Wayne, Ill. – A total of 168 combinations are set to compete at the 2022 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions during a week packed with exciting competition at HITS Chicago at Lamplight Equestrian Center. The day began with jogs for the Para Dressage and Intermediaire I horses, followed by the first of three tests for each division. Charlotte Merle-Smith and Guata took the early lead in the USEF Para Dressage National Championship, while Laura Graves and SenSation HW stood atop the USEF...

Bromont, QC – The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team took home the gold medal in the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ - Canada CCIO4*-S this weekend at the Bromont CCI in Quebec. The team of Liz Halliday-Sharp, Lillian Heard, Andrew McConnon, and Colleen Rutledge under the direction of Chef d’Equipe Leslie Law, finished with a total score of 138.6 ahead of the silver medal-winning home team from Canada, which earned a score of 158.3, to secure victory in the first-ever Nations Cup...

Dublin, Ireland – The NetJets U.S. Jumping Team made consistent improvements over the course of two rounds to finish sixth in the FEI Jumping Nations Cup of Ireland hosted at the Dublin Horse Show. The team saw three combinations produce clears in their second effort around the massive grass arena - a testament to the team’s ability to adjust and improve with each round. The team finished on a total of 20 faults carried over from the first round, adding nothing to their score in the...

Lexington, KY – US Equestrian is committed to providing a fair and level competition experience and actively promotes integrity and sportsmanship in the competition environment. USEF is aware that instances occasionally occur where exhibitors in a class intentionally do not perform the required gaits or movements or purposefully make a mistake (i.e., pick up the wrong lead, break gait, etc.) to ensure they are not placed high on a judge’s card. US Equestrian has received reports of...

In 2003, Virginia Tech placed the first sensors inside football helmets to measure head acceleration data that could characterize concussions. Nearly two decades later, the university’s Helmet Lab is on the cusp of adding equestrian sport to its arsenal of public safety information on helmet use and unveiling its STAR (Summation of Tests for the Analysis of Risk) ratings system for helmets. At the Equestrian Symposium, held Aug. 11-12 in Blacksburg, Va., Drs. Steve Rowson, Stefan Duma,...

Herning, Denmark – The Adequan U.S. Para Dressage Team finished a strong week at the ECCO FEI World Championships Herning 2022, taking two individual medals and team bronze in the Orifarm Health FEI Para Dressage World Championship. On the final day in the FEI Para Dressage Freestyles, the team saw all four combinations make their way down the centerline in BB Horse Arena. Shoemaker and Quiana began the morning with a personal best in the FEI Para Dressage Grade IV Freestyle, receiving an...

Traverse City, Mich. – A dream came through for Erin Nichols on Saturday at the 2022 FEI North American Youth Championship (NAYC) as she finished in gold-medal position for the Individual Young Rider Dressage division. Erin Nichols and Handsome Rob AR. ©KTB Creative Group Nichols (Yorba Linda, Calif.) expertly guided her own Handsome Rob AR, a 2012 Dutch Warmblood gelding, through a precise and flowing test that earned a 69.000% from the judges. The victory comes after Nichols and...

Lexington, Ky . – Pony hunter and pony jumper competition came to a close on Saturday at the 2022 USEF Pony Finals presented by Honor Hill Farms. The Medium Regular Pony Hunter National Championship presented by Pegasus Show Stable & San Marcos Training and the USEF Pony Jumper Individual National Championship crowned their title winners on another lovely day at Pony Finals. Aundrea Hillyard and Goldmark (Shawn McMillen Photography) After the conclusion of the final pony hunter...

Jumping athletes were put to the ultimate test Saturday as they competed for individual honors in the Gotham North FEI North American Youth Championships for Jumping, presented by USHJA. Over two rounds, the Children’s and Pre-Juniors attempted to record clear efforts to their overall scores and emerge on the podium. In the Children’s, Rylynn Conway (Zone 2 – Fair Haven, N.J.) took the gold medal after a tiebreaking jump-off, while in the Pre-Junior category, Lawson Whitaker...

Traverse City, Mich. – Team dressage competition concluded Wednesday at the 2022 FEI North American Youth Championships with the Young Riders completing their team tests under perfect weather conditions at Flintfields Horse Park. Sophia Schults and Conocido HGF. ©KTB Creative Group The team gold medal went to the combined USA Region 3/Region 9 team of Sophia Schults (Wellington, Fla.) and Conocido HGF; Mary Claire Piller (Oakdale, Tenn.) and Oreo; Sydney Schultz (Mandeville, La.) and...