Mario Deslauriers kicked off CSIO Wellington with a win on Jane Clark’s Vicomte D in the WEF Challenge 8. He will ride Urico on the Nations Cup Team tomorrow but today he topped a big competitive International field, many looking to make sure all the buttons were working for tomorrow night’s $75,000 FEI Nations Cup presented by G&C Farm. I made it just in time to catch most of the class, it feels so nice to get a little sunshine and not constantly looking for my gloves. It was a...

Tracy Magness and Tarco Van Ter Moude. (ESI Photography© .) Ocala, FL - The gift of warm weather, bright blue skies and outstanding competition have been the theme of this year's HITS Ocala Winter Circuit. Last week's Ocala Masters marked the mid-way point of the six-week, AA-rated Circuit, and with just three more weeks of competition remaining, the Circuit is shaping up to be the one of the best yet. Each week the Grand Prix and Devoucoux Hunter Prix qualifiers for the 2011 Pfizer $1 Million...

Paul O'Shea and Daydream St. Ghyvan Z. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - The eighth week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival has begun, and this week is the CSIO "international" week of competition. The opening international class was the $5,000 CSIO Welcome Stake. Paul O'Shea of Ireland had the fastest speed round for victory with Daydream St. Ghyvan Z, owned by Harry Gill. The FTI Winter Equestrian Festival's eighth week of competition continues through Sunday, March 6. Week...

Hope Glynn and Sabrina Hellman's Woodstock. (Flying Horse Photography©.) Saugerties, NY - The Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final is the talk of the town this season and its key to qualifying, the Devoucoux Hunter Prix, continues to be one of the most popular offerings at the HITS Winter Circuits in Ocala, FL, Thermal, CA, and Tucson, AZ. Never before has a purse of this magnitude been offered for hunters, and never before have so many talented riders at all levels of their careers had the...

Crystal Forsell, one of three instructors to receive the award. (Photo by Gina Duran. ) Lincoln, Nebraska - March 3, 2011 - The Dressage Foundation's Continuing Education for Dressage Instructors Fund, established by Maryal Barnett, has awarded three grants to individuals to attend the United States Dressage Federation's Instructor Certification Program. Katy Barglow (CA), Crystal Forsell (CA), and Kerrie Matesich (OH) each received a $1,250 grant to use toward their further education as an...

Lexington, KY - Leslie Law and David O'Connor have been named to the 2013 Eventing Chef d'Equipe/Technical Advisor Short List. USEF received nine applications from six different nations. The Search Committee interviewed six applicants over the last two weeks. The applicant group is extremely qualified with over thirty Olympic, Pan American, European Championship, and World Equestrian Games medals among them. Law and O'Connor will be available to answer questions at an open rider meeting on...

Natalya Jarczyk and Frivole Des Pres. (ESI Photography©.) Ocala, FL - The crowd was red hot on Saturday night at HITS Post Time Farm as Natalya Jarczyk and her own Frivole Des Pres captured the $15,000 Marshall & Sterling Child/Adult Jumper Classic. Exhibitors, family and friends filled the stands and The Overlook VIP Club to support one of HITS Ocala's most coveted events. The $15,000 Marshall & Sterling Child/Adult Jumper Classic is one of the most anticipated events of the Ocala...

Lincoln, NE - The Dressage Foundation Young Rider Olympic Dream Program is ready to go for the tenth year. The concept of the program evolved as a result of former Olympian Michael Poulin’s wish to offer an opportunity for gifted Young Riders to enhance their understanding of dressage theory through a European tour. The program is both funded and administered by The Dressage Foundation of which Poulin is a National Board Member. The 2011 trip is planned so as to maximize the possibility that...

The equine genetics research group at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine is collaborating with Ray Geor, BVSc, MVSc, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, professor and chair of the department of large animal clinical sciences at Michigan State University, and Nicholas Frank, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, associate professor of large animal clinical sciences at the University of Tennessee, to investigate the occurrence and genetics of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). Bob Coleman, PhD, PAS,...

Lexington, VA - The United Professional Horsemen's Association (UPHA) Chapter 18 has announced that by popular demand, Ellen Beard will return as clinician and instructor for their annual Saddle Seat Riding Clinic at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA. The clinic, set to take place March 11-12 at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA, will offer private or group lessons, and the option of bringing your own horse, or riding a horse provided by one of the chapter members. Driving...