Thursday was one of those days that started at 5 am and finished at 10 pm without a moment to actually consider the pace at which we were actually moving. We have some great sponsors at the USEF, they are not only great friends, but they make our programs possible. So yesterday was a day full of sponsor photo shoots and other opportunities. It went like this: 6am Truluck (Phillip Dutton's horse who was scratched before the jog so is just along for the ride) had his morning handgraze...

Leipzig, Germany - The EY Cup, held in conjunction with the Rolex/FEI World Cup Final, came to a close in Leipzig this morning with the final round of the CSI2*. The six Americans riders that have been contesting the competition all week looked to complete their time in Germany on a high note. With each competitor limited to riding one horse, there was all to play for over Frank Rothenberger’s 1.45m course. Twenty-nine combinations would start the first round with six returning to the...

Leipzig, Germany - The Reem Acra FEI World Cup Final got underway Thursday evening with the grand prix presented by Sparkasse. The U.S. sent three combinations to the arena in Hall One of the Leipzig Exhibition Hall. The American horse/rider combinations did not disappoint in the field of 17. First in the arena for the U.S. was Jan Ebeling and Ann Romney’s Rafalca. This veteran pair demonstrated fluid trot work emphasized by a solid half-pass and had a consistent canter tour. Throughout...

Lexington, KY - With the sunshine came the first day of dressage at the 2011 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone. After a week of rain, the sun shone brightly and the wind blew through the Kentucky Horse Park. Spectators that were here first thing were treated to the best test of the day as Allison Springer took the lead with Arthur. The pair was first in the ring - and their score of 42.3 rewarded an elegant effort for a pair that frequently lands atop the dressage...

Shawn Flarida and KR Lil Conquistador. Photo by Anthony Trollope. Lexington, KY - Cool and breezy weather provided a welcome change at the Kentucky Horse Park Thursday - perhaps the calm before the proverbial storm we'll see Friday and Saturday nights as the 2011 Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup gets ready to unleash a roster of star-studded talent in the Alltech Arena. Twenty horses were presented during Thursday's reining horse inspection at the Alltech Arena; all horses were accepted and...

Leipzig, Germany - The Leipzig Exhibition Center hosted the first round of the Rolex/FEI World Cup Final - the speed leg - this afternoon and all 10 American combinations looked to get a head start on the competition. Frank Rothenberger set a scopey yet technical course that tested all 43 competitors in the 2011 Final and allowed for a number of different lines and options to be ridden. With the faults converted format, finding the correct balance between forward and efficient riding and...

During the Sponsor’s Welcome Party, Allison seemed to be on a roll. Not only did she pick up the prize for the Style Award for the best dressed woman at the first horse inspection for which she won a pair of new Dubarry boots. Later in the evening, she proved just how aligned the stars were for her when during the lucky draw for a new Rolex watch, she happened to win that, too! “So far, so good!” Allison laughed. “But, I do want to win one of these the hard way,...

Callan Solem was victorious in the $40,000 Grand Prix with Magic Cruise at HITS Culpeper. (Photo by Rebecca Walton/PMG). Culpeper, VA - Callan Solem took both first and second place in the $40,000 HITS Grand Prix on Sunday, April 24. Solem was the only rider to complete double-clear efforts in the Commonwealth National Park finale. The Chester Springs, PA-based rider advanced to the jump-off in the show's highlight event after riding fault-free first-rounds over Danny Foster's course...

East Dorset, VT — The annual Vermont Summer Festival will return to East Dorset, VT, for six consecutive weeks of competition running July 6 through August 14, 2011. Frequent Vermont Summer Festival competitor, Hillary Dobbs, won the $30,000 Manchester & The Mountains Grand Prix, presented by Hand Motors, at the 2011 Vermont Summer Festival. (Photo by David Mullinix Photography). New England’s largest hunter/jumper competition, the 2011 Vermont Summer Festival will...

Today looks like it will be a whirlwind of a day here in Leipzig. I suppose I should not mention wind or make any other bad weather reference, as I am sure everyone in Lexington is still recovering from yesterday’s foul weather/ tornado warnings. Anyway, back to the task at hand. The US riders have a lot of horseback riding to do today, between the two World Cup Finals, The EY Cup and the CSI3* I count that the US will make 27 trips into the competition arena. Yesterday all the US riders...