Victoria Colvin and Ovation (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Week seven of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by Hermès , continued on Saturday with the $50,000 USHJA World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular. Fifteen-year-old Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL, took home her second win in a row in the prestigious class, this year riding Dr. Betsee Parker's Ovation to victory. Previous winners...

The twenty first in a series of blog post from Michelle Binder It was an exciting weekend for western dressage in the Pacific Northwest November 2-4. On Friday the Washington State Horsemen (WSH) voted to add Western Dressage as a new discipline on the roster of events offered by the organization statewide. WD has been added as a sub-category of dressage and will utilize NAWD Official Rules and Tests for the 2013 show season so WD classes may now be added to any WSH approved Dressage show...

Abigail Mutrux is a 17-year-old junior at University City High School in St. Louis, Missouri. She is the captain of the three-gaited section of the 2012 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team. In addition to riding Saddle Seat, she enjoys fox hunting and has been awarded her junior colors. Perhaps Saddle Seat is something that most children aren’t drawn toward when they first tell their parents that they want to start riding. I was born into it. My mother grew up competing at the same national...

Meg O'Mara and Sinatra IV were awarded the High Junior Jumper Championship for their efforts throughout the week, as well as the blue ribbon for their impressive double-clear victory in the Show Jumping Hall of Fame High Junior Jumper Classic at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show. (Kendall Bierer/PMG.) Lexington, KY - The final day of the Kentucky Summer Horse Show was afoot with the top amateur-owner and junior riders in the country gathering to compete at the Rolex Stadium. It was a day of...

Victoria Colvin and Inclusive won the 2012 USEF East Coast Junior Hunter Finals Grand Championship. (Kendall Bierer/PMG) Lexington, KY - The sweat beaded off the competitors' brow today at the Kentucky Horse Park. It was the final day of the USEF East Coast Junior Hunter Finals, and the final determinant would be the handy round. Today's second round course determined both Champion and Reserve Champion for each division, as well as overall High Point Mare, Reserve Grand Champion and...

The sixth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder When on a horse, I wear a riding helmet. My students wear riding helmets. I ride and show western and dressage. The helmet/hat quandary, style vs. safety, the tradition or common sense conversation is therefore a subject near and dear to my heart. On March 22, 2012, I went into the hay barn to get a bale of hay to feed lunch in the barn. To make a long story short, despite my usual care in tipping bales, as I turned to leave the...

Gold medal winning team dressage young riders from Region 5 (Susan J. Stickle) Lexington, KY - The first medals of the 2012 Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North (NAJYRC) were awarded today to the dressage teams for juniors and young riders. The dressage competition is sponsored by Platinum Performance and the United States Dressage Federation. Region 5 from the United States - Madeline Birch, Victoria Fernalld, Brandi Roenick, and Devon...

Major equestrian competitions attended by U.S. athletes, both domestic and overseas, are listed in this weekly preview. Please look below to find competition listings by discipline * and breed. We hope you will follow the competitions that most interest you, but check Equestrian Weekly on Monday for a report of any top finishes by U.S. Equestrians. *lists of competitions in all international disciplines will include only FEI competitions or USEF Championships within the USA and international...

Steffen Peters and Legolas 92, Olympic Grand Prix Special Winners (Susan J. Stickle) Gladstone, NJ - Day two of the 2012 USEF Dressage Festival of Champions produced the first three National Champions of 2012 in the Young Rider, Junior, and Pony Rider Divisions. It also featured the Grand Prix National Dressage Championship which also serves as the USEF Selection Trial for the 2012 Olympic Games - which finishes next Saturday. Steffen Peters refused to loosen his grip on the Grand Prix title...

Nick Skelton and Unique dislodged some blocks, but the wall stayed up. Shawn McMillen Photography. Washington, D.C. - In an exciting display of horsepower, Nick Skelton (GBR) powered over the seven-foot Boeing wall to win the $25,000 Puissance on Unique, owned by Beverley Widdowson. The class was the highlight event on Friday of the 53rd Washington International Horse Show (WIHS). The WIHS continues through Sunday, October 30. The highlight class of the week is the $100,000 President's Cup...