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Here you can find our archive of stories from Equestrian Weekly, our once-a-week look at affiliate news, international competition, amateur profiles, horse care tips, and more. You’ll also find stories from the USEF Insider, a twice-monthly email newsletter packed with features about USEF people and programs, including our drugs and medications program, regulations, and competitions departments.

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“Just being here on this horse at this show is the victory. It’s a dream come true to be a part of this because, for a long time, I thought it was all gone.”

by Isabelle Whiteside/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | September 11, 2026

Most equestrians will experience an injury at some point in their lives. Nearly everyone remembers sitting in a doctor’s office, anxiously awaiting the verdict that determines how long they’ll be sidelined, and perhaps more painfully, how much time they’ll spend away from the horses they love. For some, an injury means pressing pause on a dream. For others, it forces a reevaluation of long-term goals. Sometimes, it's simply time away from a place that feels like home.

A Legacy in Two Fillies: How Kristen Petzold is Honoring Her Past Mare, Diamond Dolly, with Kheckmate CL and Kosmic Kreation CL

by Isabelle Whiteside/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | September 9, 2026

Kristen Petzold has always loved Arabians. Her first horse was an Arabian, and she credits that experience with introducing her to not only a remarkable breed, but a close-knit community that would shape her life. “I’ve been so lucky to have so many horses of a lifetime, and I think partly due to the fact they’re all Arabians,” she said. “The bond you feel with an Arabian is something I haven’t experienced with any other breed of horse. Once I discovered how

No Greater Honor: How Nyssa Sheridan and Her Homebred Mare Turned Setbacks into New Opportunities

by Isabelle Whiteside/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | September 6, 2026

Nyssa Sheridan has been a part of Chili’s life since the very beginning. From deciding to breed her beloved mare, Dancing Gdynia, to watching the embryo that would become Chili develop through an ultrasound, Sheridan has been a part of her journey every step of the way. Long before Chili entered the show ring, Sheridan was there imagining what kind of horse she might become. Years later, the foal has grown into No Greater Honor+++/, a versatile Arabian mare preparing to compete on one of

From Rescue to Show Ring: Zoe Lewis and Pedro's Multi-Generational Journey to the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions

by Danielle Henson/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | August 30, 2026

Some horses are purchased, but some are priceless. Pedro was rescued for $900 out of a neglect situation, and more than a decade later, he's carried two generations of the same family to national competition, most recently finishing sixth in the Aspen Leaf Farm/USEF Pony Rider Dressage National Championship with 15-year-old Zoe Lewis of Elgin, Texas, in the irons. Pedro and Zoe Lewis with her mother, Marsha (left) and older sister, Ruby (right). (©US Equestrian) Pedro, a 2003 Appaloosa

From the Sidelines to the Podium, Candoit’s Scala Gives Adam Steffens-Smienk a Sweet Return to the Saddle

by Raelyn Baker/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | August 30, 2026

Adam Steffens-Smienk made the move from his native Minnesota to Wellington, Fla. at the age of 16 to chase his dreams. This week, that leap of faith has led him all the way to the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions at HITS Lamplight Equestrian Center. When Steffens-Smienk made the move, he had to start from the ground up, putting in lots of early mornings. He had started dressage lessons aboard Arabians in Minnesota and made the leap to Florida to accept a working student position at

Bitsy’s Itsy is All Business: A Cheerleader With Boss Mare Energy

by Danielle Henson/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | August 28, 2026

Elan Stremmel of Cazanozia, N.Y., is making her first appearance at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions this week, riding her longtime partner Bitsy's Itsy, an 11-year-old Connemara-Oldenburg-Thoroughbred cross (Wasabi x Bitsy), in the Aspen Leaf Farm/USEF Pony Rider Dressage National Championship. Stremmel and Itsy with George Williams, US Equestrian Dressage Youth Coach and High Performance & Pathway Development Advisor (©US Equestrian) "She loves to work, and she loves to

From Yearling to Prix St. Georges, Halegro Has Been by Cassie Benson’s Side

by Raelyn Baker/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | August 26, 2026

Practically raised in the dressage saddle, Cassie Benson grew up riding alongside her family members at Hilltop Dressage, located in Heber City, Utah. Eventually, Benson took over her grandmother’s role in the business as a trainer alongside her aunt, Margo Gogan. As a child, the farm was a haven for Benson. Whether she was frustrated or sad, horses were her safe space, and you could always find her down at the barn. ©Impulsion Images “Being with them, hearing them eat, their

Partnership Comes First for Tillie Jones and Coco as They Contest U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions

by Raelyn Baker/US Equestrian Communications Dept. | August 25, 2026

An impromptu shopping trip for a student turned into Tillie Jones finding her now up-and-coming Grand Prix partner, Cilla Franchesca. “Coco,” as she’s known in the barn, came into Jones’ life when she least expected it, and the pair has blossomed into serious competitors and partners. Finding her way to the saddle at 7, Jones became enamored with the sport after her family surprised her with a horseback riding lesson. “They blindfolded me, took me out to a barn,

Where is My USEF Drugs and Medications Fee Going?

by Natalie Voss | August 24, 2026

If you’ve ever grumbled about the $15 USEF drugs and medications fee you pay at the time you enter a horse show, you may have wondered how much that fee adds up to for US Equestrian and how that money gets spent. Drugs and medications testing is part of USEF’s commitment to protecting our equine partners and creating a level playing field for all participants. Last year, we conducted testing on 623 competition days from our 2,100 licensed competitions and collected 11,546 samples.