Sabrina, 2012 Best Young Horse East Coast and Sallie B. Wheeler/US National Hunter Breeding Champion, and handler Bucky Reynolds. (Susan M Carter) Lexington, KY - The tallies are in and the Overall Grand Champion has been crowned at the 2012 Sallie B. Wheeler/US National Hunter Breeding Championship. The east coast's Best Young Horse Champion has won the Overall title for the sixth time in the Championship's two phase history as Sabrina, a chestnut Hanoverian filly, was selected as the...

The eleventh in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder If I go to a restaurant and order lemonade, I do not expect to receive a glass of ice water with a lemon wedge on the rim of the glass. When I am thinking about what western dressage is to me, I envision a discipline as fully flavored as that glass of lemonade. In fact, my vision for the future of western dressage as an independent and unique equestrian discipline may be more like strawberry lemonade! As a dressage instructor and...

Greenwich, UK - The United States sent three riders into the Main Arena Saturday with scores proving doubly important as they would help determine Team standings and crown the first Individual medalists of the 2012 Paralympic Games. Rebecca Hart and Dale Dedrick competed in Grade II competition producing valiant efforts on a morning that saw two horses dismissed from competition for more than 20 seconds of resistance. Jonathan Wentz was the lone U.S. representative in the afternoon Grade 1b...

Bridgehampton, NY - Even though the Grand Prix Ring at the 37th Annual Hampton Classic Horse Show is hosting five Olympic gold medalists and many other international stars this week, Friday morning’s jumper classes belonged to two teenagers whose eyes are set on similar accomplishments. Luis Larrazabal, 19, won the $15,000 Speed Derby, presented by Sotheby’s, and Victoria Colvin, 14, won the $10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Welcome Stake. Riding G&C Lepanto, Larrazabal, a native of...

With just 24 hours to go to the London 2012 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony, excitement and great expectations are building up in the Olympic venues dotted around the city whilst record ticket sales – over 2.2 million tickets sold – are already hailing this edition as the greatest ever. This will be the fifth time Para-Equestrian Dressage is on the programme but it is the first time it is held in a country with such a strong Para-Equestrian culture, so strong that since it became...

Bridgehampton, NY - The Hampton Classic hosted the championship finals for the Long Island Horse Show Series for Riders with Disabilities on Monday, with riders in three divisions competing for year-end titles. In the advanced independent division, Todd Pritscher, 30, of Yaphank, N.Y., riding Robin Hood, won the championship over Joe Penzel, 19, of Huntington, N.Y., riding Diamond. In the beginner independent division, Tiffany Kahles, 18, of East Meadow, N.Y., riding Gryffindor, won the...

The U.S. Endurance Team (Donna Shifflette) Newmarket, UK – A true championship test awaits some of the best endurance riders from around the world in Euston Park near Newmarket, Suffolk, UK for the Longines FEI World Endurance Championship. The 160-km race will take place on August 25 across the English countryside where riders will encounter heathland, forest tracks, river meadows, and open farmland. The United States will be represented by five riders, who aim to bring back both team...

Hunt Tosh and Rosalynn were awarded two blue ribbons in the High Performance Hunter division at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show. (Ashley N. Williams/PMG) Lexington, KY - It was a welcoming day for the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show at the Kentucky Horse Park show grounds where five divisions were set to display the top hunter horse and rider combinations. The morning started off with a variation of winners while the two divisions to emerge with double blue ribbons were Scott Stewart and...

Taylor Johnson and Legato Zionsville, IN - Taylor Johnson of Carmel, IN, dodged raindrops and caught some rays Friday while scoring big wins during day four of the Traders Point Hunt Charity Horse Show. Johnson, 14, racked up the ribbons in the Junior Hunter Classic, Junior Hunter Stake, the Child Hunter Classic (NAL and WIHS), and the Junior Hunter 15 and Under Stake. When asked if she thought she was having a good show, she just shrugged her shoulders and answered, "I guess." Johnson won the...

Aaron Vale and Wodka L Photo by Carrie Wirth Zionsville, IN - Much-needed rain came to the Zionsville, IN, area on Thursday and added a few puddles and a few delays but did not detract from the festivities and competition at the 2012 Traders Point Hunt Charity Horse Show and Country Fair at picturesque Wild Air Farms in Zionsville, IN. Guests and exhibitors enjoyed live music on the grounds wafting from the annual Charity Garden Party. Course designer, Phil DeVita, built a technical track in...