From Canada to Israel and Denmark to Brazil, horses from 20 nations on four continents are set to compete for the world cup of reining during the Western International reining festival. The Western International runs October 17-22 at the National Western Complex in Denver, CO. Each country can nominate up to two riders to compete in the FEI World Reining Masters Finals. Riders must possess the highest cumulative score from qualification rounds throughout the year and place in the top five at...

The nine-year-old Brazilian-bred mare Shakira Do Jacare beat both the field of 32 and the stormy weather to take first prize in the Week Two Horses Helping Horses Lucky Sevens Welcome Classic. The Classic, presented by The Plaid Horse Magazine , was a repeat victory for Shakira and owner/rider Sergio Campos, having bested last week’s field of 35. “The course was a lot of fun,” Campos said of Buddy Brown’s challenging field, which utilized natural obstacles, such as hills and banks, causing many...

Lexington, KY – Bracket-style national championships are well-known in the NCAA basketball world and will soon be second nature in the NCAA equestrian world as well. The Varsity Equestrian Steering Committee recently announced that the 2006 Varsity Equestrian National Championship will take on the bracket-style format, a welcomed change by fans, competitors and coaches. Visit www.varsityequestrian.com to view the 2006 Western and English (Hunter Seat) brackets. In the past, each individual...

Show jumping fans from around the world gathered for opening day of the final week of action at the 2006 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington and were greeted with beautiful sunny skies and mild temperatures. The CN Wellington Finale CSIO*****, the last week of show jumping before the festival moves on to Tampa for the final two weeks of competition, got underway on Wednesday at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club. Wednesday’s mid-morning featured event was the 1.45 m Time First Round...

By Mary Creech Brandie Holloway and S&L So Be It, the winners of last week's $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, were the first to attempt the jump-off course. Holloway left all the rails up, stopping the timers in 37.87 seconds. A time that would end up giving her second place. Monica Rahman rode Cyrano to chase Holloway's time. They also posted a clear round, but a second shy with 38.85 seconds left them in third place. Next to go was Sharn Wordley aboard Mr. Flanagan. The pair took second place in last...

The American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC), the national governing body for endurance riding in the United States, will hold its annual convention in Texas for the first time in 2006. The two-day program of seminars, informational meetings and a free trade show is set for February 24-25 at the Crowne Plaza Riverwalk in San Antonio. 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...

Danielle Torano, Alex Parrish, Tracy Kenly and Lauren Hester emerged as champions of the 2005 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series. The Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series conducted its largest series ever in 2005, with classes at 94 horse shows across the nation. This gave competitors an abundance of opportunities to accumulate points throughout the year. The Series featured separate divisions for amateur owner and junior riders with separate standings kept for East and...

Lexington, KY – When asked to choose one word that best describes who she is, Teal Dowling pauses, laughs a little and gives a word that all who know her would heartily agree with. The word would have to be “original,” she told the panel of judges in her interview as a finalist for 2005 USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year. The delightful 18-year-old from Spring Prairie, Wisconsin does her best to live up to that word, charting her own course as she navigates life and the world...

Governor Ernie Fletcher and United States Equestrian Federation President David O'Connor answered questions about the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games after the announcement was made that Kentucky had won the bid. (Marc Manning) First Time Outside of Europe, the United States Will Host World’s Largest Equestrian Competition at Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky LEXINGTON, KY – For the first time, the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) will be held outside of Europe in 2010,...

Delaware State University (DSU) is adding a new women’s sports that will play a major role in making its sports gender equity shortcomings a thing of the past, and at the same time establish a distinct athletics program that will set it apart not only from every school in the MEAC and the state, but in the entire Mid-Atlantic Region. The University will take advantage of the resources and partnerships of its College of Agriculture and Related Sciences and establish a Women’s Equestrian Team,...