For the past week, I have been working hard to stay ready for this big show. Because Smartie lives in Arkansas and I live in Mississippi, I obviously cannot ride her every single day—although, I wish I could. So, while I am at home, I ride other horses to stay in riding shape. Lately, I have also been teaching some riding lessons to a kid from our church. He went to camp and fell in love with horses. When he got home, he asked if he could come hang out with me at the barn and learn more....

My name is Devan Horn, and I am an 18-year-old Endurance competitor from Kingwood, Texas. This will be my third year competing in the Young Rider Endurance event held annually in July, but as this is the first time we’ve been welcomed into the official Championship FEI event, this year is certainly special! I’m helped along this path by my loving parents, (Mom who pays, Dad who crews!), my friends, and my mentor, boss, and friend Darolyn Butler-who’s amazing horses I ride in...

T-7 days! It is exactly one week from when we will be loading up the trailer and heading to Kentucky. This past week has been a blur, and I'm sure this upcoming week will be one as well. Florence and I have proceeded to get more of our jog outfits figured out....although they're not quite completed yet. Special thanks to Sheryl Rudolph and FITS for some fantastic shirts, and to my mom who has been running around trying to find things to wear and texting me pictures to see if things...

Hey Y’all! My name is Laura Sumrall. I am 18 years old and from the small town of Summit, Mississippi, where our one stop light turns to a blinking yellow light at 10 o’clock at night. All my life, I have been interested in horses, and at the age of 11, I became a Reiner. I was hooked for life. I now train under Schaffhauser Stables of Brookland, Arkansas and have been a student here for four years. My life as a Reiner really began to grow about three years ago when we bought my...

So it’s that time of year again! Junior and Young Rider competitors throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico are gathering for the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships in Lexington, Kentucky July 25-31. I am from Alpharetta, Georgia, so I compete for Zone 4, consisting of riders from the southeastern states. Zone 4 is sending both a Young Rider and Junior team. The Young Rider team is: Chase Boggio with Hennessy, Jordan Coyne with Lazaro, Liza Finsness with Ormsby Hill, and...

Rough Beginnings So, my road to the NAJYRC is off to quite the bumpy start! First, let me introduce myself before I tell you about all of my drama. My name is Catherine Chamberlain; I am a sixteen year old living and training in Arizona. I have been riding dressage for the last seven years and it’s my goal to become a trainer and represent the U.S. at the Olympics and World Equestrian Games someday. My partner and friend for the past four years is Verdicci, a.k.a. Chance, a nine year old...

Jennifer Alfano and Extraordinary won last year's $15,000 Chronicle of the Horse/USHJA International (Photo By: Lindsay McCall/PMG.) Lexington, KY -This year the hunter divisions will be one of the main features during the Kentucky Spring Horse Show Series at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The highlight events will include the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby held the Kentucky Spring Horse Show, May 11-15, 2011, and the World Champion Hunter Rider week of competition during the...

This year the hunter divisions will be one of the main features during the Kentucky Spring Horse Show Series at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The hunters will feature $25,000 in prize money each week, a World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) week, and the $15,000 Chronicle of the Horse /United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Hunter Derby, presented by Dietrich Insurance. The show will be led by Kentucky Horse Shows, LLC, and will feature two exciting weeks of...

The Equine Anatomy Precourse Distance Study (EQ50) is now free online at www.equinology.com until 2011 to anyone wishing to broaden their knowledge of veterinary terminology and the musculoskeletal system of the horse. The EQ50 online course is also the required precourse study guide used for Equinology's signature EQ100, EQ101 and EQ102 courses in Equine Body Worker certification. You will also find it very helpful if taking any other courses from any program, including Equinology’s courses in...

The new video message by the FEI Secretary General is now available on www.fei.org . In the December issue Alex McLin talks of the outcomes of the recent FEI General Assembly and the main actions to be undertaken in 2009, and the FEI Year of Youth. The CEO also takes a look at the preparations for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010, which are now less than two years away. To view the message, please visit the FEI homepage or visit www.fei.org/FEI/News/Pages/Podcasts.aspx .