Welcome to the fifth nstallment 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 challenging...

Welcome to the third 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 challenging...

Samantha Segedy and Nandino (Tricia Booker Photography) Traverse City, MI - Even though Samantha Segedy stood third with Nandino after the Classic Round of the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby, sponsored by Walgreens, she didn't return for the Handy Round seeking a victory. Instead, Segedy's goal was to give Mrs. Ellen Malson's 5-year-old Brandenberg gelding more experience in the show ring. "I told his owner before the Handy Round that even if he drops in placing my goal was to...

Welcome to 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 challenging moments on her journey...

Artemis and Ali Wolff (Arian Booker Photography) Traverse City, MI - Ali Wolff qualified two mounts for the jump-off in the $10,000 Great Lakes Golf Cars Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix, but it turned out she only needed one ride to clinch the win. After concluding her first round performance aboard Lanoo, Wolff discovered he was missing a shoe. Unfortunately, no one could find it, and he was unable to return for the seven-horse tiebreaker. Thankfully, Wolff's...

Leslie Howard and Lennox Lewis 2 (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, AB – The final day of the Spruce Meadows 'National' Tournament had two exciting competitions that featured speed and stamina. Leslie Howard (USA) and Lennox Lewis 2 took their second victory in the $175,000 Nexen Cup 1.60m Derby, equaling their 2011 finish. Olympic gold medalist Eric Lamaze went into another gear to notch the week's first Canadian victory in the International Ring in the $40,000 ATCO...

Emanuel Andrade and Wilkina Lithya (Rebecca Walton for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International) Lexington, KY - The young talent was shinning brightly Friday during the Kentucky Spring Classic as Emanuel Andrade led the team from Hollow Creek Farm to multiple victories in the jumper ring. His highlight of the day was during the High Junior/Amateur-Owner jumpers, where he piloted Wilkina Lithya to the win, followed by Tiny Tim in third, while Kate Morrison and Four Roses DL Vie Z placed second....

Brianne Goutal and Onira (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Week three of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) concluded with an exciting $50,000 CSI 2* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon held on the grass derby field at The Stadium at The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). The class saw a win for U.S. rider Brianne Goutal and Remarkable Farms LP's Onira in a four-horse jump-off. Todd Minikus (USA) and Macoemba finished second, Laura Kraut (USA) and A. Lebon's...

Nicola Philippaerts and Cortez won the $50,000 Triumph Project Welcome Stake at Alltech National Horse Show. (Rebecca Walton/PMG) Lexington, KY - The 2012 Alltech National Horse Show, 129th Edition, greeted the Open Jumper riders with an inviting $50,000 Triumph Project Welcome Stake, sponsored by The Davis McCullough Foundation, for their first day of competition. Speed was the name of the game and Belgium's Nicola Philippaerts was right on point with his new mount Cortez. The pair blazed...

Upper Marlboro, MD - The Grand Pony Hunter Championship, sponsored by Lochmoor Stables/Mindy and Greg Darst, went to Hillcrest Blue Halo, owned by Bill Schaub and ridden by 11-year-old Daisy Farish of Versailles, KY. They won three out of four classes in the small pony hunter division and placed second in the remaining class. Daisy Farish and Hillcrest Blue Halo. (Shawn McMillen Photography) They were awarded with the VanderMoore Designs Trophy, donated by VanderMoore Designs. Farish was named...