Craig Schmersal and Mister Montana Nic (Photo by Shannon Brinkman for USEF) Lexington, KY - The Adequan U.S. Reining Team started off competition today for the United States athletes at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG). Today's competition in the Reining World Championships presented by John Deere was part 1 and 2 of the Team Competition and the first round of the Individual Qualifying Competition. Tim McQuay of Tioga, TX, and Hollywoodstinseltown, owned by David and Bonnie...

K.C. Montgomery (Shawn Flarida RC Fancy Step) Oklahoma City, OK – The 2010 Adequan/USEF Open Reining Championships, which also served as the USEF Selection Trial for the Adequan US Reining Team for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, featured fierce competition with a national title and a ticket to the World Equestrian Games on the line. The Oklahoma State Fairgrounds main coliseum was rocking on Saturday night and when the dust settled Shawn Flarida held on to his lead and had the best two...

Photo by Randi Muster (Alex Matz and his pony, Wise Guy.) A famous jumping name will again be present in the Devon Horse Show catalog. The name is Matz, but this time it isn’t Michael, who showed for many years very successfully at Devon, but his son, Alex. Alex is only 11 years old and he’s only been competing in pony jumpers for a couple of months, but it’s already beginning to look like he’s inherited his famous father’s talent. The first time he ever competed...

Lexington, KY - The USEF has named the following horse/rider combinations to the Definite Entry for the Adequan U.S. Reining Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games to be held September 25-October 10, 2010, at the Kentucky Horse Park. The following horse/rider combinations have been named to the Adequan U.S. Reining Team (in ranked order): Rider/Age/Hometown/Horse/Age/Breed/Sex/Owner Shawn Flarida/41/Springfield, OH/RC Fancy Step/6/Quarter Horse/Stallion/ Buffalo Ranch Tom...

Blaine Mangione takes a break from the jumper ring to win the $1,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby (Bella Nova Pictures) Versatility was the name of the game as riders transitioned between the equitation, hunter, and jumper rings at Gold Coast 5 (July 19-21). Young professional Blaine Mangione, usually seen in the jumper arena, proved she could win the blue ribbon in $1,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby as well. “I was really shocked! I’m usually in the middle of the pack so I honestly...

Photo by ESI Photography (Tracy Fenney was the star of the show at HITS Culpeper winning the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derby and the $40,000 HITS Grand Prix. ) The road to the Pfizer Million passed right through the heart of Virginia's horse country for the HITS Culpeper July horse shows and saw two major contenders in the race for the top prize in the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix pull off a pair of big wins at HITS Commonwealth Park, in Culpeper, VA. Aaron Vale got the party started during the...

John French entered last week’s $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derby as a heavy favorite, and during the popular two-round classic, he showed exactly why when he captured the top two places in the class to conclude a fabulous week during Desert Circuit V at the HITS Desert Horse Park, in Thermal, CA. French, from Gilroy, CA, took the top placing aboard Lisa Martinez-Bates' Brego and was also second aboard Yellow Dog, LLC's Crown Affair en route to collecting $5,000 in prize money for the afternoon....

Lexington, KY - The USEF has named the following horse/rider combinations to the nominated entry for the Adequan US Reining Team for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in ranked order: Rider/Age/Hometown/Horse/Age/Breed/Sex/Owner Shawn Flarida/41/Springfield, OH/RC Fancy Step/6/Quarter Horse/Stallion/ Buffalo Ranch Tom McCutcheon/43/Aubrey, TX/Gunners Special Nite/6/Quarter Horse/Stallion/Turnabout Ranch Craig Schmersal/37/Overbrook, OK/Boom Shernic/6/Quarter Horse/Stallion/The Boom Shernic...

On Saturday, February 28, the Penn-Ohio Futurity offered an opportunity to learn training tips from accomplished horseman Bret Day, of Grey Ridge Farm in Versailles, KY. The training clinic was held at Champions Center in Springfield, OH. Day is well known in the Saddlebred community, partly for his involvement with the United Professional Horsemen’s Association (UPHA). Notable horses trained by Bret Day include WC Bono, WC Mahvelous Guy, WC Hallelujah Chorus, WC Go Big Blue and many other...

Isabelle Leibler and her German Sport Pony, Going West, won the FEI Pony Individual class at the ESP Wellington Dressage Show recently, and the pair also rode away with special recognition from the American Shetland Pony Club (ASPC). Leibler, who trains with Lars Petersen, won the class with a score of 63.474%. Leibler, who just started in the FEI division, purchased her pony five years ago in Europe. Her mother, Rene Leibler, said she believes ponies are ideal for children in dressage. “On...