Gladstone, NJ - While the Dick and Jane Brown Arena at the USET Foundation Headquarters belonged to the Grand Prix riders Saturday morning, the afternoon session was all about the up-and-coming stars of the sport at the USEF Dressage Festival of Champions. In the National Intermediaire I Dressage Championship, Caroline Roffman and Pie maintained their strangle-hold on the lead. While, Young Adult "Brentina Cup" competitors got their first taste of competition in Gladstone with Brian Hafner...

Gladstone, NJ - Pending the approval of the USEF High Performance Working Group and the USEF Executive Commitee, the FEI Nominated Entry for the U.S. Dressage Team for the 2012 Olympic Games is as follows. Athletes and horse are listed in ranked order based on the results from the 2012 USEF Selection Trials & Grand Prix National Championship: 1/3. Steffen Peters and Four Winds Farm's Legolas 92 AND Ravel* 2. Tina Konyot and her own Calecto V 4. Jan Ebeling and Ann Romney, Beth Meyers,...

Steffen Peters and Legolas 92 (Susan J. Stickle) Gladstone, NJ - Four years ago, Steffen Peters and Ravel, then an inexperienced 10-year-old, won the 2008 Grand Prix National Dressage Championship at the Festival of Champions in California. That performance earned the pair a trip to the Olympic Games where they were fourth. Four years, an FEI World Cup title, a CHIO Aachen victory and two Bronze medals at the FEI World Equestrian Games later - Ravel was granted permission by the USEF selectors...

Traverse City, MI - The countdown is on! The three-discipline equine extravaganza known as the Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival begins in just seven days! On June 22, dressage riders will step into the spotlight to kick-off events at this year's six-week Festival. Dressage by the Bay Series I and II, June 22-24, are two back-to-back USDF Level 3-rated dressage competitions. The shows will include a variety of qualifying and special classes. The featured event of Dressage by the...

Caroline Roffman and Pie (Susan J. Stickle) Gladstone, NJ - The second week of the 2012 USEF Dressage Festival of Champions began Thursday with competitors in the National Intermediaire I Dressage Championship performing the FEI Prix St. Georges Test. Caroline Roffman cantered down centerline as the second competitor of the morning, then was forced to wait as the remainder of the 14 horse division tried to top her score of 73.974%. A total of five combinations were able to break the 70% barrier...

Lexington,KY - The fourth and final USEF Observation Event for the 2012 US Show Jumping Team highlights this week's schedule at Spruce Meadows in Calgary. Eleven riders from the USEF Show Jumping Long List have one more chance to prove their mettle as they vie for a spot on the 2012 Olympic Team. Thursday's Husky Energy Classic serves as the first of the two classes designated by the USEF for observation, and the second is Saturday's CN Performance Grand Prix. Both classes are held...

Rebecca Hart and Lord Ludger (SusanJStickle.com) Gladstone, NJ - The 2012 USEF National Para-Equestrian Championships held in conjunction with the USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage Paralympic Selection Trials came down to the slimmest of margins this afternoon as riders performed their Freestyle tests at the Pine Meadow location of the USET Foundation. Heading to the final test of the championships only a few marks separated the top three riders and the remaining 20% of the final score would be...

Shawna Harding and Rigo. (Susan J. Stickle) Gladstone, NJ - The 2012 USEF Dressage Festival of Champions continues this week with Young Adult "Brentina Cup" and Intermediaire I competition and the conclusion of the USEF National Grand Prix Dressage Championship. Riders will again perform their tests in the Dick and Jane Brown Arena at the USET Foundation Headquarters in front of an international judging panel. National Grand Prix Dressage Championship Competition heats up in the National Grand...

Rebecca Hart and Lord Ludger on their way to winning the Grade II Individual Test (SusanJStickle.com) Gladstone, NJ - The National Para-Equestrian Championships featuring the USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage Paralympic Selection Trials continued Tuesday with riders performing their Individual Tests. Riders braved the rain at the Pine Meadow location of the USET Foundation Headquarters to showcase their skills across five grades of competition. Following the second test of the National Championship...

Lexington, KY - The final Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Selection Trial was held over the past weekend in conjunction with the VADA/NOVA Summer Dressage show in Leesburg, Virginia. A field of eight horse entered the competition, three in the five-year-old division and five in the six-year-old division, to try and earn a spot on the USEF Young Horse Dressage Short List. At the end of the weekend, two horses from the six-year-old division managed to score better than the required 7.8 and earn...