Lilly Ward, daughter of two-time Olympic show jumping team gold medalist McLain Ward, launched her own show career in May in an Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Show leadline class with dad and mom Lauren. Lilly may be heading down the road to stardom behind her show jumper father McLain. Now two, she's already gotten the show itch. With the help of dad and mom, Lilly tacked up her miniature horse Daisy for her first class on May 21 in North Salem, N.Y. While the family was in Wellington,...

Jordan Gibbs and her pony Party Time caught spectators’ attention when they debuted together at the 2017 USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm, thanks in large part to Party Time’s flashy looks. The 15-year-old chestnut pony’s liberal splashes of white and his blue eyes made him a striking companion for his nine-year-old rider. But he’s more than that. He’s also Jordan’s best friend. Photo: Taylor Pence/US Equestrian Gibbs came from Colorado...

Equestrians never forget their first ponies. Woolly or sleek, magnificent or mischievous, they are the teachers who reveal the most fundamental and enduring wisdom about life with horses: that it is joyous, that it is hard work, that it is a partnership which demands compromise but also makes us stronger. These special animals arrive from a remarkable variety of sources—sometimes handed down from siblings, sometimes expensively acquired, often bought cheaply from an auction or an ad or...

North Salem, NY - Competition is underway at the Adequan®/FEI North American YouthChampionships (NAYC) presented by Gotham North, at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, NY. Young Rider dressage competitors from the United States and Canada participated in the first horse inspection, with all 28 horses passing the Ground Jury’s inspection. Ava MacCoubrey and Ritter Benno ( SusanJStickle.com ) They ride their Team Test to decide the team medals on Wednesday, August 1. Junior dressage riders...

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian (USEF) and the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) are pleased to announce the first members of the Discover Dressage USEF/USDF Emerging Athlete Program. USEF Dressage Youth Coach George Williams and USEF Dressage Assistant Youth Coach Charlotte Bredahl-Baker selected the following eight athlete-and-horse combinations for membership based on their evaluation at the Robert Dover Horsemastership Clinic January 2-5, 2018, as well as their likelihood of...

Wayne, Ill. – Combinations competing for the AGCO/USEF Junior Dressage National Championship and USEF Children Dressage National Championship got their first shot in the ring on Friday to open the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions. The judges saw a promising group of athletes in both divisions demonstrate their early potential with close scores across the board. Isabel Linder and Elvis have a narrow lead in the junior division with a score of 70.991%. Abby Fodor and Slip and Slide hold...

Boyd Martin and Thoroughbred event horse Blackfoot Mystery (Kasey @ Rare Air Photography) Olympic three-day eventing athlete Boyd Martin will be a keynote speaker at the International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses on May 17 in Washington, D.C. The inaugural forum takes place May 17-18 and coincides with the Pan American Conference, an annual gathering of American and international Thoroughbred racing interests hosted by The Jockey Club and the Latin American Racing Channel. IFAR is an...

The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover is a thriller for spectators and equestrian fans, whether they’re on site at the Kentucky Horse Park or watching the action live on USEF Network . For a different perspective, we asked several participants behind the scenes at Rolex Kentucky to describe what their experience at this eventing championship is like. Lauren Kieffer, riding Veronica, won the 2016 Rolex/USEF CCI4* National Championship after finishing second overall at...

The USEF’s Eventing Emerging Athlete Program is an age-restricted program that identifies and cultivates talented young riders ages 18 and under and 25 and under with the potential to evolve into future United States team candidates. They’re coached by USEF Eventing Emerging Athlete Coach Leslie Law. This year, four of the program’s riders are among the entries for the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover. Madeline Backus Horse: P.S. Arianna....

Lexington, Ky. - In preparation for the 2017 U.S. Saddle Seat Invitational/Test Event, the U.S. Saddle Seat Young Riders Teams attended their first training sessions at Cascade Stables in New Orleans, La., and High Caliber Stables in Greensboro, N.C. This was the first opportunity the riders and coaches came together to work and train as teams. It also afforded riders the opportunity to prepare for competition by riding multiple horses unfamiliar to them, just as they will at the...