Blaine Mangione takes a break from the jumper ring to win the $1,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby (Bella Nova Pictures) Versatility was the name of the game as riders transitioned between the equitation, hunter, and jumper rings at Gold Coast 5 (July 19-21). Young professional Blaine Mangione, usually seen in the jumper arena, proved she could win the blue ribbon in $1,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby as well. “I was really shocked! I’m usually in the middle of the pack so I honestly...

David Dorner and Clyde 9 rode to the $5,000 1.40m Jumper victory on the first day of Equifest I Wayne, IL - It could not have been a more perfect day at the Lamplight Equestrian Center as riders were welcomed to the first day of Equifest I. There was not a cloud in the sky as the courses were set for the opening day of jumper competition, as top contenders gathered at the Grand Prix Ring for a day of enticing show jumping. It was David Dorner who stole the spotlight in the arena Wednesday,...

(l-r) St Lawrence Univ, Skidmore College, and Stanford Univ (LA Pomeroy) Harrsiburg, PA - "Sharing is better than losing to her," joked Mary Drueding, coach of defending Intercollegiate Horse Show Association Collegiate Cup team, St. Lawrence University, about good friend and even better rival, coach Cindy Ford, whose Skidmore College team turned up the heat in the homestretch like true Thoroughbreds on the first Saturday in May and brought the 2013 Collegiate Cup at the 40th annual IHSA...

As with all new things, as they develop, there are certain glitches and bugs that inevitably crop up. NAWD reviewed its 2012 tests for 2013 and has corrected errors and last week the WDAA announced that there were errors in calculating the point totals on some of their tests. An important notice to competitors who have ridden USEF Morgan Tests at 2013 shows came out in the WDAA newsletter and emails to members. They “…discovered minor errors in preparing the WDAA Western Dressage...

Shane Smith & Shepherd Star (Shannon Brinkman) Lexington, KY For the second time in three years, Shane Brown won the World Championship Freestyle Reining tonight at the Kentucky Horse Park. He rode Shepherd Star to the title, receiving 228 points from the three judges. Brown’s score put him just 1 point ahead of three riders who tied for second with a score of 227—Aaron Ralston on Blue Taris Glo, Drake Johnson on Sonic Chic Dream, and Pete Kyle on A Ruf Gal. The winners split a...

Mikala Munter Gundersen and My Lady (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, FL - Following Lars Petersen's victory in Saturday evening's freestyle, Mikala Munter Gundersen collected another top prize in Denmark's honor with My Lady in the FEI Grand Prix Special 5* presented by Diamante Farms. The FEI Grand Prix Special 5* was the final 5* class of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) Wellington 5*, presented by Diamante Farms and hosted at That Stadium at the Palm Beach International...

The Western States Cowboy Dressage weekend in Medford Oregon was held February 16 and 17. It was a very informative and educational weekend with Eitan Beth-Halachmy and a great cast of presenters that included renowned veterinarian Dr. Robert Miller, Modern Vaquero cowboy Jeff Sanders and VERY brave riders from all over the northwest. The event was presented by the Oregon Western Dressage Association, an affiliate of WDAA, despite the split between WDAA and Cowboy Dressage last fall. It was...

It all came down to speed in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. Eduardo Menezes and Cruschka who had the speed and rode to the win (Flying Horse Photography) Thermal, CA – It was by all accounts a stellar kick-off to the 2013 HITS Desert Circuit Friday, as 38 horse and rider combinations tested themselves in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. Crisp weather and a light drizzle did...

The twenty fourth in a series of blog posts from Michelle Binder North American Western Dressage receives all kinds of questions at the website and on our FaceBook page. Last week Jen Johnson shared the following in a post and it generated a huge amount of material for consideration. She posted: “I received an email last night from a **** judge who had the following concerns about Western Dressage..... “The problem is that the western horse is going to have to be much quicker in...

The ninth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder Western Dressage is a new and growing discipline in the horse world. People are talking about it everywhere. At North American Western Dressage we answer questions every day about what it is, how you do it, what you wear, what your horse wears, bits, reins, helmets, levels of tests and competition, movements and how you do them and a myriad of other things. Answering these questions could be a full time job for any one of our...