Katherine Schmidt and Striptease with coach Carol Gwin and Jill Townsend (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Twenty one-year-old Katherine Schmidt, of Ridgefield, CT, emerged victorious from the Collegiate Equitation Championship on Friday evening at the FTI WEF. Schmidt is a junior at the University of South Carolina (USC), where she is a double major in Marketing and Management. Schmidt made it through the first round of the evening's competition after beating out Auburn University's...

The winning women's team with Michelle McFaul, Vice President, Community Affairs & Special Events for Nespresso, ringmaster Gustavo Murcia, and Paige, Mark and Katherine Bellissimo (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla, - January 10, 2014 - The crowds were out in full force at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Saturday night to watch the women's team earn their sixth consecutive victory in the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival's (FTI WEF) $75,000 Nespresso...

Katy Groesbeck and Oz the Tin Man at the winter training session (USEF Archives) Lexington, Ky. - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and its Eventing High Performance Department introduced a redesigned Developing Riders/Eventing 25 Program for 2013, and the participants had impressive performances throughout the season. Selected by application, 17 riders from across the country benefitted from regular access, coaching, and guidance from U.S. Team Coach, David O’Connor. The...

Lexington, Ky. - Horses and riders danced the day away in the Alltech Arena in six freestyle championship divisions during the inaugural US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. Despite facing some of the best horses and riders in their divisions from across the country, competitors rose to the challenge in their quest for national titles while also gaining the experience of a lifetime. In the Third Level Freestyle Championship, Region 1 rider...

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...

Penny Brennan and Japan returned to the Grand Prix Field at the Fieldstone Show Park as the defending champions (Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group) Halifax, MA - The Grand Prix Field was alive with action, and the anticipation was tangible as the $7,500 EquiFit Speed Derby commenced. Riders gathered on the all-grass field to not only compete for the lion's share of the prize money on the second day of the Fieldstone Summer Showcase I, but also to prepare for the quickly approaching $50,000...

Eduardo Menezes and Caruschka (McCool Photos) San Juan Capistrano, CA - On a warm Southern California afternoon where the temperatures reached into the 80s, twenty-one pairs rode a course set by designer Pierre Jolicoeur in the $30,000 Blenheim Red, White & Blue Grand Prix, presented by Markel Insurance. With a mix of rookies and veterans, both horse and rider, the track was inviting to all who entered. Of the ten who were clear in the first round, Brazilian Eduardo Menezes once again led...

Eduardo Menezes flying on La Fleur 4 (McCool) San Juan Capistrano, CA - On yet another great day in Southern California, a small but stellar group of international competitors took on the challenge presented by world-renowned course designer Linda Allen in the $30,000 June Classic I Grand Prix, sponsored by St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort. Previous to this event, Hannah Heidegger dominated the final qualifier for the 2013 North American Junior & Young Rider Championships and young...

Lillie Keenan and Clearway (The Book LLC) North Salem, NY – Capturing her third major equitation win of the year, 15-year-old Lillie Keenan of New York, NY, and Heritage Farm's Clearway stood in the winner's circle for the $5,000 Equitation Classic presented by AIG/Kaplow Insurance Agency with Heritage Farm. The event was the highlight of the Saturday schedule during the first week of the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Show. The first week of competition concludes tomorrow with the...

Recently on the NAWD Facebook page, discussion has centered on the terms “connection” and “collection” with riders, trainers and instructors piping in with comments. If you have not checked in with the Facebook discussions on the websites for all the organizations, I encourage you to do so. All of these comments are so valuable! This is a critical conversation and is truly at the root of the discussion that surrounds WD videos that are currently out there. Dressage...