I have begun my crash course in combined driving and I must say I’m enjoying it more than I anticipated. So far we have had the carriage presentation and one session of dressage and I’m finding all the technicalities and attention to detail rather interesting. Fun fact: it takes an average of 10 hours to prepare a carriage and harness for presentation. 10 hours! No more complaining about the 10 minute take cleaning job you do once a week. It’s going to be a very intense competition with the...

This has been a tough and maybe even heartbreaking WEG for Team USA in many disciplines. I think some are wondering if we perform better when we're not on home turf. The reining team was victorious (as they have been since reining’s debut at WEG in 2002). We didn’t have enough endurance riders finish (due to one thing or another—all normal occurrences in endurance) to have a team standing, the dressage team finished fourth, just out of the medals, as did the eventing team....

Upper Marlboro, MD —Oct. 6, 2010 – John French and Small Affair made a big impression at the Capital Challenge Horse Show. With breathtaking efforts during the two-round $15,000 WCHR Professional Challenge, the bay French-bred gelding soared to victory with a score of 182.99 for owners Iwasaki & Reilly. Although French has contested the class on many previous occasions—and placed second in 2009—this was the first time he claimed the WCHR Professional Challenge and the Little Book Trophy,...

Robin Brueckmann and Raison D'Etre (Photo by Shannon Brinkman for USEF) Lexington, KY - Today provided riders competing as individuals on the Kentucky Equine Research U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team their first opportunity in the competition ring and it was a second test for some of the riders who competed in yesterday's Team test. The U.S. had six riders contest the Grade III and IV Individual Championship Tests at the FEI World Para Dressage Championships. Riding as an individual at her...

Laura Kraut and Cedric. (Photo by Shannon Brinkman for USEF.) Lexington, KY – On a cool Kentucky fall evening, the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games continued with the final of the Team World Jumping Championship presented by Rolex at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. Hopes for U.S. medal were high as the home country was represented by four of the most experienced and successful riders in the world. Coming into the final in third place (with just over a point separating the top...

Chester Weber and his team. (Photo by Shannon Brinkman for USEF.) Lexington, KY - Drivers from nine countries presented 130 horses to the Ground Jury for the World Driving Championships at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Seven horses were held for re-inspection. Regrettably, Nordby Shadow's Sam Spade and Nordby Shadow's Rocky, presented by the United States' David Saunders were not accepted. Also not accepted were Lucky Boy presented by Deborah Laderoute (CAN), and Red-Run presented by...

F.A.C.E. Vaulters for the U.S. Vaulting Team (Photo by Shannon Brinkman for USEF) Lexington, KY - It was a busy day in the Alltech Arena at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games as the Vaulting World Championships got underway with both the Team Compulsory Test and the Male and Female Individual Compulsory Tests. The Gold Medalist from the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany was back to defend her title today. Megan Benjamin, 22, of Saratoga, CA, performed her individual...

Chris Nelson and Inside Out in the $40,000 HITS Grand Prix (Photo by © ESI Photography ) CULPEPER, VA (October 6, 2010) -- HITS, Inc. capped off an exciting and record-breaking season when its 35th week of show-jumping competition came to a close on Sunday, October 3 at HITS Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, Virginia. The final week of horse shows for the 2010 HITS season was highlighted with a variety of special classes that had top-notch prize money for both jumper and hunter riders. Without a...

Each rider has a story, and you can hear from each member of the Kentucky Equine Research (KER)/U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in this new video. These inspiring riders of all ages have overcome adversity to reach an international stage with their horses, and they are vying not only for a place on the medal podium but also the realization of personal goals. “My mom is a physical therapist, and she’s really up on different types of therapy, and...

Tulsa, OK (October 5, 2010) – Two gorgeous American Miniature Horses rode away with a big prize at the 2010 American Miniature Horse Registry (AMHR) National Championship Show, thanks to a sponsorship from Farnam Horse Products. Farnam presented two “Best Groomed” awards at the show, an Open Adult Vetrolin® Grooming Award and a Youth Vetrolin® Grooming Award, with each winner taking home a year’s supply of Vetrolin® grooming products. Graham’s Magic Mystery, owned by Becky and Jim McKeith, won...