Reed announced her win on Instagram. Oldenburg, Germany - Only days after winning the Longines Rising Star award at the FEI Awards Gala , Reed Kessler showed the form that earned her that recognition by taking a 1.45m winning round compeition at CSI2* Oldenburg. The class was broken into eleven groups with the winners plus three returning for the winning round. Kessler qualified for that winning round and was the penultimate in the order of go. When her turn came around she and her own Ligist...

Todd Minikus and Quality Girl (Shawn McMillen) Lexington, Ky . - When $50,000 is up for grabs it brings out the best horses and riders in the world, putting their best foot forward. That is how the Open Jumper division at the 2013 Alltech National Horse Show kicked off today. Todd Minikus and Quality Girl left nothing to chance as they sped around Conrad Homfeld's challenging track, besting the field by two seconds to win the Taylor Harris $50,000 Open Jumper Welcome Speed, presented by...

Leslie Berndl (Pics of You) Lexington, KY – A good crowd turned out at the Kentucky Horse Park Saturday to watch the marathon phase of the Kentucky Classic CDE. When the driving was done and the spectators had left Leslie Berndl had taken a big step into the lead in the single horse division. Berndl (Newcastle, California) started off hot Saturday morning with Dutch Warmblood gelding Umico and her consistent driving over the entire course helped her take the lead in the division. Berndl...

Woodstock, England – Cross Country day at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trial saw gutsy performances from U.S. competitors over Eric Winter’s influential track. Saturday’s test was made all the more difficult as horse and rider combinations also had to contend with slick going, yet the Americans remained undeterred. Clark Montgomery maintained his third place standing on an ever-improving Loughan Glen, while 24-year-old Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen...

Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo (Rebecca Walton) orth Salem, NY - Friday the 13th proved to a lucky day for Beezie Madden, who stormed to victory on her veteran mount Coral Reef Via Volo during the $100,000 American Gold Cup Qualifier, presented by Double H Farm & Windsor Show Stables. Fifty-five entries showed on the Grand Prix Field at Old Salem Farm during the 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W, but only eight finished without fault to qualify for the jump-off, where Madden and Coral...

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen (Samantha Clark) Lexington, KY - The first day of dressage began at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials in Woodstock, England, with the first batch of U.S. riders coming down the centerline on Thursday. In the CCI3*, a talented international field performed their dressage tests in front of the judging panel of Eric Lieby, Nick Burton, and Lindsay Jenkins. Clark Montgomery (Wiltshire, UK) and Loughan Glen, USEF Land Rover Competition Grant...

Shane Sweetnam and Solerina (The Book LLC 2013) North Salem, NY - The 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W returned to the picturesque Old Salem Farm Wednesday to kick-off the week-long international jumping competition featuring the world's top athletes. Thanks to phenomenal reviews from 2012, a large number of entries created a section split for the day's main event on the Grand Prix Field: the $8,000 Danbury Porsche Audi 1.40m Open Jumper class. During the first section, it was...

Boyd Martin and Trading Aces land after the final show jumping fence after putting in one of only eight double clear rounds (Hannah Bennet/USEA) Richland, MI - The weather gods were smiling on the CIC3* riders Friday afternoon at Richland Park as they took to the showjumping ring to tackle Mark Donovan’s proper three-star course. As inconvenient as the deluge was Thursday afternoon, it provided perfectly softened footing for the horses to spring off of Friday, and they needed every extra...

Welcome to the fourth 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...

Penny Brennan guided Japan to the winning time of 38.170 seconds during the $7,500 South Shore Equine Welcome Stake at the Fieldstone Summer Showcase I (Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group) Halifax, MA - It was only three short weeks ago that Penny Brennan was released from the hospital for a severe case of pneumonia, but no one would have known as she raced Japan to the top of the leader board during the $7,500 South Shore Equine Welcome Stake. Brennan and Japan posted the blazing time of 38.170...