Lexington, KY - The 2013 US Hunter Pony Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans came to a conclusion Saturday as Grand Hunter Pony, Large Regular Pony Hunter, and Under Saddle Champions were crowned. For a final time the judging panel of Chance Arakelian, William Sparks, and Jeff Wirthman assessed the top ponies from throughout the United States in the Kentucky Horse Park’s Walnut Arena. Sassafras Creek was named the 2013 Grand Hunter Pony Champion, while Westside earned the Large...

Welcome to the third 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 challenging...

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...

Show season keeps moving forward and the scores keep coming in. At the last WSH show, the high score rider, Linda Coates-Markle, received a whopping 76% on NAWD Level 3 Test 1 (that is the western equivalent of USDF First Level) riding her Quarter Horse mare. Once again, this last weekend, shows featuring Western Dressage classes were held all over the country and WD riders on both sides of the nation received the highest Phyllis Ray and Starr in the warm-up (Darcia Drapeau) scores recorded at...

A couple weeks ago a friend and I attended a WSH Dressage Show halfway across the state to ride the NAWD tests. The weather was gorgeous, the drive uneventful, the horses well behaved. The show was at a beautiful facility, with a qualified judge I trust to evaluate our western dressage horses. My stallion was perfectly behaved even in the warm-up area with the little ponies and their tiny children. Sounds like a perfect horse show weekend huh? It was, but for one thing. I was confused! For the...

Todd Minikus and Quality Girl jumping their way to a win in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Saugerties (©ESI Photography) Saugerties, NY - After two in-the-money finishes last week at HITS Saugerties, Todd Minikus and Quality Girl kicked off Week II grand prix action by topping a ten-horse jump-off in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis. Minikus won the Week I $10,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome at HITS Saugerties and picked up sixth and eighth-place...

David Oliynyk and Generous claimed the $10,000 Fieldstone 3'3" Hunter Derby victory with a near-perfect score of 192 points during the Fieldstone Spring Festival. (Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group) Halifax, MA - All eyes were on the hunter competitors as they took center stage on the Derby Field at the Fieldstone Spring Festival. The derby has always been an exhibitor and crowd favorite at the Fieldstone Show Park in Halifax, MA, and today's derbies were no exception. Riding to a nearly...

This article was originally published at www.useventing.com . Lynn Symansky and Donner won the Adequan USEA Gold Cup & PRO Tour Series CIC3* division at The Fork with a double-clear cross-country round on the final day of competition (Leslie Threlkeld/USEA Photo) Norwood, NC - An exciting day of cross-country in the final phase of the Adequan USEA Gold Cup and PRO Tour Series CIC3* at The Fork in Norwood, North Carolina ended with a race against the clock. Tremaine Cooper’s...

Aaron Vale piloted Palm Sunday to the top of the leader board, scoring the quickest of only three double-clear efforts during the $25,000 Tampa Bay Welcome Stake (Kendall Bierer/PMG) Tampa, FL - In a speedy fashion, Aaron Vale piloted Palm Sunday to victory under the spotlights during the $25,000 Tampa Bay Welcome Stake at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center. The anticipation was tangible as eight riders moved into the heated jump-off this evening. Riders fought a battle to the top as they tried...

Rafael Jose Contreras of the Dominican Republic flies to the finish riding Valencio R.A.G. in the $33,000 CSI2* Hollow Creek Farm Winning Round at the Live Oak International on Sunday, March 24, in Ocala, FL. (Mark Astrom) Ocala, FL - A newcomer to the international show jumping ranks won the $33,000 CSI2* Hollow Creek Winning Round competition on Sunday afternoon. The format saw the top 10 riders, regardless of faults, advance to a second ‘winning round’ where everyone starts with...