Holly Shepherd and Loretta Patterson's Triompf make it look easy on their way to the winner's circle (Classic Communications) Johns Island, SC - After a lengthy absence, Classic Company President, Bob Bell decided to reintroduce grand prix action to the boutique-style Charleston Summer Classic and dedicated the first grand prix in memory of Juan Hernandez. Holly Shepherd of Grand Bay, Alabama and Loretta Patterson's Triompf celebrated the return of the grand prix Saturday night with a win...

Reed Kessler and Wolf S (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, Alberta - The 'North American' Tournament continued today, and it was Reed Kessler (USA) and Wolf S who took the highlight victory of the day in the $50,000 Lafarge Cup 1.50m over Lauren Tisbo (USA) with Catharina 9. Frances Land (USA) and Vieanne were very fast to win the $33,000 Pepsi Challenge 1.45m as the first ones in the jump-off. The 'North American' Tournament continues through Sunday, July 7, and features...

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...

Watch Lauren Hester and Warinde B Jump to the Win in Asten Lexington, KY - Lauren Hester (Rancho Santa Fe, CA) broke new ground for herself on Sunday, June 16th by winning her first Grand Prix class in Europe. In Asten, The Netherlands, Hester rode her ten-year-old KWPN Mare Warinde B (Padimus x Eikstein) to the fastest of two double clear efforts, and the win. Thirteen horses from a field of 62 returned for the jump-off at the CSI2* Grand Prix at CSI Asten. Of those only Warinde and Coriander...

Like the tale of a great cowboy story, a monumental journey began in the kitchen of a house in a small town in Texas. It was there that a gathering of horsemen and women begin to discuss the merits for the use of Dressage for the Western horse; “Western Dressage” emerged. Understanding the need for an organization to provide education and resources for this discipline, the Western Dressage Association® of America (WDAA) was formed as the first national entity for Western...

Howell, NJ - United States Driving for the Disabled, Inc. (USDFD) will host a free driving clinic at Celtic Charms Therapeutic Horsemanship in Howell, NJ on August 10-11, 2013. Sponsors for the Para-Equestrian Developing Driver Clinic include the United States Para-Equestrian Association (USPEA) and United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). The Para-Driving clinic is held in conjunction with USDFD, USPEA, USEF, Celtic Charms Therapeutic Horsemanship, and Ann Miles of the Carriage Barn in New...

Victoria Colvin (The Book LLC) Devon, PA - The final day of Devon was off to a beautiful start; the sun was shining, a nice breeze was blowing, and spectators lined the stands waiting for the first Hunter Derby rider to enter the in-gate. The ring was filled with hunter-style jumps--natural wood, shrubbery, a crisp hedge roll top, and numerous branches decorated a series of obstacles. The Derby is a unique set of classes, with fences set to different heights so riders can chose the high of low...

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...

Kaitlin Campbell on Rocky W Devon, PA - This evening's open jumper class was the Idle Dice Open Jumper Stakes class. The class was named after famed jumper horse Idle Dice. Idle Dice was originally bred as a thoroughbred race horse, but he was discovered and retrained by Bernie Traurig who showed him as a hunter. He was later purchased by Harry Gill and shown as a jumper by Rodney Jenkins. Idle Dice won over $400,000 in his career (an amount that would triple if adjusted to the value of...

In the face of overwhelming response from its membership and requests to host USEF Town Hall Meetings in many cities around the U.S., Federation staff and leadership opted to host a Town Hall Meeting to be broadcast LIVE on USEFNetwork.com on Monday, June 3 at 6:00 p.m. ET. This interactive broadcast replaces the previously scheduled meetings in an attempt to provide greater access to more people across all breeds and disciplines nationwide. "This innovative use of technology presents a unique...