Heather Mason and Zar (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, Fla. - Heather Mason (USA) and Zar finished on top of the FEI Intermediaire Freestyle, presented by Everglades Dressage, with a winning score of 72.275% at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AFDF). Second place went to Leida Collins-Strijk (NED) and West Side for a score of 71.150% and Austria's Katharina Stumpf rounded out the top three with a score of 67.000% on Nymphenburg's Love. The FEI Intermediaire Freestyle was on the...

Lexington, Ky. - At the USEF Year End Awards Gala Saturday night Abigail Wexner's Simon and Janet Peterson and Liza Boyd's Brunello were named International Horse of the Year and National Horse of the Year respectively. Voting was open to the public in December and both horses, already fan favorites, were rewarded for their tremendous results throughout 2013 with support from voters. International Horse of the Year Simon (Mr. Blue x Naline) 1999 Dutch Warmblood gelding Owner: Abigail...

Part 2 in a five-part series about the exciting new discipline of western dressage More and more western riders are thinking about trying the exciting new discipline of western dressage. While the progressive training principles of dressage can be a benefit to any horse's development, riders will discover that trotting down the centerline of a dressage arena is a very different experience than they may be used to for a western pleasure or reining show. The first and most obvious difference...

Don Auriello and Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven (Susan J. Stickle) Wellington, Fla. - January 10, 2014 - The Adequan Global Dressage Festival kicked off the "Friday Night Stars" series with an exciting FEI Grand Prix Freestyle competition and full spectator stands at The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Leading the way was Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven (SWE) on Don Auriello, who won with a score of 81.575%. Lars Petersen (DEN) and Mariett scored 76.925% for second place. Fellow Dane...

Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Don Auriello (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, Fla - Swedish rider Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Don Auriello topped the FEI Grand Prix, sponsored by MTICA Farm, with a winning score of 77.670% during the first day of competition for the 2014 Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF). Danish riders filled out the top three for the class, with Lars Petersen and Mariett finishing second with a 72.880% and Mikala Munter Gundersen taking home third place with a score of 69....

Jacob Arnold will begin a mentorship under Chester Weber in January 2014 (PicsofYou.com) Ocala, Fla. - New year. New opportunities. Just ask Jacob Arnold, who begins a mentorship under Chester Weber in January 2014 as the inaugural apprentice driver in the Live Oak Combined Driving, Inc. Developing Driver Program. “Though Live Oak Combined Driving has always been involved in the ongoing development of many drivers, this new program will begin with Jacob Arnold as the first apprentice...

Kent Farrington and Blue Angel (Sportfot www.us.sportfot.com) Palm Beach, Fla. - Kent Farrington (USA) and Robin Parsky's Blue Angel added another victory to their roster of recent wins with a top finish in Sunday's $125,000 Trump Invitational Grand Prix, presented by Rolex. Held at The Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, FL, the second annual event brought together many of the best in equestrian show jumping for a day of great competition and charity fundraising, set on the lawn of Mr....

Lexington, Ky. - The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) has announced revised and new dressage tests that will come into effect January 1, 2014. The FEI has revised its Intermediate II, Grand Prix, and Grand Prix Special, which will be applied at the start of the 2014 competition season. Additionally, a Medium Tour has been announced to assist horse-and-rider combinations transition from the Small Tour to the Big Tour. The Medium Tour will utilize the newly introduced...

Lexington, Ky. - The schedule for the 2014 USEF Horsemastership Training Session presented by USHJA is now available. Mounted sessions will be broadcast live by USEF Network at www.USEFNetwork.com presented by SmartPak . See the complete schedule here . Profiles of the twelve riders invited to participate in the Training Session, sponsored in 2014 by Equestrian Sport Productions and Active Interest Media-publishers of Practical Horseman, are available here . In its eighth year, this prestigious...

A five-part series to learn more about the exciting new discipline of Western Dressage Part 1: What is Western Dressage? When most equestrians think of "dressage", they envision the graceful harmony of beautiful horses with riders clad in top hats and tails, dancing together through musical freestyles in an Olympic stadium. But now, an increasing number of competitors entering dressage arenas will be wearing Western hats and boots with their horses outfitted in stock saddles. What's going...