It’s a blissfully warm day in January, and my horse Nicolai is galloping alongside crashing surf as cars roll by. The passengers stare –wistful or shocked, I’m not sure – as we hop over piles of seaweed. This, I think, is the greatest thing I’ve ever done. The week before, Nicolai and I rode out among cattle. We chased calves along the creek and followed the ridge to a quiet spot above the barn. Usually, we are show jumpers, but sometimes we ride for miles along...

2011 AHA Distance Horse of the Year is No Accident Aurora, CO – OT Sara Moniet RSI (Rave On Ravenwood x OT Dysara RSI), a 2004 dark chestnut owned by M.A. “Crockett” Dumas of Escalante, Utah was named the Arabian Horse Association (AHA) 2011 Distance Horse of the Year, adding one more award to a long list of 2011 accomplishments. “Sara” covered 1,675 competition miles in 2011, completing 31 of 31 rides with 10 overall wins and 9 Best Conditions. The 7 year-old mare...

Wellington, FL - The World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach will be officially under way at 12:30 pm on Thursday, January 26th, when 15 of the world's top international dressage horses are presented at the FEI horse inspection. The Jim Brandon Equestrian Center is, for the second consecutive year, the venue for this unique and exciting event, which is organized by Wellington Classic Dressage. "The International Polo Club team has come into the Jim...

Wellington, FL -As the sun rose over the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL the Gold Coast Dressage Opener CPEDI3* commenced. Twenty-three para-equestrian dressage riders from seven countries vied for top scores under F.E.I. judges Carlos Lopes (POR), Hanneke Gerritsen (NED), and Marc Urban (BEL). For two weekends, beginning with the Gold Coast Dressage Opener CPEDI3* and ending with the Wellington Classic Sunshine Challenge CPEDI3*, para-equestrian dressage riders have the...

Wellington, FL - On Friday, January 27, 2012, the United States Equestrian Team Foundation will be hosting a benefit event at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. "An English Country Evening" will feature honorary chairs NBC Today Show host Matt Lauer and his wife Annette, an avid equestrian. This year's celebratory evening will feature six unique and extraordinary live auction items for guests to bid on to help raise funds for the USET Foundation to further...

Ken Berkley and Prestige Win Sanctuary First Year Green Working Hunter Championship Wellington, FL - Nick Skelton (GBR) accumulated another win at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) today in the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup 2, this time taking the top prize with Beverley Widdowson's Carlo 273. The Irish took the next two places, with Richie Moloney on Slieveanorra, owned by Equinimity LLC/Richie Moloney in second and Cian O'Connor on Ashkirk Ltd. & Cian...

Boston, MA - On Saturday, January 21, from 4:30 until 6:00, author Jeff Papows, PhD will sign copies of his critically acclaimed book Unbridled Passion: Show Jumping's Greatest Horses and Riders (Acanthus Publishing, 2011) in the Tiki Hut on the grounds of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. A portion of the book sale proceeds will be donated to the Children's Wish Foundation International, Inc. The book signing, jointly sponsored by Equestrian Sports...

Wellington, FL - World-class equestrian, founder and president of EquestrianCoach.com, Bernie Traurig, judged the hunt seat divisions of the College Preparatory Invitational (CPI) along with Scott Hofstetter, Nona Garson and Linda Andrisani. Robert Dover judged the dressage competition, a new addition to the event in its second year. The CPI was held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL with the mounted competition on an uncharacteristically cool Saturday. The...

Steffen Peters, 2011 Equestrian of the Year, at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. Cincinnati, OH - To cap off a record-setting year, dressage superstar Steffen Peters added one more record to his résumé on Saturday night at the United States Equestrian Federation’s Pegasus Awards dinner. He became the first person to score the USEF’s Equestrian of the Year title three times. Peters (San Diego, CA) won the top honor in 2008 and 2009 based largely on his...

Shane Sweetnam and Little Emir. ManciniPhotos. Wellington, FL - Irish rider Shane Sweetnam and Spy Coast Farm LLC's Little Emir galloped to victory in the $31,000 G&C Farm 1.45m FEI ranking class on Friday at Equestrian Sport Production's Holiday and Horses event. The pair stopped the clock in 42.90 seconds to edge out Katie Dinan and Grant Road Partner's Nougat Du Vallet, who were the only other combination to make it to the jump-off. Dinan and Nougat Du Vallet finished second...