Since my last correspondence, we have experienced many fabulous events here in Conty! The opening ceremonies certainly did not disappoint anyone as several breeds were displayed. There were two Spanish riding horses moving in unison with music and a lovely, young French woman working at liberty with a single horse. A lively ensemble of horns and drums kept the crowd in beat and alert during much of the presentation. We were even treated to a woman and her border collie herding a flock of geese,...

Lene Bruheim and Anyway won the 1,500 NAL/WIHS Children's Jumper Classic and the High Children's Jumper Championship at the Vermont Summer Festival (David Mullinix Photography). Manchester, VT - Lene Bruheim had great success this past weekend while competing for her family's Nordic Lights Farm at the prestigious Vermont Summer Festival in Manchester, VT. The talented junior rider recently purchased a new jumper mount, and the duo has already formed a great partnership. After earning...

McLain Ward captures his second victory of the week at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Sunday's $100,000 Strongid® C 2X Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, aboard Grant Road Partners' Antares (ESI Photography). Saugerties, NY — McLain Ward and Grant Road Partners’ Antares F had another impressive week of show jumping at HITS-on-the-Hudson Week VI with back-to-back wins to dominate the competition in the Strongid® C 2X Stadium. They took the blue in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand...

Combined Driver Chester Weber, America’s reigning four-in-hand driving champion, shows his winning form in the Four-In-Hand competition at the Riesenbeck CAI. (Photo courtesy of My Elisabeth Weber). Riesenbeck, Germany – If you are superstitious you might credit combined driving champion Chester Weber’s fourth winning weekend in Europe to his team’s “four lucky rabbit’s feet.” Team Weber’s companion mascot, a hefty black rabbit named Kainzi, joined them...

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...

Calgary, Alberta, Canada - Although the International ring at Spruce Meadows was far from dry, 26 internationally ranked riders braved the downpour to compete for the title of Champion of the TransCanada Parcours de Chasse. Through the rain, spectators watched and cheered as such riders as Richard Spooner, McLain Ward, Rich Fellers and Mario Deslauriers jumped the 700m course. They tackled obstacles such as the table top, and the south bank, which is precarious when wet. When all was said and...

The Irish team are hot favorites to win the second leg of the 2011 FEI Nations Cup™ series in Rome (ITA) tomorrow, but they got the worst of the draw today and so will be first into the ring as the action gets underway in the stunning surroundings of the Piazza di Siena. A total of nine teams will line up in this leg of the elite eight-nation tournament, as the host country makes a guest appearance on home turf. The American Team of Charlie Jayne, Christine McCrea, Margie Engle and Rich...

Andrea Leatherman and Mensa on their way to winning the 2011 Jersey Fresh CCI3* in Allentown, NJ (StockImageServices.com photo). Allentown, NJ - After a nail-biting finale, Andrea Leatherman and Mensa kept all the rails up to retain their overnight lead to capture the win in the Jersey Fresh CCI3* in Allentown, NJ. Nina Ligon/Fernhill Fearless took second while Doug Payne/Running Order rounded out the top three; the top three riders added just a handful of time penalties to their scores. In the...

Kent Farrington and Uceko. (V.Valenti/James Leslie Parker. ) Tampa, FL - Kent Farrington piloted the gray warmblood Uceko to two clear rounds to win Saturday's $200,000 Gene Mische American Invitational, presented by G & C Farm, in Tampa, Florida. This was the 39th year for the Invitational, which was held at Tampa's famed Raymond James Stadium. It is the first that was held after the death of Gene Mische last year. Mische, the founder of Stadium Jumping, Inc., was the creator of the...

Aaron Vale and Paparazzi. (ESI Photography.) Ocala, FL – Aaron Vale won the $25,000 Ocala Horse Properties, LLC Grand Prix on Saturday, April 9, during the Ocala International held at Sharn Wordley Equestrian in Ocala, FL. Just as Canada’s Francois Lamontagne had done the week before during the Ocala Jumping Classic, Vale won the $10,000 Blue Gate Farm Open Welcome on Thursday, April 7, as well as Saturday’s $25,000 Ocala Horse Properties, LLC Grand Prix during the Ocala International. Having...