Wayne, Ill. – Excitement continued to grow as the second day of competition delivered excellent riding at the 2020 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions. Competitors in the Adequan ® /USEF Young Adult ‘Brentina Cup’ National Championship and USEF Intermediaire I Dressage National Championship each had their second turn in the arena, and the Horseware Ireland/USEF Young Rider Dressage National Championship riders made their show debut at HITS Chicago at Lamplight Equestrian...

Fair Hill, Md. - Erin Sylvester and Paddy the Caddy ended their long history of competing at The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International in style, winning The Dutta Corp./USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championship. Joining her in the victory circle was Woods Baughman aboard C’est La Vie 135 as The Dutta Corp./USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Champions at Fair Hill. Erin Sylvester and Paddy the Caddy (Shannon Brinkman Photo) Erin Sylvester (Cochranville, Pa.) and Paddy the Caddy, Frank...

Custom Made and David O'Connor at the 2000 Olympic Games (Kit Houghton) Lexington, Ky. – Custom Made, a legendary U.S. event horse, was laid to rest on October 2 at the age of 34. Custom Made, the 17.1-hand Irish Sport Horse gelding (Bassompierre x Purple Heather/Ben Purple), was foaled in Ireland in 1985 and was imported to the U.S. in 1995 by owner Joseph Zada of Xandarius, LLC, to be a mount for David O’Connor. In their first year of partnership, “Tailor” and...

Lima, Peru – The U.S. Jumping Team brought home the bronze medal on Wednesday, August 7, at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. Led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland, the team of Lucy Deslauriers, Alex Granato, Eve Jobs, and Beezie Madden put in solid performances with three members contesting their first championship competition. “We came here for a medal, that’s what you always do in a championship, and we went away with a medal,” said Ridland....

Callie Jones and Don Philippo Photo: Meg McGuire Photography North Salem, N.Y. – Junior and Young Rider competitors performed their freestyle tests to music on the final day of the Adequan® FEI North American Youth Championships presented by Gotham North (NAYC) at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, N.Y. In the USDF North American Dressage Young Rider Freestyle Championship, Callie Jones and Don Philippo captured the gold medal. Annelise Klepper rode Happy Texas Moonlight to the gold medal...

Givrins, Switzerland - The U.S. Reining Teams won two individual gold medals, an individual silver medal, and an individual bronze medal at the 2019 SVAG FEI Reining World Championships for Young Riders & Juniors. Raeanna Thayn, Sarah Armenta, and Emma Lane of the U.S. Junior Reining Team swept the medals in the junior individual final, earning gold, silver, and bronze, respectively. Cade McCutcheon of the U.S. Young Rider Reining Team claimed gold in the young rider individual final. More...

Washington, DC – Time To Ride ® , a program of the American Horse Council’s Marketing Alliance, is now accepting applications for its 2019 pilot program. The new Time To Ride program is designed to introduce school-age children to horseback riding and horse care in a safe, welcoming environment. The goal is to familiarize school-age children with horses through an initial series of lessons that include basic horse care as well as riding. Equine facilities and instructors must...

Raeford, N.C. – Three advanced pony combined driving national championship titles are up for grabs at the Southern Pines Combined Driving Event (CDE) running April 12-14. With the competition serving as one of the selection trials for the 2019 FEI World Driving Championships for Ponies, the driving athletes aim to display a strong performance while vying for national championship honors. Jennifer Keeler and Amazing Grace, the 2018 USEF Advanced Single Pony Combined Driving National...

Team Holding Gold took first place (Photo by Andrea Evans/US Equestrian) Ocala, Fla. – As part of the U.S. Developing Athlete Program and Elite Athlete Program for Combined Driving, US Equestrian (USEF) introduced an informal team competition this week at the Live Oak International. Overseen by the Driving Sport Committee, the Team Challenge offers USEF Pathway Program athletes or team applicants the opportunity to gain valuable experience in team competition format, including team...

Lexington, Ky. – Participants in the US Equestrian (USEF) Emerging Athlete Eventing 25 Program (E25) and the Eventing 18 Program (E18) completed their winter training sessions last month. The Emerging Athlete Lists are the first step in the athlete pathway as developed in the 2019 Strategic Plan . The program aims to provide basic skills necessary for future team athletes and athletes focused on reaching Elite status. Over the course of intensive three-day training sessions, the groups...