The answer to this question is a simple, but detailed one. The Western Dressage Association® of America chose to pursue and become a nonprofit organization for many reasons, including fulfillment of our educational mission, greater opportunities for private funding and benefits of tax exemption… but the primary motivation was for YOU! When an organization applies for nonprofit status it states that it is declaring that its association is motivated by other goals then making a profit....

Lauren Hough and Ohlala (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Week nine's CSI-W 5* competition at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) continued on Friday with a win for Lauren Hough (USA) and Ohlala in the $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m speed class, a Longines FEI world ranking event. Week nine, sponsored by The Bainbridge Companies, runs March 6-10, 2013. The week will feature the $300,000 FEI World Cup CSI-W 5* presented by The Bainbridge Companies on Saturday evening, and the...

Darragh Kenny and Delilah (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - G&C Farm's $10,000 Speed Stake was also held on Friday with a win for Ireland's Darragh Kenny and Delilah, owned by Derbypie, LLC. In a field of 35 international starters, Kenny and Delilah completed the fastest of 9 clear rounds in 59.07 seconds. Germany's Johannes Ehning and Cayenne 162, owned by Winley Farm LLC, finished second in 59.63 seconds. USA's Reed Kessler and Ligist were third with a time of 61.54 seconds....

Wellington, FL - Matthias Hollberg and Orphan Car set a speedy pace early in the order and held on to the first spot during today's class at The Ridge at Wellington's $175,000 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix Series. Hollberg and Orphan Car completed the jump-off in 38.448 seconds, taking a sharp inside turn between the first two fences and leaving all the rails up to secure the win. The $15,000 Grand Prix class, held under sunny skies at the beautiful Mida Farm in Wellington, drew a...

Presentation of the top three teams (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Riders Darragh Kenny, Catherine Pasmore, and Meg O'Mara were the winning team of the fourth annual FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments® (FTI GCC) on behalf of their charity JDRF (the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) on Saturday evening at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Sponsored by Jessie Pasmore and Martha Jolicoeur and corporate sponsor Stone Hill Farm,...

What is the next frontier in the equestrian world? According to Dr. Jim Warson, Equestrian Medicine Specialist and author of The Rider’s Pain Free Back , “its rider health and development. The horses are as good as they are going to be in our lifetimes, so this is where the action is. Rider health and conditioning make us worthy of the horses that we spend so much time and money on”. Dr. Jim Warson with his beautiful horse, Gallahad Golden Warrior, “Trigger” Dr....

Conor Swail and Carlotta Singular (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - The second week of competition at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) kicked off on Wednesday, January 16, with a win for Conor Swail (IRL) and Carlotta Singular in the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The second week of FTI WEF competition, sponsored by Wellington Equestrian Realty , will run January 16-20. Highlight events include the $33,000 Ruby et...

Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star. (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - The second week of competition at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by The Mar-a-Lago Club, concluded on Sunday afternoon with a win for Charlie Jacobs (USA) and CMJ Sporthorse LLC's Flaming Star in the $30,000 Mar-a-Lago Club Grand Prix. Week one of FTI WEF was sponsored by The Mar-a-Lago Club. FTI WEF 2 runs January 16-20 and is sponsored by Wellington Equestrian Realty. The 2013 FTI WEF...

Rodrigo Pessoa and HH Let's Fly. (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa and HH Let's Fly galloped to victory in the $30,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 1 on the second day of competition at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) on Thursday. After kicking the year off with a second place finish in last weekend's inaugural $100,000 Trump Invitational Grand Prix, the duo is off to the races with a win to start their winter circuit. Week...

What is the equestrian demographic in North America? Surveys reveal it consists of women who, after a career, raising children, or both, have either returned to riding or are pursuing it as a life long dream. I fall into this demographic, having returned after both a career and children, and once again after major surgery. But where do we go to find training, a supportive community and a purpose in this endeavor? After much exploration, I was lucky enough to find Western Dressage through the...