New Jersey's Sammis and Sagacious HF in Rio De Janeiro. (Diana DeRosa) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil —Equestrian competition began on Saturday morning at the National Equestrian Center at Deodoro, outside of Rio de Janeiro. Up first for the three disciplines contested in the Pan American Games was dressage, and there was one American to take to the arena—Lauren Sammis. At the end of the 13 riders going on Saturday (one from Columbia withdrew), she sat in the early lead headed into...

Lexington, KY— A last minute decision to enter the class paid off for first-time USEF Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal Finalist Michelle Krentz as she swept the class with a unanimous decision from the judges and went home with the title. Krentz beat six other finalists in the 71st Lexington Junior League Horse Show at the famous The Red Mile racetrack. Even though Krentz has not been regularly riding her 17-year-old mare, CH Louisville Lass, the chemistry was right between them. “Since I’ve...

Thirty-five horses from 13 nations were presented for the dressage Horse Inspection on Friday July 13 officially getting the fifteenth Pan American Games underway. Beginning at 8am, the horse inspection ensures that all the horses in the competition are fit to compete. The horse inspection was done in alphabetical order by nation with the horses from the United States being presented last. All four horses looked super, led off by the diminutive Brilliant Too ridden by Katherine Poulin-Neff....

Please remember that to be eligible to compete in the Adequan/USEF National Junior Jumper Championships horse-and-rider combinations must earn Certificates of Capability between December 1, 2006, and August 31, 2007, by completing a course with four faults or less set at Level 7 or higher. Riders must verify this in writing from the horse show office with a signed judge’s card. Criteria for this championship can be found on the USEF website at www.usef....

The horse-show management firm The Classic Company is pleased to announce it will again present the Biltmore Estate Summer Classic, to be held July 18-22 and July 25-29 at the equestrian center of the illustrious Vanderbilt mansion in Ashville, NC. The only nationally ranked, sanctioned, hunter/jumper equestrian event held on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate, this year’s classic, part of the Mountain Air Circuit of Shows, will feature more than 300 competitive classes in six show rings from...

The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced on July 7 that it had now completed all key venues for the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic equestrian events for testing as scheduled and that the facilities would set new world standards in terms of quality, environmental consideration, cost effectiveness and legacy value. Moreover, the project had been achieved from initial planning to completion within the remarkably short time of less than two years. The Club will hand over the competition and...

A record number of almost 130 horses have been nominated so far to compete in the 2007 Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championships, presented by Collecting Gaits Farm, which will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park, September 14–16 in Lexington, KY. The nomination list (to date) is now posted on the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program web page at www.usef.org/_IFrames/breedsDisciplines/discipline/allDressage/2004yhProgram.aspx . The inaugural USEF National Developing Horse...

The first World Para-Equestrian Dressage Championships under the governance of the FEI are looming in the not so distant foreground. These not only mark a first for the FEI, but also a first in the past 21 years for Great Britain to be hosting a World Championship. This important event will take place at Hartpury College, Gloucestershire, and no less than 142 competitors spanning 22 nations will be competing for the coveted title. The numbers alone already make this the largest World...

The 2007 League of Agricultural and Equine Centers (LAEC) Footing Academy will be held August 7-8 at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers, GA, former site of the 1996 Summer Olympics. CEU credits will be offered. To register, visit www.laec.info/footing%20academy/2007%20Registration%20form.pdf . This year's sponsors include Absolute Innovations; Bullock, Smith & Partners; Los Angeles Equestrian Center; Oaks Blenheim Exhibitions; SMG Management and WW Livestock. The 2008 Annual...

When a stable falls victim to the bulldozer or a long-ridden trail gets closed to horseback riding, the leaders of the Equestrian Land Conservation Resource (ELCR) care about it as much as you do. That’s why they’re stepping up their efforts to foster communication and to expand it, working hard to stay ahead of the developers’ bulldozers and cement trucks. “There are many small and diverse equestrian groups around the country,” said John Strassburger of California, a member of the ELCR’s...