WHAT: Interview with Mary Jordan, Equestrian and multiple sclerosis (MS) patient, competing in the 2009 FEI European and Open Para-Equestrian Dressage Championships WHO & WHY: Jordan’s story of managing her MS to compete in the sport she loves is an inspiration to many and has gained media interest throughout the United States. Her competitive resilience so touched one Dutch family that they loaned her a horse to be able to compete in the championships. In 2002, Jordan was first diagnosed with...

Doug Payne, acclaimed rider and board member of the Professional Riders Organization, won top honors at the Millbrook Horse Trials this past weekend in New York. Payne's placings included three wins. "To date, I have not had an event which went so smoothly," Payne said. "And I can't say enough about the horses this weekend." Payne competed with eight horses in six divisions. "I'm excited that several of these horses will be competing for years to come," Payne continued. "Hopefully, their...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) has added additional items to its Youth Auction, held annually during the Kentucky State Fair (KSF) and World's Championship Horse Show (WCHS). Among the items up for bid at the 2009 ASHA Youth Auction are two tickets to the sold out Taylor Swift concert, scheduled for 7 p.m. on Sunday, August 30. Included with the concert tickets is a night's stay at the Crowne Plaza hotel on the evening of the concert. Another "big ticket" item that will be up...

For the first time in many years the Arabian East Coast Championships were not held in Quentin, PA; the competition was held at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA, July 29-August 2. The move resulted in double the number of entries and classes offered. Familiar faces welcomed exhibitors to the new location and all it had to offer. Two indoor arenas gave main ring and sport horse entries plenty of warm-up area out of the weather. For the working western and over fences horses, there were...

On August 1, the Youth National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show came to an end after eight days of top-level horse show competition, a shopping expo and the Arabian Horse Youth Association (AHYA) Annual Convention. This was the show’s 17th year in Albuquerque and is estimated to bring about $10.2 million to the city. The largest class, Arabian Hunter Pleasure Junior to Ride, age 14-17, hosted 79 horses and was won by Kool Enuff, owned and ridden by Kirsten McKillop of Alamo, CA....

Last year the Capital Challenge Horse Show offered a new event to the schedule—the Emerging Pro Challenge. The Challenge class was designed for professionals who may be knocking on a door that is typically opened by riders like Scott Stewart, Louise Serio, Peter Pletcher and a handful of other hunter riders who have graced the Show Place Arena with top scores on numerous horses. The $5,000 Emerging Pro Challenge was designed to give riders competing in the professional divisions (future...

The 22 ponies of the eight American competitors at the World Combined Pony Championships in Greven-Bockholt, Germany, passed the veterinary inspection on Wednesday morning without problems. Single pony drivers Sherri Dolan, Sara Schmitt and Suzy Stafford, pony pair competitors Miranda Cadwell and Tracey Morgan and pony team drivers Kathleen Whaley, Laurie Astegiano and Allison Stroud presented their adorable ponies to the veterinary delegates and judges in Greven. Team USA arrived in Greven...

Lexington, KY – After nearly four months of top competition between the best show jumping nations in the world, the title of Meydan FEI Nations Cup Champion came down to the final round of the final leg at the Dublin International Horse Show in Dublin, Ire. With the US jumpers holding their own throughout the duration of the tour, they ended up barely beaten for the top spot in the standings by France. The two countries tied for fourth on 20 faults a piece in the final, which left France with a...

Ailish Cunniffe is crowned Equisport Insurance/USEF Pony Medal Championship Final winner. (USEF Archive/Randi Muster) Lexington, KY—By midday Sunday, the Kentucky Horse Park began to look vacant. Ponies were unbraided and cooled, loaded trailers rumbled toward home and the usually lively vendor row was filled with merchants striking their tents and packing their wares. After four days of fierce competition in the Pony Hunters and Jumpers, the whirlwind that is the 2009 USEF Pony Finals...

Jumper champions Sydney Shulman and Set Sail (USEF Archives/Randi Muster) Lexington, KY—It was a day of champions at the 2009 USEF Pony Finals as ribbons and top honors were handed out in the Regular Pony Hunters as well as the Individual Jumper Finals at the Kentucky Horse Park on a sun-drenched day where the competition was as hot as the weather. Beginning early in the day was the Medium Pony Hunters where there was no shortage of graceful rides and impressive rounds from the ponies....