On August 1, the Youth National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show came to an end after eight days of top-level horse show competition, a shopping expo and the Arabian Horse Youth Association (AHYA) Annual Convention. This was the show’s 17th year in Albuquerque and is estimated to bring about $10.2 million to the city. The largest class, Arabian Hunter Pleasure Junior to Ride, age 14-17, hosted 79 horses and was won by Kool Enuff, owned and ridden by Kirsten McKillop of Alamo, CA....

Last year the Capital Challenge Horse Show offered a new event to the schedule—the Emerging Pro Challenge. The Challenge class was designed for professionals who may be knocking on a door that is typically opened by riders like Scott Stewart, Louise Serio, Peter Pletcher and a handful of other hunter riders who have graced the Show Place Arena with top scores on numerous horses. The $5,000 Emerging Pro Challenge was designed to give riders competing in the professional divisions (future...

The 22 ponies of the eight American competitors at the World Combined Pony Championships in Greven-Bockholt, Germany, passed the veterinary inspection on Wednesday morning without problems. Single pony drivers Sherri Dolan, Sara Schmitt and Suzy Stafford, pony pair competitors Miranda Cadwell and Tracey Morgan and pony team drivers Kathleen Whaley, Laurie Astegiano and Allison Stroud presented their adorable ponies to the veterinary delegates and judges in Greven. Team USA arrived in Greven...

Lexington, KY – After nearly four months of top competition between the best show jumping nations in the world, the title of Meydan FEI Nations Cup Champion came down to the final round of the final leg at the Dublin International Horse Show in Dublin, Ire. With the US jumpers holding their own throughout the duration of the tour, they ended up barely beaten for the top spot in the standings by France. The two countries tied for fourth on 20 faults a piece in the final, which left France with a...

Ailish Cunniffe is crowned Equisport Insurance/USEF Pony Medal Championship Final winner. (USEF Archive/Randi Muster) Lexington, KY—By midday Sunday, the Kentucky Horse Park began to look vacant. Ponies were unbraided and cooled, loaded trailers rumbled toward home and the usually lively vendor row was filled with merchants striking their tents and packing their wares. After four days of fierce competition in the Pony Hunters and Jumpers, the whirlwind that is the 2009 USEF Pony Finals...

Jumper champions Sydney Shulman and Set Sail (USEF Archives/Randi Muster) Lexington, KY—It was a day of champions at the 2009 USEF Pony Finals as ribbons and top honors were handed out in the Regular Pony Hunters as well as the Individual Jumper Finals at the Kentucky Horse Park on a sun-drenched day where the competition was as hot as the weather. Beginning early in the day was the Medium Pony Hunters where there was no shortage of graceful rides and impressive rounds from the ponies....

Imagine the scenario. Sitting under a shaded tent facing a perfectly manicured and maintained hunter ring. Free food abounds. Dozen upon dozen of pony riders are mounted upon the most gorgeous ponies you have ever seen in your life. You get to kick back, relax and take in this awesome environment, free of stress or cares. Just another day in the life of this very lucky journalist and editor. Yes…the 2009 USEF Pony Finals is under way at the Kentucky Horse Park, and for the first time in...

Taylor Ann Adams bested the top junior talent in the nation by winning the 2009 Essex Classics/United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Hunterdon Cup Equitation Class in Saugerties, NY. Adams of Memphis, TN, secured her victory in the third and final round of the prestigious equitation class after switching mounts with reserve champion Quincy Hayes. “Quincy helped me out in the schooling area before the final round,” Adams said. “Her horse was a lot of horse for me to ride and completely...

Hi Hopes Farm, of Charlotte, NC, took home multiple tricolor ribbons and trophies after a successful two weeks of competition at the 86th Annual Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show. Lucille Oken received the Jennifer Cox Memorial Trophy for high-point rider showing horses and ponies. Alise Oken took home the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter championship award after her excellent performance with her top mount, Take Away. Alise and Lucille Oken both train under the tutelage of top instructors Steve...

Pony rider Emma Cullen and green medium pony, Silver Slippers, at the 2009 USEF Pony Finals. (USEF Archive/Randi Muster) Lexington, KY—It was a day many young riders have been waiting to come for months, and it was well worth the wait judging by their excited faces. The 2009 United States Equestrian Federation Pony Finals National Championships welcomed this year’s roster of ponies and their energetic riders who made the grade and were invited to participate in what is certainly the...