Shawn Cassidy of Kingston, TN, was the one to beat in the pony hunter divisions at the Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show I. The 84th Annual Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show was held from August 1-5, 2007, at the L.M. Tate Horse Show Grounds at the Blowing Rock Equestrian Preserve in Blowing Rock, NC. In the Small/Medium Green Pony Hunter division, Cassidy rode First Impression, owned by Katie Dinan, LLC, to the championship with three firsts and two seconds. Cassidy earned both the tricolor and...

Money makes the world go round, they say. It does indeed, and this certainly is true of the world of sport. From a leisurely activity practiced exclusively by amateurs, sport has now turned into a highly complex profession governed by its own business strategies and rules. Prize money, TV rights, sponsorship fees have never been higher, and there is no indication that the movement is about to slow down. Good things usually march hand in hand with less good ones. If the increase in finances...

Victoria Colvin and Cortina, winners of the Medium Model Pony class. (Phelpsphoto.com) Lexington, KY— The 40th anniversary of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Pony Finals National Championships began as a hot one with near 100 degree temperatures, but the young competitors didn’t seem to notice as they entered their first day of competition at the Kentucky Horse Park, August 15-19. The USEF Pony Finals continues its 40-year consecutive run as the most prestigious and...

Laura Kraut and Cedric won the grand prix at the CSI*** Hachenburg in Germany on August 5 over a very competitive field of 53 horses and riders from across Europe. Kraut, who is based in Middleburg, VA, and Cedric, a 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by K and H Enterprises were more than three seconds faster in the jump-off than runner-up Rolf-Goran Bengtsson and Ninja La Silla. The win follows up the very successful Nations Cup effort by the U.S. team at Hickstead on July 27. Kraut...

The region’s top dressage talent converged at the Colorado Horse Park for Dressage in the Rockies August 3-5, 2007. The event, which offered three separate shows for riders to earn three sets of qualifying scores and points, featured classes for professionals, amateurs and juniors, from training to the FEI levels. With more than $7,500 in prize money and awards, the events drew riders not only from Colorado, but also throughout the region. Fifteen-year-old Evan Hills from Holladay, UT, was one...

A successful week of hunter/jumper competition at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show came to a close on Sunday, August 5. Produced by Kentucky Horse Shows LLC, the summer shows are held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The Kentucky Summer Classic is scheduled for next week from August 8-12. Jumper Highlights On Wednesday, August 1, ten riders exhibited their talents in the 1.45m Open Jumper class in the famously large Sheila C. Johnson Arena. Course designer Ken Krome, of Westminster, MD,...

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) released its new positioning statement, “amazing awaits,” today in an effort to help communicate the unique values of the Olympic Brand ahead of the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games. “‘Amazing awaits’ is intended to tell the story of how Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls get to the Olympic and Paralympic Games and how that journey is the embodiment of the American spirit,” said Jim...

Diana DeRosa (Florida's Cara Raehter and Ublesco led the American effort on the final day of the Pan American Games, finishing eighth in show jumping.) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil—The last of the three equestrian disciplines contested at the XV Pan American Games – show jumping – wrapped up at Deodoro Military Complex outside of Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. The final results were cause for celebration for Canada and Brazil. Team USA’s Cara Raether and Ublesco finished in eighth place, the highest spot...

Diana DeRosa (2007 Pan American Games Bronze medalists Todd Minikus, Laura Chapot, Cara Raether and Lauren Hough) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil—It was a battle between the host country—Brazil—and the teams from Canada and the United States for the team show jumping medal today at Deodoro Stadium outside Rio de Janeiro. Fittingly, it was the host country’s most popular equestrian athlete—Rodrigo Pessoa—that was the last to go in the two-round series of Nations Cup...

Diana DeRosa (Lauren Hough and Casadora lead the American effort after Day One of show jumping.) Rio de Janeiro—Some 47 Pan American Games show jumpers entered the arena at Deodoro Stadium outside of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Thursday morning to begin the first of two days of team competition. Leading the way for Team USA was rider Lauren Hough aboard Casadora. The last of the four to go was Todd Minikus and Pavarotti. Team USA ended the day in a surprising overall fourth place after the...