Heather Mason (Susan J. Stickle) The Board of Directors of The Dressage Foundation announced that Heather Mason is the recipient of the 2012 “Carol Lavell Advanced Dressage Prize” in the amount of $25,000. The purpose of the Prize, established at The Dressage Foundation, is to provide financial assistance for coaching and training to a talented, committed, qualified rider whose plan is to reach and excel at the elite, international standards of high performance dressage. The $25,000...

Mary Jordan and Sebastian. Photo: Lindsay Y McCall for the United States Para-Equestrian Association (USPEA). Thousand Oaks, CA - With a Team Gold under their belt earned at the 2011 CPEDI3*in Mexico City, the United States Para-Equestrian Team takes to the air headed to beautiful Melbourne, Australia. The 2011 CPEDI3* in Werribee, Victoria, Australia, begins Thursday, December 8, with a horse inspection, followed by the Team Test on Friday, Individual Test on Saturday, and finally the...

The jumpers arrived in the middle of eventing madness and their horses (who all fly regularly) traveled like stars. Lizzy Chesson and George Morris went to team processing and picked up all of their stuff (and the grooms) so that they could jump at Harrisburg and come in on Monday. It is still a mystery how she managed so many suitcases, but luckily the USOC people are super helpful and always have bodies where every necessary. About Half of the Bags that Lizzy Brought from Houston The eventers...

It takes a lot of people to keep our U.S. show on the road, so the first Barn Notes will be fairly basic introductions of the Dressage staff: Barn Manager Dougie Hannum first travelled with the U.S. Team in 1966 as a show jumping groom and he hasn't missed much over the last four decades. The first team horse he looked after was called Ilan, he belonged to James Paxton but Frank Chapot rode him on the team and Dougie was part of the deal. He was around when a jumping horse named Sloopy had...

Lexington, KY- Four American horses and three riders are set to take on a huge, and hugely competitive field at the Boekelo CCI3* in The Netherlands. The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for Boekelo is comprised of Boyd Martin’s pair Remington XXV (owned by Henley House Stables, LLC) and Otis Barbotiere (owned by The Otis Barbotiere Syndicate), Michael Pollard on his own, his wife Nathalie’s and his father-in-law Carl Bouckaert’s DV8 and Tamra Smith on Leigh Mesher’s Mar de...

Lexington, KY - The popular Helmet Awareness Campaign Riders4Helmets, has partnered with the Mustang Heritage Foundation to encourage helmet usage at the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover to be held September 15-17 in Fort Worth, TX. The Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover (SEMM) is a National event organized by the Mustang Heritage Foundation (MHF), a non-profit organization founded with the purpose of saving America’s wild Mustangs. The SEMM is the richest wild horse competition in history...

Combined Driver Chester Weber, America’s reigning four-in-hand driving champion, shows his winning form in the Four-In-Hand competition at the Riesenbeck CAI. (Photo courtesy of My Elisabeth Weber). Riesenbeck, Germany – If you are superstitious you might credit combined driving champion Chester Weber’s fourth winning weekend in Europe to his team’s “four lucky rabbit’s feet.” Team Weber’s companion mascot, a hefty black rabbit named Kainzi, joined them...

Lexington, KY - Longtime supporter of the American Saddlebred and the American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA), Gerald "Gerry" L. Durnell, 69, passed away on the evening of Monday, May 23, 2011, after a courageous bout with cancer. Gerry, husband of longtime ASHA member Kaye Bowles-Durnell, was born April 27, 1942, in Santa Paula, CA. He was a graduate of Southwest Missouri University in Springfield, MO. He worked his way through college as a rock and roll DJ, a TV cameraman, and as an...

The entries in principle for the inaugural FEI Reining World Final, which will be held in exactly one month’s time on May 21, 2011, at the renowned equestrian facility of Bökeberg, just outside of Malmö, Sweden, are the strongest in the sport’s history. Reiners from 20 nations will be vying for the coveted title of FEI Reining World Champion and the $100,000 prize pot. The nations intending to field athletes are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark,...

The winning presentation for the Mirabal team and Wheels for Kids (Photo by Sportfot) Wellington, FL - February 20, 2011 - The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida transformed into a field of dreams for 32 Palm Beach charities in the second annual FTI Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments® where over a million dollars was raised in an exciting Pro-Am show jumping event on February 19. A signature event of the 12 week FTI Consulting Winter...