"What a mare, huh?" said Penny Brennon of her winning mount in the $5,000 Speed Derby. The mare in question is Cowgirl, an eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood that owner Debi Connor imported from Holland several years ago. With Brennon in the irons, Cowgirl won the $5,000 Speed Derby during the Rocky Mountain Classic (July 14-18, 2010) at the Colorado Horse Park. It was the second week in a row the pair topped the Speed Derby. "This is an amazing horse," Brennon said. "I didn't think we could have a...

Caledon, Ont. – The final equestrian competition of the 2015 Pan American Games got underway this afternoon with jumping’s first individual qualifier. The U.S. Jumping Team of Georgina Bloomberg, Kent Farrington, Lauren Hough, and McLain Ward got off to a solid start, posting four clear rounds. The U.S. was one of only two countries to have all four of their athletes post clear rounds, in addition to Canada. The U.S. will remain last to go in the order for Thursday’s Nations...

Tina Konyot and Calecto V (MA Brakenridge/PSdressage.com) Lyon, France - The highly anticipated 2014 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final got underway Saturday afternoon at the Lyon Eurexpo. As 17 of the world’s best horse-and-rider combinations performed the FEI Grand Prix Test before the Ground Jury of Eduard de Wolff van Westerrode, Dr. Jean-Michel Roudier, Thomas Lang, Dr. Evi Eisenhardt, Gary Rockwell, Jacques van Daele, and Leif Tornblad. The U.S. combinations of Tina Konyot with...

Mister Montana Nic and Craig Schmersal (Shannon Brinkman/USEF) Lexington, KY - The Adequan U.S. Reining Team has passed all of five of their team members in this morning's jog at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG). The Reining World Championships presented by John Deere will start on Saturday, September 25, at 9 a.m. with part 1 of the team competition and the first round of the Individual Qualifying Competition. The Adequan U.S. Reining Team consists of the following reiners and...

Nick Maupin is a 19-year-old student at the University of Wisconsin majoring in Business Marketing and plans to graduate in 2015. From Sussex, Wisconsin, he is on the five-gaited section of the 2012 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team. It would not surprise any member of the Saddle Seat world to hear me say that the discipline is generally, along with Saddle Seat Equitation, a female dominated sport. Quite possibly the only time one will see a male majority in a class is in the Open divisions. Not...

Devon, Pa. - The rides on Sunday at Dressage at Devon, were of top quality, and featured the Young Rider Freestyle, the Grand Prix Freestyle (ages 16-25), the fantastic Grand Prix Special, and the Intermediaire 1 Freestyle. Allison Brock and Rosevelt, a black stallion owned by Claudine and Fritz Kundrum, won the FEI Grand Prix Special. It was Alison’s second trip to Devon, but the first time she rode in the Grand Prix. She was thrilled that Rosevelt handled Devon’s charged...

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...

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...

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...