Lexington, KY - The 2013 US National Pony Jumper Championship, held as part of the US Pony Finals, came to an exciting conclusion on Friday night with Individual titles up for grabs. Twenty-one competitors came back to jump a fourth round over Marc Donovan’s testing course. A single rail Individual Medalists (Shawn McMillen Photography) separated the top 11 riders heading into Friday’s final round and a fourth round would not be enough as competitors would need to jump off for all...

Lexington, KY – Another day of competition has been completed in the Kentucky Horse Park’s Walnut Arena at the 2013 US Pony Finals. The country’s top ponies and their riders delivered their best performances in front of the judging panel of Chance Arakelian, William Sparks, and Jeff Wirthman in hopes of being one step closer to a US Hunter Pony Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans title. The Large Regular Hunter ponies completed their Model and Under Saddle phases while...

Ramiro Quintana and Bialda win the 130m Jumpers in the rain at Silver Oak. (Tony DeCosta) Hampton Falls, NH - In a rain shortened schedule on Friday at the Silver Oak Jumper Tournament in Hampton Falls, NH, Ramiro Quintana and his talented young jumper Bialda raced to his second victory in as many days, topping a field of just sixteen to win the 1.30m Jumpers Time First Round class on the grand prix field at the Silver Oak Equestrian Center. A not heavy, but steady rain fell throughout the day...

McKayla Langmeier and Czar-Z on their way to victory in the $15,000 NEHJA Hunter Derby on August 8 at the Vermont Summer Festival. (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, VT - McKayla Langmeier of East Granby, CT, left the veterans in the dust as the 13-year-old collected the top prize in the $15,000 NEHJA Hunter Derby held Thursday, August 8, at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. The win marked the second in a row for Langmeier and Czar-Z having also won last week’s $5,000...

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...

Verden, Germany - Charlotte Jorst and Vitalis proved their mettle on Friday going head-to-head with the best six-year-olds in the world at the FEI World Jorst happy after her ride in Verden (USEF Archive) Breeding Championships for Dressage Young Horses. The combination has qualified to compete in Sunday’s Final by way of finishing ninth out of a field Jorst (Reno, NV) and Skagen Holding’s Vitalis (Vivaldi x Tolivia/Donnerschwee) scored 8.24 to slot into the top ten. The Dutch...

Lexington, KY- Clear rounds were the order of the day in the Alltech Arena on Thursday evening as 11 teams went to task over Marc Donovan’s 12-obstacle track. Team medals in the US National Pony Jumper Championship were at stake as competition was held in the two-round Nations Cup format. Following the first round the top six teams came back to jump the same course in round two, in addition to 12 combinations that were jumping for individual classification. Team Medalists (Shawn McMillen...

Lexington, KY - The first Regular Pony Hunter Championship title was decided Thursday in the Kentucky Horse Park's Walnut Arena. The judging panel of Chance Arakelian, William Sparks, and Jeff Wirthman evaluated the Small Regular Hunter ponies as they completed the Model and Under Saddle phases of the competition as well as the field of 130 Medium Regular Hunter ponies to declare the winner of the US Hunter Pony Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans. The US Hunter Pony Championship...

Colombia’s Mark Bluman and G&C Blue won the $10,000 Theory Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, on August 8 at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, VT - Colombian rider Mark Bluman was in the winner’s circle yet again on Thursday, August 8, after topping the $10,000 Theory Welcome Stake, presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. The win marked Bluman’s third...

A couple of U.S riders put in a good show to close the day at CSIO5* Dublin of Thursday. In the Anglesea Stakes sponsored by DT Dublin Hotel, a Table A 1.50m class with jump-off, McLain Ward led Cadence to victory by .03s in an exciting 18 horse jump-off. With 13 of the returning horses clearing the jump-off course, it was Ward and the Procedures, Inc bay gelding that scorched to a 28.30s fault free round and a victory. They edged out Ireland's own Denis Lynch and Double O Seven, and...