So I have been in London for about five hours or so and it is everything I was expecting and more. To rewind a bit I spent last Wednesday-Sunday at the 2012 USEF National Dressage Championships at the picturesque Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, IL. After spending the better part of the last week watching the best up-and-coming Young and Developing Horses in the U.S. as well as juniors demonstrate fabulous equitation skill the future of the sport certainly seems very bright. A big hand and...

Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo (Joanie Morris) Greenwich, UK - Following the completion of the first half of the Dressage competition, the Jumping horses got their first glimpse of the main arena as 90 horses from 26 countries were presented before the Ground Jury at the jog. The U.S. Team looked sharp under the care of veterinarian Dr. Tim Ober, farrier Dr. Todd Meister, physio Janus Marquis, and their grooms (listed below). George Morris is serving as Chef d'Equipe, he will retire...

Charlie Jayne and Chill RZ (Amy Dragoo) Devon, PA - It was another glorious day at the Devon Horse Show and 15 horses lined up for the $50,000 Idle Dice Open Jumper Stake in the storied Dixon Oval at the 2012 Devon Horse Show. This afternoon's class served as the second half of the third USEF Observation Event for the U.S. Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games. Fourteen combinations, 13 of which are vying for a trip to the 2012 London Olympic Games, tested Michel Vaillancourt's...

Devon, PA - A small but mighty field of show jumping horses lined up to tackle the penultimate USEF Observation Event for the U.S. Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games. Thirteen combinations from the USEF Show Jumping Long List headlined the field of 16 in the 2012 $100,000 Wells Fargo Grand Prix of Devon. The Dixon Oval always proves a tremendous venue at the Devon Horse Show and with improvements made over the last few years, the storied Antares F and McLain Ward (AK Dragoo...

Lexington, KY – Tom McCutcheon, Craig Schmersal, Tim McQuay and Shawn Flarida, the four riders who won the team Gold Medal for the United States at the 2010 Reining World Championships, head an impressive list of entries in the second annual Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup, April 27-28 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. The Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup (AKRC) is held during the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone, which runs April 26-29. The AKRC features the...

Temecula, CA - With two phases of competition complete, Great Britain’s James Alliston has a tight hold on the top placings in the CIC3*. He took a decisive lead in the dressage aboard India McEvoy’s Jumbo’s Jake, and then he added no penalties in the show jumping to lead the division with 45.6 penalties. He’s also standing third with his younger horse (and last fall’s second-placed CCI2* horse), Tivoli (53.7). Holding down second is Jolie Wentworth of Martinez,...

Wellington, FL - Excitement is mounting for the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach, which gets under way in just one week. The World Dressage Masters presented by Axel Johnson Group is the richest dressage series in the world; over half a million dollars in prize money was awarded at four WDM competitions in 2011. The WDM Palm Beach is the only WDM event outside of Europe, and the only five star CDI in North America. International Polo Club Palm...

Morton, IL – The American Shetland Pony Club, Inc., crowned its 2012 all-registry Queen at its recent national convention. Miss Alyssa Palas of Ames, Iowa, will represent the ASPC as well as the American Miniature Horse Registry, the American Show Pony Registry and the National Show Pony Registry throughout the next year. Alyssa Palas is the 18-year-old daughter of Greg and Barb Palas. She has been involved with the ASPC/AMHR and its small equine breeds since 2001. Ms. Palas actively...

Temecula, CA — Sara Mittleider and Harry Houdini put in a measured dressage test on Thursday, but the Trakehner gelding looked just as at home on the cross-country course today as he galloped around faultlessly to maintain their lead in the CCI1*. Mittleider, of Kuna, Idaho, was thrilled with her rising star, whom she’s only been riding for a year and half. “I was very impressed with the maturity and confidence he showed today. The footing was a non-issue, and I was so, so...

They say it never rains in Southern California, but the heavens opened up on the CCI3* competitors at the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event. Still, the conditions didn’t prevent Buck Davidson, on Carl and Cassie Segal’s Ballynoe Castle RM, from taking the lead in dressage, scoring 41.8. “’Reggie’ was fantastic,” said Davidson, of Ocala, Fla. “He just keeps showing up. I just couldn’t be happier with him—he just steps up and does...