Joel Kiesner. (Photo by Stuart Vesty.) Welcome to the second of many features profiling various people in equestrian sport - athletes, trainers and more. The profiles are published regularly in the United States Equestrian Federation's Week in Review e-newsletter. This week meet Joel Kiesner, whose lifelong experience has evolved into training methods focused on maximizing the best assets and talent of the Arabian horse. His exceptional talent and abilities have resulted in numerous awards -...

Maddie Wright knows that dozens of saddle seat equitation riders are helping to find the cure for he (Photo courtesy St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.) Lexington, KY - “The UPHA Ribbons of Service program is a wonderful example of how young people can use their passion for saddle seat equestrian riding to help the children of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. We are grateful to the United Professional Horseman's Association (UPHA) for developing the Ribbons of Service program, and...

Jonathan Wentz and NTEC Richter Scale (Lindsay Y McCall) Del Mar, CA - March 13, 2011 – Closing day of the 2011 Dressage Affaire (CDI3* W/Y/J & CPEDI3*) arrived at the beautiful Del Mar Horsepark on Sunday March 13, 2011. The Para-Equestrian Dressage riders could breath a sigh a relief with the two qualifying days of the Team Test and Individual Championship Test now completed. Sunday was the day for each rider from the United States, Canada, and Mexico to be bold and showcase his or her...

Lexington, KY - The American Saddlebred Registry (ASR) Board of Directors has adopted two new Registry rule changes. The rule changes were approved and adopted by the ASR Board of Directors at a meeting in February of this year, which took place in conjunction with the 2011 American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) Annual Convention and Youth Conference, held in Lexington, Kentucky. The following language was added to Registry Rule Section III. C: If a stallion is sold and the seller retains...

Rodrigo Pessoa and Let's Fly. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - Saturday Night Lights at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival brought a crowd of more than 4,200 spectators out to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center this weekend to watch Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa and Let's Fly jump to victory in the $231,000 FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix CSI 4*-W Presented by Bainbridge Companies. Pessoa earned the winning cut of prize money after an exciting jump-off of many of the top horses and riders...

Steffen Peters and Ravel (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, FL – Before a sold-out crowd, the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center continued to play host to World Dressage Masters Palm Beach CDI5* presented by the International Polo Club. After Thursday’s Grand Prix and Friday afternoon’s Grand Prix Special, eight of the top riders from across the United States and Europe rode their freestyles on a cool Florida evening. And, by the luck of the draw – the best was saved for last. Steffen Peters and Ravel...

Ravel rocked last night. Plain and simple. It was the best I have ever seen him go and I have been lucky to see him go really well quite a few times. Steffen agreed today when I saw him, he said he felt it and was really excited about the work he was doing last night, but when he arrived here and Anne Gribbons saw him, he was convinced. The horse somehow keeps getting better. After the class last night I went to Del Ray Beach where I am staying with some friends and I got to catch up with a...

Pierre St. Jacques and Lucky Tiger (SusanJStickle.com Photo) Wellington, FL - The second day of the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by the International Polo Club got underway with the Grand Prix Special on a glorious day in South Florida. Nine horse-and-rider combinations went forward to the Special after Thursday’s Grand Prix and the remaining eight will contest the Freestyle this evening. Polish rider Michal Rapcewicz proved unbeatable, winning the Special on 69.771% on Randon....

Elizabeth Benson and San Remo. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - It was a busy day for junior riders here at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, which runs through April 3. The world's largest horse show plenty of junior riders this weekend in numerous hunter, jumper and equitation divisions. Among the exciting classes was the Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search equitation class. Elizabeth Benson, from Whitehouse Station, NJ, took home the blue ribbon and top prize...

Photo courtesy CAL-AHA. Burbank, CA - The Rainbow Royal Andalusian, Fresian, Saddlebred and Open Horse Show - CAL-AHA's first show of the 2011 show season - was held at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center under blue skies with temperatures in the mid-70s - perfect for the horses and exhibitors. The 3-day event, March 4-6, featured a full slate of classes for Pure and Partbred Andalusians/ Lusitanos, Pure and Partbred Friesians, Saddlebreds and classes open to all breeds in english, western,...