This weeks blog comes to you from beautiful British Columbia Canada. I try to bring you news and fun stuff no matter where I am in the world. I have a perfect opportunity to share a Western Dressage story from a reader that has a Canadian link and I think you will enjoy it. Remember, if you would like to share your story, send it to me via email at [email protected]. When the perfect moment comes, I will share your story too! Dear Ms. Binder, In the USEF Weekly Newsletter for...

The endurance community has just lost a champion, advocate, ambassador with the death of Anne Ayala. She compiled a record of over 3700 miles in her remarkable partnership with Overlook Nuryev, better known as Beau. Beau and Anne were the recipients of the 2000 AERC Pard'ners Award given annually to a horse and rider team that best exemplifies the unique bond between horse and rider. She was the visionary and driving force behind bringing the trail system at the Biltmore Estate up to the...

Saer Coulter posted the first clear round aboard her mare Julie Des Brumes (Blenheim Equisports) Las Vegas, NV - November 16, 2012 - Three nights of intense competition kicked off this evening at the South Point Equestrian Arena in Las Vegas. Local equestrian fans and spectators filled the stands for Barn Night during the opening ceremonies of the $32,000 Markel Insurance Jumper Classic, and the end result left no disappointment. A deep international field of fifty-six horse and rider...

The seventeenth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder Last weekend we attended the second Western Dressage classes held here in the Inland Northwest. We rode the NAWD tests through Level 4. The tests are wonderful and the dressage spectators were very interested in how the WD tests are both similar and different from the USEF tests ridden in the USDF shows. The judge was super and even though the day was very long for her, very positive about the work saying "I enjoyed judging...

The tenth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder The development of Western Dressage as a discipline is very exciting to riders, trainers, breeders and exhibitors alike. North American Western Dressage is dedicated to finding common ground between the two disciplines, educating riders from all backgrounds, and to making dressage concepts accessible to western riders without minimizing the importance of the training pyramid nor sacrificing the principles that are fundamental to...

So I have been in London for about five hours or so and it is everything I was expecting and more. To rewind a bit I spent last Wednesday-Sunday at the 2012 USEF National Dressage Championships at the picturesque Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, IL. After spending the better part of the last week watching the best up-and-coming Young and Developing Horses in the U.S. as well as juniors demonstrate fabulous equitation skill the future of the sport certainly seems very bright. A big hand and...

Lexington, KY - David O'Connor will not be representing the U.S Eventing Team at the Boekelo CCIO3* as reported in the August 17, 2012 release from the USEF Communications Department. O'Connor continues to serve as the Technical Advisor for the Canadian Eventing Team through the November of 2012. His presence at Boekelo is related specifically to individuals whom he coaches in his business. O'Connor's role as Coach of the U.S. Eventing Team does not commence until the beginning...

The sixth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder When on a horse, I wear a riding helmet. My students wear riding helmets. I ride and show western and dressage. The helmet/hat quandary, style vs. safety, the tradition or common sense conversation is therefore a subject near and dear to my heart. On March 22, 2012, I went into the hay barn to get a bale of hay to feed lunch in the barn. To make a long story short, despite my usual care in tipping bales, as I turned to leave the...

I knew, when accepting this job in December, 2011 that I was under-qualified. My writing credentials are fine enough, I have editing experience, a media background, and a good education. My deficiency was that I knew very little about horses and even less about equestrian sports. Compared to my USEF colleagues, I was in a state of almost complete ignorance. I’ve twice been on group trail rides in western Colorado. Adding that to the rest of my riding experience I’d been on a horse...

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...