Blaine Mangione takes a break from the jumper ring to win the $1,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby (Bella Nova Pictures) Versatility was the name of the game as riders transitioned between the equitation, hunter, and jumper rings at Gold Coast 5 (July 19-21). Young professional Blaine Mangione, usually seen in the jumper arena, proved she could win the blue ribbon in $1,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby as well. “I was really shocked! I’m usually in the middle of the pack so I honestly...

At the halfway point of the show, everyone has started to settle into a rhythm. Exhibitors have become accustomed to the routine of schooling horses, cheering for friends, competing in classes, and riding the emotional highs and lows of horse showing. Trainers are fine-tuning their coaching, subtly adjusting cues or comments to result in peak performance from horse and rider alike. The full panoply of emotions can be observed by watching the show from a unique perspective - the vantage point of...

Every journey begins with a single step. Although many shows reflect such journeys, this year's Canadian Nationals is particularly full of starting points, especially on the day before the show. Brandon is hosting Canadian Nationals for the first time; no stranger to hosting horse shows, Brandon is a charming city with a diverse feeling. Blocks of Victorian era houses, with their sun-kissed gabled roofs and bay windows, mingle with more modern apartment buildings in the downtown. On the...

Dressage Following their second and third place finishes in the CDIW at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, Elisabeth Austin and Olivier and Shawna Harding and Come On III have earned their qualification to represent the U.S. at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Final. The 2011 Final will be held in Leipzig, Germany. April 27- May 1. Austin and Olivier score of 70.150% placed them second behind Swedish rider Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven on Favourit in the Grand Prix Freestyle. Harding and Come On III finished...

Jennifer Alfano won multiple top ribbons on the first day of the Buffalo International Horse Show, i (Lauren Fisher/PMG) Buffalo, NY - September 15, 2010 - The 64th Annual Buffalo International Horse Show (BIHS) began competition today at the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center (BTRC) in Buffalo, NY. The horse show will host a number of special classes in their large indoor arena through Sunday, September 19, featuring great prize money and exciting competition to benefit the BTRC and its...

The annual Vermont Summer Festival will return to East Dorset, VT, for six consecutive weeks of competition running July 7 through August 15, 2010. New England’s largest “AA” rated hunter/jumper horse show, the Vermont Summer Festival offers more than $750,000 in prize money, making it the richest sporting event based on purse in the state. The competition attracts the best athletes, including Olympic medalists, from across the country and around the globe to vie for top honors. The first five...

At least half a dozen U.S. riders aiming to represent the United States at the 2010 Eventing World Championships will launch their selection bids at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials on March 26-28. The CIC*** at Galway Downs will be a vitally important preparation event for these riders as they head for the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** in late April, the primary U.S. selection trial for the Eventing World Championships. Several Canadian World Championship candidates are also expected to...

The Washington International Horse Show (WIHS), a major equestrian event based in Washington, DC, since 1958, generates nearly $7 million in economic impact to the District of Columbia annually, according to a recent study conducted by Stephen S. Fuller, PhD, Dwight Schar Faculty Chair and Director of the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. “During these difficult economic times, it was important for the show to evaluate its spending and its positive...

The Adequan/United States Eventing Association (USEA) Gold Cup Series comes to the Woodside Horse Trials on May 23-25, and it will be an excellent opportunity for rising riders and their horses to earn valuable points in the year-long series at the advanced and intermediate levels of eventing. Modeled after NASCAR and other thriving sports series, the Adequan/USEA Gold Cup Series is based on a cumulative points system, with horse-and-rider pairs earning points, prize money and prizes at each of...

For the first time ever, the 2007 American Saddlebred Reference Directory is now available electronically on the Association’s website and it’s free to all active ASHA members. Just visit www.saddlebred.com/members/index.php and log in. Once you have logged in, follow the instructions provided. The Reference Directory physical copy has been mailed to all active American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) members by USPS book rate mail. In the meantime, the association is providing this service...