by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 6, 2026
Last spring’s Kentucky 5-Star winner, Will Coleman, and Diabolo, a 2012 Holsteiner gelding, were named Monday to compete for the U.S. on the Defender Eventing Team at the world championships in Germany next month.
Will also has two direct reserves, in case something goes wrong with Diabolo. They are the 17-year-old Off the Record and Very Dignified, an 11-year-old mare, who like Off the Record is an Irish Sport horse.
Very veteran Phillip Dutton will ride Possante, a 2013 KWPN gelding. He also was named as an alternate with Denim. Boyd Martin has Liz Halliday’s former ride, Cooley Nutcracker, a 2014 Irish Sport Horse gelding, and Shanroe Cooley as an alternate.
Boyd’s 2024 Olympic teammate, Caroline Pamukcu, will be up on HSH Blake, a 2015 Irish Sport Horse gelding. Tamie Smith and Lillet 3, a 2016 Holsteiner mare will represent the West Coast on the squad.
Alternates in alphabetical order are: Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle; Hallie Coon (Kapriccio); Tiana Coudray (D’Artagnan); Sydney Elliott (QC Diamantaire); Emily Hamel and the 19-year-old Corvett, speaking of veterans; and Allie Knowles (Montpellier Scais).
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 2, 2026
The upheaval in the Middle East has claimed the FEI Endurance World Championship, scheduled for November in Saudi Arabia.
The organizer announced that “due to the current geopolitical situation, it was no longer in a position to organize the championship as planned.”
FEI President Ingmar De Vos said, “We are acutely aware of the impact this has on National Federations, Athletes, Officials, support teams and, above all, the preparation of the horses. However, under the circumstances, we had no option but to seek an alternative organizer.”
Wise move. The FEI has reopened bids for the competition
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 30, 2026
Dale Harvey, a show manager who is a former Grand Prix rider, posted his thoughts on social media about the outlook for the U.S. Equestrian Federation as selection of a successor to CEO Bill Moroney is pending. Here is what he had to say:
“The end of Bill Moroney’s tenure as CEO of the United States Equestrian Federation marks a rare and pivotal moment—one that will shape the future of American equestrian sport for decades. This transition is not simply an administrative change; it is a structural inflection point that determines whether USEF evolves into a modern, member‑driven governing body or continues operating through insular, top‑down decision‑making. The stakes are high, and the membership’s willingness to assert its voice will define what comes next.
Why This Leadership Transition Matters
Moroney’s term has been characterized by consolidation of authority, increased regulatory complexity, and a widening gap between USEF leadership and the everyday equestrians who fund the organization. Whether members view his tenure as stabilizing or restrictive, one fact is undeniable: USEF has become increasingly centralized, with major decisions—rule changes, competition structure, licensing, and disciplinary processes—flowing from a small circle of executives and committees.
The departure of a long‑serving CEO creates a rare opening to reassess that structure. Leadership transitions at national governing bodies are infrequent, and when they occur, they often set the tone for the next decade. This is why members must insist on meaningful participation in selecting the next CEO and shaping the strategic direction of the sport.
The Disconnect Between USEF Leadership and Membership
Over the past several years, USEF has faced criticism from athletes, trainers, competition managers, and parents who feel increasingly unheard. Many cite: Opaque decision-making, escalating fees and costs, inconsistent enforcement of rules;a lack of transparency in SafeSport-related processes; limited pathways for member feedback to influence policy.
These concerns are not fringe complaints—they are widespread and persistent. They reflect a structural imbalance between the governing body and the governed. When members feel decisions are made about them rather than with them, trust erodes.
This is why the CEO transition is so critical. It is an opportunity to reset the relationship between USEF and its membership.
Why Members Must Demand a Voice in Selecting the Next CEO
The CEO of USEF is not simply an administrator. They are the architect of the sport’s future. Their philosophy determines:
How competitions are licensed and regulated
How amateur and professional rules evolve
How SafeSport policies are implemented
How grassroots riders are supported
How elite sport is balanced with broad participation
How financial resources are allocated
How transparency and accountability are prioritized
In other words, the CEO shapes the lived experience of every USEF member—from the child entering their first short‑stirrup class to the Olympian preparing for international competition.
Yet historically, CEO selection has been conducted behind closed doors by a small subset of the Board. Members are informed after the decision is made. This model is outdated, misaligned with modern governance standards, and inconsistent with the expectations of a dues‑paying membership base.
Members deserve more than notification—they deserve participation.
What Member Participation Should Look Like
Demanding a voice does not mean every member votes directly on the CEO. Instead, it means establishing structured, meaningful mechanisms for input. These could include:
A public job description outlining qualifications, priorities, and expectations
Open forums where members can express what they want in a leader
Transparent search committee composition, including member‑selected representatives
Publication of finalist profiles, allowing members to provide feedback
Clear communication about how member input influences the final decision
These are standard practices in modern nonprofit governance. They are not radical—they are responsible.
Why the Direction of the Sport Must Also Be Member‑Driven
Selecting a CEO is only part of the equation. Members must also demand influence over the strategic direction of USEF. The sport is facing existential challenges:
Rising costs that push families out
Declining accessibility and diversity
Competition managers struggling under regulatory burdens
Trainers frustrated by inconsistent rule enforcement
Athletes navigating complex qualification pathways
A fractured relationship between USEF and other equestrian organizations
These issues cannot be solved by leadership alone. They require member‑driven priorities, including:
Affordability initiatives
Simplified rule structures
Transparent disciplinary processes
Support for competition organizers
Investment in grassroots programs
Modernization of governance practices
Without member involvement, the next CEO may simply inherit and perpetuate the same structural issues.
The Risk of Silence
If members do not assert their voice now, the opportunity will vanish. A new CEO will be selected, a new strategic plan drafted, and USEF will continue operating as it has—centralized, insulated, and increasingly disconnected from the people it serves.
Silence is not neutrality. Silence is consent.
The Opportunity for Transformation
This moment can be transformative if members choose to engage. A member‑driven selection process and strategic reset could:
Rebuild trust
Increase transparency
Improve accountability
Strengthen the sport’s financial sustainability
Support competition managers and organizers
Empower athletes and trainers
Modernize governance
Create a healthier, more inclusive equestrian community
The end of Moroney’s term is not simply an ending—it is a beginning. It is a chance to redefine what USEF stands for and how it serves its members.
A Call to Action
USEF members must insist on:
Participation in the CEO selection process
Representation on search committees
Transparency in finalist selection
Public forums for member input
A member‑driven strategic plan
This is not about politics. It is not about factions. It is about the future of American equestrian sport.
The next CEO will shape that future. The membership must help choose them—and must help define the direction they will lead.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 29, 2026
The Premier Jumping League, set to debut in April 2027, has sold its first team for $50 million to race car driver Jason McCarthy and McCarthy Jumping League LLC.
UPDATE: At the same time, the PJL has received FEI Series Approval that formally sanctions the rules and regulations of the series, including competition formats, team formation structure, rider selection process, prize money distribution and other operational mechanics.
There will be $1 million in prize money available to riders on each 5-star weekend.
Neil Moffitt, CEO of the PJL said the league “is not seeking to reinvent jumping, nor to disrupt the existing ecosystem. Our objective is to present the sport in a way that protects its integrity, respects its heritage and creates great opportunities for everyone involved.
“This is about positioning jumping alongside other elite sports – not as a niche pursuit, but as a premier international sporting product capable of attracting major audiences, sponsors, broadcasters, commercial partners.”
Jason McCarthy; his wife, Newsha, and their daughter, Natalia, are all involved with horses. Still in the junior ranks, Natasha aspires to compete at the highest level of the sport. The family owns horse farms in Watermill, N.Y., and Wellington, Fla.
According to a league statement, Jason’s investment “represents an unprecedented valuation for a team in a newly established sports competition and underscores the confidence that sophisticated investors are placing in the PJL.”
McCarthy brings extensive investment and trading experience to the League, having held leadership ositions across the financial sector throughout his career. A graduate of MIT, McCarthy is the founder and managing principal of a proprietary trading firm active across a diverse range of domestic and international markets.
Race driver and investor Jason McCarthy
The PJL is working with the FEI as the it progresses through the series approval process. The PJL, with its global 16-team competition, is backed by McCourt Global and its executive chairman, Frank McCourt, who was a co-founder of the Global Champions Tour, an innovator in non-national team jumping.
The PJL “brings together the world’s top riders and horses to compete for the biggest prize pot in the discipline’s history,” $300 million guaranteed prize money across the first three years. It will be staged in 14 venues in North America, Europe and the Middle East. The League is designed to open the sport to new audiences while respecting its heritage.
The PJL, according to its statement, is committed to “the highest standards of horse and rider welfare.”
It combines “extraordinary athletic performance with premium entertainment, strengthened by the league’s partnership with Box to Box Films (the production company behind F1’s ‘Drive to Survive’), and supported by a free-to-view broadcasting model.
“Cutting-edge technology, radical transparency, and innovative team formats enhance the drama, intensity, and rivalry that define elite sport – unlocking the full potential of jumping, demanded by today’s global sports and entertainment marketplace, without compromising its core values.”
PJL’s objective is “to build a modern, commercially sustainable platform that elevates the sport, supports its athletes, and secures its future on the global stage. Jumping is primed for innovation. Historically, the sport has proved hard to follow, and growth has been hindered by repetitive formats and a lack of education for new audiences.”
Frank McCourt
The league bills itself as “a modern, fan-focused model that combines elite athletic performance with innovative formats, enhanced transparency, and best-in-class, free-to-view broadcasting.”
Commenting on his investment, Jason said: “Like Frank McCourt, our family’s journey into this sport began with my wife, Newsha, whose lifelong love of horses first introduced us to the equestrian world. Through her passion, we became fans of jumping and developed a deep appreciation for the extraordinary partnership between horse and rider.
“We believe strongly in the PJL’s vision – a league committed to the highest ethical standards,meritocracy, and elite competition, underpinned by a sustainable commercial model that attracts the world’s best riders and delivers fan experiences on par with the greatest global sporting competitions.
“We see enormous potential for the sport to grow its global audience while remaining true to the values that make it so special. We are confident the PJL will help realise that potential and drive meaningful growth for the sport we have come to love.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 30, 2026
In the wake of news that U.S. Equestrian Federation CEO Bill Moroney will retire at the end of the year after a decade in the post, the organization stated Tuesday that it is “committed to a thorough and deliberate search” for his successor.
A search committee of directors across a range of breeds and disciplines has been designated to reflect the perspectives of the federation’s community is reflected. The committee is in discussion with several nationally recognized executive search firms and will select a professional partner to support the search. The process will include feedback from a diverse cross-section of membership including amateur athletes, trainers and affiliate leadership, among others, to help define the priorities and qualities that matter most in the next leader.
When the search partner is selected, the firm will establish a process for interested individuals to submit a letter of interest for the search team’s review. USEF will share those details in a follow-up communication. When the committee completes its work, it will bring its recommendation to the Board of Directors, which will make the final decision.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 25, 2026
Dr. Jack Lowe, a much-admired veterinarian who served the horse industry and Cornell University in a variety of important ways for decades, died Wednesday at age 91 after complications from a fall.
“He was one of the few people I know who loved his job every single day; the horses, all the animals and the people and lifelong friends. He absolutely loved life,” said his daughter, Stacy Lowe-Jonas, who characterized him as “a big teddy bear. He was still smiling the last day I saw him.”
She pointed out that Dr. Lowe’s death came while the Lake Placid, N.Y., horse show was going on. It was one of his favorite shows, Stacy noted, and he served as veterinarian there, as well as at the Sussex County show in New Jersey, where he handled that role for more than half a century.
A graduate of the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine in 1959, he received the Daniel Elmer Salmon Award for Distinguished Alumni Service, which honors veterinary graduates who have distinguished themselves in service to the profession, their communities or to the college.
“Jack has spent his entire professional career at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine enthusiastically contributing to the teaching, research and service missions of the college for many generations of veterinarians and horse owners,” Dr. Susan Fubini, an associate dean, said at the time her received the honor.
Dr. Lowe first studied at Rutgers University for his bachelor’s in dairy science before coming to Cornell, where he earned an M.S. in veterinary pathology after obtaining his veterinary degree. He went on to complete an internship and residency in surgery at Cornell before becoming an assistant professor in 1963. He developed many milestone techniques still in use today.
“Jack has published landmark discoveries, and he was the go-to surgeon for many owners of horses and farm animals,” noted Fubini.
Dr. Lowe was a member of numerous veterinary associations, and for most, he also dedicated time as either an executive board member or president. Among these groups were the American Horse Shows Association, a predecessor of the U.S. Equestrian Federation. He served on the AHSA’s drug control committee for more than 40 years, during nine of which he was the chairman. In this role, he helped develop many of the drug control policies for the horse show industry.
He also originated and continues to work on the USEF’s Health Research Fund. His pioneering efforts earned him many honors, including the Horseperson of the Year Award from the New York State Horse Council. His many roles also included serving as director of the Cornell Equine Park for 13 years.
Jaclyn Brennan, Dr. Lowe’s granddaughter, remembered him this way on social media, “My grandfather was many things to many people. A father, a friend, a husband, an uncle, a world-renowned veterinarian, a horseman, a mentor, a colleague, and everything in between. Jack, Dr. Lowe, Doc… but to me, he was Papa Doc.
“Outdoorsman, hunter, fisherman, taxi, cheerleader, road tripper, babysitter, gardener, meat smoker extraordinaire, (terrible but enthusiastic) dancer, lover of western movies, Johnny Cash, and obscure music he would discover on thrift store tapes. Because of him, I have my name. Because of him, I have horses. Because of him, I have humor, logic, and the minor trauma of him giving me `the talk’ using completely medical equine terms in the front seat of his Lincoln on the way to Washington D.C.”
Stacy stressed how important being a grandfather was to Dr. Lowe.
“My kids were his world. He never missed a baseball game, a football game, a downhill ski race or a horse show. He was there for them.”
Dr. Lowe has asked that his body be donated to the Syracuse University School of Medicine, so it can help with the education of medical students.
UPDATE: A celebration of his life will be held July 25 from 4:30-8 p.m. at the Dryden VFW, 2272 Dryden Road (Route 13), Dryden, N.Y.
Sharing of memories and stories will take place from 4:30-6 p.m., with dancing to live music from the Tarps until 8 p.m. RSVP to CelebrateJack725@gmail.com or text 607-227-2538.
In lieu of flowers, Dr. Lowe’s family requests that gifts be made in his memory to the Jack Lowe Equine Health Fund. Contributions may also be sent via check (payable to Cornell University) to: The Jack Lowe Equine Health Fund, Cornell University, Box 37334, Boone, IA 50037-0334.
Dr. Lowe is survived by his wife, Joyce; his daughter and her husband, Hugh Jonas; Stacy’s brother, William Lowe and his partner (Melissa); granddaughter Jaclyn and her new husband, Dylan Brennan and grandsons Sterling Trevor Calale and Richard J. Calale III.
