Elkton, Md. - The Dutta Corp Fair Hill International came to an exciting conclusion on Sunday with two and three star competitors navigating Sally Ike’s scopey show jumping tracks. At the end of The Dutta Corp/USEF Three-Star Eventing National Championship, Jan Byyny and Inmidair proved to be deserving and popular winners as they claimed their first National Title. While in the morning session Allie Blyskal-Sacksen and Sparrow’s Nio held their nerve to rise one place and claim the...

Dover, Delaware - The No.3 University of South Carolina continued to roll over NCEA competition on the first weekend in October. On Friday, against the University of Delaware in Dover, the Gamecocks started off strong and stayed that way. Their impressive hunt seat team jumped out to a 3-1 lead in equitation on the flat. Later they swept the over fences competiton 5-0 on the way to an 8-1 victory. The western team wasn't quite as dominant, but they left no one question which was squad was...

Reed Kessler and Soraya l'Obstination (Global Champions Tour) 2012 US Olympian and history-maker Reed Kessler was determined to shake off Friday's second place finish, and knowing the young 19 year old's competitive drive, Saturday was an opportunity to beat Friday's winner Patrice Delaveau and land a Longines Global Champions Tour winning title. Reed was aboard her new mare Soraya l'Obstination and won with an impressive time of 55.99 seconds; almost a whole second faster then...

Stephanie Novas and Amyra R rode to the top of the $7,500 Cavalor High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic leader board for the final day of Equifest II (Kendall Bierer/PMG) Wayne, IL - Some girls dream of the "Pretty In Pink" sweet sixteen fantasy, others fantasize of beautiful ballrooms and dazzling dresses, but for Stephanie Novas her sixteenth birthday marked a major accolade. Novas rode Amyra R to the $7,500 Cavalor High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic victory, riding to a blazing fast...

Pablo Barrios and Zara Leandra (Phelps Media Group, Inc. International) Lexington, KY - Venezuelan rider Pablo Barrios is proving to be unstoppable with his talented young mare Zara Leandra. With a speedy double clear during tonight's jump-off, the duo won their third $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic. Only four horses advanced to the tiebreaker in the Rolex Stadium during the Kentucky Summer Classic, and Aaron Vale was the only other rider to leave all the fences intact a second time to...

As you know I occasionally receive a story from a Western Dressage rider and this week I would like to share with you the story behind a beautiful magazine cover photo that appeared recently in Paint Horse Journal and which featured coverage of Western Dressage. The photo was of Katrina Sanders and her Paint horse Pirate. Here is what Katrina shares with western dressage enthusiasts this week: “Thank you so much for offering to feature my photo in your blog! I am honored and so grateful...

Brittini Raflowitz cleaned up Chicago on the final day of Equifest I with the $7,500 Cavalor High Junior/Amateur-Owner victory aboard Zacca Zoeloe, riding to the second place with KT Undercover (Ashley N. Williams) Wayne, IL - The final day of Equifest I opened to cloudless skies and strong jumper competition as the Junior and Amateur-Owner Jumpers took the spotlight in the Grand Prix Arena at the Lamplight Equestrian Center. Brittini Raflowitz rode to her fourth major win of the week, this...

Ammeretto and David Beisel (Tricia Booker Photography) Traverse City, MI - David Beisel and Ammeretto saved their best for last. After winning the first class they contested during the 2013 Horse Shows by the Bay Series on July 4, they finally picked up their second blue ribbon today during the $30,000 D-Braider Cherry Capital Classic Grand Prix. "It was worth the wait, for sure," said Beisel, who also notched his first grand prix win aboard the 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion (Numero...

Welcome to a different kind of blog from WDAA. The purpose of this post is to allow the reader "into the heads" of both a trainer/judge/competitor, Karen Abbattista and her student, Deborah Herbert, a Florida WDAA member. We would like to share with you some moments in Deb's journey as she pursues her riding goals with her AQHA mare "GenuineArcticSpring", barn name "Belle". Please enjoy as you follow along with these posts that we consider interesting or challenging moments on her journey...

GCT Estoril (GCT Press Office) Estoril, Protugal - There was joy and heartbreak tonight as Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann seized his first Grand Prix win as Portuguese rider Luciana Diniz narrowly missed out on a home victory. After one of the toughest Grand Prix of the season so far, in sizzling temperatures in Estoril, von Eckermann and Gotha came out on top with Scott Brash and Hello Sanctos the only other combination to jump three clear rounds. The local crowd went wild with excitement...