The thirteenth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder With growth comes ‘growing pains.’ The situation surrounding Western Dressage becomes more complicated with each passing day. More and more shows are offering WD classes with tests from several sources. YouTube watchers see a huge variation in the WD videos presented there. At least three different rulebooks now grace cyberspace and you can read articles and letters to the editor in national and local magazines. The...

It’s one of the usual reasons for getting involved with horses; Martha Suarez loved them dearly as a child and could not have a horse of her own. When she and her husband Charley moved to Florida in the 1980’s they chose a horse community called Plantation Acres and Martha was, at long last able to get a horse. Talk about your subtle beginnings. Ansata Suleyman72 In 1999 Martha Suarez attended her first Egyptian Event and thoroughly enjoyed herself. In 2002 she brought her Nabiel...

FEI President, HRH Princess Haya (Photo by Edouard Churchod/FEI) Lusanne, SUI - FEI President, HRH Princess Haya, announced today that the Saudi Equestrian Fund will finance the revitalisation of the FEI Nations Cup™ series. Announcing the agreement at the opening of the FEI Sports Forum in Lausanne (SUI) today, Princess Haya informed delegates that the Saudi Equestrian Fund will provide full financial support for the 2012 series and has also agreed to a five-year title sponsorship...

Cardi (Team Cardi LLC) Welsh Cob stallion North Forks Cardi recently piaffed and passaged his way to four impressive wins in Intermediaire II classes at the Festival of the Horse and the Golden State Dressage Show. Competing against all breeds in a field traditionally dominated by warmblood horses, this eleven year old Welsh Cob stallion, standing 14.3 1/2 hands high, produced his best ever score of 67% and also qualified for the Grand Prix Freestyle, earning a 62% for their Grand Prix ride....

Southern Saddlebred Sales and UPHA Chapter 8 Horse Show Join Forces April 26th - 28th Southern Saddlebred Sales inaugural event is scheduled for the last weekend in April. The Spring Sale already has consignments from Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, and Tennessee. “We currently have around 100 entries, which we feel is a strong first sale, and we are especially pleased with the...

Fairfield, CT - The Intercollegiate Horse Show Association is pleased to announce that 2011 defending national champion, Berry College, is among the Western teams qualified for the 39th edition of the IHSA National Championships, May 3-6, at the Hunt Horse Complex of the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. IHSA executive director, Robert E. Cacchione, and St. Andrews University coach Peggy McElveen report that the following IHSA Western teams will be going to Raleigh to compete for one of the most...

Laurie Moore rode Cynthia Hunting’s Zonnerhall to the highest score at the International Sport Horse Palm Beach Show Loxahatchee, FL – Dressage trainer Laurie Moore reunited with her former equine partner Zonnerhall, owned by Cynthia Hunting, at the International Horse Sport Palm Beach Show and the reunion proved to be award winning as the duo captured the high score at the show. Moore and Zonnerhall earned a 77.903% in the USEF First Level Test of Choice to ride away as the winner of The...

Wellington, FL – Joe Fargis may be best known for winning the 1984 Olympic individual gold medal on Touch of Class, but the veteran jumper rider who has had tremendous success over the past five decades is also the proud owner of Sandron Farm, in Middleburg, Virginia. Thanks to a beautiful tack room setup at their home-away-from- home barn on the show grounds of the Winter Equestrian Festival, Fargis and Sandron Farm took home the World Development Group Tack Room Award during the first...

Half-Arabian/Anglo-Arabian Stallion MRA Donny Boy shown by William Bagliani. Don Stine Photography. Aurora, CO - The Arabian breed's premier sport horses gathered for the Ninth Annual Sport Horse National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (Sport Horse Nationals) at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky., from Sept. 28 – Oct. 2, 2011. Unique among breed shows, Sport Horse Nationals offers classes in the sport horse divisions for registered Arabian, Half-Arabian and...

The Dressage Foundation announced today that a new fund has been established to help support breeding programs in the United States. The Fund provides financial assistance to breeders to pursue educational opportunities related to breeding that will advance their careers, promote sound breeding practices and further enhance the quality of U.S.-bred dressage horses. “I wanted to do something to support breeders in the United States ever since I found my ‘perfect’ horse, a...