So we are closing in on the end of the Para-Equestrian Dressage portion of the 2012 Paralympic Games, with only two Freestyles left for the U.S. to perform. It has been an amazing experience for me so far and the icing on the cake would be a medal for our riders! We have come incredibly close on a few occasions but with two more opportunities we are still hopeful. Jonathan Wentz and NTEC Richter Scale were so close on Saturday but had to settle for fourth, not bad in your first Paralympic...

The tenth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder The development of Western Dressage as a discipline is very exciting to riders, trainers, breeders and exhibitors alike. North American Western Dressage is dedicated to finding common ground between the two disciplines, educating riders from all backgrounds, and to making dressage concepts accessible to western riders without minimizing the importance of the training pyramid nor sacrificing the principles that are fundamental to...

Liberty RCA This is a story that has everything … intrigue, international glamour, terrible personal loss, and the heady promise of greatness lingering just off stage. It’s the story of a colt, born in May of 2011 at a place called Arabians, Ltd. in Texas where a great many legendary Egyptian Arabian horses stood up as foals on wobbly knees and took a first, tentative step. His dam was a lovely bay mare named Liberty HG. A daughter of the great Hadidi (Norus x Hebet Allah by...

Michael Morrissey and Vorst mastered the first round course and short track this morning at the Tournament of Champions (Kendall Bierer/PMG) Tampa, FL - The second day of the Tournament of Champions commenced this morning with some of its most competitive jumper divisions getting underway. The Tournament of Champions sees some of the nation's most talented riders compete in the Open Jumper classes in preparation for the esteemed American Invitational, rapidly approaching this Saturday,...

Lexington, KY - It was an incredible night of competition at the Alltech National Horse Show, 128th Edition, as 14 of 35 e ntries qualified for the jump-off during the $75,000 Double H Farm International Open Jumper class. There was one quick round after another, but at the end of the night it was McLain Ward and Rothchild, owned by Sagamore Farm of Oyster Bay, NY, who posted a double clear effort in 36.10 seconds and led the victory gallop. Pan American Individual and Team Gold Medalist...

So there is a lot to catch up on! For starters – the U.S. Eventing team has been dominating - they won the dressage and then jumped FIVE double clear rounds on Saturday’s cross country course in front of 33,000 spectators at Santa Sofia Golf Course. It was awesome to watch them – Buck set the mark on Absolute Liberty and the rest of them met it. You could count all hairy moments on one hand – we have a lot of which to be proud. The venue was beautiful and it was like a...

Lexington, KY - The U.S. brings a wealth of championship experience to Lipica, Slovenia, this week for the FEI World Driving Championships. The seven drivers that will represent the U.S. have competed in a total of 13 World Driving Championships and have claimed 14 USEF National Championships as a group. Miranda Cadwell, Shelly Temple, Laurie Astegiano, Lisa Stroud, and Suzy Stafford were all members of the Bronze medal-winning U.S. team in Dorthelyst, Denmark, in 2005 and look to add to their...

Kirsten Coe and Baronez pictured with (from left) Moti Ferder, Equ Lifestyle's Francisco Pasquel, Tomas Harlan, Melissa Brandes, Robert Ridland, Nathalie Cooper and RJ Brandes. CapturedMomentPhoto.com. San Juan Capistrano, CA – Twenty couples toured the track designed by Leopoldo Palacios in tonight's $50,000 World Cup Qualifying Grand Prix, presented by Equ Lifestyle Magazine in the Blenheim Farms Covered Arena. Of those twenty we saw four fault free trips, all ridden by talented...

Wellington, FL - The 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival has come to a close after a successful 12 weeks of competition. Jennifer Alfano and SBS Farms' Jersey Boy have led the USHJA International Hunter Derby program since its inception, winning classes all over the country in the last few years and proving their expertise in the handy rounds and finesse over the jumps. Tonight was no different, as the pair jumped their way to victory in the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby during the...

Wellington, FL - February 14, 2011 - The fifth week of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) has concluded at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, and another week of fantastic competition was held. The FTI WEF hosts the best that the sports of show jumping, hunters and equitation have to offer in 12 rings of competition. $150,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix presented by Spy Coast Farm An exciting jump-off topped off a fantastic class on Saturday evening in the $150,000 FEI World...