The dressage justice in the world continued last night. In a fiercely difficult freestyle, Ravel and Steffen delivered a World Cup Championship performance. It was one of those nights where the planets aligned. How lucky are we to have been a part of it? Ravel got better, and better, and better throughout the Freestyle and they brought down the house for the US. To the music of the Rolling Stones' Sympathy for the Devil, Ravel, who had an introduction to the world in Hong Kong last summer,...

Rio de Janiero, Brazil—The U.S dressage riders and horses have settled nicely into the newly constructed National Equestrian Center at the Deodoro Sports Complex located on a military base 26 kilometers outside Rio de Janeiro. Deodoro also includes the competition facilities for archery, field hockey, shooting and modern pentathlon. The U.S dressage team members and the USEF sports staff give their venue high marks. “It is an excellent facility by anyone’s quality standards;...

Kentucky Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center (KESMARC) and Main Street Management Services, Inc., (Main Street) proudly announces the formation of a joint venture to build a world-class equine sports medicine facility in Ocala, FL, as an integral part of the redevelopment of the 426-acre Farnsworth Farm into a unique equestrian community. Groundbreaking is scheduled for second quarter of 2007 with targeted completion by the beginning of 2008. Dedicated to the recovery and...

International Friesian Show Horse Association's (IFSHA) Grand National Horse Show Manager, Gareth A. Selwood, is pleased to announce that the third annual International Friesian Show Horse Association’s Grand National Horse Show will be held November 10-12, 2006, at the incredible “state of the art” South Coast Casino and Equestrian Center in South Las Vegas, NV. Room block pricing for Friesian enthusiasts can be seen at www.southcoastcasino.com . The facility is located in the heart of the...

Alison Hartwell/Phelps Media Group (Laura Kraut on Miss Independent) Wellington, FL – At the completion of the World Equestrian Games Selection Trials, the gutsy Margie Engle owns the top two spots based on the placings after five trials, despite only placing fourth and fifth in Trial #4 and fourth in Trial #5. Engle placed first overall after all five trials on Quervo Gold with only 11 faults and second overall on Hidden Creek’s Wapino with only 17 faults. Two of the ten total...

In an effort to help raise funds to expand and renovate its facilities, the Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Veterinary Medicine will be holding a series of stallion service auctions, with proceeds going to the university's Equine Health Studies Program (EHSP). The dedicated faculty and staff of the LSU Equine program were recently called into action in response to the damage caused in the Gulf region due to the series of hurricanes that besieged the area in late August, and again, in...

Diana DeRosa (Kim Frey and Marlou during the first round of jumping at the 2005 World Cup.) Las Vegas, NV – Amidst the fabulous Las Vegas spectacle of fireworks, a laser show, jumbo-tron videos and even an opening musical act, it was shaping up to be a German jump-fest on April 21 until Belgium’s Ludo Philipaerts, on the grey stallion Parco, and Kimberly Frey of the U.S, on her consistent Dutch mare Marlou, showed up to throw down a challenge late in the evening. The first to go...

Olympic equestrian Kathy Kusner will join NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe and Track and Field legend Louis Zamperini for the 2005 Class of Inductees into the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame. These three world-class athletes will be enshrined into this unique Hall of Fame for utilizing their platform of sports to make positive changes in the world. Watts in South Central Los Angeles, is a low-income community where there is a strong presence of drug activity and gang violence. Unfortunately,...

Prior to the $25,000 Open Jumper, the evening session opened with the second annual Dressage Night, featuring the Continental Cup--a team Musical Freestyle competition. Riders at Grand Prix, Intermediaire I and First Level made up each of three teams. The riders on the Park Avenue Team won the Gold medal with a total score of 239. The team consisted of Cynthia Payne of Jupiter, FL, aboard Laredo, with a score of 81% in the Grand Prix; Gabriel Armando of Argentina who resides in Flemington, NJ,...

As I sift through weekly e-mails and phone messages, I’m beginning to realize the United States Equestrian Federation’s best kept secret is no longer a best kept secret. Only a few months from its conception, and already, details of the USEF purchasing program are running through the rumor mill faster than juicy tabloid gossip. I should hardly be surprised. When money is involved, especially this much money, news tends to spread fast; and while we’re not working overtime to keep the news under...