Amy Tryon and Coal Creek (Shannon Brinkman) Elkton, MD – It’s nice to be right about a horse, and Amy Tryon proved to the world what she always knew about Coal Creek. He lived up to Tryon’s expectations when he jumped up from sixth after the cross country to win the 2008 USEF National CCI*** Eventing Championship at the Dansko Fair Hill International on the strength of his clear show jumping round. “He was fantastic, I was thrilled,” said Tryon of Coal Creek....

Corinne Ashton and Dobbin (Shannon Brinkman) Elkton, MD – The standings shuffled significantly both overall and in the USEF National Eventing CCI*** Championship at the Dansko Fair Hill International. Leslie Law (Great Britain) had been sitting in the top position after the dressage with Mystere du Val but run outs at fences 10 and 12 meant that he walked off the course at the half way point. Kim Severson, who had been the top-placed American after the dressage with Tipperary Liadhnan...

Molly Rosin and Havarah's Charly (Shannon Brinkman) Elkton, MD – Run concurrently for the first time, two USEF National Eventing Championships got underway as the first half of both the CCI*** and the CCI** performed their dressage tests at the 2008 Dansko Fair Hill International. Amy Tryon was having a stellar test on Coal Creek (an 8-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Tim and Kathryn Sullivan) when the loudspeaker malfunction causing a loud noise during the third to last movement in...

Harrisburg, PA – With 274 riders vying for the title of 2008 Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final, making the top twenty-five is tough enough. But Kels Annabelle Bonham bested the competition to take the championship title, making her last year in the Medal Finals even more special. This was Bonham’s fourth time riding in the Medal Finals and she rode early in the order of go. Judges Alex Jayne and Tammy Provost put her at the top of their card and she stayed there until the conclusion of the...

Nineteen-year-old Western Star Galaxy (Georgetown Starlight x Cedarvale Splendora) won big at last week's Eastern States Exposition Big E Horse Show in West Springfield, MA. In a class of nine, "Alex" won the New England Horseman's Council's Junior Western Reining Seat Medal Finals with Stephanie Miranda of Assonet, MA, in the saddle. Alex is the only Morgan to ever win the finals to date. Owned by Michelle Cravenho of Kingston, MA, Alex was the only Morgan in the class that included Paints,...

California dressage rider Jan Ebeling and the 11-year-old Oldenburg mare Rafalca won the dressage World Cup qualifier at Saugerties CDI-W show in upstate New York this past weekend with a score of 71.700%. This result came after their victory in the grand prix on Saturday. Ebeling was delighted with the mare who, "didn't really have any mistakes," in the grand prix freestyle. "She was really, really super, and it was definitely a confidence builder." The test, which is ridden to music from the...

Maneirbo, Italy – The US Reiners had plenty to celebrate at the first FEI World Reining Championship, convincingly bringing home three medals. Jordan Larson will return to his Whitesboro, TX home with two medals, adding individual honors to his team Silver. Riding Lena Gallo, Larson loped into the arena on Sunday and had a nearly perfect trip. The coliseum was full of atmosphere and Larson’s ride was clearly the crowd favorite, nearly bringing the house down. His large circles were fast and...

Hong Kong, China – After receiving the lowest score of her career (63.00%), all of Brentina’s connections were concerned that despite training absolutely phenomenally every day leading up to the Games, there may have been something physically wrong with the gallant 17-year-old Hanoverian mare. “She’s fitter and sounder than ever,” said her rider of 13 years, Debbie McDonald. “She’s been schooling so well but she was totally different in the ring than she was in the warm up. I was totally caught...

Hong Kong, China – Gina Miles waved the flag for the US tonight at Sha Tin, winning an Individual Silver medal with McKinlaigh. The duo jumped two textbook clean rounds, adding nothing to their two-day score o Gina Miles and McKinlaigh (Shannon Brinkman) f 56.1. “I always knew he was the best event horse in the world,” said Miles. “He had his day to shine at the Olympic Games.” The 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse owned by Thom Schulz and Laura Coats stepped around...

The qualifying season is now under way for the 2009 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Dressage Championships for the Junior, Young Rider, and Young Adult “Brentina Cup” divisions. Selection procedures and qualifying competition lists are now available on the National Dressage Page of USEF.org. Please note the age range for the USEF Young Adult “Brentina Cup” division has been expanded for 2009. Riders between the ages of 20 and 28 years old are now eligible to participate in this program. For...