In the lead-up to the 2016 SVAG FEI World Reining Championships, the United States Equestrian Federation will feature a four-part series that highlights the athletes, horses, and their owners that make up the U.S. Team. The following is part four. Read parts one , two , and three . Nick Valentine considers Dun It At Dawn or “Dan” his once-in-a-lifetime horse. The most memorable rides occurred on the Quarter Horse stallion. For Valentine, Dan was incredibly easy to work alongside; he...

Piber Köflach, Austria – The U.S. Driving Team has settled in at the picturesque Austrian venue for the 2016 FEI World Driving Championships for Singles, taking place August 3-7. Under the guidance of Chef d’Equipe Michael Freund and Team Coach Thorsten Zarembowicz, the team of Donna Crookston, Sterling Graburn, and Suzy Stafford, along with individual Leslie Berndl, aims for top performances. A total of 23 countries are represented in the championship, giving the U.S....

Saturday Nights Lights events at the main International Arena at TIEC have attracted a large following. Mill Spring, N.C. - Mark Bellissimo, managing partner of Tryon Equestrian Partners, confirmed today that the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) in Mill Spring, N.C. is working with United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) to ensure that the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) remain in North America and USEF has communicated its support of the initiative to the FEI for the 2018...

U.S. Pony Club members took to the George H. Morris Arena on Saturday, July 30, demonstrating traditional Pony Club Mounted Games in front of a large spectator crowd. (Meg Banks/TIEC) Mill Spring, N.C. - More than 600 young riders, ages 12-25, traveled from across the United States to Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) to participate in the 2016 U.S. Pony Club Championships East hosted from Wednesday, July 27, through Sunday, July 31. In addition to the competition, which featured...

This may not be a photo likely to win any photographic competitions but it was taken at 2:30 a.m. from my bedroom. No, I am not some weird stalker or peeping tom but this is a photo of the merry bunch of selfish insomniacs that decided to have a very loud speaker (top right quarter of the photo) playing until about 3:30 a.m. Yes, I kinda wish I had something more persuasive to hand than a Canon camera… in fact a canon would have done very nicely. The eventing horses have settled in very...

Jonathan McCrea and Special Lux. (Tom von Kap-herr) Bromont, Quebec - American rider Jonathan McCrea, on his mount Special Lux, won the first leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League in Bromont, on July 31, 2016. Guilherme Jorge Surpasses Himself With a generous time allowed, the chronometer was not a key factor in the first round. Course designer Guilherme Jorge, on his way to the Rio Olympic Games, nevertheless gave the starting athletes a challenge, with such...

Karl Cook and Caillou 24 (CapturedMomentPhoto.com) Del Mar, Calif. - Exciting until the last horse crossed the finish line, it was Californian Karl Cook and Caillou 24 who came out on top in the $40,000 Showpark Racing Festival Grand Prix, presented by EquiFit, inc. Of forty-three entries, thirteen returned for the jump-off and five went double clean. FEI Course Designer Anderson Lima of Brazil set a technical track that he explained was definitely influenced by the large and experienced group...

Andrew Kocher and Zantos II (Tom von kap-Herr) Bromont, Quebec - Andrew Kocher added another victory to his collection on July 30, with a win in the Modified Grand Prix as he made it clear, in the last two weeks, that he was a fierce competitor at the 2016 International Bromont. Eight Pairs Make Jump-Off The demanding course, designed by Guilherme Jorge, proved to be a challenge for the 31 horse and rider combinations who competed in the class. Eight riders brought their horses to the jump-off,...

Parker, Colo. - The Adequan®/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North (NAJYRC) concluded the fourth day of competition at The Colorado Horse Park (CHP) showcasing show jumping, eventing, and dressage and featuring the USHJA North American Junior & Young Rider Show Jumping Championships Young Rider Individual Final, USDF North American Junior & Young Rider Junior Rider Individual Final and Young Rider Freestyle, while eventing took to the...

Courtney Calcagnini and Bowie win the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival. (Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group) Traverse City, Mich. - It was only in June that Courtney Calcagnini and Bowie made headlines, winning the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Country Heir Horse Show in Lexington, Kentucky. Consistent contenders in the hunter derby program, Calcagnini showcased Bowie's talent once again during the Great Lakes Equestrian...