Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo (Rebecca Walton) orth Salem, NY - Friday the 13th proved to a lucky day for Beezie Madden, who stormed to victory on her veteran mount Coral Reef Via Volo during the $100,000 American Gold Cup Qualifier, presented by Double H Farm & Windsor Show Stables. Fifty-five entries showed on the Grand Prix Field at Old Salem Farm during the 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W, but only eight finished without fault to qualify for the jump-off, where Madden and Coral...

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen (Samantha Clark) Lexington, KY - The first day of dressage began at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials in Woodstock, England, with the first batch of U.S. riders coming down the centerline on Thursday. In the CCI3*, a talented international field performed their dressage tests in front of the judging panel of Eric Lieby, Nick Burton, and Lindsay Jenkins. Clark Montgomery (Wiltshire, UK) and Loughan Glen, USEF Land Rover Competition Grant...

Welcome to the fourth installment of 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...

With Wings delivered Karen Polle a belated birthday present when he carried her to a win in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis (ESI Photography) Saugerties, NY – After turning 21 on Thursday, Karen Polle of New York, New York and With Wings celebrated with a blue ribbon in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis. Under clear blue skies, Polle and With Wings were definitely sporting their wings, riding to an impressively quick jump-off round and...

Molly Mcadow and Barina captured the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby victory at Equifest I (Kendall Bierer/PMG) Wayne, IL - It was a day to remember for Molly Mcadow as she laid down the winning rounds during the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby. The Lamplight Equestrian Center was packed with exhibitors and spectators for the third day of Equifest I, and although the skies were gray and torrents of rain poured down from above, the derby contenders were not deterred. Mcadow led the victory...

Christine McCrea and Romantovich Take One (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, Alberta - The $35,000 Progress Energy Canada Cup had 35 entries and five of those would advance to the jump-off, but it would be the first in the ring over the shortened course that would lead the way. Christine McCrea and Romantovich Take One, 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Numero Uno x Karandasj owned by Candy Tribble, put in the all-important clear round in a time of 42.58 seconds. McCrea said of her...

Lauren Hough & Ohlala (Stefano Grasso/Longines GCT) London, England - The 4th leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour is officially underway in England, with a full-list of international equestrian talent right here in London. Lauren Hough, representing the USA, went early on the 1.50 Massimo Dutti Prix aboard the slight but very fast, Ohlala. A horse Lauren had great success with this winter in Florida, this combination took no one by surprise with their early lead. "She's a very...

Kaitlin Campbell on Rocky W Devon, PA - This evening's open jumper class was the Idle Dice Open Jumper Stakes class. The class was named after famed jumper horse Idle Dice. Idle Dice was originally bred as a thoroughbred race horse, but he was discovered and retrained by Bernie Traurig who showed him as a hunter. He was later purchased by Harry Gill and shown as a jumper by Rodney Jenkins. Idle Dice won over $400,000 in his career (an amount that would triple if adjusted to the value of...

Tony Hitchcock of HITS presents Christine McCrea and Avenir with top honors after the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Saugerties (ESI Photography) Saugerties, NY - Excitement surrounding Week I of the HITS Saugerties Spring and Summer Circuit reached a climax Friday afternoon when 26 riders took to the Strongid® C 2X Grand Prix Stadium to get grand prix competition underway at HITS-on-the-Hudson with the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis. Christine...

An Equestrian Weekly guest blog post from Liam Killen of the Equestrian Creative Network Creative thinking has long been prized and praised, but the need for creative thought and execution has never been more valuable or vital for brands. And this need is no less urgent in the equestrian sector. For our highly specialized brands, it's not good enough to resort to the same old clichés in whichever field of creative work we're commissioning. We need new thinking for our writing,...