“It was ok,” said Hart after her test. “I’m relatively happy, he was a little more settled, it was better (than Sunday). He was definitely a little happier in there.” Hart, 24, from Erie, PA was born with Familial Spastic Paraplegia and has been involved in Para Equestrian activities for over a decade. She is looking forward to her third and final shot at a medal in the Individual Freestyle on Wednesday evening. The arena proved to be quite buzzy for some of the horses, even during the day....

Hong Kong, China – The American Paralympians take to the center stage tomorrow at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Sha Tin at the Hong Kong Jockey Club. 28 countries will be represented, 11 of which are fielding teams. Leading off for the US in the first team spot will be Barbara Grassmyer riding her own wonderful mare, Mibis. Grassmyer, who is Grade III, will go down the centerline in Sha Tin’s main arena at 7.54 a.m. Grassmyer, who was born with Aperts Syndrome, has been forging a...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) has announced plans to add live streaming video of the Wisconsin Futurity Horse Festival to its schedule. The event will take place Wednesday, September 17, through Sunday, September 21, 2008, at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, WI. Subscription purchases for viewing the webcast will be available on the ASHA homepage at www.saddlebred.com . Fees to view the webcast are $15 per day per computer, meaning the license to view the webcast is...

Jimmy Torano of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, topped the $10,000 Open Jumper High Score Awards, presented by Sir Ruly, Inc., at the six-week Vermont Summer Festival held July 9-August 17 in East Dorset, VT. Offered for the second year, the $10,000 Open Jumper High Score Awards, presented by Sir Ruly, Inc., awards $10,000 in bonus money to the most consistent open jumper competitors throughout the six-week circuit. For the second year in a row, it was Torano who came out on top. Torano is one of the...

The Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia, MO, will be the location for Women and Horses Expo 2008, October 24-26. Among the presenters and clinicians will be Bonnie Davis from California. Davis is an avid trail rider, horsecamper, consulting editor to Trail Rider magazine, writer and owner of Two Horse Enterprises ( www.twohorseenterprises.com ), which is dedicated to trail riding and horsecamping. Davis will host the forum and discussion, "Who Says You Can't Do It?!" She maintains, "One is...

Kent Farrington of Wellington, FL, rode Up Chiqui to win the $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix, the final event of the six-week Vermont Summer Festival held July 9-August 17 in East Dorset, VT. Twenty-four riders tackled course designer Pierre Jolicoeur’s track with eight jumping clear to advance to the jump-off where it all came down to the tightest turns. “I thought the first round was very friendly, just the right amount of riders went clear and we had a nice jump-off,” said...

Will Simpson and Carlsson vom Dach (Shannon Brinkman) Hong Kong, China – The US show jumpers looked happy to stretch their legs tonight in the first Individual Qualifier. The main arena was turned over from a dressage ring to Grand Prix course tonight at Sha Tin as the jumping horses finally got a chance to play. 73 horses went to task over a beautiful course designed by Leopoldo Palacios and Steve Stephens. The US was the only nation with three double clear rounds. McLain Ward was the...

Becky Holder and Courageous Comet (Shannon Brinkman) Hong Kong, China – Becky Holder cashed in on a lifetime of preparation today when she cantered down the centerline of the dressage ring of her first Olympic Games. She put in a fantastic effort to lead the US Eventing Team to a second place finish after three riders. The US Team finished on a score of 121.50 behind the Australians who were on fire with a three rider total of 102.8. Riding the 13-year-old Thoroughbred Courageous Comet...

Gina Miles and McKinlaigh (Shannon Brinkman) Hong Kong, China – Becky Holder cashed in on a lifetime of preparation today when she cantered down the centerline of the dressage ring of her first Olympic Games. She put in a fantastic effort to lead the US Eventing Team to a second place finish after three riders.The US Team finished on a score of 121.50 behind the Australians who were on fire with a three rider total of 102.8. Riding the 13-year-old Thoroughbred Courageous Comet (whom she...

Talk about a Rocky Mountain High. Luke Tokaruk of the Aiken, SC-based Tokaruk Show Stables, earned his first grand prix victory this Saturday, winning the $25,000 High Prairie Grand Prix aboard his own Lucius 35 at the Colorado Circuit Opener. Both Luke and his brother Michael, aboard Lord Byron, were entered in the grand prix, the highlight of Week One. Both the Tokaruks described the huge course, done by Olympic course designer Leopoldo Palacios, as “big and tough.” Indeed, only four...