Mandy Porter and Chaya Cristalle, Winner of the 6 Year Old Jumpers (Captured Moment Photography) Del Mar, Calif. - Del Mar International World Cup Week gets underway Wednesday, and despite the stubborn fog, competition was a perfect way to kick things off. The Del Mar Arena saw plenty of jumper action, with the 1.10m and the 1.20m classes both boasting exceptionally large turnouts. Over in the San Diego Arena, hunters reigned, while the Durante Arena hosted a mix of hunter and jumper classes....

Kelley Farmer and Quotable (Shawn McMillen Photography, www.shawnmcmillen.com) Washington, D.C. – Day two of the 2013 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) featured the presentation of championship honors in the professional and amateur-owner hunter divisions at Verizon Center in downtown Washington D.C. on Wednesday. Kelley Farmer was named Leading Hunter Rider after earning the overall Grand Hunter Championship with Quotable. Romance won the Grand Green Hunter Championship with...

Pau, France – Seven talented U.S. horse-and-rider combinations are ready to compete in Les Étoiles de Pau CCI4*. Taking place October 23-27 in Pau, France, an elite field of 75 is ready to take on the challenging CCI4*. With all horses passing the first horse inspection, 11 nations will be represented on the first leg of the 2013/2014 FEI Classics™. Competition grants have made it possible for the sizable U.S. contingency to attend the prestigious CCI4*. USEF Land Rover...

With the 2013 Pennsylvania National Horse Show behind us we (well, just me in this case) have taken a look at the video analytics, and I’ve learned two things. 1. Lillie Keenan is a star. 2. So is Victoria Colvin. Now that’s not a whole lot of insight, nor is it surprising. What is surprising is how much USEF Network Pennsylvania National Horse viewers love those two. As evidence, let's first take a look at the You Tube top five most watched Penn National videos. 1. 144 Lillie...

Dudley MacFarlane and Authentic (© Shawn McMillen Photography) Washington, D.C. - The $10,000 WIHS Adult Amateur Hunter Championship concluded day one at the 2013 WIHS with 29 entries showing over the first round course and the top twelve returning. Dudley MacFarlane of Darien, CT, rode her 17-year-old Royal Dutch Warmblood gelding Authentic to the championship with scores of 87 and 85.5 for a 171.5 point total.?? Devon Braswell and Showgirl placed second on a two-round total of 171 with scores...

Abigael Kaufman and Ivanhoe (©Shawn McMillen Photography) Washington, D.C . - The 55th annual Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) hosted its opening day at Verizon Center in downtown Washington, D.C. on Tuesday with a full day of hunter competition. The professional and amateur-owner riders showed throughout the day in the first classes of their divisions and will conclude their competition for championship honors on Wednesday. The children's and adult hunter riders competed for...

Lexington, Ky. – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is now accepting proposals from organizing committees/parties interested in hosting the U.S. Vaulting Selection Trials for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The Selection Trials must be held between March 1 - June 11, 2014, offering Gold level, A-Team, and Open Pas de Deux divisions. The licensee for each Selection Trial will be responsible for all aspects of the competition, i.e. expenses, contracting of...

Exciting Five-Gaited American Saddlebred action at last year’s Mane Event Horse Show (Shiflet) Springifeld, Ill. - If you’re curious about high-stepping American Saddlebred horses and Hackney ponies, watch them compete on the free live webcast of the Mid-America Mane Event Show this Thursday through Sunday on the USEF Network. You’ll see top horses and riders compete in five gaited, three gaited and harness performance and pleasure classes. Mane Event also hosts three national...

Welcome to the fourth installment of a different kind of blog from WDAA! The purpose of this post is to allow the reader "into the heads" of both a trainer/judge/competitor, Karen Abbattista and her student, Deborah Herbert, a Florida WDAA member. We would like to share with you some moments in Deb's journey as she pursues her riding goals with her AQHA mare "GenuineArcticSpring", barn name "Belle". Please enjoy as you follow along with these posts that we consider interesting or...

Eduardo Menezes & La Fleur 4 (Captured Moment Photography) Del Mar, Calif. - Del Mar Welcome Week comes to a close today, and we've had gorgeous weather, exciting competition and some truly memorable moments. Now, riders, horses, trainers and show staff are looking ahead to World Cup Week, which will feature the Grand Prix Hunter Derby Final, the Rancho Valencia World Cup Grand Prix of Del Mar and our spectacular (spooktacular!) Halloween celebration as well as many other special...