Winners Again - This Time in St. Gallen (Courtesy of the FEI) By Joanie Morris Lexington, KY - The US Show Jumpers continued their march across Europe with another amazing performance in St. Gallen, Switzerland in the third leg of the Meydan FEI Nations Cup. Christine McCrea, Ashlee Bond, Laura Kraut and Richard Spooner stayed on the roll that began last week in Rome and continued with a jump-off for the win in Switzerland. “It doesn’t happen often back-to back to win in a top league like...

(Lexington, KY)— The Markel/United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Young Horse Dressage Selection Trials concluded the 2009 qualifying season with competitions held across the country in Illinois, California and North Carolina to select the U.S. representatives for the 2009 FEI World Breeding Championships to be held in Verden, Germany, August 5–9, 2009. The first Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Selection Trial was held at CDI 3*/Y/J Wayne & Dressage at Lamplight in Wayne, IL, May 15–17,...

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced that Henk van Bergen has signed on as the featured presenter at the 2010 Succeed/USDF FEI-Level Trainers’ Conference, presented by SmartPak, to be held January 18-19, 2010 in Loxahatchee, FL. Each year, USDF offers a trainers’ conference to those individuals who meet the attendee criteria to learn training techniques and study with a world class dressage trainer. Born as the son of a baker in Nijmegen, Holland, Van Bergen started his career...

Lexington, KY – Collecting Gaits Farm will once again provide dedicated support to the 2009 Collecting Gaits Farm/United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Dressage Festival of Champions, which last year determined the 2008 Olympic Team in Dressage. Collecting Gaits Farm has supported the Festival of Champions for many years, and will once again serve as title sponsor. The Festival of Champions is set to return to the USET Foundation headquarters in Gladstone, NJ, June 18-21. This prominent...

(Lexington, VA) – The Virginia Horse Center was host to the Virginia Horse Trials and CCI* during the Memorial Day weekend. Divisions ran from Intermediate to Beginner Novice, and Connemaras were evident in ribbon winners in many divisions on many levels. Dornin North, of Berryville, VA, rode Mitford, a half-bred gelding by Aladdin’s Denver out of a Thoroughbred mare, to win the dressage and go clean in stadium in the Open Preliminary Division, only to have the horse slip on cross country,...

Karen Healey Stables spent the holiday weekend at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center competing at the Memorial Day Classic Horse Show, held May 21-25, 2009. Healey's students showed in the hunter, jumper, and equitation divisions throughout the weekend and earned top placings in all three disciplines. The Memorial Day Classic had an exciting equitation team challenge over the weekend that provided a fun opportunity for each team, which was made up of one professional, one amateur, and one junior...

The Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W/Y is pleased to announce the winners of the 2009 Challenge Series Awards. Jennifer Huber, riding her own Al Pacino, claimed the Adult Amateur Grand Prix High Score Award with a 67.872%, as well as the overall Grand Prix/Grand Prix Special Award. These special prizes are awarded at each level to the horse/amateur rider combinations with the highest average score at both the Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W/Y and Dressage at Equestrian Estates horse shows....

Doug Payne, an acclaimed rider and board member of the Professional Riders Organization, won the Virginia Horse Trials CCI* this past weekend. His win included an impressive dressage score in the long format event that secured his victory. “I was thrilled with Running Order’s performance,” said Payne of the seven-year-old Irish gelding owned by Stone Hill Farm. “He is the ideal horse for the longer format, and I know he’ll continue to excel to the top of the sport.” Payne chose to compete in...

The 2008/2009 ASG Software Solutions/United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Hunter Derby Qualifying Series was brought to a close this past weekend at the Devon Horse Show in Devon, PA, and the Memorial Day Classic in Burbank, CA. The 18-month series will culminate at the Hunter Derby Finals on August 21-22, 2009, at the Kentucky Horse Park. The top 75 horses based on earnings will be invited to Lexington to compete for an unprecedented $100,000 in prize money. Forty-five...

The Morgan Open High-Point Award is sponsored by the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) and is available to open equestrian competitions around the country. Currently more than 150 events will be offering the award to competitors exhibiting with a registered Morgan. Congratulations to Wayne Tolbert riding Windstorm Sienna (Funquest King Ofancy x Homestretch Brandie), who won high-score honors riding in the open heavyweight division at the Spanish Trial Competitive Trail Ride held on March...