“Who is Paul Rohrbach?” asked many people after he posted his first major grand prix win at the $50,000 Los Angeles National Grand Prix. Rohrbach, a professional from Colorado who runs a successful hunter/jumper training business with partner Corky Shaha, has been steadily posting strong grand prix finishes over the years. After his stellar performance in the grand prix aboard Mary Dunahay’s Shiraz, everyone knew who he was. Rohrbach came to the Los Angeles National (November 16-20, 2005) by...

Craig Schmersal had four horses to show at the Southwest Reining Horse Association (SWRHA) Futurity and Horse Show in Ardmore, OK, in October. He had Commanders Nic and Im Genuinely Smart for Open and Novice Horse Open competition. He had two three-year-olds for the SWRHA Futurity, Wrangle Whiz and Conquistadors Star. All four horses earned NRHA paychecks. After the show, Schmersal, his wife Ginger and their sons Chris and Nick drove to their new home and training facility in Overbrook, OK,...

Aaron Vale of Aiken, SC, riding for Angelstone Farms claimed another victory on board the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Arriscraft Soleil with double clear rounds on November 20 over a field of 36 competitors in the $40,000 National Hunter Jumper League (NHJL) Grand Prix sponsored by Bayer/Legend. A first-round time of 88.158 seconds assured Vale a return spot in the jump-off. Their second clear round time of 43.024 seconds put them in the winner's circle. Vale had a total of six mounts...

The Education Department at the Kentucky Horse Park wants to make better caretakers out of horse owners, and consequently better horses. To that end, they will offer a variety of equine classes and programs for both adults and youngsters in 2006. Equine professionals and novices will benefit from courses on a wide variety of topics, designed to make participants better horsemen and horsewomen. John Nicholson, Executive Director of the park, noted “As the Horse Capital of the World, we have a...

On January 11-12, 2006, Dawson and Nye Auctioneers and Appraisers will be auctioning off trophies, paintings, silver, pictures, rugs and other household effects from the house of equestrian legend and current U.S. Show Jumping Chef d’Equipe George Morris. The auction will be held in Morris Plains, NJ, at the auction house of Dawson and Nye. John Nye, President and Principal Auctioneer of Dawson and Nye Auctioneers, will offer nearly 200 items from the collection of George Morris at their Morris...

Take Zone Four Finals, National Classic Equitation Finals, the $25,000 Barry Lane Memorial Grand Prix, the $25,000 Rio Vista Products Grand Prix and you get the first of two big weeks of showing at the Georgia International Horse Park. The 3rd Annual $25,000 Barry Lane Memorial Grand Prix continued it’s growing success with 98 competitors in the qualifying round on Saturday, November 12, from which a field of 61 moved on to the challenging course designed by Jeff Smiley for championship rounds...

Lexington, KY – Ashlee Van Raalte, 18, of Scales Mound, Illinois, will represent the United States in Bahrain, December 15-18, as she rides for the title at the 2005 FEI World Endurance Championships for Juniors and Young Riders. The 2005 Championship promises to be the largest competition of its kind to date, and will play host to more than 150 expected entries from a record 33 participating countries. Van Raalte will compete on the 75-mile course with either “Saif Al Arab”...

The National Horse Show and Family Festival returns to the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club, November 30-December 4, 2005. One of the featured events is the $80,000 Young Jumper Championship Invitational, showcasing the finest rising show jumping stars in the United States. The $80,000 Young Jumper Championships Invitational consists of three sections, one for horses five years of age, one for horses six years of age, and one for horses seven and eight years of age. Qualifying for the event took...

Lexington, KY – The MidSouth Three-Day Event at the Kentucky Horse Park played host to four championships October 20-23. Mother Nature made the weekend cold and damp, but that didn’t stop 80 riders from competing in the CCI* with steeplechase, the 2005 USEF National One-Star Eventing Championship East Coast. John Williams and his own Sweepea Dean led from start to finish, winning the Championship for the Richard D. Collins trophy. Williams added only one rail to his dressage score...

Karen Kroon of Cheyenne, WY, won the 2005 FEI North American Endurance Championship CEIO**** at the 17th annual Fair Hill International Festival in the Country in Elkton, MD, October 9-10. Kroon won the continental championship’s Individual Gold medal by finishing the 100-mile ride in a time of 11:45:30 on Rokket, her 11-year-old bay Arabian gelding. Dominique Freeman of La Honda, CA, who finished in 11:45:50 seconds on Jayel Super, a 13-year-old bay Arabian gelding owned by Stagg and Cheryl...