Nichole Charbonneau. (Photo courtesy Carolynn Bunch Photography.) Lincoln, NE – The Dressage Foundation is pleased to announce that Nichole Charbonneau of Lacey, WA, is the 2011 recipient of the $500 Trip Harting Grant. Nichole is the second recipient of this annual grant and plans to use the funds to continue her education in the United States Dressage Federation 'L' Education Program. Trip's friends, students, and admirers established this Fund at The Dressage Foundation in his memory. Trip,...

Tallahassee, FL On March 11 in Tallahassee, FL, the Red Hills CIC3* will kick off the 2011 Adequan USEA Gold Cup Season. This year is a big one for the Gold Cup as the year-end prize money is being doubled from last year’s $10,000 to $20,000 for the horse and rider pair with the most points on the Gold Cup leaderboard. Seven events at the CIC3* and Advanced Levels are on the schedule for this year’s Gold Cup Series starting with Red Hills and culminating with the USEA American Eventing...

Grand Prix Ring at Horse Shows by the Bay. (Photo courtesy Horse Shows by the Bay.) Traverse City, MI - Flintfields Horse Park, home of the Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival, is pleased to report that plans are well underway for the new footing that is being installed this spring in the main competition arenas and warm ups. Footing that stays safe and consistent throughout the course of the competition, no matter the weather, is very important to management and Flintfields Horse Park...

Wellington, FL - Equestrian Sport Productions is offering several more mounted clinics throughout the end of the circuit, as a part of the Ride and Learn educational series, a new component of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in 2011. All clinics are held on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in the International Arena (unless noted otherwise). The next clinic will be instructed by international jumper rider, Candice King at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8, in the International Arena. The clinic is open to...

Wellington, FL - Last week's Dressage Under the Stars was a crowd favorite, as four former dressage young riders competed to fantastic popular music in exciting dress. Riders last week were Mica Mabragana from Argentina, Kasi Barteau who did a rendition of the Lion King, winner of the evening Jocelyn Wylese, and Mary Lauthorio who made her horse into a rocket ship in honor of the final NASA spaceship launch. Neil Hirsh, owner of the Player's Club which hosts the evening remarked "It was...

Shelburne, VT — The Morgan horse breed was celebrated at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston, MA, at the 2011 American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) Annual Convention, earlier this year. "The goal of our convention has always been to educate, honor and entertain and based on the feedback we've received, the 2011 convention certainly accomplished all this and more," said AMHA Executive Director Julie Broadway. "Members came away with fresh ideas they were eager to go home and share, honorees...

Nancy Kempe and her new Isabel stallion Cupido Interagro accept a custom made saddle from Cary Walla (Photo courtesy of Darcy Scott.) Wellington, FL – Almost 300 guests were in attendance at the 2011 Lusitano CollectionTM International Horse Auction when dressage rider Nancy Kempe purchased her dream horse, a beautiful Lusitano Isabel stallion named Cupido Interagro, that she described as “the love of her life.” The four-year-old stallion with a sterling pedigree was the highest selling horse...

Wellington, FL - Competition at the seventh week of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) has concluded at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, and another week of fantastic competition was held. The FTI WEF hosts the best that the sports of show jumping, hunters, and equitation have to offer in 12 rings of competition. In addition to competition, the FTI WEF hosts many exciting activities. McLain Ward and Pjotter Van De Zonnehoeve Triumph in $78,000 Fidelity Investments® CSI 2*...

Manuel Torres and Chambacunero. (ESI Photography©.) Saugerties, NY - The HITS winter show season just passed the mid-way point for all three of its circuits in Ocala, FL, Tucson, AZ, and Thermal, CA. As the leading show management company in the sport, HITS hosts 35 weeks of competition each year, with 58 Grand Prix and some of the biggest prize money purses offered anywhere in the world, including the historic Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix. At its peak, HITS hosts six Grand Prix events a week...

California's Steffen Peters with his new star "Weltino's Magic". (Photo by Jennifer M. Keeler.) Burbank, CA - Riders who dream of competing at the Pan American Games began their quest at the Mid-Winter Dressage Fair CDI*/Y/J in Burbank, CA, February 24-27, 2011. As the first official qualifying competition on the West Coast, horses and riders vied for scores in front of FEI judges Jayne Ayers ("I" USA), Natalie Lamping ("I" USA), and Lorraine MacDonald ("I" CAN). In addition, this competition...