Courtney King-Dye (Shannon Brinkman) Hong Kong, China – The first round of team competition got underway for the team portion of the dressage competition and Courtney King-Dye, from New Milford, CT, was the lone American to perform her Grand Prix test today based on the advantageous draw of the US team. The US team drew 11th of 11 teams so King-Dye and Mythilus were the second to last combination to go of the second rotation. They put in an excellent test with no mistakes, highlighted by...

Becky Holder and Courageous Comet (Shannon Brinkman) Hong Kong, China – Becky Holder cashed in on a lifetime of preparation today when she cantered down the centerline of the dressage ring of her first Olympic Games. She put in a fantastic effort to lead the US Eventing Team to a second place finish after three riders. The US Team finished on a score of 121.50 behind the Australians who were on fire with a three rider total of 102.8. Riding the 13-year-old Thoroughbred Courageous Comet...

Gina Miles and McKinlaigh (Shannon Brinkman) Hong Kong, China – Becky Holder cashed in on a lifetime of preparation today when she cantered down the centerline of the dressage ring of her first Olympic Games. She put in a fantastic effort to lead the US Eventing Team to a second place finish after three riders.The US Team finished on a score of 121.50 behind the Australians who were on fire with a three rider total of 102.8. Riding the 13-year-old Thoroughbred Courageous Comet (whom she...

Gina Miles and McKinlaigh (Shannon Brinkman) Hong Kong, China – Gina Miles put in a personal best with McKinlaigh at her first Olympic Games to go into third place after the morning session of the first day of dressage. The Creston, CA rider and the giant Irish Sport Horse (owned by Thom Shulz and Laura Coats) had beautiful trot work, quality walk and canter and transitions. The pair received some nines, and would have scored even better but they made a couple of mistakes in their flying...

The human and animal kingdoms may be enjoying a quiet summer/winter weekend, depending on the hemisphere, but it is a key one for the horses taking part in the equestrian events of the 2008 Olympic Games. On Friday, July 25, the first horses left from Europe (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) and the United States (Atlanta, GA) on three flights to Hong Kong. All 33 horses—coming from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Korea, The Netherlands, and Switzerland—accompanied by 15 attendants...

Talk about a Rocky Mountain High. Luke Tokaruk of the Aiken, SC-based Tokaruk Show Stables, earned his first grand prix victory this Saturday, winning the $25,000 High Prairie Grand Prix aboard his own Lucius 35 at the Colorado Circuit Opener. Both Luke and his brother Michael, aboard Lord Byron, were entered in the grand prix, the highlight of Week One. Both the Tokaruks described the huge course, done by Olympic course designer Leopoldo Palacios, as “big and tough.” Indeed, only four...

Dressage at Devon is pleased to be the first horse show in the United States to offer a foal championship. The foal championship, sponsored by Hassler Dressage, will be a part of the event’s extensive breed division, which takes place September 23-25. The foal championship was added for a number of reasons. Because their ever-changing conformation can impact their movement, foals will be on a more equal ground when judged against each other. “It is always difficult to judge foals against other...

Oklahoma, OK – Billed as “The New Breed Of Luxury” and designated as the official horse transport vehicle of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), the new Equine Motorcoach™ is in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The all-in-one RV and horse transport is on display at the 2008 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby at the Oklahoma State Fair Park. The NRHA Derby is the host competition USEF Reining Championships, which include the Open, USEF National CRI* Reining Championship, and the...

Lexington, KY- The first day’s competition at CSIO Rotterdam, The Netherlands got off to a great start for the US riders participating there. For the US, McLain Ward won an unprecedented two classes in one day - the Deloitte/AKD Prixsen van Wijmen Prize on Blue Chip Bloodstock’s Goldika and the Dura Vermeer Groep Prize on Larioso, also owned by Blue Chip Bloodstock. Beezie Madden also had a good day, finishing with good ribbons in all three classes (a 2nd with Abigail Wexner’s Authentic, 4th...

Lexington, KY -The countdown is almost over. There is only one more qualifier for the 2008 Adequan/USEF National Open Reining Championship presented by Equine Motorcoach left for riders to win their ticket to the USEF National Championship. The final qualifying competition is at Syracuse, NY at the CNYRHA Ride and Slide June 7th. The National Reining Breeders Classic hosted a 2008 Adequan/USEF National Open Reining Championship presented by Equine Motorcoach qualifier on April 18th in Katy, TX....