Beesd, The Netherlands - The first two days of the 2008 Four-in-Hand World Driving Championship in Beesd, The Netherlands were dominated by Team USA. The Team is in the lead after the dressage, ahead of the host nation The Netherlands, and Switzerland. Chester Weber maintained his lead in the dressage with his amazing dressage test, which was awarded on the first dressage day with a record score of 32.13 penalty points. Weber, 33 from Ocala, Florida, won the first competition of the World...

Beesd, The Netherlands - The 19th edition of the World Four-in-Hand Driving Championship, one of the major highlights of the driving season, opened impressively yesterday in Beesd, the Netherlands. The wonderful opening ceremony marked the start of one of the driving highlights of the 2008 season. Many enthusiastic spectators welcomed 59 competitors from 20 different nations, who were kicked off the competition with a presentation in the large stadium in traditional horse drawn carriages. Team...

Lauren Hough and her mount Unicum closed out the Constitution Classic at HITS Culpeper when the duo posted the fastest double-clear effort in the $40,000 Avalon Saddlery Grand Prix to win the blue ribbon. Course Designer Ken Krome trimmed a field of 21 starters in the first round down to just four in a jump-off that saw Hough dominate the round when she won the class by nearly six seconds. Kicking things off in the jump-off was Maryland's Tracy Magness and her grand prix horse Tarco Van Ter...

The richest team show jumping event in the world, the $350,000 BMO Nations' Cup, takes place on Saturday, September 6, at Canada’s premiere show jumping event, the Spruce Meadows Masters Tournament near Calgary, Alberta. “In the wake of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Canada’s Silver medal in the team jumping competition, this year’s event should be more exciting than ever,” said Bill Downe, President and Chief Executive Officer of BMO Financial Group. “We are privileged to have such an...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is pleased to announce that Laura Noyes and her Trakehner gelding, Syncro, were awarded this year’s Fiona Baan Pursuit of Excellence Memorial Trophy. Noyes is originally from Falmouth, ME, but now lives in Delaware, OH, where she is a student at Ohio Wesleyan University and trains with George Williams. When asked how she felt about being awarded this prestigious trophy Noyes exclaimed, “Winning the Fiona Baan trophy is more than I ever expected of my...

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) will once again present one of the most prestigious reining competitions in the world—the 2008 FEI World Reining Masters. The event will be held during the 2008 NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show on December 4 at the Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. Worldwide Action The FEI World Reining Masters is a thrilling competition involving the best individual reiners in the world. All have qualified,...

Leslie Berndl and Koopman's Lightning Rod (Jacqueline Zimmermann, Hippoevent) Today was marathon day at the World Championship Single Driving in Jarantow, Poland and it was a true festival for the driving sport. Thousands of enthusiastic spectators visited the marathon site and enjoyed a high quality and accident-free marathon with lots of action. The very tough, but horse friendly and fairly built, marathon course was very demanding for both horses and their drivers at this high level. Donna...

The first phase of the World Single Driving Championship in Jarantow, Poland, was won by Dutch driver Jan van den Broek, who’s dressage test on Thursday could not be beaten by today’s reaming drivers. Bill Peacock put down the best dressage performance for the US team with a score of 44.30 on the 19th place. The top three of yesterday’s dressage remained unchanged. Van den Broek leads with an gap of 7.27 penalty points ahead of Germany’s Mareike Harm and the 1998 World...

FEI-level rider Luis Denizard is asking his peers, friends, acquaintances and other dressage enthusiasts to come together during 2008 to support the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association's (NARHA) Horses for Heroes, a program that helps wounded veterans through equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT). Many of the Horses for Heroes participants have lost limbs fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Riding horses helps improve their strength and balance. Working with the horses...

Jimmy Torano of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, topped the $10,000 Open Jumper High Score Awards, presented by Sir Ruly, Inc., at the six-week Vermont Summer Festival held July 9-August 17 in East Dorset, VT. Offered for the second year, the $10,000 Open Jumper High Score Awards, presented by Sir Ruly, Inc., awards $10,000 in bonus money to the most consistent open jumper competitors throughout the six-week circuit. For the second year in a row, it was Torano who came out on top. Torano is one of the...