I am currently sitting in the O'Hare airport on the floor next to what appears to be the only functioning outlet in the place. All I can smell is latte. We had a botched breakfast plan yesterday so decided to go for coffee instead. I managed to spill not one but two cups of coffee on Martin Atock and on my backpack. Now if any of you know Martin, he doesn't like to be messy, he was then in the Venetian covered in Latte. He doesn't feel sorry for me that my bag smells funny but I do...

The Champ (Shannon Brinkman) Las Vegas, NV – The Dressage world has changed. American rider Steffen Peters and Ravel are at the center of the universe. The suspense built throughout the night at the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Final in the Thomas & Mack Arena, and with only one American horse remaining in the competition, the crowd had to wait until the third to last horse in the ring. With $102,000 USD on the line and a Rolex watch, the competition was fierce. Ravel, in first World Cup...

International Reining Celebrity Challenge ORDER OF GO Saturday, April 18, 2009 Following Las Vegas World Cup Grand Prix Rolex FEI World Cup - Las Vegas, NV 1. Rodrigo Pessoa – International Team - Jumping Olympic Gold medalist, three-time FEI World Cup Show Jumping Champion and the youngest FEI World Equestrian Games World Champion - Sir Pine By Boomer (2000 American Quarter Horse) Owned by Kim & Jessica Tourino of California; NRHA Earnings $10,686; NRHA Open Futurity finalist; AQHA World Show...

Las Vegas, NV – After defending Rolex FEI World Cup Champion Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum broke the timing beam at 32.04 seconds with Shutterfly at the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Final, the question remained: how do you beat this horse? US superstar McLain Ward tried with Sapphire, the pair looked phenomenal. Foot perfect, lightning fast and with some seriously bold moves, Ward went with two remaining in the 13 horse jump-off and there was reasonable consensus that Sapphire’s effort...

Let me just say wow. Hats off to Steffen Peters and Ravel. They owned Thursday. All of it. Just swooped down and claimed that Grand Prix victory like it was theirs for the taking. I can't think of a more deserving pair. A pair of kings, with a crowd of thousands roaring their approval all around the arena. As he and Ravel exited the arena, a palpable wave of adrenaline washed over all of us lucky enough to witness it. He hoisted wife Shannon up into the air and held her there, hugging her...

RAVEL and Steffen Peters (Shannon Brinkman) Las Vegas, NV – Steffen Peters always knew how good Ravel was. After the 11-year-old Dutch gelding’s performance in the Rolex FEI World Cup Final Grand Prix, he stamped himself as one of the best dressage horses on the globe. Beating nine-time (and defending) World Cup champion Anky van Grunsven (on IPS Painted Black) and Isabell Werth (on Satchmo) in the process, Peters won with a commanding score of 77.914% With the highest score of...

The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) recently bestowed two distinct horses, Tsarina Bint RII and WH Bodacious, with the honor of being named Arabian ambassadors. The Ambassador Award, presented annually, recognizes Arabians, Half-Arabians and Anglo-Arabians for outstanding achievement in representing the Arabian Horse community to the general public. Tsarina Bint RII (PRI Ibn Masriyyah x Normandie), owned by McKenzie Rae Jenkins of Gallatin, TN, is a 13-year-old Half-Arabian bay mare. Jenkins...

Steffen Peters and Ravel (Shannon Brinkman) Las Vegas, NV – With the anticipation building in the Thomas & Mack Arena for the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Final, both the Dressage and Jumping competitors got their final tune up in the main arena on Wednesday. 14 Dressage horses from eight nations and 45 Jumping competitors from 22 will take center stage today, the first day of competition. Two masters are back to defend their titles. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly are looking...

Since its inception just five years ago, the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) has experienced unprecedented growth and has quickly become the largest recognized affiliate of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). Albeit the USEF’s largest affiliate, USHJA is also one of the only affiliates to not have its own headquarters. But that is changing. On September 24, 2008, the USHJA celebrated two landmark occasions: the launch of the “Building For Growth” Capital Campaign and...

George Lucas’ Storm Troopers from the blockbuster Star Wars films were created as an elite army with no fears, just a determination to be victorious. This week saw a new breed of Storm Troopers at the Atlanta Spring Classics finale. Shaker Heights, OH-based David Jennings and partner Marcus Aurelius triumphed over Mother Nature in the Lucky Sevens Welcome Stake and the Atlanta Spring Grand Prix, both presented by Classic Company. Despite torrents of rain that came and went throughout most of...