Karl Cook and Banba (Captured Moment Photography) Del Mar, Calif. - Wrapping up the very last day of the Del Mar International Horse Show, there was still plenty of excitement to be had as the GGT Footing Grand Prix Series Final got underway. Sixty-five horse and rider pairs entered this class to battle it out for top honors today, and sixteen made it to the jump off. Out of those sixteen, we saw 7 impressive double clear rounds. In the end, Karl Cook and Banba, owned by Signe Ostby, set forth...

Nayel Nassar and Lordan (Captured Moment Photography) Del Mar, Calif. - World Cup Week heats up with the thrilling iJump Sports Welcome Stake on Thursday evening. Out of fifty-two entries there were nine clear rounds, but Nayel Nassar aboard Lordan showed the most speed, completing the course in 65.10. Saer Coulter and Carmena Z were close behind in second, with Francie Steinwedell-Carver on Taunus riding to 3rd place. Lots more jumper action to come as riders gear up for the Rancho Valencia...

Eduardo Menezes & La Fleur 4 (Captured Moment Photography) Del Mar, Calif. - Del Mar Welcome Week comes to a close today, and we've had gorgeous weather, exciting competition and some truly memorable moments. Now, riders, horses, trainers and show staff are looking ahead to World Cup Week, which will feature the Grand Prix Hunter Derby Final, the Rancho Valencia World Cup Grand Prix of Del Mar and our spectacular (spooktacular!) Halloween celebration as well as many other special...

Andrew Ramsey and Woitcek (Flying Horse Photography) Sacramento, CA - This year's Sacramento International Horse Show saw bigger crowds and greater competitor numbers than ever before. Show Managers Dale Harvey and Rudy Leone put on a smoothly-run, top-notch event from the time the first horse entered the in-gate during Welcome Week until the last fence was jumped Sunday at the close of World Cup Week. Looking back over the last two weeks, here are some of the highlights: World Cup Week saw...

Ashlee Bond (Flying Horse Photography) Sacramento, California - Gusty winds threatened tents, show set-ups, and anything not tightly secured during Day Two of Sacramento International's World Cup Week. The stakes were high in the $33,000 Welcome Grand Prix as 55 entries including international stars Will Simpson, Nayel Nassar, Susan Hutchinson, Duncan McFarlane, Ashlee Bond, and Harley Brown as well as local favorites Joie Gatlin, Macella O'neil and Carol Wright navigated a formidable...

Jennifer Bliss rode Extraordinary to the first place finish in the $10,000 GGT Footing 3'3" Hunter Derby on the final day of the Fieldstone Summer Showcase (Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group) Halifax, MA - The Fieldstone Summer Showcase I ended Sunday with the much-anticipated $10,000 GGT Footing 3'3" Hunter Derby where Jennifer Bliss guided her two top mounts to the 1-2 finish. The derby has always been both a competitor and crowd favorite at the Fieldstone Show Park in Halifax, MA, and...

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...

Dressage Young Rider Freestyle medalists: Jamie Pestana (Reg 7) - Silver; Ayden Uhlir (Reg 6) - Gold; Tanya Strasser Shostak (CAN) - Bronze (SusanJStickle.com) Lexington, KY – On Saturday afternoon, dressage riders competed for their Freestyle Individual medals in the Rolex Stadium at the 2013 Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North (NAJYRC). Ayden Uhlir (Region 6) and Sjapoer won their second Individual Gold medal of the week in the...

Kennzo and Molly Ashe in the Classic Round (Tricia Booker Photography) Traverse City, MI - Molly Ashe returned to Horse Show by the Bay this year on a mission. After a disappointing performance in last year's $20,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, she sought redemption. And she got it. Ashe guided Kennzo to victory on July 19, in Traverse City, taking the top call in this year's edition, hosted by The Gochman Family. The two-round hunter competition was Friday evening's featured...

Dressage Young Rider Team Gold Medalists from Region 7: Teresa Adams, Ariel Thomas, Jamie Pestana, and Jaclyn Pepper (SusanJStickle.com) Lexington, KY – The first day of competition at the 2013 Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North (NAJYRC) featured the top up-and-coming talent in the sport of dressage. Team medals were presented in the Junior and Young Rider divisions in the USDF/Platinum Performance North American Junior and Young...