Reprinted with permission from Cowboy Dressage Newsletter: August 2-4, 2013 “Build It and They Will Come” “Cowboy Dressage Competition debuted at Rancho Murieta Gold N Grand Horse Show Aug 2-4. Gold N Grand is known on the west coast for being the premier open horse show at one of the west’s top equine facilities. A record number of 183 entries for one discipline made history. It was Cowboy Dressage. This does not happen by accident. It happens because of hard work, a...

David Blake and Park Lane (Mary Adelaide Brakenridge for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International) Lexington, KY - David Blake piloted the up-and-coming young horse Park Lane to a win in the $5,000 1.40m Open Jumpers to kick off the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show's jumper divisions. Earlier in the day, Christi Israel rode Bull Run's Zino Platinum to first place in the 1.35m Open Jumpers. The $5,000 1.40m Open Jumpers was run as a speed class over the course designed by Allen Rheinheimer....

Jennifer Alfano and Candid (Phelps Media Group, Inc. International) Lexington, KY - The eyes of the hunter world are glued on the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show this week as the country's top horses and riders converge for the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship Finals and the inaugural USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Program Championship. Today riders utilized the first day of the World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) week show, running now through Sunday, August 18, to prepare for the...

Lexington, KY - The final day of the 2013 US Pony Finals was dedicated to equitation and the US Pony Medal Final. A total of 193 riders headed into the Kentucky Horse Park’s Alltech Arena to demonstrate their skill and proficiency in front of the judging panel of Bill Moroney and Julie Winkel. In round one Bobby Murphy tested riders over an intricate course which featured a two-stride combination as well as a trot jump and called for riders to halt before continuing on in the canter over...

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...

Valkenswaard, Germany - CSI Valkenswaard has been kind to U.S. riders over the last two days. Eight classes have seen Americans atop the leaderboard and they've been near the top in others. Below is a quick breakdown of CSI2* and CSI1* classes with links to full results. CSI1* Friday Alexandra Crown started things well for the U.S contingent with a win in the Special Invitational against the clock. She and her own Quadrant finished first, Alexandra Cherubini and Lovelite LLC's Equifit...

Lexington, KY - The 2013 US Pony Finals officially kicked-off on Tuesday with Green Hunter Ponies and Medium Regular Hunter Ponies taking their first steps towards National Titles in the US Hunter Pony Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans. Small, Medium and Large Greens all completed their Model and Under Saddle phases in the Kentucky Horse Park’s Walnut Arena, while Medium Regular Hunter Ponies performed their Model phase in front of the judging panel of Chance Arakelian, William...

Lexington, KY - The United States heads into the CSIO5* Dublin on top form after claiming second place honors in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup of Great Britain presented by Longines last week at CSIO5* Hickstead. Four members of the Hickstead squad head to the premiere Irish competition; Beezie Madden, McLain Ward, Reed Kessler and Katie Dinan will look to secure another set of top finishes for the U.S. They will be joined by Kent Farrington who was the Chef d’Equipe of the winning U.S....

Lexington, KY - The U.S. jumper’s showed their depth Friday as they earned top results in two hard-fought Furusiyya FEI Nations Cups. A team of rising stars headed to Bratislava, Slovakia and produced spectacular rounds to earn an American victory at CSIO3* Bratislava’s Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup. While a team of Nations Cup veterans jumped at the CSIO5* Hickstead, earning a second place finish in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup of Great Britain presented by Longines. CSIO3* Bratislava...

McKayla Langmeier guided Czar-Z to victory in the $5,000 NEHJA Hunter Derby on August 1 at the Vermont Summer Festival, held in East Dorset, VT. (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, VT - Thirteen-year-old McKayla Langmeier, of East Granby, CT, and Czar-Z added another hunter derby win to their record after topping the $5,000 NEHJA Hunter Derby at the Vermont Summer Festival on Thursday evening, August 1. The pair collected the first hunter derby victory of their career during the 2011...