Australian horseman and performer Guy McLean appeared at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival to much acclaim. His shows are not only entertaining, but also an amazing display of horsemanship. The Chronicle's Lisa Slade went behind the scenes with Guy to find out more about Guy.

"Horses have been my life as long as I can remember. I said to my Dad when I was 5 or 6, 'Everybodys asking me what I want to be when I grow up and I want to be a world class horseman,' " Guy said.

"He said 'Why son? Why don't you like money?' "

The U.S. Equestrian Federation has named Kai Handt as the U.S. para-equestrian dressage chef d'equipe/technical advisor. The search committee, chaired by Eric Straus, USEF Para-Equestrian Eligible Athlete Committee and USEF Para-Equestrian High Performance Committee recommended Handt for this position.

The U.S. Equestrian Federation has announced the USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championship will be held June 2-5 at the USET Foundation Headquarters in Gladstone, N.J. This championship will also serve as the selection trial for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (France) U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team.

At the USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championship and selection trial all horse-and-rider combinations will complete the FEI Individual Championship test, the FEI Team test, and FEI Musical freestyle in their respective grades.

Andrew Finding, chairman of the Endurance Strategic Planning Group, has said there’s no intention to change the status of rider as the principal “person responsible” in doping and other disciplinary matters, as confusion has emerged ahead of the endurance conference in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Feb. 9.

It’s not often that you get to be the first person to do anything, but sisters Cassidy and Kimberly Palmer achieved that honor when they won the pas de deux at the FEI Vaulting World Cup qualifier at the Stuttgart German Masters, Nov. 13-17. It was the first time American vaulters had won a World Cup qualifier.

“It was the best feeling ever,” said Cassidy, 20. “I couldn’t be more happy. When they raised the flag and played the national anthem, that was definitely an unforgettable moment for my sister and me.”