Brazilian superstar Rodrigo Pessoa headed the winning line-up of international riders in Sunday's $75,000 Grand Prix de Penn National on the final day of the 64th Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Pessoa, Olympic Gold medalist and three-time World Cup winner, aboard Let's Fly, was the eighth rider on course and the first to navigate the course designed by Steve Stephens without a rail down. "I have been riding him for a little over a year and a half," said Pessoa. "I started him in the bigger...

The dressage justice in the world continued last night. In a fiercely difficult freestyle, Ravel and Steffen delivered a World Cup Championship performance. It was one of those nights where the planets aligned. How lucky are we to have been a part of it? Ravel got better, and better, and better throughout the Freestyle and they brought down the house for the US. To the music of the Rolling Stones' Sympathy for the Devil, Ravel, who had an introduction to the world in Hong Kong last summer,...

Anyone who said they didn't cry is lying. In fact, photographer Ken Braddick told me that he didn't and I told him he had no heart. From the moment she set foot in the arena, the floodgates were open. Brentina has always moved people with her performances, but today, as she walked around the Thomas & Mack with Debbie McDonald aboard, everyone was astounded with her presence. Debbie had lost her composure by the time she got on the gallant mare. Everyone else was just a few seconds...

Jarantow, Poland ­– Team USA set their goal after yesterday's marathon to improve their individual placing and team placing at the World Driving Championship on the last Team USA in Poland (Jacqueline Zimmermann) competition day. They succeeded! The USA Team climbed to 11th place in the final team standings, thanks to the very good results of the US drivers in the final and decisive cones competition. The last competition turned out to be a thrilling and exciting competition in...

Lexington, KY – The U.S. duo of Chester Weber and Tucker Johnson equaled an Chester Weber Drives to Third Place (Franz & Andreas Steindl) American best on Sunday by placing third overall in the Four-in-Hand Nations Cup at the World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen. Weber made a mistake at the very first cone and added some time faults in the final phase to finish the three phases in third individually, a personal best in Aachen, by less than a point on a score on 154.06. “We had...

Photo by Howard Schatzberg (Brittany McGinnis and Amandari) Lexington, KY – Brittany McGinnis of Fishers, IN, riding American Saddlebred Amandari, was crowned champion of the 2007 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Saddle Seat Medal Final, held November 17, as part of the United Professional Horsemen’s Association American Royal National Championship Horse Show in Kansas City, MO. McGinnis topped the class of 24 entries in the two-phase competition that required both rail...

David O'Connor accepting the 2007 Equine Industry Vision Award. (Diana DeRosa ) Albuquerque, NM— When it comes to promoting innovation and showing vision in the equestrian world, there are few people who are as adept at it as the United States Equestrian Federation’s own president, David O’Connor. And for his years of excellence as an equestrian athlete and his service to not only the Federation, but the equine industry as a whole, O’Connor was presented with the 2007...

The American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC), the national governing body for endurance riding in the United States, will hold its 2007 annual convention in Sparks, NV. The two-day program of seminars, informational meetings and a free trade show is set for February 23-24 at John Ascuaga’s Nugget. Leading experts in equine health care and endurance-related fields will be featured at several seminar sessions. Other highlights of the AERC's convention will include a trade show featuring vendors...

Virginian Gary Baker and Kentuckians Jean McLean Davis and Donna Moore to be Honored (Lexington, KY) – The United States Equestrian Federation® will award the 2006 Pegasus Medals of Honor during the Pegasus Awards Gala at its Annual Meeting, Friday, January 12, at the Seelbach Hotel in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. The award recognizes individuals who have exhibited outstanding service to horses and sport, and who, through their dedication, have attracted people to the sport and...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is proud to recognize the following individuals for achieving USDF Instructor Certification status at the USDF Instructor Certification Test held at Morven Park in Leesburg, VA, November 10-12, 2006. The examiners for this Instructor Certification Test were Lilo Fore and Gerhard Politz. Training—Second Level Candy Allen, VA Erin Vallarino, CA Jane Rodd, NY Recognized Teacher, Training—Second Level Victoria Gorman, NJ Training—Fourth...