Last week I posted a virtual show entry video from an amazingly brave woman who continues to allow me to use her material for examples in this blog. Her courage and generosity inspire me and I hope that her open heart and willingness to be visible inspire you too. I hope that some of you readers are able to identify with her as a peer, a rider struggling to understand riding and training her stock horse and that you professionals at least respect her courage. Reaction to the video has been...

Lexington, KY - A talented team of jumpers descend upon Hickstead, England this week to represent the U.S. at the CSIO5* Hickstead. The prestigious competition will run August 1-4 and hosts the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup of Great Britain presented by Longines on Friday, August 2nd. The U.S. will be represented by three veterans as Beezie Madden, McLain Ward, and Richard Spooner all look to score top honors throughout the week. Additionally, young rising stars Reed Kessler and Katie Dinan make...

Shane Sweetnam and Fineman (Shawn McMillen) Lexington, KY - The Rolex Stadium was full of excited spectators as they gathered on Hats Off Day to watch the country's top horse and riders compete during the $50,000 Rood & Riddle Grand Prix. The international riders gave them exactly what they were looking for: an exciting tiebreaker between five-horse and rider combination dashing to the finish. In the end it was Ireland's Shane Sweetnam and his new mount Fineman that led the victory...

Olympic gold medalist Peter Wylde guided Lewin 5 to victory in the $30,000 Vermont Summer Special Grand Prix on July 6 at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, VT – Peter Wylde made his first trip to Manchester, VT, a winning one by claiming victory in the $30,000 Vermont Summer Special Grand Prix on July 6. The six-week Vermont Summer Festival is running July 2 through August 11 at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT. A veteran of the...

Lexington, KY - A group of five individuals have been invited by the USEF to participate in the inaugural tour of the FEI World Breeding Championships for Dressage Young Horses. The 2013 Championship will take place in Verden, Germany on August 7-11, 2013. The tour will be led and organized by USEF Young Horse Coach Scott Hassler and will include tickets to the young horse dressage events as well as meetings with European experts. The tour was open to anyone who has participated in the...

Having trouble sorting through all of the press releases, results, and news articles from Aachen? Here we have aggregated all of our headlines from the past two weeks, in chronolgical order, to help you find what you're looking for. Friday June 21 Alicen Divita Leads U.S. Effort After Individual Compulsory and Technical Tests at Aachen CVIO3* Saturday June 22 Divita Earns top Ten Finish as Individual Vaulters Finish Up and Paux de Deux Team Gets Started in Aachen Sunday June 23 U.S....

Richard Spooner and Cristallo (Stefano Grasso/Longines GLobal Champions Tour) Monte Carlo, Monaco - Richard Spooner and Cristallo electrified Monte-Carlo Saturday night winning the Riviera Grand Prix for the third time in a record triple. In a spectacular jump off in front of a full house the US rider left William Funnell on Billy Congo in second place and Edwina Tops-Alexander on Guccio in third and shook up the ranking for the 2013 Longines Global Champions Tour series. In a dramatic shift,...

Lauren Crooks and Navare D'Oriolles (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, Alberta - The finish of the $33,000 Westjet Cup 1.45m could not have been any closer, with only one-thousandth of a second separating first and second place. With the slimmest margin of victory, Lauren Crooks (USA) and Navare D'Oriolles, a 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding by Derby Rouge x Le Gregol owned by Beatrice Mack, scored their first international victory at Spruce Meadows. Crooks was one of eight...

Lake Placid, NY - Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, NJ and Johnathan Corrigan of Oyster Bay, NY won the two sections of the Hollow Brook Wealth Management 1.35m jump-off classes, Wednesday's main events at the 44th annual Lake Placid Horse Show, Presented by Sea Shore Stables, LLC. The show continues through Sunday at the North Elba Showgrounds before giving way to the 36thannual I Love New York Horse Show, July 2-7. Chapot rode Umberto to two fault-free rides and a jump-off time of 35.012s...

Leslie Howard and Lennox Lewis 2 (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, AB – The final day of the Spruce Meadows 'National' Tournament had two exciting competitions that featured speed and stamina. Leslie Howard (USA) and Lennox Lewis 2 took their second victory in the $175,000 Nexen Cup 1.60m Derby, equaling their 2011 finish. Olympic gold medalist Eric Lamaze went into another gear to notch the week's first Canadian victory in the International Ring in the $40,000 ATCO...