Kreuth, Germany – The second section of the $187,000 added Open Futurity go round of the 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Futurity & NRHA Show did not witness changes on the leader board today. Finest Copyshot and Rudi Kronsteiner (AUT) are still leading. The mare by I Am Shotgunner, owned by Anja Deutzmann, scored a 222.5 yesterday. However, there was a change for second place in Level 4 Open go round. Time To Mark Big (Big Checks To Cash x Shes Markin Time, owner Manuel...

Rudi Kronsteiner and Finest Copyshot. (Photo courtesy NRHA.) Kreuth, Germany – The 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Futurity & NRHA Show started in Kreuth, Germany today with the first section of the $187,000 added Open Futurity go round. A total of 81 four-year-old reining horses from all over Europe were shown in Ostbayernhalle to kick off the first day of the weeklong show. Austrian Rudi Kronsteiner, 2010 NRHA European Futurity Level 4 Open Champion, had the best run...

Andre Thieme and Uvalier. (ESI Photography©.) Ocala, FL - It seems the luck of the Irish was with German High-Performance rider Andre Thieme yesterday when he piloted his own Uvalier to a blazingly fast finish in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. The win marks his third of the season and the second in five days for Thieme who, just last Sunday, rode Seth Vallhonrat's Coco 135 to an exciting victory in the $50,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer...

Steffen Peters with Heidi Zorn, President of Premier Equestrian, LLC. (Photo courtesy of JRPR.) Wellington, FL – United States Dressage rider Steffen Peters turned in the ride of his life aboard his equine partner, Ravel, in front of a sold-out crowd at the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach CDI5* at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in Wellington. In addition to earning a “personal best” score on Ravel, Peters also rode away as the winner of the Premier Equestrian Sportsmanship Award. Heidi...

Courtney King-Dye will speak about The Road to Grand Prix during the KWPN-NA Annual Meeting. (Susan J. Stickle.) Sutherlin, OR - Once again the KWPN-NA Annual Meeting pulls out all of the stops to give breeders, trainers, owners and riders information to help them advance their horses up the ranks to Grand Prix, for both jumping and dressage. The Royal Dutch Warmblood Studbook of North America (KWPN-NA) has put together an unprecedented number of experts that includes Olympic medalist Steffen...

Pierre St. Jacques and Lucky Tiger (SusanJStickle.com Photo) Wellington, FL - The second day of the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by the International Polo Club got underway with the Grand Prix Special on a glorious day in South Florida. Nine horse-and-rider combinations went forward to the Special after Thursday’s Grand Prix and the remaining eight will contest the Freestyle this evening. Polish rider Michal Rapcewicz proved unbeatable, winning the Special on 69.771% on Randon....

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) will host a Forum on March 10th, 2011 for Eventing Long Listed Athletes* to hear directly from the short-listed applicants for the position of Eventing Chef d'Equipe/Technical Advisor beginning in 2013. The two short-listed candidates recommended by the Search Committee are Leslie Law and David O'Connor. The process to select a new Chef d'Equipe/Technical Advisor for Eventing has been underway since the summer of 2010. In August of...

Thalia with Gin-N-Tonic. (Photo by Mary Ellen Payne.) Albuquerque, NM - Dr. Ruth Wilburn, President of the Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America (WPCSA) announced a special lifetime achievement award to Thalia Gentzel for her significant contributions to the WPCSA, the pony hunter world, and the lives of many young riders throughout the course of her life. From the time she was 12, Thalia rode at the old Cornell University Stables, where she was later a member of the intercollegiate team. When...

Lexington, KY — The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone, has been named one of the Top 10 Festivals and Events for Spring 2011 by the Kentucky Tourism Council. The Rolex Kentucky, part of the HSBC FEI ClassicsTM and a perennial winner of this prestigious award, is set to be held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, April 28-May 1. It was named as one of the Top 10 Events for Spring because this premier event is the only Four Star, Three-Day Event in the Western...

Wellington, FL - The World Dressage Masters Palm Beach CDI5* presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach is now just five days away. The American edition of the world's premier dressage series will begin on March 9th with the FEI Horse Inspection, followed by two days of world class competition. Five top European dressage horses arrived in Miami from Amsterdam on March 3. They are expected to move from quarantine to the competition venue, the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in West Palm...