In a sport involving controlled movements and precise manoeuvres, Langley para-equestrian dressage rider Stephanie Ross is making leaps and bounds. Ross, 18, who has cerebral palsy, recently won three first-place finishes at her first international dressage competition (in California) in March and is on her way toward qualifying for the Canadian Paralympic para-equestrian team heading to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. "As long as my riding stays up to par, I hope to be at the 2016 [Paralympics]," she...

Steffen Peters and Weltino's Magic. (Photo by Jennifer M. Keeler) Burbank, CA - In sunny California, the competition for a coveted spot on the U.S. and Canadian Pan American Games teams heated up during the Festival of the Horse CDI-W/Y/J, held March 31-April 3, 2011, at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank. Despite a large and talented group of international competitors, there was no stopping Steffen Peters with what the judges deemed his new "super horse", Weltino's Magic. Peters and...

USEF CEO John Long with Craig Ferrell, M.D. (Riders4Helmets.) Lexington, KY U.S. Equestrian Team Physician and Chair of the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) Medical Council, Craig Ferrell M.D, will be attending the International Olympic Committee International Federations’ Medical Commission Chairpersons Meeting in Monaco April 6, 2011. The meeting is for international sport federation national chairmen, and is sponsored by the IOC. Dr. Ferrell intends to provide updates during the...

Kreuth, Germany – The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Futurity welcomed the finals for the Level 1 and 2 Open and Level 1 and 2 Non Pro Futurity finals. Spectators enjoyed the beautiful weather in the German countryside and spectacular reining competition. Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Israel, Italy, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Switzerland and United States were represented in Kreuth today. LENAS DRAWIN HIS GUN AND PREVOSTI WIN LEVEL 2 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP...

Kreuth, Germany – More than 50 horses were shown in the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Futurity Non Pro go round today. The Level 4 and 3 Non Pro competition was dominated by PC Sliderina For Me with Manuel Cortesi (ITA) in the saddle. The 18-year-old was one of many brilliant Italian riders in this field. He rode PC Sliderina For Me (Dualin For Me x The Slide Suprise) to the Italian Reining Horse Association Level 4 Non Pro Futurity Championship last year and placed third...

Kreuth, Germany – The second section of the $187,000 added Open Futurity go round of the 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Futurity & NRHA Show did not witness changes on the leader board today. Finest Copyshot and Rudi Kronsteiner (AUT) are still leading. The mare by I Am Shotgunner, owned by Anja Deutzmann, scored a 222.5 yesterday. However, there was a change for second place in Level 4 Open go round. Time To Mark Big (Big Checks To Cash x Shes Markin Time, owner Manuel...

Rudi Kronsteiner and Finest Copyshot. (Photo courtesy NRHA.) Kreuth, Germany – The 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Futurity & NRHA Show started in Kreuth, Germany today with the first section of the $187,000 added Open Futurity go round. A total of 81 four-year-old reining horses from all over Europe were shown in Ostbayernhalle to kick off the first day of the weeklong show. Austrian Rudi Kronsteiner, 2010 NRHA European Futurity Level 4 Open Champion, had the best run...

Andre Thieme and Uvalier. (ESI Photography©.) Ocala, FL - It seems the luck of the Irish was with German High-Performance rider Andre Thieme yesterday when he piloted his own Uvalier to a blazingly fast finish in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. The win marks his third of the season and the second in five days for Thieme who, just last Sunday, rode Seth Vallhonrat's Coco 135 to an exciting victory in the $50,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer...

Steffen Peters with Heidi Zorn, President of Premier Equestrian, LLC. (Photo courtesy of JRPR.) Wellington, FL – United States Dressage rider Steffen Peters turned in the ride of his life aboard his equine partner, Ravel, in front of a sold-out crowd at the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach CDI5* at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in Wellington. In addition to earning a “personal best” score on Ravel, Peters also rode away as the winner of the Premier Equestrian Sportsmanship Award. Heidi...

Courtney King-Dye will speak about The Road to Grand Prix during the KWPN-NA Annual Meeting. (Susan J. Stickle.) Sutherlin, OR - Once again the KWPN-NA Annual Meeting pulls out all of the stops to give breeders, trainers, owners and riders information to help them advance their horses up the ranks to Grand Prix, for both jumping and dressage. The Royal Dutch Warmblood Studbook of North America (KWPN-NA) has put together an unprecedented number of experts that includes Olympic medalist Steffen...