.equitanausa.com.

Equitana USA is a three-day celebration of the horse that invites equestrian professionals and enthusiasts of all riding levels and ages, disciplines and breeds to gather for education, entertainment, instruction and shopping. The event is produced by Reed Exhibitions, a leading global events business, who also produces Equitana in Germany.

Virtual sessions begin Tuesday, Sept. 1, and include a variety of webinars with equine industry notables, expert horsemen and women, and an array of exhibitors with innovations and products to advance the care, performance and celebration of horses of all breeds and pedigrees. Sessions include live interviews, panel discussions, expert seminars and educational content ranging from equine nutrition to yoga on horseback, as well as behind-the-scenes with notables like Sydney Collier, Mikhail Proctor and Jamilah Simms.

Select Saturdays in September will feature special Kid’s Edition content of Equitana’s virtual program. Plans are also in the works for barn tours in collaboration with Horse Country, Inc. There will also be sessions on training the performing arts horse, equine photography sessions and Q&A’s with equine legal experts, among other topics.

“We listened to the feedback from the industry after our very difficult decision to cancel the in-person event due to COVID-19 concerns and instantly knew our fans still wanted to connect and learn,” says Meghan Margewicz, the event’s director. “A lot of the session leaders and experts we would have seen at the event have joined us to present a September packed full of great learning for everyone. We’re excited to have everyone join the celebration online now, which will offer a sneak peek of the amazing programming we’ll witness when we’re back together again at the Kentucky Horse Park in 2021.”

Next year’s event is slated for Oct. 1-3 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky.

Equitana USA invites equestrian professionals, enthusiasts, and everyone interested in learning more to join the online events throughout September. The daily schedule will be updated as sessions are added to the Equitana USA website at www.equitanausa.com. Fans are also encouraged to follow the event’s social channels and e-newsletters for updates on the live 2021 event, but also several planned live streamed content sessions during the September celebration.

Exhibitors interested in the 2021 event, virtual celebration, or year-round promotional opportunities can learn more at www.equitanausa.com or by contacting Kaitlyn Fritz at kfritz@reedexpo.com.

The post Equitana USA Unveils Month-Long Virtual Program to Celebrate the Horse appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The EQUUS Film and Arts Fest was held December 5-8, 2019, at the Kentucky Horse Park (KHP) in Lexington, Ky. It brought together a variety of people from the horse industry—and even those from outside it—to celebrate the creativity of filmmakers, artists, authors and photographers.

The event shares the stories of not only the creators, but those who are the subject of their creations. Sometimes fictional, but more often true, these stories celebrate the horse in all of its amazing roles and its ability to touch the hearts of so many.

Many of the stories resonated so deeply with participants that tears could be seen glistening in the audience’s eyes after a film. Laughter was also heard throughout the various parts of the KHP as attendees connected.

Authors Unite at the EQUUS Film and Arts Festival

Originally called the EQUUS Film Festival, the event has expanded past just films. Now there is a continuously growing contingent of authors, photographers, and artists in the vendor area of the festival. Carly Kade, author of the In the Reins series and host of the Equestrian Author Spotlight Podcast, coordinated the Literary Corral where a variety of authors showcased their books, signed copies for readers, and spoke on several of the panels.

Kade said she volunteered her time because she believes in what the festival’s founder, Lisa Diersen, is doing. “She has a humongous heart, and she’s a believer like I am that creative equestrians need a place to shine,” said Kade. She’s bringing together filmmakers, artists, authors, and the entire community of creatives in one space where they can know each other, support each other, and network with each other and be a place where people can come and learn about all of the amazing creatives who are horse people.”

With Kade’s coordination of the Literary Corral, there was a 70% increase in author participation. In addition, while there were more than 40 equine author book entries in the literary category, not everyone could travel, and still half of the authors did make it to the festival.

Part of Kade’s journey into becoming an author included doing a lot of research into how to be publish a book. She wished there was a place where knowledge of this kind was all in one spot, yet there wasn’t. So Kade had created it—first with her blog featuring fellow equestrian authors and now with her new podcast with the same mission.

“I wanted to create a community,” she said. “If we all stand together, we lift the whole niche up. And I wanted a place for people to go where they could learn the stories of people who are writing horse books, but then also learn how to write their own horse book.”

She describes her podcast’s mission is to unite and spotlight authors and to showcase their books and show how special the author community is. “The reason why I wanted to do this is because there’s something so special about horse owners and equestrians,” she said.

“The best thing I did when starting my podcast was I had the first 10 episodes in the can before I ever launched, because people like to binge, so I wanted to create something binge-worthy,” said Kade, adding that it helped generate a good variety of interviews with authors in various genres and featured a variety of topics.

Kade recommends attendees of future festivals look at the schedule online before they go, pick out what films they want to see, attend panels that peak their interest, and check out the pop-up gallery of authors, artists, and photographers.

Kade’s experience at the 2019 EQUUS Film and Arts Fest capped off with a Winnie Award for her third book in her series, Show Pen Promise, which won for best western romance book in the U.S.

To learn more about Kade and her books and podcast, visit www.carlykadecreative.com.

Bernice Ende

One noted speaker at the festival, who was a fan favorite, was Bernice Ende, who is also known as Lady Long Rider. The nickname comes from her adventures as a long rider on long-distance rides, which includes an 8,000-mile ride. All told, she’s traveled more than 30,000 miles around the country since 2005.

While she has traveled aboard a Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, Tennessee Walking Horse, and finally settled on a Fjord, she said “none of them were even remotely close to the Fjord in quality.” This is due to the breed’s flat back, course hair, thick skin, tenacious mind, steadiness, easy keeping, and having “feet like steel”—all which are great traits for a long-distance horse.

Ende said long riding is about the journey for her. Her first ride—a 2,000-mile ride from Trego, Mont., to Albuquerque, N.M., to visit her sister—was motivated by a relationship gone sour. “I said, ‘I’m going to ride until I forget about him,’ and I did,” said Ende.

Ende loves the simplicity of life and being out in nature. She said her riding has helped her become more empathetic to the human struggle.

“I also feel that I discovered a core strength that I never knew existed in me, and I discovered how fear is a preconceived notion,” she said. “When a grizzly bear comes into my campsite, it’s not fear. That’s reaction. I react, I move, I go, I do. Fear is like, ‘Am I going to have enough water? Are they going to laugh at me? What are they going to think? Is this going to work?’ That’s all stuff in the mind.”

She shared that so many times on her journey people are interested in telling her their story. She often hears wishes from others who could also ride across the country. And she said she thinks, “‘Are you kidding me? Why would you want to do something like that?’ Because I know what it’s like. I know how hard it is. I know how dangerous it is and how dirty it is.”

She’s thankful for all of the many people she has met along the way, and she still keeps in touch with hundreds of them. She appreciates the inner journey her travels have taken her on.

Ende is also a creator—with one book already completed (Lady Long Rider), another in the works, and a documentary in production with W+E1 Productions about her life, which is bound to become part of the EQUUS Film and Arts Fest in the future. And Ende was rewarded for her hard work as an author with a 2019 Winnie Award for best equine biography in the United States for Lady Long Rider.

To learn more about Ende and her incredible travels, visit https://www.endeofthetrail.com.

Heather Wallace

For Heather Wallace—author of the Equestrian Handbook of Excuses, Confessions of a Timid Rider, and Girl Forward—it was her third EQUUS Film and Arts Fest. Wallace called Lexington a perfect place for the festival since it has such an equestrian audience.

“I think this is a perfect marriage,” she said. “The EQUUS Film Festival really blossomed from being here and hopefully vice versa. It’s such a unique experience because you can actually speak to these people with these stories, and they’re so accessible, and they want to talk to you. Sometimes you can even meet the horses that are in the films.”

Wallace’s audience includes returning adult equestrians or people wanting to build their confidence in the saddle. Her next big project is a film she is involved with that she hopes to debut at the 2020 EQUUS Film and Arts Fest about the Mongolian Horse and Nomads Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting and enhancing the nomadic culture in Mongolia by providing a sustainable wage for the 90%-local Mongolian staff who work on the Gobi Desert Cup. This wage supports local families, pays for schooling, and provides proper nutrition and veterinary attention for the horses used for the race. Wallace has served as an official for the Gobi Desert Cup, a 480 kim points-based team-focused endurance horse race across Mongolia.

“The footage is just stunning,” shared Wallace. “It really shows you what Mongolia has to offer. Last year I was on an adventure panel for the EQUUS Film and Arts Fest because of my participation as an official in the Gobi Desert Cup.”

As a result of that experience, she met a young filmmaker who wanted to ride in the Gobi Desert Cup, but Wallace saw the possibility of her filming the event, so she introduced her to the event’s founder, Camille Champagne, who is a French FEI endurance rider based in Australia. It ended up a great connection, with the film now in the works.

Wallace gets a lot of questions about the differences between the Mongol Derby and the Gobi Desert Cup. The Mongol Derby is an all-out race of 1,000 km, and the danger aspect is quite high since riders are on semi-wild horses. Meanwhile, the horses for the Gobi Desert Cup are trained and conditioned specifically to go the 80 km a day and to be safer and quieter for their riders.

“It really is a priority that everybody has an adventure,” explained Wallace with enthusiasm. “You don’t have to race if you don’t want to race. But it is an adventure, and it changes lives without a threat of imminent death. The whole way you’re going through the event in Mongolia, you are supported by the herdsmen and by the veterinarians—we have two FEI-qualified veterinarians every step of the way following on the course. Camille Champagne is right there on the ground. She’s actually gotten on and ridden with a couple of the more timid riders. Really, we want everyone to be fun and safe, but we want them to experience Mongolia and what the horses can do.”

Wallace does have a desire to one day ride in the Gobi Desert Cup herself, after prior preparation, of course. “It’s really hard to sit and watch everybody ride,” she said. “I wrote about it in Girl Forward about being the official and watching everybody experience it, but there was that little tint of jealousy that I didn’t get to compete.”

“I got to ride in the officials’ race; I didn’t win but I didn’t come in last either,” she said with a laugh. “The first time we did 1 km, I came in fourth; somebody scooped me right at the end.”

She added that last year during their 3 km officials’ race, her Mongolian mount just didn’t have a desire to win. “It was a win for me, but it gives you a taste of what it could be like—50 miles per day is a lot for six days in a row.”

In the meantime, this certified equine and canine sports massage therapist is busy with her blog; the launch of her podcast, The Equestrian Pulse Podcast, which she co-hosts with other bloggers from around the world; raising three girls and being a wife; and working with her pony, Ferrous. But hopefully this busy creative takes pause to enjoy her 2019 Winnie Award for best personal journey short story in the U.S. from the EQUUS Film and Arts Fest.

Learn more about Wallace and her various adventures at www.timidrider.com.

Rae Rankin

Author Rae Rankin represented the children’s book genre in the Literary Corral. She and her husband and teenage daughter all traveled from El Dorado Hills, Cali., for their first EQUUS Film and Arts Festival and to explore Kentucky. Rankin’s first book out of four, Cowgirl Lessons was published in 2017 and won a Winnie Award this year for best children’s book in the U.S. category, and Cowgirl Christmas captured a 2019 Winnie Award for best holiday children’s book (U.S.)

Cowgirl Lessons started out as a poem as a tribute to her daughter’s first lesson horse, Duchess, who had passed away. But then Rankin decided to take on the challenge of turning it into a children’s book.

She found her illustrator, J-San, a university student in Lima, Peru. She and J-San work closely on the illustrations to bring about Rankin’s vision for each book. “With the difference between traditional and self-published, when you go traditional, they tend to want to be in control of the art,” shared this independently published author. “And this way, I have full control. I get exactly what I envision the story to look like.”

Each book takes about six months to complete, and she serves as the graphic designer of each of her books thanks to 20 years of experience in marketing and graphic design.

When Rankin isn’t working on her fifth children’s book, this former small town woman is working on various contemporary fiction novels set in small towns. She said the setting in her novels is because she values the way people relate to one another in small towns.

Meanwhile, readers of her children’s books may notice one theme. “I don’t name the character in any of my books, because I want the little girls who are reading it to envision themselves as that character,” she said.

To learn more about Rankin and her work, visit www.raerankin.com.

Candace Carrabus

“I just seemed to have stories in me from an early age,” said Candace Carrabus, an award-winning writer who crosses two different genres—fantasy and mystery, with her books also including a smattering of romance.

She describes her first book, Raver: The Horsecaller, as a time travel adventure fantasy about a “horsecaller” who jumps over a jump and lands in another world. She then finds out that she is supposed to be that world’s savior.

“It was inspired by a dream I had,” said Carrabus. “I call Raver fantasy-lite for readers that don’t usually read fantasy. It is more realistic. There are no dragons or elves, and you don’t have to be a horse lover to enjoy them, because there is more to the story than that.”

Carrabus has also written a fantasy spin-off young adult version of Raver that has parallel events with crossover characters.

“Part of my tagline is ‘Believe in yourself. Believe in the unbelievable,'” she shared. “Believe in yourself because we have so much inside us that is untapped power that we’re not even aware of.”

That same theme in is in her Dream Horse Mysteries series, which are set on a Missouri horse farm after a successful, yet down-on-her-luck, jumper rider  finds out that the parents who abandoned her as a baby left her a trust fund, but she must complete one year at one job before she turns 30. The clock is ticking. She isn’t on the job long when she comes across a dead body and must solve the mystery. She gets help from a deceased former mount that visits her in her dreams and offers cryptic clues, which continue into the second and third books. The final book of the series, Wrong Lead, won a 2019 Winnie Award in the mystery fiction (U.S.) category. It also won first for fiction at the 2019 American Horse Publications (AHP) Equine Media Awards.

Carrabus shared that the main character starts out withdrawn and angry, but through her journey, she learns to not be so defensive and to trust others.

“There is a part of me in almost every character, even the bad guys,” said Carrabus. “It’s fun to write about a side of yourself perhaps that you never show to anyone. I’m not saying that’s what always happens though.”

Carrabus has a time travel and romance in mind to write in the future. That’s when this experienced equestrian—who used to compete in hunter/jumpers, hunter pacers, dressage, and eventing—is not busy on her Lincoln County, Mo., farm with her husband and riding her Trakehner/Quarter Horse/Thoroughbred cross, Remi, who was born on her farm.

Learn more about Carrabus and her various series at www.candacecarrabus.com.

M.J. Evans

Author M.J. Evans of Foxfield, Colo, attended the EQUUS Film and Arts Fest for the third time with her 14th book, Pinto!: Based Upon the True Story of the Longest Horseback Ride in History, which is a historical fiction honored with a 2019 Winnie Award for best historical book in the U.S.

The horseback ride in Pinto is a ride by the Overland Westerners, four men who started riding from Shelton, Wash., and rode for more than three years and 20,300 miles to visit every state capitol in United States in 1912, which included 48 states. Her book is written from the perspective of the one-and-only horse who made it for the entire ride…out of 17 horses that were used. Like the story Black Beauty, Evans gives a voice to Pinto.

She said the riders’ goal was to become rich and famous with their ride, which ended at the San Francisco World’s Fair in 1915, which was officially called the Panama-Pacific International Exposition to honor the completion of the Panama Canal.

“They thought by the time they got there, they would be the biggest show on earth, and that they would be greeted by ticker-tape parades and cheering crowds, ” shared Evans. “And nobody cared. The greeting they got was ‘Get them hay burners off the street.'”

Now more than 100 years later, the Overland Westerners are becoming more famous through Evans’ book, which she spent 2.5 years researching. She found a complete collection of old photographs of the men in front of the various state capitols in Oklahoma City at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. She also found more information, including old journals from the riders, at a history museum on Bainbridge Island, Wash.

Her book, In the Heart of a Mustang is a contemporary coming of age novel that has won half a dozen national and international awards, including a 2017 Winnie Award. A teenage boy is sent to a horse therapy ranch after trouble with the law. He learns how to train a BLM Mustang from a cowboy on the ranch, but during that experience, he also learns about life. The screenplay adaptation won a 2019 Winnie Award for best wild horse screenplay (U.S.).

Evans has also written non-fiction equestrian trail guides for Colorado and also fiction fantasy novels. Evans is a graduate of Oregon State University, a former secondary school teacher, a mom and a grandmother.

While Evans had to pause horse ownership while she raised her five kids, she set a goal of getting a horse for dressage and trail riidng when her youngest entered first grade. “When I got back to riding again, I sought out dressage teachers, because when I had been competing with Pony Club, I would always win the dressage at the regional rallies. And they would write down, ‘You have a dressage seat.’ I didn’t really know what they meant, but I just knew I loved it.”

While Evans loves being in New York City around the holidays, she sees the advantages to having the EQUUS Film and Arts Fest at the Kentucky Horse Park. “In terms of venue and reaching people who have an interest in horses, thee Kentucky Horse Park is the perfect location,” she said.

To learn more about Evans, visit www.dancinghorsepress.com.

Kristian Verono

Equestrian art photographer Kristian Verono of Montreal, Canada, also was a first-time attendee, along with his Doberman, Max. Verono not only created several short videos for the film festival, but also was a vendor in the Literary Corral with his beautiful black-and-white equestrian and fashion photography on display.

Both of his short films—”Memories of the Past” and “Blood is a Gift Until It’s Not“—were shot in black-and-white and focus on the artistic aspects of the horse and their riders. The latter, is a music video that features the singer Elliot Maginot and a rider with a Friesian.

Verono has a background in showing, driving Morgans in pleasure driving and grooming in the hunter/jumper circuit. He has a fashion design diploma with honors and perfected his craft at Parson’s School of Design in New York City. He then set out to travel the world as a fashion stylist for stars, high-profile events, and fashion publications. He picked up photography about 10 years ago.

Retired supermodel Claudelle Perreault is often the subject of his equine art photography, with Verono shooting at her barn in the Montreal area. Verono calls Perreault his muse.

He has also spent the last three winters in the horse-centered area of Wellington, Fla., and hopes to create a calendar titled “The Ladies of Wellington” that includes subjects from the various aspects of the horse world in Wellington.

Learn more about Kristian Verono and his work at https://kverono.wixsite.com/verono.

Janet Winters

Janet Winters of Ligonier, Penn., has written two mysteries—Murder at Morgan House and its sequel, Death at Heart’s Desire. The series is about a former equestrian Olympic hopeful in eventing who breaks her back and has to stop competing. This eventually divorced mom of fraternal twins, Ivy, moves to a small town and starts a horse magazine, Equine Style. One day, she finds a body in an old house in the town, and she and her psychic daughter work on solving the mystery. In the sequel, which won a 2019 Winnie Award for best equine mystery-English (U.S.), Ivy and her daughter and significant other, the detective in charge of the case in the first book, solve another murder together.

“Parts of it are based on a true story that happened in the town that I live in, and a person was murdered and the house burned to the ground,” said Winters. “I actually thought about writing a true crime story, but that wasn’t the genre for me.”

Winters is working on the third book, Peril to Paradise, which takes place at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

As a child, Winters said she became a big fan of some of the older mystery writers, like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, and Dorothy L. Sayers, who had the Lord Peter Wimsey series. “I actually named my Saddlebreds after characters in the Lord Peter Wimsey series,” she said.

Her writing career began in advertising and public relations, where she wrote commercial copy. She then decided to try her hand at writing mysteries that involved horses. She writes full time and works on her equestrian lifestyle blog at www.thebarngoddesschronicles.com.

Her latest endeavor is an online course called “Canter to Confidence” aimed at women age 40+ who have lost confidence in the saddle due to a fall. This comes from her own experience with a terrible fall off a horse 10 years ago in which she actually broke her neck and pelvis.

“I said to my neurosurgeon, ‘When do I get to start riding again?’ And he said, ‘Well, I wouldn’t do that if I were you.’ And I said, ‘Well, you’re not me,'” she shared with a laughing.

And she did get back to riding, but she had to get past an underlying fear of being hurt again. Through a lot of trial-and-error, she came up with a step-by-step system on what riders need to go through to gain that confidence again. “So I thought, why not develop a methodology to help other people do that,” she said about her recently released online course. She also plans to run weekend retreats to help riders heal mentally and physically during a weekend of riding.

Winters said there was a big difference between the New York venue, which was a more urban experience, and the Kentucky Horse Park. She shared how having everything horse-related all around at the Kentucky Horse Park has made her feel in her element.

Learn more about Winters and enjoy her blog posts at www.thebarngoddesschronicles.com.

These are just a few of the many stories from the EQUUS Film and Arts Fest. For more news about the 2020 event and its other programs (tour stops, streaming films, etc.), visit www.equusfilmfestival.net.

The post Equus Film and Arts Fest Presents Endless Stories appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Equestrians of all ages and disciplines are invited to attend the 2020 United States Pony Clubs Equine Symposium and Convention, Presented by the Ben B. Cheney Foundation, held in Seattle, WA, January 29- February 2, 2020, at the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center. The event offers educational opportunities with 50+ workshops and seminars, as well as trade fair shopping and more. Single-day registrations are available.

Workshop topics include:

• Horse and Rider Biomechanics
• Buying a Horse Dos and Don’ts
• Careers in the Horse Industry
• Developing the Young Horse
• DIY Trail Obstacles
• Gymkhana
• Conditioning for Distance Riding
• Equine Infectious Disease Control

There will also be sessions on rider fitness, dressage, therapeutic riding, pasture management, farrier care, supplements, equine nutrition, conformation and lameness, as well as leadership training seminars.

Workshops are presented by equine experts, including equine veterinarians; trainers, judges and instructors affiliated with the United States Dressage Federation and United States Eventing Association; and nationally certified USPC members and graduates.

Pony Club A graduate and five-star event rider Maya Black will be the keynote speaker at the Saturday night banquet, in addition to presenting a workshop and signing autographs at the event.

The popular anatomy lab will also be returning, presented by Clover Valley Veterinary Services. Join equine veterinary experts for a hands-on, head-to-hoof introduction to equine anatomy featuring over 100 specimens.

Trade fair shopping and a display of entries from the Research Project Fair, presented by the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, plus a silent auction and Saturday night banquet with a dessert dash round out a fun and educational experience.

Event sponsors include the Ben B. Cheney Foundation, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Clover Valley Veterinary Services, University of Louisville Equine Industry Program, Arabian Horse Youth Association, RevitaVet Therapeutic Systems, Specialty Program Insurors, Tack Room Too, USPC White Mountain Region, North Country Pony Club, Passaconaway Pony Club, Ring Brook Farm and 8T Acres, as well as USPC corporate sponsors Kerrits, The Horse, Shapley’s, Star Stable, Triple Crown Nutrition and Wintec.

Visit www.ponyclub.org/events/annualmeeting for registration information, schedules and a complete list of seminar topics.

About The United States Pony Clubs, Inc. (Pony Club)

There are approximately 9,000 Pony Club members in over 600 clubs and riding centers throughout the U.S. USPC is proud to provide education to equestrians of all ages (including adults); incorporate more than nine riding disciplines (including western) into instruction and competition opportunities; and to be instrumental in curriculum development for schools and universities across the United States. Many of the nation’s top equestrians, including several of our Olympic team members, business professionals, government leaders and career military officers, have roots in Pony Club.

The post United States Pony Clubs Symposium and Convention to be Held Where the Mountains Meet the Sea in 2020 appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

U.S. Equestrian announced Devin Sell of Georgetown, Ky, as the winner of the 2019 USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award in recognition of her 2019 contributions and achievements. The USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award identifies outstanding youth members actively involved in their respective discipline or breed organizations and acknowledges their potential as future leaders in the equine industry. The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) nominated Sell, who is involved with ASHA and her local chapter of the National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Organization.

Sell’s achievements in the competition ring are amplified by her dedication to her horses, barn family and the sport as a whole. She is active in the ASHA youth programs, including the ASHA Youth Conference, and volunteered at the Saddle Seat World Cup and Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show. She participates in youth judging clinics and is a member of the U.S. Equestrian Lettering Program and is on track to complete the program as a varsity athlete upon high school graduation next year. Sell also organized an informational meet-and-greet at her public library to promote the American Saddlebred breed.

Sell is a member of the National Honors Society and an accomplished tennis player, and she intends to study pre-veterinary sciences and equine business management in college. Her dream is to become a large animal veterinarian, specializing in horses, and run her own lesson program for children and adults to help them learn proper riding and horse care.

“Devin is our barn’s youth group president, and she is an invaluable mentor for the younger girls,” said Nancy Brannon, Sell’s trainer. “In her role as president, she has spearheaded multiple community service events, including a coat drive for the homeless shelter and a back-to-school supply drive for the local women’s shelter.”

The reserve overall winner of the USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award is Ella Doerr of Avon, N.C., who was nominated by the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA). Doerr served as the youngest chair of the USHJA Youth Committee at just 16 years old and has been an ambassador for USHJA in many different capacities. She received the USHJA Youth Leadership Award in 2016 and received the USHJA Foundation Gochman Family Grant to attend the 2017 USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm.

Doerr is committed to improving access to equestrian sport. She has been studying American Sign Language for the past four years to assist in lessons with deaf children. She also volunteers her time by helping prepare ponies to be used in therapeutic riding programs for differently abled youth.

Passionate about education, Doerr is a tutor and plans to attend college and major in public relations and communications. An avid writer, Doerr intends to continue being a freelance writer to equine magazines throughout her high school and college careers.

Nominees for the USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award

The other national nominees includes nominees from U.S. Equestrian’s other affiliate organizations.

Nina Barretts of Holland, Penn. – Arabian Horse Association (AHA)

Barretts is an active member of both U.S. Equestrian and the Arabian Horse Association and regularly competes at shows in both dressage and English pleasure. She is involved with several different academic clubs and volunteers with the Laurel Nobilis Arabians and the Appalachian Service Project.

David Botana of Portland, Maine – United States Para-Equestrian Association (USPEA)

Botana is a rising star for the U.S. Para Dressage Team and is actively pursuing a spot on the U.S. Para Dressage Team for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. Botana is a passionate advocate and leader in his community for equity, social justice and public policy.

Isabelle Braden of Decatur, Ga. – United States Dressage Federation (USDF)

Braden is an accomplished dressage athlete with the United States Dressage Federation who has competed at major competitions, including the Adequan®/FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC), and a dedicated volunteer. Braden is passionate about history and understanding the political climate and global issues, and she intends to pursue a career in law.

Korbin Eckert of Spokane, Wash. – Western Dressage Association of America (WDAA)

Eckert is a member of multiple breed and discipline organizations and was presented with the 2018 Western Dressage Association of America (WDAA) Youth Sportsmanship Award. He continues to promote equestrian sport and the WDAA through his volunteer and peer role model endeavors.

Francesca Franzosi of Hammonton, N.J. – American Vaulting Association AVA)

Franzosi has been a member of the American Vaulting Association since 2018 and is passionate about the vaulting discipline, volunteering for and participating in open houses to promote the sport. She enjoys competing with her team, the Shooting Stars.

Nora Goldfarb of Franklin, Tenn. – American Connemara Pony Society (ACPS)

Goldfarb is a member of the American Connemara Pony Society Youth Board and the United States Pony Clubs. She is co-secretary for the Middle Tennessee Eventing Association and aims to be a part of a board of directors for her local eventing or show jumping community after college.

Elizabeth Henry of Lafayette, Ind. – United States Eventing Association (USEA)

Henry, who was nominated by the United States Eventing Association, was part of the 2019 Area VIII NAYC Eventing Team and is actively involved with the Interscholastic Equestrian Association as a volunteer. Henry works at the Pletch Equestrian Center, and she is wholly dedicated to ensuring the health and comfort of her and others’ horses.

Samantha Holyfield of Concord, N.C. – American Hackney Horse Society (AHHS)

Holyfield, who was nominated by the American Hackney Horse Society, is an accomplished horsewoman, with many driving accomplishments on her resume. Her ambition is to work in the therapeutic horsemanship or occupational therapy industries, using horses as a way to help people heal from mental or physical traumas or disabilities.

Taylor Hudson of Fairview, Penn. – American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA)

Hudson has served as a Regional Delegate for the American Morgan Horse Association Youth Council since 2017 and is the organizer and manager of the Tristate Morgan Horse Show Youth Contest. She is a member of the Morgan Patriots and has completed Level Three of the AMHA Horsemastership Badge Program.

Anna Aubrey Hutchinson of Boyle, Miss. – Welsh Pony and Cob Society of America (WPCSA)

Hutchinson is a member of the Welsh Pony and Cob Society of America and currently rides for Rollingwoods Farm, where she assists in the day-to-day operations of the farm twice a week. She volunteers at Bayou Academy and is a member of her school’s National Junior Honor Society.

Gabriella Santaniello of Suffield, Conn. – International Friesian Show Horse Association (IFSHA)

Santaniello, who was nominated by the International Friesian Show Horse Association, is a member of the National Honor Society and volunteers as a coach at her school’s writing center. She has also served as president of Hearts and Hoofbeats 4-H Club for four years.

Madison Waller of Beaumont, Texas – International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association (IALHA)

Waller has competed at the International Andalusian and Lusitano Association National Championships for the past four years. She is a dedicated volunteer in her community, donating her time and talents to organizations like Texas Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House and Helping Hands.

Learn more about the U.S. Equestrian Youth Sportsman’s Award. For additional information, please contact Natalie Norwood, Championships Program Manager, at nnorwood@usef.org or (859) 225-6951.

Stay up to date with U.S. Equestrian’s youth programs and all 29 recognized breeds and disciplines by following US Equestrian on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Further Reading

• Julia Stone Named the 2019 U.S. Equestrian Junior Equestrian of the Year

The post American Saddlebred Horse Association’s Devin Sell Wins 2019 USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.) Award Winners were honored to celebrate the people and equines who partner together to change the lives of people who live with physical, mental, emotional and learning challenges. PATH Intl. award winners included certified professionals, veterinarians, volunteers and horses. This year’s exciting awards were a much-anticipated highlight of the association’s 50th anniversary, which was celebrated at the 2019 PATH Intl. Conference and Annual Meeting, presented by title sponsor Purina.

Each region has the opportunity to nominate individuals and equines. The winners of the equestrian and region awards were announced in July and honored, along with the international winners, at the luncheon. The awards luncheon was held November 9 in Denver, CO, at PATH Intl. headquarters.

2019 PATH Intl. Achievement Awards

• Equine of the Year Award (co-sponsored by Purina and The Equus Foundation): Cameo, Region 6, Midwest Therapeutic Riding Program in Union Grove, Wisc.
• Certified Professional of the Year: Joan Cutler, Region 8, Equest, a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center in Dallas, Texas
• Volunteer of the Year: Terry Wilk, Region 8, Equest, a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center in Dallas, Texas
• Veterinarian of the Year (sponsored by Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, makers of Adequan): Dr. Patrick Breen, Region 8, ROCK Ride On Center for Kids, a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center in Georgetown, Texas

Amanda Hogan earned the PATH Intl. James Brady Professional Achievement Award, Windrush Farm Therapeutic Equitation, Inc., a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center in North Andover, Mass.

The James Brady Professional Achievement Award honors people who make lasting contributions throughout the equine-assisted activities and therapies field. PATH recognizes them for:

• Demonstrating the highest ethical behavior in their personal and professional life;
• Possessing proven leadership and dedication through delivery of service, educational contribution, support and promotion of the industry;
• Bringing innovative ideas to fruition;
• Creating collaborations and partnerships to advance the work of EAAT; and
• Enhancing the success and knowledge of others in the association.

International PATH Intl. Award Winners

The following international PATH Intl. award winners were also honored. They were selected from the regional winners announced in July.

• Adult Equestrian of the Year: Hunter Adkins, Region 8, Equest, a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center in Dallas, Texas
• Youth Equestrian of the Year: Andrew Robinson, Region 8, Equest, a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center in Dallas, Texas
• Equine Services for Heroes Equestrian of the Year: Mitchell Hedlund, Region 8, Equest, a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center in Dallas, Texas

PATH Intl. is thankful for all the judges who made difficult decisions and all those who nominated horses and humans.

A full list of all the winners, international and regional, is available online.

About PATH Intl.

Formed in 1969, the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.) promotes safety and optimal outcomes in equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) for individuals with special needs. At 873 member centers, nearly 69,000 children and adults, including more than 6,700 veterans, may find improved health, wellness, fun and a sense of pride and independence through involvement with horses.

Therapeutic horsemanship at member centers can include hippotherapy, equine-facilitated mental health, driving, interactive vaulting, trail riding, competition, ground work and stable management. Through a wide variety of educational resources, the association helps individuals start and maintain successful EAAT programs. There are nearly 62,000 volunteers, 4,776 instructors, 7,943 equines and thousands of contributors from all over the world helping people at PATH Intl. Member Centers.

The post 2019 PATH Intl. Award Winners Honored During 50th Anniversary PATH International Conference and Annual Meeting appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

CHA Volunteer of the Year

The first award recipient to be honored during Friday night’s banquet was the 2019 CHA Volunteer of the Year. The coveted award that recognizes the countless hours and dedication CHA volunteers spend changing lives through safe experiences with horses went to Aimee Edwards from Waco, Texas. Edwards has been a member since 1996, was certified in 1997, became a standard English/Western Clinician in 2011 and an Equine Facilities Manager in 2017. Those nominating Edwards for this award described her as “a dedicated professional” and that “she runs a wonderful facility and is liked as well as respected by her staff.”

Others went on to say, “This person goes above and beyond to help CHA not only as a host site coordinator, an instructor, and a clinician for us, but also putting our monthly eblast together and sending it out each month.”

CHA Certifier of the Year

CHA Certifiers are vital in order to continue growing the association and accomplishing our mission. The CHA Certifier of the Year Award is reserved for someone who has shown outstanding service to CHA by conducting meaningful certifications and influencing the careers of equine professionals over many years. This year’s award was given to Andrea Richardson from Brantford, Ontario.

Richardson became a CHA member and certified instructor in 2004 and later became a certifier in 2006. Described as “a strong advocate for training staff and running safe programs” and “she is very invested in setting people up for success and encouraging confidence in certification participants,” it is easy to see how she was chosen as the award recipient.

CHA Instructor of the Year

Often described as the life blood of the association, individual certified instructors undoubtedly play a key role in the success of the association and its mission. Earning the title of 2019 CHA Instructor of the Year was Celia Bunge from the Miami International Riding Club in Miami, Fla. Nominated by her students and recognized by her peers, this year’s winner was described as fair, consistent, hard-working and empathetic. Other descriptions included things such as, “what makes her stand out is her amazing ability to adapt to each rider’s needs, while processing the gift to read and anticipate each horse’s behavior” and “she loves the horse first and the sport second. She is a confidence builder in us all.”

After receiving her award Bunge said: “I would not have ever imagined that I could be the recipient of such extraordinary recognition. I promise to keep on going, striving for excellence and safety in our sport. Working hard to make horses a part of more and more people, because horses truly transform lives. They have transformed our lives, and they have introduced us to so many amazing and good people like yourself, and to groups and organizations that exemplify what service to others really looks like.”

CHA Distinguished Service Award

The CHA Distinguished Service Award is a lifetime achievement award for an individual who has gone above and beyond through the years promoting and upholding the mission of the association. Throughout the years, the 2019 recipient, Susanne Valla from Mocksville, N.C., has worked tirelessly on a wide variety of CHA projects, including serving on the board, committees, and in executive offices for many years. Described as a mentor for many new board members and clinic staff over the years her leadership abilities are undeniable. Valla also used her artistic talents to design many of CHA’s manuals and the CHA logo and is known for her knowledge of the association and its history.

Valla, a CHA Life Member, has been involved with CHA since 1978. A past president of the board, she served on the board of directors through 2011. She has been a clinician since 2011 and has conducted 31 certifications as of this year.

CHA Partner in Safety Award

Safety is top priority when it comes to every interaction with horses. Earning the 2019 CHA Partner in Safety Award was Pegasus Farm in Hartville, Ohio. The program at Pegasus Farm has over 130 volunteers, 500 students, has been a CHA Program member since 1995, and an accredited site since 2012. To date, they have held 17 CHA certifications including Standard English/Western, Equine Facility Manager, Instructors of Riders with Disabilities and Vaulting.

Nominators described the program at Pegasus Farm as: “They are so professional and safety conscious. I enjoyed the facilities, horses and staff there. They provide a vast array of services for the special needs community.”

“The staff, volunteers, students and horses made an exceptional impact, not only on my career as an instructor, but on my LIFE!” said another nominator.

CHA Horse of the Year

Without horses there would be no reason for CHA, so it is only fitting that an outstanding horse be honored as the CHA Horse of the Year. To commemorate such an outstanding honor, the winning horse receives a hand-painted oil painting from CHA member Julie Fischer from Colorado with bark from her camp as the frame.

Earning the title of 2019 CHA Horse of the Year was Smut, a 33-year-old grade mare owned by Dream Catcher Stables in Spring, Texas. Smut is named after a fungus that grows on corn in the Midwest that is the same color as she is.

Her riders describe her as careful and a smooth mover and she listens well and never gets spooky. “She is just a wonderful horse and richly deserves to be school horse of the year,” the continue.

“She is a magnificent horse,” wrote one rider. “She has won me two belt buckles in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Top Hands Horse Show.”

Sanna Rolling, who runs Dream Catcher Stables, had this to say when asked about Smut being the award recipient: “To own a horse that touches so very many lives and at the age of 33 in semi-retirement is still herd boss is awesome. This is the second time we have had the CHA Horse of the Year (Smokey in 2008). With the vast number of CHA program members, I never thought we could win twice.”

The CHA School Horse of the Year Program honors the best of the school horses who are part of CHA member programs. Each equine finalist receives a plaque from CHA and were also honored at the awards banquet.

The top five finalists included:

• Bambi from Santa Rosa, Calif.
• Ginger from Methow Valley Riding Unlimited in Winthrop, Wash.
• King from Big Bear Horsemanship in Gettysburg, Penn.
• Onyx from West Equestrian in Sand Springs, Okla.
• Smut from Dream Catcher Stables in Spring, Texas

Resources:

• A complete list of past award winners
  • More information about the next Certified Horsemanship Association Conference

CHA Welcomes New Board Members for 2020

CHA welcomed four new board members at the 2019 CHA International Conference. Joining the CHA Board of Directors are Jessica Hersey, Kristin Jaworski, Katrina Lechlitner, and Amanda Reardon. Candidates for the board seats were introduced and voted on during the general membership meeting.

Jessica Hersey, of Gettysburg, Penn, is a CHA Lifetime member and a Master Instructor/Assistant Certifier. Her skill set includes over 20 years of teaching and training in addition to prior board experience. She is the former vice president and board of directors member for the Maine Cowboy Mounted Shooters, and vice president/outreach officer of the Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization of New Hampshire.

Involved in many different areas of the equine industry, Hersey has held memberships in the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association, Cowboy Sports Association, United Mounted Shooters, Mustang Heritage Foundation, FN Verlag, U.S. Equestrian Federation, American Youth Horse Council, Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, state chapters, and regional clubs. Hersey has also earned two business degrees and is currently completing a Master of Education in Equestrian Education from William Woods University.

Kristin Jaworski, of Fort Worth, Texas, is the director of the Fort Worth Herd where she manages and directs the world’s only twice daily longhorn cattle drive. She grew up raising mules and horses in northern Arizona and later graduated with her Master’s degree in Management and Leadership from Tarleton State University. Since 2002, she has expanded all aspects of the herd, including educational programs, facility operations and horsemanship to support the economy and raise awareness of western heritage.

Jaworski was introduced to CHA through The Herd program and is now a CHA Certified Instructor. When asked what she was looked forward to the most, she said it was to be more involved in the association to inspire people and generate awareness and excitement for those who want to explore their dreams with horsemanship.

Katrina Lechlitner, of Reed City, Mich., grew up very active in the American Quarter Horse Association and has been at SpringHill Camps as ranch director since 2005. She is a CHA Certified Instructor and has been involved in a 4-H Horse Leaders Group for the past five years. Lechlitner became certified when she joined SpringHill Camp and continues to use CHA as a resource, not only for herself, but SpringHill as an organization, local 4-H extension and others seeking a starting point.

“My desire to be involved on the board is because safe, positive experiences with horses is important to me, and I continue to let that lead my decisions in my own career and the areas I volunteer,” said Lechlitner. “Secondly, I value education and creative presentation of information to students and leaders. The access to resources and continued education builds stronger programs. Lastly, I understand that building a base of individuals who will continue to represent CHA with the esteem that I have come to respect is important to move forward during the next 50 years!”

Amanda Reardon, of Lexington, Ky., started her riding career over 20 years ago as a young pony clubber, advancing over the years to competitive riding with high school and college teams. At 18, she became a CHA Certified Instructor. Reardon has worked as a teaching assistant for the University of Kentucky’s Equine Handling courses, taught lessons and camps at a Lexington lesson farm and has spent time working in the Thoroughbred breeding industry.

Earning a degree in Equine Science/Management and a minor in Agricultural Economics from the University of Kentucky, immediately following graduation Reardon joined the Kentucky Horse Park staff, where she manages the Equine Education Department.

In her time at the Kentucky Horse Park Reardon has developed, planned and executed four years of summer camps and teaches over 100 children every summer. She also started and runs the first riding lesson program at the park. Reardon recently earned her CHA Master Level Certification and is moving forward with her education and practices to earn her CHA Clinician status. She envisions hosting clinics at the park once again, as they were held when she started her involvement with CHA in 2011.

Returning CHA Board members include: Hayley Eberle, Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Teddy Franke, Camp Morrow, Pine Hollow, Ore.; Susan Garside, YMCA Camp Noah, Canal Fulton, Ohio; Beth Long, YMCA, Ky.; Katie Reynolds, American Quarter Horse Association, Amarillo, Texas; and James Rickner, Champ Chippewa, Kan.

The CHA Executive Board consist of: President Tammi Gainer, Pegasus Farm and PATH International, Alliance, Ohio; President Elect Dr. Bob Coleman, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky.; Vice President of New Initiatives Anne Brzezicki, Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, Murfreesboro, Tenn.; Vice President of Regional Relations Jennifer Eaton, Interscholastic Equestrian Association, Groveland, Mass.; Secretary Elizabeth Duffy, Camp America, Eatonton, Ga.; Treasurer Terry Williams, Blanchester, Ohio; and Past President Beth Powers, YMCA and American Camp Association, Bellefontaine, Ohio.

About the Certified Horsemanship Association

The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors and trail guides, accredits equestrian facilities, publishes educational manuals, produces educational horsemanship DVDs and YouTube Safety shorts and hosts regional and international conferences.

For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, the Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse or call 859-259-3399. To find a certified horseback riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHAinstructors.com.

The post 2019 Certified Horsemanship Association International Conference Celebrates Award Winners; New Board of Directors Announced appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.