Balmullo’s Azalea (Concord River Roaringwater Bay x Courtney’s April Frolic, by Custusha’s Cashel Rock), shown as Ooh La La and ridden by young rider and new owner Sara Powell of Lexington, KY, qualified for the 2009 USEF Pony Finals at their first "A" rated show together. The pair were champions, winning all over fences classes as well as the conformation class, in the large pony division at the USEF "A" rated Lakeside Arena Winter Series show. Powell, who is 15, and Ooh La La are currently...

For the 2009 breeding season, Flyinge, the Swedish National Stud, will include the KWPN stallion Lingh (Flemmingh x Columbus, by Uppercut xx) in its breeding program. Lingh has already arrived in Flyinge, a town in Southern Sweden just 48 miles from Copenhagen, Denmark. Throughout his performance career, Lingh has been one of the highest FEI-ranked dressage stallions in the world. He has had exceptional successes and numerous placings in international grand prix with Edward Gal and Karin...

Lexington, KY – Plans are under way for the 2008 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Youth Convention and registration is open, but space is limited for the convention. Already, over half of the available spots have been filled for the first annual Youth Convention, which will be held January 12 in Louisville, KY. Along with the schedule, the break-out sessions have been finalized. The Youth Convention will feature many notable speakers, including experts in the equine industry as well...

Lexington, KY - Marion Maybank has been promoted to the position of Director of Hunter and Collegiate Activities for the United States Equestrian Federation®. She assumes the position vacated by Andrea Ice, who had been with USEF since 1993 and is moving overseas. Maybank’s duties will include oversight of the Hunter Department, under the supervision of Karen Homer-Brown, Managing Director, National Affiliates. In addition, Maybank will continue her efforts in developing and implementing...

Blacksburg, Va. – On Dec. 7, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab released the results of its first-ever rating of equestrian helmets. Over the past two years, Virginia Tech researchers analyzed over 100 videos of riders falling off horses, precisely measured the hardness of the sand, dirt, grass, and synthetic surfaces underfoot at equestrian events, and dragged dummy heads and other equipment — and boxes and boxes of helmets — out to Virginia Tech’s equestrian facilities to...

In 2003, Virginia Tech placed the first sensors inside football helmets to measure head acceleration data that could characterize concussions. Nearly two decades later, the university’s Helmet Lab is on the cusp of adding equestrian sport to its arsenal of public safety information on helmet use and unveiling its STAR (Summation of Tests for the Analysis of Risk) ratings system for helmets. At the Equestrian Symposium, held Aug. 11-12 in Blacksburg, Va., Drs. Steve Rowson, Stefan Duma,...

Parker, Colorado – USEF Western Dressage and the Western Dressage Association of America are offering a Group Apprentice Judging program at the 2015 WDAA World Championship show on November 6-8, 2015. Janet (Dolly) Hannon will be the judge directing this program; she will be assisted by Joyce Swanson and Karen Homer Brown who are clinicians for the WDAA Judges Seminar. The WDAA Group Apprentice Judging opportunity will fulfill one apprentice judging experience for those applying for their...

Celebrating the accomplishments of 2013 and planning for even more in 2014 – those were the items on the agenda when the Western Dressage Association® of America held its fourth annual meeting Oct. 31-Nov. 1 in Tulsa, Okla. WDAA President Guy E. Brown welcomed 40+ attendees from 14 States and Canada. Listening to the list of accomplishments in 2013 was a perfect lead in to two days of planning and prioritizing projects for the coming year. • Adopted and published WDAA Rules and...

Daryl Portela and Winner (Phelps Media Group, Inc. International) Lexington, Ky. - "I was very excited to come here because I've never shown here," Portela said. "I didn't get to show last year because I ride with Jimmy Torano, and he judged last year. After [the Pennsylvania National Horse Show] and [the Washington International Horse Show] this year I was pumped and ready and wanted to come and do well." Portela had previously shown at the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden,...

From its inception, the Western Dressage Association® of America has maintained a focus on education. Our member’s quest for knowledge to learn Western Dressage is why the WDAA continues to create opportunities that will benefit the partnership of horse and rider. Just in the last few months, several exciting offerings have become available that will further pave the Western Dressage Journey for all. In May, WDAA joined HorseShow.com ’s new Online Coaching program to offer a...