In only it's sixth year of existence, the Springpferdezuchtverbandes Oldenburg-International or "OS" has made history with the Champion of the 2008 Stallion Licensing who will now be known as 'Le Champ Ask' after being purchased by Stutteri As—the jumping stallion station of Blue Hors—for 1.1 Million Euro. The OS branded stallion was impressive from the first moment of the testing. The stunning presence of this stallion along with his expressive trot and balanced canter on the lunge...

Olympian Debbie McDonald filled the house as this year's featured clinician at the New England Dressage Association's (NEDA) Annual Fall Symposium. The annual event, which has hosted such leading clinicians as Anky van Grunsven, Klaus Balkenhol and Ingrid Klimke, draws hundreds of riders and trainers from throughout the Northeastern U.S. With her popular partner, the Hanoverian mare Brentina, McDonald, a member of the 2008 and 2004 U.S. Olympic Dressage Teams, is one of America's most...

For the second year in a row Friesian horses from all over the United States converged at the very center of the country in beautiful Lake St. Louis, MO. One horse and rider, Bernhard and Christiane Henrichs even traveled all the way from Germany to compete in a variety of classes, winning among others, the Prix St George test in dressage. This year the event was held in honor of International Friesian Show Horse Association (IFSHA) founder and longtime breeder Dr. Genevieve de Montremare who...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to announce that Laura Noyes and her Trakehner gelding, Syncro, were awarded this year’s Fiona Baan Pursuit of Excellence Memorial Trophy. Noyes is originally from Falmouth, ME, but now lives in Delaware, OH, where she is a student at Ohio Wesleyan University and trains with George Williams. When asked how she felt about being awarded this prestigious trophy Noyes exclaimed, “Winning the Fiona Baan trophy is more than I ever expected of my...

Grand prix dressage rider Suzanne Dansby Bollman has returned to the FEI arena with her equine partner Cooper with great success. Bollman is a top international competitor that has been long- or short-listed with the USET for seven consecutive years. Cooper and Bollman have accumulated many impressive wins in their six years together. Two years ago, the pair was the U.S. team alternate at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Germany. This summer, Bollman and Cooper competed for the first time in...

At the Wachovia Showplace Spring Spectacular II Horse Show, the $10,000 ASG Software Solutions/USJA International Hunter Derby presented by Dietrich Insurance featuring Walsh Harness & Saddlery was won by New Yorker Patricia Griffith on North Country, owned by Laura King-Kaplan. The class of more than forty entries produced flawless performance after flawless performance, but Griffin was the star of the day aboard North Country, an eight-year-old bay Warmblood. The course, designed by Skip...

Attendees of the 2008 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day will have the opportunity to walk the only four-star cross-country course in America with two of the country’s top event riders. Kim Severson and Jan Byyny, veterans of four-star competition, will be hosting the SmartPak Course Walk at the event. For Severson, this will be her third year leading the popular walk and for Byyny, her second. Both riders will be addressing their strategies in riding the challenging cross-country course from start box...

The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) is pleased to introduce a new Arabian Horse Foundation to meet the growing needs of the Arabian horse community. The foundation will fund previously unsupported areas, such as general education, equine research and disaster relief. Donors will have the option to designate their contributions to a particular category. “This foundation will provide, for the first time, a way for donors to select how they want their gift to be used,” said Larry Kinneer,...

The American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC), the national governing body for endurance riding in the United States, will hold its 2008 annual convention in Reno, NV. The two-day program of seminars, informational meetings and a free trade show is set for February 29-March 1 at the Silver Legacy Resort Casino. Leading experts in equine health care and endurance-related fields will be featured at several seminar sessions as part of the convention’s “Riding With Education” theme. Other...

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) reported that it has funded 503 horse-related organizations and their activities across Kentucky over the past three years totaling $352,627. KEEP created this local funding program as part of its grassroots efforts to help horse organizations around the state. The grants program is divided into four categories: 4-H clubs, horse shows, equine associations and equine education programs at Kentucky colleges and universities. Each category has a funding...