Welcome to 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 moments on her journey...

Cian O'Connor and Walk Tall II (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Week seven of the 2013 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival continued on Saturday afternoon with the $25,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic featured on the grass derby field at The Stadium at PBIEC. Richard Jeffery, of Bournemouth, England, is the course designer on the derby field for the week. On Saturday afternoon, Jeffery set the track for 31 entries in the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. Only three...

How do good ideas happen? By great people putting their minds together – and that’s what happened when Frances Carbonnel, Cliff Swanson, and Neide Cooley got together last August to work on the Educational Program for the Western Dressage Association® of Colorado. I had the pleasure of speaking with Frances about how the Train The Trainers clinic came into being. “We decided we needed some videos to help people understand what the gaits are for Western Dressage,”...

The third in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder I promised you last week I would share more about the informal surveys that have helped give Western Dressage a voice through NAWD, and given me good stuff to share with you. While we believe there is much common ground to be found between western and dressage, there are differences between Western Dressage and BOTH parent disciplines. As Western Dressage continues to develop into a unique discipline in this country it is imperative...

Lyn Pedersen and Tivoli Take Tricolor in FarmVet Amateur-Owner 36 & Over 3'3" Hunters Nick Skelton and Big Star (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - The seventh week of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival concluded today with an exciting 11 horse jump-off in the $32,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. Nick Skelton (GBR) scored yet another big win with Big Star, owned by Beverley Widdowson. Second place went to fellow British rider Ben Maher on Quiet Easy 4, owned by Mrs....

Havens Schatt and Valencia win the High Performance Hunter Championship award at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show (Photo: Kendall Bierer/PMG). Lexington, KY - Although thunderstorms threatened the morning classes at the Kentucky Horse Park, diligent horse and rider combinations turned out to the Stonelea Ring for the second day of the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show. Thankfully, the sun began to make its way through the clouds, and riders were blessed with beautiful weather yet again as they...

Wilhelm Genn & Happy Z (Flashpoint Photography). Conyers, GA — The Atlanta Summer Classics wrapped up competition at the Georgia International Horse Park, awarding nearly $300,000 in prize money and raising thousands for local charities over the two week run. “We’ve had some of the best riders in our sport joining us; it’s been a remarkable series and I couldn’t be happier,” Bob Bell, president of Classic Company said. Starting off the finale week, were a...

Stephanie Riggio and Compliment. (Photo by James Leslie Parker). North Salem, NY – The Hunter ring was a picture perfect backdrop to the Adult Hunter Divisions that completed today at the Old Salem Farms Spring Horse Shows. Stephanie Riggio, New York, NY, rode her Compliment to victory in the Amateur Adult Hunters 18-35 division. Winning the under saddle class as well as two of the jumping classes, she dominated the competition with the 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding. Fresh off...

Leipzig, Germany – Beezie Madden kicked off the 2011 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final with a win for the U.S. Wednesday morning in the Opening Competition. Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo bested the field of 24 as the only combination to jump faultlessly in the first round. Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo. (Photo by Rebecca Walton/PMG) Madden (Cazenovia, NY) was the first U.S. rider in the ring and set the tone immediately. The Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Coral Reef Ranch jumped...

Lexington, Ky. – Tamie Smith and Mai Baum led heading into the final day of competition at the 2023 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by MARS Equestrian™. With the pressure on, the pair maintained their composure and jumped a clear round to earn the win in impressive fashion. Smith and Mai Baum ended a 15-year drought by being the first U.S. combination to win at Kentucky since 2008. In addition to the overall title, the duo won the Land Rover/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing...