Three rising dressage stars are representing the U.S. this week in Ermelo, Netherlands, at the 2023 FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses (WBC). Get to know more about these up-and-coming equine athletes with insights from their owners and trainers. Vianne and Hope Beerling. ©SusanJStickle.com Vianne (Kastel’s Vitalis x Raureif) 2016 Hanoverian mare Owner: NorCodia USA Rider: Hope Beerling (Califon, N.J.) Vianne is the product of Catherine Haddad...

It takes years and a full team effort to develop a horse to the top level of equestrian sport— with riders, owners, grooms, coaches, and many more focusing on giving a horse the best chance at success. This process was true for Mai Baum, known as Lexus, on his road to winning the 2023 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ CCI5*-L with Tamie Smith in the irons. Smith remembered seeing Lexus, a 2006 German Sport Horse gelding owned by Alexandra...

Tamie Smith (fourth from left) chats with daughter Kaylawna Smith-Cook after her LRK3DE CCI5*-L test ride with Passpartout (Kathleen Landwehr/US Equestrian) Tamie Smith is a name that is known in the eventing world, especially after her recent win with Mai Baum at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ CCI5*-L. Following in her mother’s footsteps and making a name for herself is Kaylawna Smith-Cook. This talented mother-daughter duo is taking...

Megan “Meg” Kepferle of Long Valley, N.J., was a longtime groom for Sinead Maynard (née Halpin) before starting her own business and pursuing her own riding goals. Kepferle groomed multiple times for Maynard at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™, and she made her riding debut at the 2023 event in the CCI4*-S with Anakin, Rogue Won Syndicate LLC’s 2009 Thoroughbred gelding. When asked about her favorite memory grooming at the...

The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ is a dream competition for many aspiring eventing athletes. The same is true for LRK3DE first-timer Sydney Solomon of Dayton, Md. After attending the event as a spectator 15 years ago, Solomon set her sights on Kentucky, and she has worked hard and endured challenges to get here. Solomon, 26, makes her debut with Early Review CBF, a 2009 Hanoverian mare bred and owned by Laurie Cameron, and hopes for a positive...

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce the coaching team for the 2023 FEI Vaulting World Championships for Young Vaulters and Juniors , which will take place July 26-30 in Flyinge, Sweden. Emma Seely has been named Chef d’Equipe and Kimberly Wellmann will be the Assistant Chef d’Equipe. Emma Seely Seely is the founder and head coach of the Mt. Eden Vaulting Club in Saratoga, Calif. She has more than four decades of experience as a coach in the sport of vaulting,...

Jane Hamlin My journey as a judge has led me from northern New England all around the world, including judging at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. It’s been an exciting ride starting when two friends and I traveled down monthly to the New England Dressage Association dressage judges’ program. This was prior to the USDF “L” program. We had the good fortune to spend a weekend a month for nine months learning from different judges before taking our final exam to become a...

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce the recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Junior Equestrian of the Year Award to be presented at the 2023 US Equestrian Annual Meeting. The late Hope Hand is the winner of the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award, while Skylar Wireman is the 2022 Junior Equestrian of the Year. Hand and Wireman will be recognized at the Pegasus Awards Dinner on Thursday, January 12. Lifetime Achievement Award – Hope Hand The late Hope...

Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy – Chester Weber and team received a 41.52 from the ground jury to finish their first day of competition at the 2022 FEI Driving Championships for Four-in-Hands, holding first place overnight with one more day of dressage competition to come. Weber and team will now look to the marathon phase on Saturday to continue their pursuit of an individual medal. Chester Weber and team compete in the dressage phase. ©US Equestrian The team looked polished and precise...

USEF rule changes occur in four different ways: Clarifications, Extraordinary rule changes, Standard changes, and adopting FEI rule changes. Clarifications and Extraordinary changes can happen at various points throughout the year – as they are necessary and time-sensitive modifications to the current rules. However, Standard changes and adopting FEI rules only happen once a year, just before the new season begins. Check out the new or upcoming rule changes for Combined Driving :...