McLain Ward and his two-time Olympic Gold medal partner Sapphire claimed their second grand prix victory in a row Saturday night by winning the $200,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix CSI**** presented by CN at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center during the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). In an exciting six-horse jump-off before a near-packed stadium under lights at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, Ward, of Brewster, NY, and the 14-year-old mare owned by Ward and Blue Chip...

The 2009 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions will be held in Gladstone, NJ, June 18–21. This Festival of Champions will once again feature the national championships for the Grand Prix, Intermediaire I, Young Adult “Brentina Cup,” Young Rider, and Junior divisions. Applications of Intent for all divisions are now available on the Federation website at www.usef.org/Contentpage2.aspx?id=dressage . High-performance (Grand Prix & Intermediaire I) applications, qualifying...

When Bridget Imparato, a USEF judge and steward was faced with her son, Michael, being a high school junior, her sights started to focus on college riding opportunities. The difficulties of navigating through the recruiting process led her to start of an exciting new website, www.EquestrianCollegeRecruiter.com . This website has become a one-stop location to get college equestrian riding questions answered. High school athletes can post an academic and riding resume along with photos and...

Looking for something new, exciting, and challenging for you and your horse? Well, mark your calendars for the upcoming clinic at Capriole Farm in Catlett, VA, presented by Kimberly Garvis, on the sport of working equitation, which is presently making its way to the United States and Canada. Currently a little-known discipline in North America, working equitation competition is divided into three phases that are designed to test through a range of activities. It combines flatwork movements and...

Lexington, KY – Fourteen High Performance Dressage athletes traveled from across the US and from as far away as Germany to join the 19 members of the USEF High Performance Dressage Eligible Athletes Committee and the USEF High Performance Dressage Committee to attend a forum held November 11, 2008 in Chicago, IL. The objective of the forum was to discuss the USEF’s High Performance Strategic Plan for the period leading up to the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The forum was designed so that High...

Silvia’s Dream Street Stallion, Starlight, won the grand championship at Dressage at Devon. The stunning black Oldenburg strutted around the world famous Dixon Oval with an air of supreme confidence; this combined with his expressive movement and correct conformation made him an easy choice for Grand Champion Stallion at Devon. As handler, Jens Richter lead Starlight out under the bright lights for the nighttime championship, the stallion’s black coat glistened like onyx. “He seemed to know it...

Lexington, KY— Though it was Morgan Moog’s first time competing at the 2008 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Pony Medal, she and her horse Goodnight Moon topped the efforts of 184 other competitors to win the championship title. In the USEF Pony Medal Final, the riders compete in small, medium and large divisions based on pony size and are judged on their equitation and ability to ride the course correctly. From there, the top riders are asked to come back for another course over...

Betsy Steiner and Kathy Connelly will be among the experts offering audio commentary to Dressage with the Experts participants at the upcoming Dressage at Devon, September 23-28. Dressage with the Experts allows participants to listen, through radio-equipped audio headsets to what a top trainer or judge is saying about what is going on before them, hoof fall by hoof fall in the arena. It is an opportunity for those who know little about the sport to increase their understanding of the...

Not a delay in site, as more Olympic horses arrived in Hong Kong on time and in great shape to then be swiftly ferried towards the comfortable Olympic facilities at Sha Tin. Another 35 horses representing 11 countries set foot on Chinese soil, having departed Amsterdam on three different flights to arrive in Hong Kong on Sunday and Monday. For many, their reputations preceded them, and their passports confirmed their jet setting status revealing a multitude of destinations and venues. The...

The American Saddlebred Registry has announced estimated payouts for its popular and growing sweepstakes program. In 2008, the sweepstakes will again be held at the All American Horse Classic , September 2-6 in Indianapolis, IN. Live video streaming on the Internet will be available this year for the first time. For complete information on the Sweepstakes program, visit www.asha.net/Prize-Sweepstakes . Total estimated purses for 2008 are $210,400, up 5.5% from the actual purses awarded in 2007,...