Breeder Ken Borden, Jr., has characterized his Little Bit Farm, Inc., as “small but mighty.” They have had growing success and many year-end awards for both farm and horses, but this past year was a banner one. For 2009, Little Bit Farm is the leading dressage breeder for both the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the United States Dressage Federation (USDF), with five USDF Horse of the Year winners and two of their four approved stallions entering the record books. Masterpiece...

Photo by Ken Braddick (Steffen Peters and Ravel) Lexington, KY – Talk about busy. 2009 has been a whirlwind, new champions of all kinds, title defenders, legends and innovators made headlines this year. The line between winning and losing has become increasingly fine as all the USEF competitors in every discipline continue to up their game, hone their skills and make the US Team proud both locally and across the globe. With the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) looming on the...

The International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC), in partnership with the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), has launched a major new initiative to recognize the world’s best rider according to the Rolex Rankings. Starting at the 2009 Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final in Paris, the leading rider will wear a green and gold armband featuring the words "Number 1, The Rolex Rankings" at FEI Jumping events throughout 2010. The Rolex Rankings are updated every week and officially released at the start of...

Michael Blowen, the Founder and President of Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Kentucky, is pleased to announce that the satellite facility, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, will be the new permanent home of Bobby Frankel-trainee Gigli and famed New York-bred stallion Thunder Rumble. The first Old Friends auxiliary farm, Cabin Creek, is located just outside of Saratoga in Greenfield Center, NY, and is owned by Joann and Mark Pepper. In 1992, Thunder Rumble...

The Old Dominion Horse Show in Manakin Sabot, VA, was the site for the inaugural competition for ponies nominated to the North American Pony Futurity (NAPF) Registry incentive program. A parade of lovely young ponies competed in hand, divided by ages and genders. USEF “R” Hunter Breeding judges Joe Dotoli (of Vermont) and Beth Neilsen (of Colorado) evaluated the youngsters at the walk and trot prior to standing for conformation. Amateur and pro handlers were equally represented with Tim Foster...

Ivanhoe FQ is undoubtedly one of the most decorated purebred Friesian stallion's of our time, and he will now be standing at stud at Heavenly Gaits Farms, owned by Deb Goldmann, in Elkhorn, WI, for the 2010 breeding season. Ivanhoe FQ is bred and raised by four-time USEF Leading Friesian Breeder Friesian Quest, located in Murrieta, CA. Ivanhoe FQ is by the deceased KFPS World Champion Wicher, also two-time USEF Leading Friesian Sire, out of Jaclyn a Ster Friesian Mare. As quoted by Friesian...

During the weekend of November 5-8, 25-year-old Kerry Tracey of Watkinsville, GA, led the victory gallop at the final SmartPak Equine/United States Eventing Association (USEA) Training Three-Day Event aboard her homebred Thoroughbred/Appaloosa gelding Chasing The Music. Although the entries were low for this long-format division, which was held in conjunction with the Rocking Horse Fall Horse Trials (Altoona, FL), the competition was fierce, and Tracey moved up from fourth after dressage to...

Competition in the Cavalor Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series continued during the month of October, as the end of the Series was drawing near. With only a few horse shows remaining in the schedule, competition was in full-swing. With Cavalor's support, the series honors one rider each month as the Cavalor Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series Rider of the Month. The honor goes to the one rider who earns the most points on one horse in series competition that month. With...

In an exciting three-horse jump-off, Todd Minikus and Alaska were the fastest clear round to win the $100,000 President's Cup Grand Prix World Cup qualifier presented by The Boeing Company. Kate Levy and Lirving du Volsin finished second, while Mario Deslauriers and Vicomte D were third. Earlier in the evening, Samantha Schaefer was victorious in the WIHS Equitation Classic Finals. Saturday night's courses were designed by Guilherme Jorge of Brazil, and out of the 29 entries in the class, only...

On Saturday, the best horses and riders from the hunter divisions competed for the top prize in the $15,000 WIHS Hunter Classic Derby at the Washington International Horse Show. After two rounds of competition it was Scott Stewart, of Ocala, FL, and Way Cool that led the victory gallop after they earned a total score of 170.9. Earlier in the day the Washington Pony Equitation Classic Finals were held, with Madeyln Keck and Tango receiving the top call and earning the blue ribbon. The champions...