Although the weather threatened to put a damper on the weekend, it held off just enough to allow the first Gold Coast show of the season (February 19-21), held at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, to be the fun event exhibitors knew it would be. There was a great mix of familiar faces and new ones to make the show a big success with a record number of entries. One group of new faces came from Hayden Show Jumping and Riding School of Laguna Hills, riding under the tutelage of Mickey Hayden and...

The Texas Rose Horse Park will host a Trainer Symposium, October 25-27, in Tyler, TX. Melanie Smith Taylor, Jeff Cook and Sandy Ferrell will present sessions on hunters, jumpers and equitation with topics ranging from training exercises to business practices. Members will have the opportunity to participate in practical training sessions and round table discussions with top professionals in the industry. To view a complete schedule of the event, visit www.ushja....

Summer is the perfect time to get yearlings, two-year-olds, and three-year-olds exposed to the competition atmosphere by participating in the Irish Draught Horse Society of North American (IDHSNA)/United States Eventing Association (USEA) Future Event Horse (FEH) Series. On Friday, July 17, the Maryland Horse Trials at Loch Moy Farm in Adamstown, MD, is hosting a Future Event Horse competition. For more information contact Carolyn Mackintosh at (301) 514-0111, fax (301) 874-0968, or email...

Lexington, KY -- Kristina Harrison-Naness, riding in only her second overseas show on Rociero 4, and veteran rider Debbie McDonald on her up-and-coming star, Felix, braved horrendous weather conditions at the CDI**** Oldenburg in Germany November 9-11. These athletes were recipients of United States Equestrian Federation European Training Grants. Harrison-Naness and the diminutive Andalusian Rociero 4 put in a brave performance in the cold and fiercely windy conditions to finish second by less...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association's (AHSA) convention, including its large Youth Conference, the formal annual meeting and election of directors, and the Saddlebred Ball at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, is scheduled for Thursday through Saturday, February 15-17, 2007. Headquarters will be the Embassy Suites Hotel in Lexington. Open meetings and forums with committees begin Thursday, as is customary, and the Charter Club Council will also conduct a workshop. The emphasis...

Traverse City, Mich. – The 2023 edition of the FEI North American Youth Dressage Championships Presented by USDF came to a spectacular conclusion on Sunday, August 13, as the Juniors and Young Riders performed their freestyle tests. ©KTB Creative Group Junior Freestyle Championship After winning two silver medals in team and individual competition, Madison Sumner (Wellington, Fla.) and Briar, the 2007 KWPN gelding she co-owns with Wayne Sumner, struck gold in the freestyle. The pair...

Last week I posted a virtual show entry video from an amazingly brave woman who continues to allow me to use her material for examples in this blog. Her courage and generosity inspire me and I hope that her open heart and willingness to be visible inspire you too. I hope that some of you readers are able to identify with her as a peer, a rider struggling to understand riding and training her stock horse and that you professionals at least respect her courage. Reaction to the video has been...

July 31 through August 4 Murieta Equestrian Center in Rancho Murieta California will be the site for the 2013 “Gold N Grand Cowboy Dressage Show.” The show sports 42 classes with competitive divisions for open, amateur and youth riders who will be riding walk/jog and walk/jog/lope and Cowboy Challenge tests. As of this writing, there were 165 rides scheduled in three days! Such a fabulous turnout for Cowboy Dressage in Northern California. Show official Michele Dodge will oversee 3...

Note to self: The Boy Scout motto “Be Prepared” applies to many things. When teaching a WD clinic be prepared for anything! This week’s blog comes from Vancouver Washington on the Columbia River where the “Discover Western Dressage” clinic is being held as a fundraiser for Silver Buckle Ranch. The Buckle is a non-profit youth ranch that houses Clark County’s disabled riding program. It is a pleasure to be here and to know that the clinic proceeds will be used...

Thanks to everyone who took the time to send emails to USEF and for sharing your thoughts and feelings about the direction Western Dressage should take. It is so important to hear and listen to different ideas from all directions as the discipline develops. At this point all there is to do is continue to ride and train and show, and most important, to have fun with our horses. With another show coming up this weekend for us, I have put a lot of thought into the questions the last show brought...