Paul O'Shea rode Instant Karma to the $50,000 Fieldstone Grand Prix victory at the Fieldstone Summer Showcase I, also claiming the $25,000 Boston Strong Rider Bonus (Phelps Media Group, Inc. International) Halifax, MA - The luck of the Irish was with Paul O'Shea Saturday afternoon at the Fieldstone Show Park as he piloted Instant Karma to the victory in the $50,000 Fieldstone Grand Prix, presented by Gallo Dark Horse Wine, Ocean Spray and Samuel Adams, narrowly beating Boston Bruins owner,...

Welcome to a different kind of blog from WDAA! The purpose of this post is to allow the reader "into the heads" of both a trainer/judge/competitor, Karen Abbattista and her student, Deborah Herbert, a Florida WDAA member. We would like to share with you some moments in Deb's journey as she pursues her riding goals with her AQHA mare "GenuineArcticSpring", barn name "Belle". Please enjoy as you follow along with these posts that we consider interesting or challenging moments on their journey...

Lauren Crooks and Navare D'Oriolles (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, Alberta - The finish of the $33,000 Westjet Cup 1.45m could not have been any closer, with only one-thousandth of a second separating first and second place. With the slimmest margin of victory, Lauren Crooks (USA) and Navare D'Oriolles, a 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding by Derby Rouge x Le Gregol owned by Beatrice Mack, scored their first international victory at Spruce Meadows. Crooks was one of eight...

Lexington, KY - The U.S. sends a strong group of athletes to Germany to compete across five disciplines at the prestigious CHIO Aachen. The host of the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games, Aachen draws many of the best in the game for world class competition held over ten days. In 2013, the competition runs June 21-30 and will feature 20 talented American athletes. Kimberly and Cassidy Palmer performing a Pas de Deux freestyle test on Saturday at CHIO Aachen (www.barny-th.de) Vaulting The first...

Alicen Divita (Shannon Brinkman) Lexington, KY - The U.S. effort at the 2013 CHIO Aachen kicks off Friday as vaulters take center stage at the historic German venue. The United States will be represented by six athletes across three divisions in CVIO3* competition held June 20-23. Alicen Divita, Elizabeth Ioannou, and Mary Garrett will look to earn top Individual Female honors, while in Individual Male competition Kristian Roberts is the sole U.S. representative. In Pas de Deux competition,...

Calgary, Canada - The United States sent two teams into competition Thursday afternoon in the $100,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup at the CSIO5* Spruce Meadows ‘Continental’ Tournament. Not only was the U.S. eyeing top finishes but qualification for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Season Series Final as well as a chance to win the North American, Central America and Caribbean League of Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Series were all on the line. In its inaugural season...

I guess the beginning is a great place to start. I grew up in Maine, the oldest of five, to a father who was in the military and a mother who was a housewife until the youngest of my siblings was in Junior-High school. We grew up on the other side of middle-class, OK, we were poor. I grew up watching spaghetti westerns in black and white on Saturday afternoons. I always loved the intrigue of being a Cowboy, pushing cattle up the Chisholm Trail, fighting bad guys and Indians. Next to the pony...

Although some of you may think Western Dressage is new; when I discovered the Western Dressage Association of America was formed 2 years ago, my first thought was “there is actually a name for it?” For well over 30 years, I have taught riders the wisdom of dressage to Western riders. Through the years, I have been contacted to resolve issues with horses and riders working on games, pleasure and reining. I have always addressed the issues the same. Learn the basics, understand the...

Beezie Madden & Simon (Rebecca Walton/Phelps Media Group) Gothenburg, Sweden - Speed and efficiency were the order of the day in the Scandinavum Arena as the 2013 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final kicked-off with the first of four rounds of competition. Utilizing the faults converted format competitors were asked to balance forward riding and efficient turns with tidy jumping. A total of 39 combinations lined up to tackle Uliano Vezzani's 13 effort track and for the second year running an...

Lillie Keenan and Clearway (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Fifteen-year-old Lillie Keenan rode to victory in the 6th Annual George Morris Excellence in Equitation Championship, presented by Alessandro Albanese, during week eleven of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Keenan, of New York City, piloted Heritage Farms' Clearway to a score of 89 during round one before upping the ante in round two with an astounding 98.5. Keenan was in second with a total score of 187.5 going...