Minikus, Farrington, Johnson, and Kessler in Winner's Circle for Jumpers The 2009 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) CSI****-W is one of the most exciting equestrian competitions in the country, and it is one of only two shows in North America that offer a puissance, or "high jump" class. Friday night's $25,000 Puissance presented by Chevron Corporation saw a very familiar face for the awards presentation. Seven-time winner McLain Ward of Brewster, NY, was victorious in the class on...

Three regional qualifying competitions were recently held for the 2009 ASPCA Maclay National Championships. They were the last Regionals held, and the final list of qualifiers is now available (please see below). The 2009 ASPCA Maclay National Championship will be held at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament on October 28-November 1, 2009. Zazou Hoffman was the winner of the Region 1 qualifier at the Grand Fall Classic in Westbrook, CT. Hoffman finished second at Regionals last year...

Besides delighting my readers with scintillating stories (we writers like to use words like "scintillating" because we think it makes us sound writerly), my main purpose for being at Sport Horse Nationals here in beautiful, damp Kentucky is to help out (in other words, provide slave labor for) my good friend and mentor, Patience Prine-Carr. This means that I get a lot of mane pulling and braiding practice every day. While it's good for me to get the practice, it's frustrating because...

These last three days have been sooo busy! We get up at 6am and back to the hotel at around 1am! So let me give you an overview on what has been happening. August 25, 2009 Today our 14 year old rider Theresa rode and boy did she ride the hair off of her horse! She was a sight minus a few pilot errors that every rider makes once in a while. She unfortunately did not place in her class but North Wind Stables were very proud of her. August 26,2009 This day would be a day I will always remember. I...

Louisville! Is it that time already??? I still can't believe it's already the last 2 weeks of August! We prepare this whole year just to go to the "Big Dance" and make lasting memories. But what a lot of people don't realize is how much work we go through as trainer's children to go to Louisville. Well I'll tell you my 2 days so far at the World Championship Horse Show and hopefully you can see a different side to "My Life." August 20, 2009 • Today was the day we would...

Elkton, MD – The weather blew through the Mid-Atlantic region on Friday night and cross country/ marathon day at the USEF National Championships at the Dansko Fair Hill International boasted perfect conditions and terrain. Phillip Dutton, the overnight leader in the CCI*** Championships had to wait until the very end of the day to maintain his lead with Ann Jones’ The Foreman and put on a cross country clinic with the 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding. The Foreman, who won the event...

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has formed a multi-year partnership with Platinum Performance, Inc., a California manufacturer of premium nutritional products for horses, companion animals and humans. Platinum Performance will be the “Official Sports Nutrition Supplement Company” and the title sponsor of the 2007 USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Program for both the East and West Coasts. “The USEF welcomes the new partnership with Platinum Performance,” said USEF...

Oklahoma City, OK—The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) has officially put in its bid to host the 2007 FEI World Reining Masters during its 2007 NRHA Futurity and Adequan North American Affiliate Championship Show. The NRHA Futurity will be held November 22 – December 1, 2007, at the Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, OK. The NRHA and Oklahoma City hosted the inaugural FEI World Reining Masters in 2004. Elite reiners from 16 different countries competed for a purse of $100,000...

The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) has announced that the Arabian Breeders Sweepstakes (Sweepstakes) program has paid more than $2.7 million in Sweepstakes prize money, Breeders Incentive and Nominated Sire payback to owners and breeders out of a $3.1-million pot of available prize money for 2006. More than $1.2 million was paid to owners who enrolled their horses in the annual Points program. More members received Sweepstakes earnings in 2006 than ever before. Payouts involved 5,922 horses...

(Lexington, KY) - The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc.® announces the launch of new USEF Dressage Developing Programs. The new 2007 USEF Dressage Developing Programs are an initiative to recognize and reward up-and-coming talent in the sport, and will include the following: • 2007 USEF National Junior Dressage Championship (riders 14 – 18). Formerly the Junior Team Dressage Championship, the top 12 junior riders in the country will now qualify for the National Championship contested in...