Aaron Vale dominated the Open Jumper divisions on the second day of the Tampa Bay Classic. He guided Kryptonite to the 1.40m victory in only 42.398 seconds (Kendall Bierer/PMG) Tampa, FL - The course was the talk of the day Thursday at the Tampa Bay Classic, as each consecutive rider was faced with a technical track that tested the best of their abilities. Riders gathered at the Covered Arena early this morning, and the cold weather only added to the mounting anticipation as some of the...

Last week I gave you some wonderful numbers that show the tremendous growth we have seen in Western Dressage over the last year. Almost 200 shows and events are already scheduled for 2013… 200! All those events are the brainchildren of people who want to help develop WD in their area. Most riders start by going to audit or participate in a clinic first or by becoming familiar with different philosophies and approaches to western dressage via the FaceBook pages or investigating the...

The Western States Cowboy Dressage weekend in Medford Oregon was held February 16 and 17. It was a very informative and educational weekend with Eitan Beth-Halachmy and a great cast of presenters that included renowned veterinarian Dr. Robert Miller, Modern Vaquero cowboy Jeff Sanders and VERY brave riders from all over the northwest. The event was presented by the Oregon Western Dressage Association, an affiliate of WDAA, despite the split between WDAA and Cowboy Dressage last fall. It was...

Jamie Taylor was queen of the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix this week and HITS Thermal. She was both first and second, riding Grand Noir to the top (Flying Horse Photography) Thermal, CA - It was twice the talent and double helpings of prize money at the top of this weekend’s $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix class results as Jamie Taylor of Tarzana, California rode to first place on Grand Noir, owned by Inspiration Farms, and second on Natasha Ledon’s Conteros. Taylor Ann Adams of...

Lexington, KY - USA Equestrian Trust is pleased to announce IRS-registered equine non-profit organizations will have two opportunities to apply for funding in 2013 as part of the foundation's grants program. The Trust's board expanded the grants program to two periods in 2012 and awarded nearly $335,000 in grants, an increase of almost 70 percent compared to 2011. To apply for funding, visit the Trust's newly revamped website at trusthorses.org. The site includes an extensive guide...

Patty Stovel and Kenya ride to a win in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix at HITS Ocala this weekend. Stovel, who used to Kenya and sold him to his current owner, is on her way to qualifying for the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final this fall in Saugerties, New York. (ESI Photography) Ocala, FL – Patty Stovel of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania took little time to warm-up to the new Outside Course at HITS Ocala. Her first time competing in the dynamic ring turned up a win for her and...

I’m Angelea Kelly Walkup; animal lover, web personality, writer, and dressage rider. For those of you that know me you’re familiar with my USEF Pegasus award-winning work at HorseGirlTV® tag lined, Tune in. Tack up.® and I thank you for watching the series. Still read on as there are free products in store for you plus you just might learn something new about me. For those of you that don’t know me yet, you too read on as there are free products in store and hopefully...

The twenty fourth in a series of blog posts from Michelle Binder North American Western Dressage receives all kinds of questions at the website and on our FaceBook page. Last week Jen Johnson shared the following in a post and it generated a huge amount of material for consideration. She posted: “I received an email last night from a **** judge who had the following concerns about Western Dressage..... “The problem is that the western horse is going to have to be much quicker in...

Rachel Kolb and Stanford's Ronny (Stanford Univ/IHSA) Fairfield, CT - Stride for stride, solid horse sense leads to scholarly achievement. For the second time in two years, the Rhodes Trust has awarded a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship to an Intercollegiate Horse Show Association college equestrian athlete to pursue post-graduate study at Oxford University. This year’s recipient is IHSA hunter seat rider, Rachel Kolb, of Los Ranchos, NM, who is in her second year as president of the...

David Rudder and Phind the Treasure (Brooke Jacobs with Jacobs Photography) Lexington, KY - Saturday night at the 129th Edition of the Alltech National Horse Show, the American Saddlebred Divisions concluded their amateur division championships of Three Gaited, Park Horse and Five Gaited. The return of the Saddle Horses to the Alltech National Horse Show at the Alltech Arena in Lexington, KY has been met with much enthusiasm. Kentucky is a hub of some of the most celebrated trainers in the...