Lexington, Kentucky- The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is now accepting applications for the “Verden Experience.” In 2013, USEF began providing the opportunity for a small group of riders, trainers, breeders and owners of Dressage Young Horses to participate in a trip to the FEI World Breeding Championships for Dressage Young Horses. The 2014 Championship will take place in Verden, Germany, on August 6-10, 2014. The “Verden Experience” will be led by USEF...

Sonoma, PA - Peter Breakwell of New Zealand took top honors on Sunday, September 22nd in Sonoma Horse Park’s marquee class, winning the $25,000 Balancing Tonic Grand Prix to close out the 2013 SHP Finale, the final show of the popular facility’s seven-week season. Just a week after winning the $20,000 Stable Mix Grand Prix aboard his veteran show jumper Lucas, Breakwell took a new mount to the winners circle in Finnley 5, a 9-year-old Westfalian gelding that was jumping in just his...

Stephanie Novas and Amyra R rode to the top of the $7,500 Cavalor High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic leader board for the final day of Equifest II (Kendall Bierer/PMG) Wayne, IL - Some girls dream of the "Pretty In Pink" sweet sixteen fantasy, others fantasize of beautiful ballrooms and dazzling dresses, but for Stephanie Novas her sixteenth birthday marked a major accolade. Novas rode Amyra R to the $7,500 Cavalor High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic victory, riding to a blazing fast...

Brittini Raflowitz cleaned up Chicago on the final day of Equifest I with the $7,500 Cavalor High Junior/Amateur-Owner victory aboard Zacca Zoeloe, riding to the second place with KT Undercover (Ashley N. Williams) Wayne, IL - The final day of Equifest I opened to cloudless skies and strong jumper competition as the Junior and Amateur-Owner Jumpers took the spotlight in the Grand Prix Arena at the Lamplight Equestrian Center. Brittini Raflowitz rode to her fourth major win of the week, this...

Kaitlin Campbell on Rocky W Devon, PA - This evening's open jumper class was the Idle Dice Open Jumper Stakes class. The class was named after famed jumper horse Idle Dice. Idle Dice was originally bred as a thoroughbred race horse, but he was discovered and retrained by Bernie Traurig who showed him as a hunter. He was later purchased by Harry Gill and shown as a jumper by Rodney Jenkins. Idle Dice won over $400,000 in his career (an amount that would triple if adjusted to the value of...

Darrin Dlin and Tienna (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - The $10,000 Adequan 5-Year-Old Young Jumper Classic was held on Thursday morning with a win for Canada's Darrin Dlin and Tienna, owned by Susan Grange. Held as the final for the division during this year's FTI WEF circuit, the class saw 31 entries in the first round of competition with sixteen going clear to the jump-off. Darrin Dlin and Tienna completed the fastest of five double clear rounds in 37.201 seconds for the win. Peter Wylde...

Suzy Stafford at the 2011 FEI World Driving Championships for Combined Ponies. (Marie de Ronde) Lexington, KY - Suzy Stafford (Wilmington, DE) represented the U.S. at the 2011 FEI World Driving Championships for Combined Ponies in Lipica, Slovenia held September 21-25, 2011. She drove her Morgan-Arabian Cross mare Josephine to an impressive finish in the cones phase and was awarded the Bronze medal in the Singles Pony Championship. Stafford has been notified by the FEI that the Swedish single...

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...

Hunter Chancellor is a 17-year-old junior at Mater Del High School from Evansville, Indiana. She is ranked third in her class and has a 3.99 GPA. Hunter is on the five-gaited section of the 2012 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team. People always ask me at what age I started riding horses. I guess the true answer is, “since before I was born.” My mom showed American Saddlebreds long before I was around, and continued to ride in the early stages of her pregnancy. Not only did my mom show...

Winner of Hanovarian class Age 2 and under Francheska AH (Project Marketing) Devon, PA - Dressage at Devon attendees were treated to an amazing array of individual breed classes in the world’s largest open Breed Show. From Andulusians to Gypsy Vanners, and Hanovarians to Knabstruppers, each breed had the opportunity to show off its unique qualities. In the Hanovarian – Age 2 and under, Francheska AH (Fielding/SPS Malena), bred and owned by Kate Palmquist, took home the blue. In the...