Hans Baerstch and Rubinstar at the 2009 Adequan FEI North American Junior/Young Rider Championships (Flashpoint) Lexington, KY – Platinum Performance and the United States Dressage Federation have formed a thriving partnership the last three years to sponsor the Dressage Championships at the Adequan FEI North American Junior/Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North (NAJYRC). The 2010 NAJYRC will bring out the continents best dressage riders, ages 14-21, vying for FEI medals in both...

Weirden, the Netherlands and Lexington, KY – It wasn’t easy, but the Young Riders representing the US on the US Show Jumping Young Rider Tour fought hard through two rounds of the Nations Cup to force a jump-off with the home team and eventually outran the Netherlands for their first Nations Cup win at CSIOY Weirden. The squad of Jennifer Waxman and Venturo, Michael Murphy and Katina 12, Nick Dello Joio with Malcolm and Karl Cook on Uno de Laubry recovered from a 17 fault performance in the...

Photo Courtesy Epona and Hassler Dressage (Lauren Spreiser and Ellegria with Kyra Kyrklund.) This week several horse-and-rider combinations were privileged to participate in clinics given by Kyra Kyrklund. Kyrklund, who lives and trains out of her farm in West Sussex, Great Britain, is a world-class dressage trainer and has represented Finland in six Olympic Games. Kyrklund is a heavily sought-after coach who has trained multiple Olympic medalists; at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games she had...

Photo by Dr. C. Mike Tomlinson (Mary Jordan, a Grade IV Para-Dressage rider used this competition as a practice before the selection trials at the end of June.) This year is the most exciting calendar year for the United States Para-Equestrian Team in history. It will be the first time ever that the para-dressage team will compete with all of the equestrian disciplines at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ (WEG) in Lexington, KY. The hopeful WEG riders first stop this summer was May...

Photo by ESI Photography (Kelsey Hart and Agostino in the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Derby. ) Two of the most decorated high-performance riders in the country became serious contenders to qualify for the unprecedented Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix after a pair of impressive outings at HITS-on-the-Hudson I in Saugerties, NY. First, in Friday's $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, it was Olympian Margie Engle and Hidden Creek's Pamina L that took the blue ribbon in her first...

Riders4helmets website aims to encourage more equestrians to wear helmets Leading equine digestive health product Succeed® has teamed up with helmet advocate Jeri Bryant to launch an online helmet awareness campaign— www.riders4helmets.com . The campaign is designed to educate equestrians on the benefits of wearing helmets. The Equestrian Medical Safety Association (EMSA) states that head injuries account for approximately 60% of deaths resulting from equestrian accidents. Approximately...

Photo Courtesy CKRH (A group lesson at CKRH.) Central Kentucky Riding for Hope (CKRH) a NARHA premier therapeutic riding program is currently looking for horses to add to its equine team. The program has recently expanded into a new facility and a new year-round schedule. CKRH has many requests to provide services but is currently limited in its ability to expand due to a shortage of appropriate horses. The type of horse CKRH is looking for at this time must meet a set of requirements in order...

Mario and Urico Look for More Clear Rounds (Randi Muster Photo) Lexington, KY - The following horse/rider combinations have been named to represent the US in the Nations Cup at CSIO Schweiz St. Gallen in Switzerland on Friday June 4. Mario Deslauriers on Jane Clark’s Urico Beezie Madden on Abigail Wexner’s Mademoiselle Richard Spooner on Show Jumping Syndications’ Cristallo McLain Ward on Sagamore Farm’s Rothchild These four riders will take on the nine other teams in the third Nations Cup of...

Erin Alberda and Collo 5 (Stockimageservices.com Photo) Dressage Dressage riders on East coast celebrated the holiday weekend at the CDI3* Allentown at the Horse Park of New Jersey. Elisabeth Austin and her Dutch Warmblood Olivier took home wins in the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special. On the small tour Cesar Parra and Olympia performed beautifully, winning the Prix St. Georges with a score of 71.789% and the Intermediaire I with 71.000%. For complete results please click here . This week...

2009 NAJYRC Reining Individual Gold Medalist Darcy Wilson aboard Miss Cielo Chex (Waltenberry ) Lexington, KY With great success and continued growth in the program over the last two years SmartPak™ will once again be the title sponsor of the FEI North American Young Rider Reining Championship at the Adequan FEI North American Junior/Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North. SmartPak has been an outstanding supporter of equestrian sport at many levels and also serves as the “Official...