Madeline Backus and P.S. Arianna (Shannon Brinkman Photo) Madeline Backus and P.S. Arianna are first-time competitors this year at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover, but their partnership goes back years. “My mom’s farrier, Dennis Ackerman at Pendragon Stud in Colorado, actually bred her,” Backus said of the Anglo-Trakehner mare. “So I’ve known her for her whole life. It’s been quite an adventure.” Backus, whose mother Laura...

We caught up with professional groom Max Corcoran, who was an important part of the famed O’Connor Event Team for more than a decade before establishing her own business, Max Corcoran Horse Care, in 2012. She also teaches horse management as a clinician for US Equestrian’s Emerging Athlete Eventing Program, the United States Eventing Association, and the Equine Management Training Center in Axton, Va. When your horse is in work, thoroughly groom him or her at least once a day:...

Lexington, Ky. - The US Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce the recipients of Land Rover/USEF eventing competition grants for the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials CCI4*, Tattersalls International Horse Trials CCI3*, and Luhmühlen CCI4* presented by DHL. The following combinations have received grants for the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials CCI4* taking place May 3-7 in Gloucestershire, England: Hannah Sue Burnett (The Plains, Va.) with Jacqueline...

Omaha, Neb. – Three strong dressage combinations will represent the U.S. in the 2017 FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final at the CenturyLink Center Omaha, Neb. Running from March 30-April 1, 2017, Laura Graves & Verdades, Kasey Perry-Glass & Goerklintgaards Dublet, and Steffen Peters & Rosamunde are in excellent form heading into the Final. Laura Graves and Verdades (Shannon Brinkman Photo) Graves (Geneva, Fla.) has found much success since her last Final appearance in 2015,...

Leslie Berndl and Sweetwater's Zorah Belle (Picsofyou.com) Ocala, Fla. – Four combined driving national championship titles are up for grabs at Live Oak International, March 8-12. Run in conjunction with the FEI divisions, the USEF Combined Driving National Championships for single pony, pair pony, pair horse, and four-in-hand horse will be determined at the prestigious Live Oak Plantation. Leslie Berndl, Katie Whaley, Steve Wilson, and Chester Weber are the defending champions in...

Lexington, Ky. - US Equestrian has named the following combinations to The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team for the Stillpoint Farm FEI Nations Cup™ CDIO3*, March 21- 25, in Wellington, Fla., at the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF): Shelly Francis (Loxahatchee, Fla.) and Patricia Stempel’s Doktor, a 2003 Oldenburg gelding Direct Reserve Horse Patricia Stempel’s Danilo, a 2004 Hanoverian gelding Olivia LaGoy-Weltz (Haymarket, Va.) and her own Lonoir, a 2004 Danish...

Wellington, Fla. – Ali Wolff made the most out of showing her mount Casall in his first week of competition at the Winter Equestrian Festival. They helped the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team earn a Silver medal during Friday’s Nation Cup competition and finished the week by placing third in the $216,000 CSIO4* Grand Prix presented by Lugano Diamonds on Sunday. As on Friday, the Irish had luck on their side as Shane Sweetnam and Conor Swail placed first and second, respectively....

Wellington, Fla. – A young Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team entered the arena full of fire as they kept up with the seasoned Irish team the entire night to earn the Silver medal in the $150,000 FEI Nations Cup™ at CSIO4* Wellington on Friday, March 3 . In her Nations Cup debut, Catherine Tyree and mount Bokai gave a remarkable double-clear effort to lead the U.S. team of Georgina Bloomberg, Chloe Reid, and Ali Wolff. The U.S. ended on 13 faults behind Ireland’s Gold medal...

Wellington, Fla. – Georgina Bloomberg will lead a group of rising stars when the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team takes on seven countries in the $150,000 FEI Nations Cup™ at CSIO4* Wellington Friday, March 3. Chloe Reid, Catherine Tyree, and Ali Wolff join Bloomberg as U.S. Show Jumping Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland looks to guide them to a strong finish in front of the home crowd. The U.S. has drawn fifth in the order and will compete in the following order: Ali Wolff...

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Christina “Cricket” Russillo as the US Equestrian Dressage Team Veterinarian. Dr. Russillo will take over for Dr. Rick Mitchell who has served in the role for 14 years. Dr. Russillo graduated from the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. She completed a one-year Internship in Large Animal Medicine and Surgery at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine. It was during her...