These stories can be found in full form at www.iaha.com, under hot topics. After several weeks, they will be archived under news/press releases, which also has a link from the home page.

Arabian Wins Pony Jumper National Championship
On August 13, 2002, Byrnadette, a 13-year-old Arabian and her 12-year-old rider, Billy Worthington bested a field of 32 riders from across the country to capture the gold medal in individual competition at the 2002 Pony Jumper National Championship in Lexington, Kentucky. The championship is considered a USA Equestrian Junior Olympic event. Worthington's Zone 2 team was the silver medal team. Read the entire press release at www.iaha.com under hot topics.

2002 Youth Nationals Celebrates a Decade of Champions
Ten years ago the first Youth National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show surprised exhibitors with the diverse number of classes and the huge slate of youth activities. Today those classes have almost doubled going from 58 to more than 100 classes covering everything from dressage, English pleasure, hunter pleasure and halter to western pleasure, native costume, reining and working cow. This year’s show featured 910 horses and 2,393 class entries. New classes for 2002 offered more for the younger exhibitors with the addition of Showmanship JTR 10 & Under, Freestyle Reining Exhibition JTR 13 & Under and the UPHA Arabian Breeds Walk/ Trot Challenge Cup 10 & Under.

Arabian Wins Two Silver Medals In International Competition
Most of the competitors at the first FEI "Coupe des Ameriques" looked down from their warmbloods when they rode past Mary Claire Massey and her 15-hand Arabian Scrabble+// (Monopoli x Saletra). But by the end, they were looking up as Massey clutched two silver medals for placing second in team and individual competition at the Junior FEI level. The event, also known as the Championship of the Americas, was held from July 17-21 at Blainville Equestrian Park just north of Montreal with riders from seven countries competing at the Grand Prix, Advanced, Young Rider and Junior Levels.

IAHA Riders Win Back-to-Back National Trail Championships
Last year's champions in the International Arabian Horse Association* (IAHA*) National Competitive Trail Ride Championship repeated their victories in 2002. Ellen Schwartz and her Arabian mare Shazanna S Glory and Chris Eickleberry and her Half-Arabian/ Half-Appaloosa gelding WR Cowboy won second championship trophies at the 2002 two-day, 72-mile ride held at Big Hill Lake State Park in Cherryvale, Kansas, over Labor Day weekend. Their lucky charm? Togetherness. Last year they rode together. This year the two Indianans took it a step further. They drove together, camped together and won together.

2002 Arabian Horse Nationals Welcomes the Cadillac as its VIP Vehicle Sponsor
The International Arabian Horse Association* (IAHA*) is proud to announce that the Cadillac is the official VIP Vehicle Sponsor for the 2002 U.S. Arabian and Half-Arabian National Championship Horse Show. Cadillac is featuring the Cadillac Escalade at the show for display, but is also donating other Cadillac models for the exclusive use of show VIPS. Cadillacs will also be used to escort show judges in and out of center ring each evening.

USA Equestrian Honors Former IAHA* President Norm Dunn
The trophy for the USA Equestrian of Honor in the "In-Hand" division has been named in honor of the late Norman K. Dunn, a former president of the International Arabian Horse Association* (IAHA*). Equestrians of Honor are the finalists for the Richard P. Strub Trophy as the USA Equestrian of the Year.

Arabian Owner Wins Trip to U.S. Nationals
On September 19, Equisure Executive Vice President Diane Lesher drew the top ten winners of the VIP Trip to the U.S. Nationals contest, sponsored by the International Arabian Horse Association* (IAHA*). Carrie Shrum of Independence, Oregon, won first place and the VIP trip. Mary Lou Houge of Scottsdale, Arizona, took reserve and will receive a full-page four color ad in International Arabian Horse magazine. The remaining eight will receive Professional's Choice halters. The winners were drawn from IAHA members who joined or renewed their membership online between August 1 and September 15, 2002.

IAHA is a 28,000 member breed association that registers Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabian horses, administers more than $4 million in prize money annually, produces national events, maintains official event records, recognizes more than 400 Arabian horse shows and distance rides and provides activities and programs that promote Arabian horse breeding and ownership.

For information about Arabian, Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabian horses, call 303-696-4500, e-mail iaha@iaha.com or visit www.iaha.com.

Molly Benstein
Communications Assistant
International Arabian Horse Association
10805 E. Bethany Dr., Aurora, CO 80014
Direct Line: (303) 696-4589 Fax: (303) 696-4599
Email: molly.benstein@iaha.com
Website: www.iaha.com