Wellington, Fla. – The Adequan® U.S. Para Dressage Team kicked off the 2023 competition season with a team win at the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival Week 3 CPEDI3*, posting a total score of 434.813. Team member Beatrice de Lavalette (Loxahatchee, Fla.) and Sixth Sense, Elizabeth and Nicolas de Lavalette’s 2010 Oldenburg gelding, won first place individually in the CPEDI3*. (L-R) Roxanne Trunnell, Beatrice de Lavalette, Michel Assouline, Kate Shoemaker, Rebecca Hart....

Blacksburg, Va. – On Dec. 7, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab released the results of its first-ever rating of equestrian helmets. Over the past two years, Virginia Tech researchers analyzed over 100 videos of riders falling off horses, precisely measured the hardness of the sand, dirt, grass, and synthetic surfaces underfoot at equestrian events, and dragged dummy heads and other equipment — and boxes and boxes of helmets — out to Virginia Tech’s equestrian facilities to...

Quarteira, Portugal – The U.S. Jumping Team had a podium finish on Sunday, November 20, at the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Vilamoura CSIO3* in Portugal, winning second place. Under the direction of Chef d’Equipe Anne Kursinski, the team of Kelly Arani and Impossible Dream, Cathleen Driscoll and Arome, Mimi Gochman and Celina BH, and Mavis Spencer and Carissimo 25, edged out 13 other teams to finish second behind the gold-medal team from France. ©VillaMoura Equestrian Center...

Traverse City, Mich. – A dream came through for Erin Nichols on Saturday at the 2022 FEI North American Youth Championship (NAYC) as she finished in gold-medal position for the Individual Young Rider Dressage division. Erin Nichols and Handsome Rob AR. ©KTB Creative Group Nichols (Yorba Linda, Calif.) expertly guided her own Handsome Rob AR, a 2012 Dutch Warmblood gelding, through a precise and flowing test that earned a 69.000% from the judges. The victory comes after Nichols and...

Herning, Denmark – The Adequan U.S. Para Dressage Team had a strong start to the first day of team competition and are firmly in the running for a podium position at the conclusion of team competition tomorrow. Kate Shoemaker and Quiana led the team off this morning, earning a 75.415 percent in Grade IV competition, followed by Beatrice de Lavalette and Sixth Sense, who earned a 73.235 percent in Grade II. Roxanne Trunnell and Fortunato H20, the youngest horse in the entire competition,...

Lucinda Donaldson and Audi. ©Andrew Ryback When 15-year-old Lucinda (Lucy) Donaldson gave her final salute in the opening junior dressage test of the 2022 FEI North American Youth Championship , it was the realization of dreams. The top-15 finish in her NAYC debut was an accomplishment for her, her horse Audi, and her entire family. Lucinda, who represents Region 1 from Parkesburg, Pa., is the daughter of equine vet Mark Donaldson and stepdaughter of USDF gold, silver and bronze medalist...

Herning, Denmark – The final day of the Mustang Corp. FEI World Vaulting Female Championship saw two U.S. combinations finish inside of the top ten, with Kimmy Palmer taking fifth overall, as the highest placed athlete for the team with an overall score of 8.415, and Tessa Divita taking ninth on a combined score of 8.122. Emily Rose finished in twenty fifth overall with a combined score of 7.423. Kimmy Palmer in her freestyle. ©US Equestrian Palmer (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) impressed...

Aachen, Germany – Mimi Gochman (New York, N.Y.) concluded the 2022 FEI Youth Equestrian Games with a podium finish securing the bronze medal aboard Merino van de Achterhoek after finishing the 15-combination jump-off in 32.56 seconds. Thomas van Rijckevorsel (RSA) and Lucy 781 took first place and individual gold in the competition after stopping the jump-off timers in 31.69 seconds, while Jad Guerraoui (MAR) and Lady Angeles collected second place and the silver for their jump-off time...

Leipzig, Germany – McLain Ward and Contagious lead the U.S. contingent of eight combinations following the first day of competition at the FEI Jumping World Cup Final in Leipzig, Germany. McLain and Contagious will move forward to tomorrow’s competition in fifth place overall following a faults-converted score of 67.94, while Hunter Holloway and Pepita Con Spita also sit in the top ten looking ahead to tomorrow’s class following a strong performance in their championship debut....

Aachen, Germany – The NetJets U.S. Jumping Team earned the top podium position after a brilliant display of talent and poise under the lights in the iconic main stadium at the World Equestrian Festival Aachen CHIO. The team of Lucy Deslauriers, Laura Kraut, Brian Moggre, and Jessica Springsteen produced two solid rounds a piece to finish on a team total of four faults, besting Sweden who finished in second place with a total of eight faults. France rounded out the top three podium...