Welcome to a different kind of blog from WDAA. The purpose of this post is to allow the reader "into the heads" of both a trainer/judge/competitor, Karen Abbattista and her student, Deborah Herbert, a Florida WDAA member. We would like to share with you some moments in Deb's journey as she pursues her riding goals with her AQHA mare "GenuineArcticSpring", barn name "Belle". Please enjoy as you follow along with these posts that we consider interesting or challenging moments on her journey...

Kenya and Caitlyn Shiels topped the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby, sponsored by Walgreens (Tricia Booker Photography) Traverse City, MI - July 15, 2013 - Caitlyn Shiels gave Kenya a pep talk before heading to the R.L. Polk Family Main Hunter Ring for the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby, sponsored by Walgreens. After collecting a bountiful array of ribbons during Horse Shows by the Bay Series II, Kenya had one more important outing on Sunday afternoon, July 14. "I told him, 'Today is...

Lexington, KY - In Germany and Austria over the weekend U.S. Dressage riders and horses competed to top placings at CDI4* events in Lingen and Fritzens-Schindlhof. In Fritzens, Austria Tina Konyot (Palm City, FL) shined in Grand Prix competition with a 3rd place finish in Saturday's Grand Prix and a 2nd place finish in Sunday's Freestyles test, with a score of 76.450%, riding Calecto V. In small tour competition Jennifer Hoffman (San Diego, CA) rode to 3rd place in the Prix St. Georges...

Calgary, Alberta – Five weeks of world-class competition wrapped up at Spruce Meadows on Sunday afternoon with a fantastic win for Ireland’s Conor Swail and Lansdowne in the $400,000 Spruce Meadows ‘Pan American’ Grand Prix. The final event of the summer featured a five-horse jump-off with a win for the Irish, Colombia’s Daniel Bluman and Sancha LS in second and fellow Irishman Cameron Hanley and Antello in third. Canada’s Peter Grant set the track on Sunday...

Holly Shepherd and Loretta Patterson's Triompf make it look easy on their way to the winner's circle (Classic Communications) Johns Island, SC - After a lengthy absence, Classic Company President, Bob Bell decided to reintroduce grand prix action to the boutique-style Charleston Summer Classic and dedicated the first grand prix in memory of Juan Hernandez. Holly Shepherd of Grand Bay, Alabama and Loretta Patterson's Triompf celebrated the return of the grand prix Saturday night with a win...

Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run's Eternal (Carrie Wirth/Mary Adelaide Brakenridge Phelps Media Group) Parker, CO - Brazilian course designer Anderson Lima built what appeared to be a straightforward course for the $40,000 Holiday Inn of Parker Grand Prix for Summer in the Rockies V, considered the peak week of the summer series at the Colorado Horse Park. But the course was tougher than appearances let on. "I decided to do a more technical course than a really big course, which meant they had...

Peter Wylde guided Lewin 5 to victory in the $30,000 Battenkill Grand Prix, presented by Johnson Horse Transportation, on July 13 at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, VT — Olympic gold medalist Peter Wylde and Lewin 5 sped to their second Grand Prix victory in a row at the Vermont Summer Festival, winning the $30,000 Battenkill Grand Prix, presented by Johnson Horse Transportation, during week two of the six-week show jumping...

Katie Prudent and V (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, Alberta - Two exciting feature competitions were held on Friday under beautiful blue skies for day two of the ‘Pan American’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows. In the $33,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.60m, Katie Prudent (USA) and V led the victory gallop, while Meagan Nusz (USA) and Vesuvius took top honors in the $15,000 CIBC Junior/Amateur Jumper 1.40m. The ‘Pan American’ Tournament continues through Sunday,...

Parker, CO - Exciting show jumping action kicked off the first day of competition at Summer in the Rockies V in the Kathy and Brad Coors Family Grand Prix Arena at the Colorado Horse Park. Brazilian course designer Anderson Lima welcomed horse and rider combinations to Week V of the "AA"-Rated series with courses that offered interesting options for shaving off time. Thirty riders and their mounts jumped around the 1.30m track. Hunter Holloway and Julie Dodd's Libra were the first to go...

Canada’s Carly Morrison riding Duvel won the $10,000 SJHOF High Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic on Sunday (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, VT - Canada’s Carly Morrison and Connecticut’s Wendy Collins were the two big winners on Sunday, July 7, at the Vermont Summer Festival running July 2 through August 11 at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT. Morrison took the win in the $10,000 SJHOF High Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic riding Duvel while Collins emerged victorious in the...