Kentucky Horse Shows, LLC, the management company for hunter/jumper competitions at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, is pleased to announce that Hagyard Equine Medical Institute will be the proud sponsor of the Hagyard Challenge Series. The 2010 Hagyard Challenge Series consists of five grand prix show jumping competitions at the world-class horse park. These classes start in May at the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows and conclude in August at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show. The rider who...

The next opportunity to learn from some of the best riders and instructors in the world of hunters and jumpers will come April 19-20 in Washington and April 19-21 in Connecticut during the SmartPak/United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Trainer Symposiums. Registration for the symposiums has been open since January 1. The symposiums offer attendees a rare opportunity to participate in the practical training sessions and round table discussions with top professionals in the industry....

Wynonna Judd will welcome the world to Kentucky with a special performance at the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The 2010 Games will feature world championship competitions in eight equestrian sports at the Kentucky Horse Park from September 25-October 10. The Games will be the largest sporting event in America this year and are renowned to be the world’s most prestigious equestrian competition. On the evening of September 25, Judd will perform “My Old Kentucky...

Mario Desluariers and Urico (Randi Muster/Mustphoto.com ) Dressage The prestigious Palm Beach Dressage Derby got underway on Thursday, March 4th with some of the nation’s top riders competing in Loxahatchee, FL. Tina Konyot and her Danish Warmblood Calecto V triumphed over the field of elite horse and rider combinations in both the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special. In the Grand Prix Freestyle Mikala Gundersen and Leonberg put in a winning performance with a score of 72.250%; Canadian...

Photo by Randi Muster (Laura Kraut and Cedric) Lexington, KY – Following the completion of the USEF Selection Trials for the US Show Jumping Team in Wellington, FL, the United States Equestrian Federation's Ad Hoc Committee on Selection has approved naming the following 15 horse/rider combinations to the Show Jumping Long List for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY September 25-October 10, 2010. As per the Selection Procedures, the top nine horse/rider combinations are...

Photo Courtesy FEI (Mara Dean and Nicki Henley) Mara Dean has become the first rider to post a winning score on the HSBC FEI World Cup™ Eventing leaderboard, following an emotional pillar-to-post victory in the Florida sunshine at the Red Hills International CIC***-W in Tallahassee, FL. Riding her veteran 15-year-old Irish-bred Nicky Henley, who was coming back into competition after sustaining a tendon injury at the 2007 Pan American Games, Virginia-based Dean held off the always serious...

A total of 15 riders from 10 nations will compete at the 25th anniversary final of the FEI World Cup™ Dressage series at 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, later this month. The 2008/2009 series champion, Steffen Peters of the U.S., will not be defending his title, but two spots still remain open for riders from the North American league which has just one last qualifier remaining. The Western European League line-up is already decided following last weekend's final qualifying leg in...

Bridle Creek Equestrian Development and Phillip and Evie Dutton are pleased to announce the third annual Olympic Gala in Aiken, SC, Tuesday, March 9, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. Supported most generously by Bruce Duchossois and Jack Wetzel, the Olympic Gala gives the Aiken community a chance to come together in support of the U.S. Eventing High Performance Programs as a portion of the proceeds will go to the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation. "Partnering with Bridle Creek Equestrian...

Photo Courtesy Louise Burton (Am I Blue +/ and Louise Burton) The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) announced Am I Blue+/ (Red Wings Royalty x Petrovna), owned by Louise and Bruce Burton of Okmulgee, OK, as the 2009 Distance Horse of the Year. The notable award recognizes an Arabian or Half-Arabian with significant accomplishments in distance riding sports. Am I Blue, known as “Ducky,” topped off an excellent year with a championship at the AHA National Championship 100-Mile Endurance Ride in the...

Dressage: Dressage riders on the West Coast battled it out this weekend at the Mid-Winter CDI3* held at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. Jan Ebeling and Rafalca were impressive in both the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle, easily taking home top honors. The pair was the only one to top 70% with a freestyle score of 71.800%. Canadian Sharon Merkel-Beattie and Essence of Glory were first in the Grand Prix Special with a score of 64.042; Adrienne Lyle and Wizard were second. Complete results...