A mere 0.112 points separate second through fourth place in the current women’s World Equestrian Games (WEG) Vaulting rankings. Last weekend’s USEF Vaulting selection trial, held during the Garrod’s Spring Classic in Saratoga, CA, on May 20, was the fifth of six chances that U.S. vaulters have to improve their average score toward qualifying for the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. From those six chances, the highest three scores are averaged, and a WEG ranking is established....

The Colorado Horse Park announced that Olympic Gold medalist and president of the United States Equestrian Federation® David O’ Connor has signed on as course designer for the Park’s three-day events and horse trials. O’Connor brings a lifetime of knowledge of eventing and horsemanship to this position. In addition, his persona as the head of national governing body for equestrian sports adds luster to his skills and talents. “We are extremely fortunate to have David O’Connor join the Colorado...

Denise Boorman and Maple Leaf Paso Fino Stables are offering two stud services to Villano de La Clara, Grand National Champion Bella Forma Stallion and Colts for 2005 and 4th National Champion in Performance, as well as Legion of Merit Winner with over 2,000 points in the show ring, with the funds going to the 2006 CONFEPASO Youth Mundial to be held July 3-9, at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, FL. Villano is standing at Tuckaway Farm and is managed by Pat and Julio "Cese" Figueroa in...

Over the weekend of April 29-May 1, 2006, at a dressage competition in Beaufort, Luxembourg, American breeder Susan Thomas had the joy of watching her homebred stallion Patriot win several S-level classes at his first international dressage competition. Patriot is by Thomas Farm's stallion Pharaoh (Parabol-Almeo-Zeus) and was produced by embryo transfer out of Thomas Farm's accomplished grand prix mare Safir (by Diamond). Thomas sent her young stallion to Oliver Luze at Gestut Tannenhof in the...

Rick Silvia of Silvia Estate Dressage announced that two of the stallions in his newly formed Dream Street Stallion collection will compete in the Raleigh CDI. The stallions, Starlight and Lullaby, will be shown by Silvia's trainer, Olympian Lisa Wilcox, who recently relocated to Florida after more than a decade of training and competing in Europe. Twenty-two-year-old Silvia has been a well-known competitor/owner on the Southeast dressage scene for the past five years, as he made the humbling...

It's official! Lil Ruf Peppy, owned by Green Valley Ranch in Aubrey, TX, has just been named the National Reining Horse Association's 11th Million Dollar Sire. At the start of the National Reining Breeders Classic (NRBC) held recently in Katy, TX, Lil Ruf Peppy was less than $3,000 short of the Million Dollar milestone. Limited and Intermediate Open Classic finalists Lil Santana, Pop Tart and Dry Ruf joined forces to put their sire over the top. Lil Ruf Peppy, bred by the King Ranch, Inc, hit...

Glenn Moody, a highly respected hunter course designer and riding instructor, will join the riding program teaching staff at Sweet Briar College for the 2006/2007 academic year. Last August, Moody retired from teaching and coaching at The Barracks, home of the University of Virginia riding team, to focus on course designing and judging. “We were fortunate to have him teach a hugely successful clinic at Sweet Briar last December,” said riding director Shelby French. “We told him then that if he...

With the 2006 World Equestrian Games just three months away, the top endurance riders in the U.S. are preparing to demonstrate their abilities in the hopes of earning a place on the U.S. Endurance Team. In order to be considered, each rider must compete at one of three FEI***/AERC dual-sanctioned 100-mile rides scheduled for May 20 in Oreana, ID; May 27 in Grand Island, MI; and June 11 in Ashland, MT. Members of the National Selection Committee will be present at each event to evaluate the...

The World Equestrian Festival, perhaps the largest single week's horse show in the world, began Wednesday in Aachen, Germany, with the United States announcing a top team for the Samsung Super League. Aachen CHIO has added championship vaulting to the lineup of show jumping, dressage and four-in-hand driving that will be contested by 145 athletes from 23 nations on more than 400 horses, in front of what is expected to be well above 300,000 spectators during the five days of competition. For...

The clinic "What the Judges are Looking for, and How to Achieve the Results with Your Horse," with Paso Fino Horse Association Senior Certified Judge and Trainer of the Year Rick Meyer and with Top Equitation Trainer Christy Meyer, will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 2, at El Cardenal Farm in Mooresville, NC, with a question and answer session. It will resume Saturday morning with hands-on work with horse and rider. The fun show will begin around 12 p.m. on Saturday with several fun Paso Fino...