A three-time Grand National Champion American Shetland Pony was recently donated to the Arabian Nights dinner show in Orlando, proving that the Shetland Pony can be a star going from the show ring to show business. The pony was donated by the American Shetland Pony Club (ASPC) and will join more than 60 other horses at Arabian Nights, becoming the first-ever ambassador of the Shetland Pony breed to appear at the attraction. Tap Dance Kid, known as Dancer, was the 2008 American Shetland Pony...

The Bates Year-End Awards were presented at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament featuring the 125th National Horse Show on Saturday, November 1. Jessica Springsteen took the Gold, Chelsea Moss the Silver and Victoria Birdsall the Bronze. The top ten riders as of the end of the ranking year (October 31, 2008) are as follows: Rank, Rider, Points, City, State, Trainer 1. Jessica Springsteen, 28,324, Colts Neck, NJ, Stacia Madden 2. Chelsea Moss, 27,425, Medford, NJ, Stacia Madden 3....

Katharine Brunjes and Theatric (Genie Stewart-Spears ) Lexington, KY – 160 km on horseback is no easy feat. But 142 riders from 34 nations will undertake the task when the FEI World Endurance Championships get underway in Terengganu, Malaysia November 6-9, 2008. The US has six horse/rider combinations in Malaysia under the guidance of three-time World Champion Becky Hart, who is serving as Chef d’Equipe. The team includes another multiple world champion: Valarie Kanavy. She is hot...

Lexington, KY – US Eventing Chef d’Equipe and Technical Advisor, Captain Mark Phillips and the USEF have renewed the contract for Mark Phillips to serve in this capacity through 2012. In his 16 years in tenure as the Chef d’Equipe and coach of the US Eventing Team, Capt. Phillips has never taken a team to an Olympic, World or Pan American Games without bringing home a medal. His tenure has been highlighted by a Team Gold medal at the 2002 World Equestrian Games and David O’Connor’s Individual...

Courtesy AHA Pictures/Amy Train (Five-time Arabian Park Horse Champion Aequus+// was retired at the age of 20.) The 42nd annual U.S. National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (U.S. Nationals) made its debut in Tulsa, OK, at Expo Square, October 17-25. A total of 1,889 horses were entered in the show that provided 125 classes across a variety of disciplines that included reining, cutting, working cow, trail, mounted native costume, pleasure driving, show hack, halter, sidesaddle,...

The successful hunter rider and trainer Ken Smith will host the November clinic in the new series of monthly training sessions at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Friday, November 14. Smith is renowned as a competitor at the top levels of the sport, including the World Cup Hunter Rider Hunter Spectacular, and as a highly successful trainer of hunter and equitation riders throughout North America. Riders of all levels are welcome to participate in the clinic with Smith,...

The Palm Beach Dressage Series introduces the new Derby Series Challenge. Bragging rights, prize money and a host of goodies will be on the line for the riders that rise to the top of their classes at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby and Dressage at Equestrian Estates. The Challenge Series awards will be presented to competitors with the highest averages in training level through grand prix, with an additional Challenge award, including a perpetual trophy, for the adult amateur high score in grand...

“It’s the camaraderie that means so much,” commented a cheerful Sandy Ferrell after winning the 15th Annual $7,500 Professional World Championship Hunter Rider Finals for the 2008 American Hunter Jumper Foundation (AHJF) Professional World Cup Championship Rider (WCHR) title, which took place on October 3 during the eight-day Capital Challenge Horse Show at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. The 2008 WCHR Professional Finals is sponsored by Stillwell-Hansen, Inc.,...

Caitlin Houlihan and Little Joe (Janice Hischer, owner and trainer) took home the championship ribbon from the first Riding for Reading class in Arizona, and earned some money for her school’s library along the way. Collman Equestrian Productions held the class as part of the Scottsdale Fall Preview (October 16-19). Earlier in the day, Houlihan won the Low Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic on her own Double O Seven. The Riding for Reading class marked her first time showing on the flat. "I wanted...

Five weeks after Hurricane Ike devastated trails in the Clark State Forest in Indiana, the 100-mile and 50-mile American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) National Championship riders and horses enjoyed excellent weather and trails on October 16 and 18. “The only reason the ride took place was because of the nearly 300-plus hours in manpower it took to get the trails in excellent condition,” said co-ride manager Cindy Young. “Few people realize what a mess those trails really were and without...