The rain that plagued the Kentucky Horse Park yesterday was nowhere to be found as the Juniors took to the dressage arena today for their first rides of the competition. Today’s rides would decide the Team medals, and all the riders arrived in top form. Taking home the Team Gold medal was the Ontario, Canada, team. The team, made up of Maura O’Sullivan and Pik Czar, Zachary Ball and Karajan, Megan Lane and Caravella, and Alexandra Dvorak and Fling, finished with a total of 196.433. Team Ontario...

Sage Sapergia, riding Shiners Q Chex for Team Alberta, took top honors (Waltenberry) Reining joins dressage, show jumping, and eventing as the disciplines showcased at this year’s Adequan® FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships, presented by Gotham North which hosts teams from Canada, Mexico, and the United States for a full week of competition. In its second year as a full-medal sport, this year’s SmartPak™ North American Young Rider Reining Championship...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) has announced the names of five ASHA Youth Scholarship recipients. The individuals receiving scholarships are Crystal Atwood of Hermiston, OR, Shelby Reimer of Senoia, GA, Anna Stoddard of Gibsonville, NC, Allison Strash of Pleasant Prairie, WI, and Katie McAuliffe of Goodrich, MI, who received the ASHA Youth-to-Youth Scholarship. The purpose of these scholarships is to encourage, support and recognize participation in all aspects of the American...

In this day and age, there are many medications available to both human and horses. While some of these medications are quite benign, most of them have varying degrees of side effects. Some of the side effects are relatively minor, while some are rapidly fatal. Recent national events have shown us that we must take great care in what we put in our horses. Obviously, horses can neither tell you where it hurts nor can they tell you what they feel like on a given medication. So, paying attention...

The Arabian Horse Foundation (AHF) recently awarded $11,500 in grants and youth scholarships. AHF, which is the philanthropic arm of the Arabian Horse Association (AHA), awarded $8,000 to equine rescue and rehoming efforts and equine research, and $3,500 to youth scholarships. Over the past two years, AHF has given out over $60,000 in grants and scholarships. “The Foundation is pleased to once again step forward and provide funds for projects, which will have a positive impact on the equine...

As the Arabian Horse Association’s (AHA) Youth Nationals Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show approaches, AHA continues to celebrate its 2008 Youth of the Year, Kim Luebcke of Peoria, IL. Luebcke, a college freshman at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, past Region 11 Youth Director and past Arabian Horse Youth Association (AHYA) President, maintains her role of Youth of the Year with grace and gratitude. Each year the Youth of the Year subcommittee works to find an Arabian...

The United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Hunter Derby Series was created to bring show hunters to the international level, to increase spectator, media and sponsorship interest and to bring tradition and basic riding principles back to the sport of showing hunters. Over the past 18 months, during the inaugural year of the USHJA International Hunter Derby, this effort has been wildly successful with the help of our sponsors and show managers as well as the owners,...

On Friday an impressive group of yearlings, two-year-olds, and three-year-olds gathered at Loch Moy Farm to participate in the IDHSNA/United States Eventing Association (USEA) Future Event Horse (FEH) Series. The weather was wonderful, the babies perfectly behaved, and the Maryland Horse Trials volunteers were absolutely great. The FEH competition was judged by the venerable Sally Ike, who was also the technical delegate for the horse trials. After the competion ended, Ike commented on how...

The 2009 Adequan FEI North American Junior & Young Riders Championships (NAJYRC) presented by Gotham North kicked off today under a deluge from the sky at the Kentucky Horse Park. Despite the fact that rain showers, and eventually a downpour, plagued the first day of competition, some stunning rides in the USDF/Platinum Performance NAJYRC Dressage Championships Team Test and the first medal ceremony of the championships brightened the day for riders and spectators alike. It was an exciting...

The United States Eventing Association (USEA) will be adding a special award at the Bit of Britian/USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC). The Mark Phillips Pony Rider Awards will be presented to the highest-placed pony rider in the Beginner Novice, Novice, and Training divisions at the American Eventing Championships. If you meet the criteria for Pony Riders (listed below) and have qualified your pony for the 2009 Bit of Britain/USEA AEC then you will be eligible for this new award. Capt....