In a sport involving controlled movements and precise manoeuvres, Langley para-equestrian dressage rider Stephanie Ross is making leaps and bounds. Ross, 18, who has cerebral palsy, recently won three first-place finishes at her first international dressage competition (in California) in March and is on her way toward qualifying for the Canadian Paralympic para-equestrian team heading to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. "As long as my riding stays up to par, I hope to be at the 2016 [Paralympics]," she...

Jennifer Alfano and Miss Lucy at Spring Gathering Charity Horse Show. (Photo by Heather Bellock/PMG.) Katy TX - Today was another beautiful, sunny day for riders at the Spring Gathering Charity Horse Show held at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center. This morning the professional hunter divisions wrapped up in the Main Indoor and awarded championship honors. Jennifer Alfano, Tamara Provost and Erynn Ballard secure championship honors with impressive performances. Jennifer Alfano took home the...

Karen Jenkins in Spain with Jenson, Ofendido VII's sire. (Photo courtesy Karen Jenkins.) Ocala, FL - When Karen Jenkins demanded her own pony at age five, her unsure parents insisted on riding lessons. Years of instruction and various horses later, they knew horses were in her blood – and not going anywhere. “My parents insisted that if I had a horse, I had to take care of it myself,” said Jenkins, who now is 73. “I think they became resigned to the fact that I was dedicated to making horses a...

USEF CEO John Long with Craig Ferrell, M.D. (Riders4Helmets.) Lexington, KY U.S. Equestrian Team Physician and Chair of the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) Medical Council, Craig Ferrell M.D, will be attending the International Olympic Committee International Federations’ Medical Commission Chairpersons Meeting in Monaco April 6, 2011. The meeting is for international sport federation national chairmen, and is sponsored by the IOC. Dr. Ferrell intends to provide updates during the...

Dressage American dressage rider Catherine Haddad capitalized on an eighth place finish in the Freestyle at the final Reem Acra/FEI Western European League World Cup Qualifier in s' Hertogenbosch, to earn a trip to the Final on Winyamaro. Haddad, who is based in Germany, has had consistent results throughout Europe at these important Qualifiers and will be representing the United States in Leipzig, Germany at the 2011 Reem Acra/FEI World Cup Final April 27 - May 1. Please visit the USEF World...

Nina Lill and GB Jacs Bond. (NRHA.) Kreuth, Germany – The Consolation for the $187,000 added National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Open Futurity offered plenty of fine reining for visitors today. It was FEI European Champion Nina Lill (GER) who rode to a top score of 220 astride GB Jacs Bond (owner Jan Gerbig). The gelding by GB Jac out of Dr Bonds Bessie was bred by Daniela Schurrer and earned the Western Event Snaffle Bit Level 2 Open Futurity Champion title last year. The duo...

Jennifer Alfano will show Jersey Boy during the Carole and Jim Looke Family Fund $50,000 USHJA Inter (Photo By: Shawn McMillen.) Katy, TX - The Spring Gathering Charity Horse Show is just around the corner, and the top horse and rider combinations are preparing to travel to this incredible horse show where they will compete for $250,000 in total prize money. The hunter divisions alone will be awarding an unprecedented $150,000 in prize money to the winning combinations during the weeklong...

Bridget Love Meehan. (Photo courtesy Washington International Horse Show.) Washington, D.C. - The Washington International Horse Show (WIHS), the leading indoor championship horse show in the country, is pleased to announce Bridget Love Meehan as the new executive director. Meehan joins the executive leadership of WIHS - Juliet W. Reid, President; Greg W. Gingery, Chairman; and Anthony F. Hitchcock, Chief Operating Officer - as the show prepares for its 53rd annual event taking place October...

Mario Deslauriers and Cella. (Photo by Sportfot.) Wellington, FL Week 11 of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival concluded on Sunday afternoon with a victory for Mario Deslauriers (USA) and Cella in the $30,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic Finale. Deslauriers and Cella, owned by Jane F. Clark, were the only pair to master the course with double clear rounds for the win. Guilherme Jorge of Brazil designed the courses in the International Arena this week and concluded the...

Beezie Madden and Danny Boy. (Photo by Sportfot.) Wellington, FL - The final round of the $31,000 WEF Challenge Cup Series was held on Thursday afternoon with a victory for Beezie Madden (USA) and Abigail Wexner's Danny Boy at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Week 11 of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival is sponsored by FTI Consulting Inc. The week's feature events will include the final Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday at 2:30 p.m., and the feature event of the...