Ravel Settles for Second (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, FL – Having convincingly won the Grand Prix at the 2010 Exquis World Dressage Masters on Thursday afternoon, the pressure was on Steffen Peters to continue his winning tear with Ravel. But unfortunately for the US fans, it was a repeat of 2009 and he still couldn’t eclipse Anky van Grunsven and her Olympic champion Salinero. The reigning Gold medalist wowed the fans with a classic fault-free performance and a score of 84.4% for the...

Equestrian Sports Productions (ESP), owner and manager of the FTI 2010 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), is busy with the final preparations to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) for the January 12 opening day. ESP has spent millions of dollars since the last circuit to ensure that the experience for both customers and horses will be excellent in the New Year. Mark Bellissimo, Chief Executive Officer of ESP, and Managing Partner of Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEP),...

Excellence in equestrian sport does not come easy. It takes an amazing sense of dedication, incredible skill and a courageous heart. And in 2009, five horses (and their riders, drivers and handlers) have shown the world exactly those qualities. For each of them, their hard work and brilliant talent has garnered them a nomination for the United States Equestrian Federation's highest honor bestowed upon a horse - the Farnam/Platform USEF Horse of the Year Award. The five nominees represent the...

Sunday marked the conclusion of the Washington International Horse Show at rhe Verizon Center as the Pony Hunter divisions wrapped up their second day of competition. Meredith Darst had a banner day, claiming two of the championship tricolors, and going on to win the Grand Champion Pony Hunter trophy with Elation. She was also presented with the award for Best Child Rider on a Pony, sponsored by the Arute Family, for her excellent performance. Darst and Elation, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker of...

On Saturday, the best horses and riders from the hunter divisions competed for the top prize in the $15,000 WIHS Hunter Classic Derby at the Washington International Horse Show. After two rounds of competition it was Scott Stewart, of Ocala, FL, and Way Cool that led the victory gallop after they earned a total score of 170.9. Earlier in the day the Washington Pony Equitation Classic Finals were held, with Madeyln Keck and Tango receiving the top call and earning the blue ribbon. The champions...

As every breeder has experienced, the process of breeding mares and raising foals has many highs and lows. So when those moments of success arrive, it is important to savor them. Anne Sparks, owner of Horses Unlimited, had 48 hours to remember when four of her young stallions earned prestigious accolades. Homebred Pikko del Cerro HU won the 2009 Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championship-Six-Year-Old. Two days later at the Rheinland Pfalz-Saar International (RPSI) inspection,...

USEF Archives (Lexington, Ky) - In order to better serve members, the USEF has begun a new expedited FEI and National Passport service which is intended to assist those who have an urgent need to obtain a new passport, revalidate an existing one, change ownership, change a horse’s name, and to receive an FEI Recognition Card (a National Passport from any country that is upgraded to an FEI Passport.) Horses and ponies competing in the FEI disciplines need official passports to compete in...

The Welsh Pony and Cob Association of California, Inc. (WPCAC), is pleased to invite all interested parties to its second annual pony symposium, to be held in Stockton, CA, on February 9-11, 2007. The WPCAC's annual meeting is also on February 11, 2007, during this event. The event will be held at the Stockton Radisson Hotel, with further information available soon at www.wpcac.com. Stockton is located an hour from Sacramento and two hours from San Francisco, and has a small airport of its own....

In grand style and competing against the best reiners in the world, champion reiner Shawn Flarida of Springfield, OH, broke into the elite Two Million Dollar Rider Club Saturday night at the FEI World Reining Masters Finals in Denver, CO. Flarida became only the second rider in National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) history to earn this incredible distinction. He competed against riders from 18 different countries at the Masters Finals earning the Gold medal. Flarida scored 223.5 riding...

The International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association (IALHA) just passed a major milestone with the registration of its 10,000th purebred Andalusian. Although Andalusians were practically unknown 30 years ago, this rare breed is rapidly taking the horse world by storm. Known for their signature beauty and their fantastic temperaments, Andalusians are now making their mark as performance horses, especially in Dressage. The 10,000th Andalusian registered was the colt Suerte D’ ORO, owned...