Ravel Named 2009 USEF Horse Of The Year January 15, 2010 At the United States Equestrian Federation's (USEF) annual meeting and awards ceremony January 15th, Dressage Champion Ravel was named the 2009 Farnam® /Platform® USEF Horse of the Year. Ravel was selected from among all USEF breeds and disciplines as the nation's exceptional horse for 2009. Owned by Akiko Yamazaki, Ravel and rider Steffen Peters became the first U. S. horse and rider team to win the Rolex FEI World Cup on American soil in Las Vegas, taking the win in the Grand Prix and the Freestyle Final. They were also the first Americans to sweep all three tests at the CDIO Five-Star in Aachen, Germany last year. After winning the U.S. National Grand Prix Dressage Championship and coming within a fraction of standing atop the Olympic medal's podium in 2008, Ravel returned to competition in 2009. This 11-year-old bay, along with Equestrian of the Year nominee and rider Steffen Peters, won big and set new standards for the record books. As winner, Ravel joins previous winners: Brentina, the 2005 dressage superstar; Authentic, the 2006 jumping sensation; the late Theodore O'Connor, the 2007 eventing great; and Jamaica, the Dutch Warmblood who excelled in 2008 as a Four-in-Hand combined driving horse. The trophy, a 39-inch bronze sculpture on permanent display at the USEF headquarters in Kentucky, was commissioned by equine artist Alexa King. Bronze replicas of the trophy were presented to the owners of the winning horse and crystal trophies were presented to the finalists. Other finalists for the award were: Courage to Lead, a Morgan Mare, owned by Beverley Lesher; Kripton-Seni II, an Andalusian Stallion, owned by Joe and Nancy Latta; CH Our Charming Lady, an American Saddlebred Mare, owned by Jack and Donna Finch; and Sapphire, a Belgian Warmblood Mare, owned by McLain Ward and Bluechip Bloodstock. Farnam's line of Platform® horse feeds and equine health supplements sponsors the Horse of the Year program. Farnam's Platform® Feeding System products are formulated by equine nutritionists using the latest, up-to-date research. Farnam's Horse Products serve both the pleasure horse and the performance horse markets with products for fly control, hoof and leg care, deworming, grooming, wound treatment, leather care, feed and nutritional supplements. For information about Farnam Horse Products in the U.S. call (800) 234-2269 or visit www.farnamhorse.com.