Lexington, KY – Somehow Sapphire keeps getting better. Already the owner of two Olympic Team Gold medals from 2004 and 2008 with rider McLain Ward, the 14-year-old Belgian mare continues to add Sapphire and McLain Ward (Anthony Trollope/stockimageservices.com ) accolades to her sparkling resume across the globe. This time it was the CN International at the Spruce Meadows Masters. One of the most prestigious (and richest – worth $1m CAD) Grand Prixes on the planet, Sapphire and Ward...

Louisville! Is it that time already??? I still can't believe it's already the last 2 weeks of August! We prepare this whole year just to go to the "Big Dance" and make lasting memories. But what a lot of people don't realize is how much work we go through as trainer's children to go to Louisville. Well I'll tell you my 2 days so far at the World Championship Horse Show and hopefully you can see a different side to "My Life." August 20, 2009 • Today was the day we would...

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...

Lexington, KY —Equipped with a new indoor facility, six strong teams and some of the most outstanding reining horses in North America, the SmartPak™ North American Young Rider Reining Championships came to an emotional and suspenseful close today with the prestigious Individual competition. For only the second time in history, the championships has declared an Individual Gold medalist in Darcy Wilson of Glenwood, Ontario, Canada, who stood on guard for her beloved Canada while...

Lexington, KY – The US success at the World Equestrian Festival – CHIO Aachen continued on Thursday July 2. Steffen Peters and Ravel - the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup TM Champions - served notice that they will continue to dominate the dressage world. Steffen Peters and Ravel after an Emotional Victory in Aachen (Ken Braddick/www.dressage-news.com) At one of the most prestigious venues on the globe, the San Diego, CA rider and Akiko Yamazaki’s 11-year-old Dutch gelding put in an...

Lexington, KY – The World Equestrian Festival, CHIO Aachen, got under way with the Vaulting competition on Friday, June 26. The US finished the weekend of competition strong with a sixth place finish by Team Mt. Eden Sun. Steffen Peters and Ravel Head to CHIO Aachen (Shannon Brinkman) One of the most acclaimed competitions in the world continues into the Fourth of July weekend as both Dressage and Show Jumping take center stage. Representing the US in Dressage are Steffen Peters on Ravel...

Laura Kraut and Cedric (Shannon Brinkman) by Joanie Morris Lexington, KY – Tomorrow, the first horse in the ring of the very first Meydan FEI Nations Cup™ will be representing the United States in La Baule, France. The 10 best Jumping teams in the world go head-to-head to kick off the prestigious summer tour. Christine McCrea will lead it off for the U.S., the Fairfield, CT rider will ride Candy Tribble and Windsor Show Stable’s Vegas – fresh from a good performance at...

Steffen Peters and Ravel (Shannon Brinkman) Lexington, KY – For the first time, a US Dressage Rider has been named by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as the Athlete of the Month. Steffen Peters was honored for his effort in Las Vegas, NV at the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Final. Riding Ravel, for longtime supporter Akiko Yamazaki, Peters made history. The pair earned the best score of their career together in the Freestyle (84.95%) and brought down the house at the Thomas &...

Mavis Spencer (USEF/ Jennifer Haydon) Lexington, KY – The US show jumping riders got off to a fantastic start at the 2009 Australian Youth Olympic Festival on January 16, 2009. Led by 16-year-old Kylie Wright from Sparks-Glencoe, MD, the US filled the top two spots in the Individual Qualifier. She went first out of the 24 riders and produced one of only six clear rounds. No one went clear in the jump off but Wright, riding Pacific Wave, was the fastest of the four faulters with a time of...

George Morris (USEF Archives) Lexington, KY – 2008 was a year of remarkable achievement for the US Show Jumping Program. Highlighted by the Team Gold and Individual Bronze medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, the US show jumpers won on major contests on four continents. At the reins of the program was the legendary, George H. Morris. For his attention to detail, unwavering commitment to perfection and unyielding commitment to the horses and riders in his program, Morris has been...