The sixteenth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder In an attempt to acknowledge the current diversity within the discipline, show organizers have started offering exhibitors the opportunity to ride ANY test they want to ride, from any organization that has published tests. A buffet of western dressage is now available with something for everyone. The show organizers want to meet the needs of the competitors and in so doing really have taken the first step toward acceptance and...

The fifteenth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder Last weekend our barn attended the first Western Dressage classes in our area. It was a beautiful day to ride in a beautiful venue at a facility where the idea of western dressage has been warmly accepted. It was such a nice feeling to share space with dressage riders and enthusiasts, most of whom were very curious about the discipline. We rode all the North American Western Dressage Tests through Level 4 and found the tests...

2012 World Dressage Masters Wellington, FL - The excitement is building for dressage fans and aficionados worldwide as the countdown begins for the must-see event in 2013-the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach. The internationally acclaimed World Dressage Masters CDI5* Palm Beach will return to the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center January 23-27, 2013 during the Wellington Classic Sunshine Challenge CDI3*. World Dressage Masters (WDM), presented by Axel Johnson Group, is an elite competition series...

The fourteenth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder The last several weeks I’ve talked about how to get started in western dressage. If you are curious, you’ve checked out the website, taken advantage of the free basic membership by becoming a member, read the rules, reviewed the tests, read the articles, participated in the Forum discussions, found WD groups on Facebook, visited YouTube and chatted with your friends about it. Maybe you’ve contacted your local...

Hunter Holloway wins the Region 5 ASPCA Maclay Regionals (CJM Photography) It was an exciting weekend for the top equitation riders as they competed in numerous ASPCA Maclay Regionals to vie for a spot in the coveted Finals at the Alltech National Horse Show. The competition was stiff as the top junior riders go head-to-head in a battle of the best and the chance to take it all. Hunter Holloway took the Region 5 title. Jeffrey Tolson was presented with the Region 6 Championship, while Sara...

The twelveth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder Every day I field calls from people wanting to know more about Western Dressage. What is it? How do I find out more about it? Can anyone do it? Is it hard? Who teaches Western Dressage? Are there shows? Last weekend a few of our riders were invited to do a Western Dressage demonstration at the local dressage show. What struck me was the feeling of being out of place amongst my dressage friends because we were wearing our western...

Stamford, UK - The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team showed that the future is bright claiming two spots within the top ten at The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. Sunday proved to be an influential day of Show Jumping as the leaderboard saw a huge shake-up from top to bottom. Sinead Halpin and Allison Springer put a summer’s worth of training in England, thanks to Land Rover Competition and Training Grants, to the test producing classy efforts throughout the week to claim second and sixth...

Bridgehampton, NY - I nternational veteran Jeffery Welles of Pound Ridge, N.Y., ruled the Grand Prix Ring on Tuesday at the 37th Annual Hampton Classic. Welles won both the afternoon’s American Eurocopter $7,500 1.45m Open Jumper class and the fist section of the morning’s Newsday $7,500 1.40m Open Jumper class. Welles, 50, won the more difficult afternoon class on Merlin in a time of 61.80 seconds, defeating Darragh Kerins on S&L Farms’ S&L Zeppelin (62.06) and Shane...

The tenth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder The development of Western Dressage as a discipline is very exciting to riders, trainers, breeders and exhibitors alike. North American Western Dressage is dedicated to finding common ground between the two disciplines, educating riders from all backgrounds, and to making dressage concepts accessible to western riders without minimizing the importance of the training pyramid nor sacrificing the principles that are fundamental to...

Organisers of the Longines FEI World Endurance Championships at Euston Park, near Newmarket, Suffolk, UK have released final details of the 160km track that will test up to 150 riders from around 40 countries on 25th August 2012. The route comprises six loops of between 20km and 38km five of which take riders on different routes around the Suffolk countryside covering heathland, forest tracks, river meadows and open farmland all with the support of local landowners, farmers and the Forestry...