Las Vegas, NV – 44 riders from 22 nations went to task this evening in the Thomas & Mack Arena, 12 of them American. By the time the music died down and the last pair of feet landed on the arena floor, it was the reigning Rolex FEI World Cup champion, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly who proved to be the fastest in the First Leg of the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Final: the Speed Class. Again. The German pair were quickest by just less than a second with a time of 56.48. “I thought the...

Beesd, the Netherlands ­­­­­– The nineteenth edition of the World Four-in-Hand Driving Championship 2008 in Beesd, the Netherlands concluded today with a thrilling Final. The Chester Weber Celebrates Silver (Rinaldo de Craen) best four-in-hand drivers in the world showed the highest level of horsemanship and carriage driving sport in the crowded main arena in Beesd. The overall winner of the World Four-in-Hand Driving Championship 2008 is Ijsbrand Chardon. Chardon, who...

Hong Kong, China – Team USA faced some formidable competition in the first round of Team competition at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Hong Kong. Four riders from each country have ridden one test, and the US lies 10th on a score of 185.702. Barbara Grassmyer got the competition rolling for the US riders, putting in a solid effort with Mibis for a score of 59.231% in the Grade III Team Test. Grassmyer made the trip from Placerville, CA. She is confident she can improve her performance in the...

Leslie Berndl and Koopman's Lightning Rod (Jacqueline Zimmermann, Hippoevent) Today was marathon day at the World Championship Single Driving in Jarantow, Poland and it was a true festival for the driving sport. Thousands of enthusiastic spectators visited the marathon site and enjoyed a high quality and accident-free marathon with lots of action. The very tough, but horse friendly and fairly built, marathon course was very demanding for both horses and their drivers at this high level. Donna...

After four long years of waiting, an anxious equestrian world watched the clock roll down to the moment everyone had their eyes turned to – the Opening Ceremonies of the 2006 Aachen FEI World Equestrian Games. And while gray skies and wet and windy weather welcomed the crème of the equine world to the picturesque town located in the westernmost corner of one of Europe’s most powerful horse countries, not even a downright deluge could have dampened the excitement and energy that was waiting to...

Six American Saddlebred horses will demonstrate the versatility of the breed on Tuesday, May 31, at 7 p.m., at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair in Pennsylvania. Julie Lynn Andrew has put together a team of six horses that will perform combined driving, pleasure driving, show jumping, western pleasure, dressage and five-gaited. The horses will do the demonstration to rock and roll songs such as "Sweet Emotion" by Aerosmith, "Jump" by Van Halen and "Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie and end...

Sponsor Slots Selling Fast for USEF 2005 Annual Meeting Sponsor slots are selling fast, but a limited number of spaces are still available for the USEF's 2005 Annual Meeting. Known to attract the most influential equestrians and decision-makers in the sport, the 2005 Annual Meeting will be hosted at Louisville’s prestigious Seelbach Hilton Hotel, January 12-16. Two Platinum sponsorships remain—offering, by far, the most exclusive opportunities for name recognition and...

As much as we love every facet of equestrian competition, we all know the costs can start to add up—especially when it comes time to take on the world in international competition. That’s why the Active Pony Drivers Committee is making it their mission to raise funds to help support the ponies and drivers going to the 2005 World Pony Driving Championships in Catton Park, England. “We want to do our part for fund-raising,” says Katie Whaley, who is heading up the project. “We’re really proud...

Equestrian fans can follow the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team like never before. The networks of NBC: NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Bravo, Telemundo and NBC HDTV will broadcast an unprecedented 1,210 hours – more than the past five Summer Olympics combined. The 24-hour coverage will include action from all 28 Summer Olympic sports for the first time, with equestrian events featured on NBC, USA, Bravo and CNBC. Over the 17 days of the Athens Games, the networks of NBC will average more than 70 hours of...

Calgary, AB, Canada – It was a beautiful day of top show jumping competition at the Spruce Meadows ‘National’, presented by Rolex. Spectators numbered 28,477 to see Ireland’s Conor Swail win the $500,000 RBC Grand Prix, presented Conor Swail and Martha Louise won the $500,000 RBC Grand Prix, presented by Rolex Photo by Spruce Meadows Media Services by Rolex. It was the highlight event of the CSI 5* tournament, which concludes on Sunday, June 12. Second place went to Eric...