Fair Hill, Md. – Spectators were greeted with crisp, fall weather Friday at the 2017 The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International Three-Day Event. At the conclusion of the dressage phase, Selena O’Hanlon (Ontario, Canada) and Foxwood High, a 14-year-old Canadian Sport Horse, lead the CCI3* division with a score of 39.4. Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights (Carla Duran for Shannon Brinkman Photo) Second place belongs to Colleen Rutledge (Frederick, Md.) and her 11-year-old Thoroughbred...

Dear USEF Members, 2017 marks the 100 th Anniversary of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and there is no better time than the present to launch a version of the organization which will pave the way for years to come. There was a much different feeling and buzz to this year’s USEF Annual Meeting. If you did not get to attend this year’s meeting, you missed out on an outstanding and high-energy experience filled with informative live presentations ranging from the...

Dear fellow USEF member, Last Saturday, I was formally elected to be President of the United States Equestrian Federation. I am deeply honored to have been elected to this volunteer position and am so excited to have been given this opportunity to help drive growth in equestrian sports in the United States. For those of you who don’t know me, the first thing you need to know is that I come to this position with 45 years of equestrian experience. And put simply, I love horses. Our family...

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Para-equestrian dressage competition got underway Sunday at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. Twenty-seven Grade III and Ib competitors representing 24 countries took to the main arena at the Deodoro Equestrian Center to perform the Team test, the first of two tests in team competition. Angela Peavy (Grade III) and Sydney Collier (Grade Ib) got the U.S. team off to a solid start, putting the U.S. provisionally into third place among the 14 nations, following day one...

I have been very lax and much has happened. Another medal for the U.S. Equestrian Team, but set against the extreme disappointment of having to withdraw Cortes 'C'. There have been a high number of clears in all rounds of the jumping competitions; I am sure there will be those that argue that it is a bad thing and some that will say it is a good thing. Whatever the eventual diagnosis, it sure as hell put the pressure on for the second round of the team jumping competition! I am not sure...

Jenny Karazissis and Puissance R (Shawn McMillen) Lexington, Ky. - For Jenny Karazissis, making the journey to Kentucky from Calabasas, California has already proven to be worthwhile. Karazissis and Puissance R bested a field of 132 top-caliber entries to win round one of the 2016 USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Championship at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show on Tuesday. Going later in the order, Karazissis unseated Scott Stewart and Storm Watch from the top spot, taking over his score of 261.5...

I am happy to report that today started very well for the Jumping Team. Chef d'Equipe, Robert Ridland, managed a 0 fault round in the Keurig Challenge Stakes. I would say he had a clean round but I did notice a little spillage on the floor. Yes, we have a Keurig machine....life without coffee, no thanks! Trying to get everyone to keep the prep area clean and tidy has been at times, challenging, but Mr. Ridland led from the front disposing of the used K Cup and cleaning up afterwards. His...

A whirlwind 48 hours during which the eventing competition unfolded in a way that could give a storyline to the next Harry Potter movie. Quite unbelievable. Bronze for Philip Dutton - fantastic and so richly deserved. Perhaps the moral of the storyline to the last 48 hours is fight, keep fighting and never stop fighting until the Finish Line is disappearing in your rear view mirrors. The French have looked dangerous since the Europeans last year (where they had to secure Olympic qualification)...

Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice (Shannon Brinkman Photo) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Cross-country, the heart of eventing competition, proved to be demanding for the 64 athlete-and-horse combinations who contested Pierre Michelet's technical course at the Olympic Equestrian Center at Deodoro on Monday. Only three entries finished double-clear, and only 26 crossed the finish without jumping penalties. U.S. veterans Phillip Dutton and Boyd Martin rode brilliantly and stand fifth and sixth,...

Boyd Martin and Blackfoot Mystery (Shannon Brinkman Photo) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - The eventing horse inspection officially kicked off equestrian competition at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday. Over the next 14 days, 204 athlete-and-horse combinations in the three equestrian disciplines of eventing, dressage, and show jumping will compete for coveted Team and Individual medals at Rio’s Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Center. The U.S. Olympic Eventing Team of Phillip...