I'm here at the beautiful Kentucky Horse Park (KHP) in Lexington, Kentucky, for my third Arabian Sporthorse National (affectionately known as SHN)--although it is the seventh anniversary of the event splitting off from US Nationals to give sport horses a chance to shine all on their own. This year is the first that SHN has been held at the KHP, and boy are the gums flapping about the facility! Walking around the park, you'll pass one group oohing and aahing about how beautiful it is and...

Lexington, KY – The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials is renowned as the toughest cross country track in the world. 2009 didn’t disappoint. Phillip Dutton and TruLuck (Kit Houghton/FEI ) Capt. Mark Phillips course required both bravery and accuracy, there were problems around the track and the most troublesome fence: Land Rover Discovery Valley (fence 6) caught out more than 20 horses and riders. American pair Phillip Dutton and TruLuck weren’t among them. The most dependable...

Kecskemét, Hungary – Team USA was in fifth position of the Team standings after dressage and marathon at the 2009 FEI World Pair Driving Championship in Kecskemét, but had a dramatic Final. Best placed US driver Larry Poulin, who was lying in 10th place, missed a gate at the final obstacle driving competition and was eliminated. Keady Cadwell, Best for the US in Hungary (Rinaldo de Craen ) Because of his elimination, Poulin’s dressage and marathon scores in the Team...

The U.S. team at the FEI World Pony Driving Championships in Greven-Bockholt, Germany, is currently in fourth position in the standings after dressage. The U.S. drivers put down excellent performances in the past two dressage days and are only one point behind The Netherlands, who is in third position. Host nation and team title defender, Germany, ahead of Belgium, leads the standings. Germany’s Franz-Josef Lehmkuhl, who will end his active driving career after this event, won the Single...

Team USA- North Central put in a comanding performance to take the Gold medal (Sportfot.com) Lexington, KY—Don’t let the “Free Hugs” sign pasted on the front of the team golf cart for the Reining Team USA-North Central fool you, this team came to the SmartPak™ FEI North American Young Rider Reining Championships to win - and win big they did. Securing the Team Gold in a very strong field, Team USA- North Central edged their rivals out for the top podium position....

Sage Sapergia, riding Shiners Q Chex for Team Alberta, took top honors (Waltenberry) Reining joins dressage, show jumping, and eventing as the disciplines showcased at this year’s Adequan® FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships, presented by Gotham North which hosts teams from Canada, Mexico, and the United States for a full week of competition. In its second year as a full-medal sport, this year’s SmartPak™ North American Young Rider Reining Championship...

Photo by PhelpsPhotos.com (Rebecca Hart and Norteassa) Lexington, KY – Rebecca Hart has had quite an eventful year. In 2008, she won her first National Championship aboard Norteassa in May, 2008, and then the pair went on to Hong Kong to compete in the 2008 Paralympic Games and barely missed winning an Individual medal. This year, Hart bested 16 other riders to defend her title as 2009 Cavalor/United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Para-Equestrian Dressage National Champion. The...

The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, set to return to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, April 23-26, will feature a Who's Who of the world's best eventing horses and riders. The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, a part of the HSBC FEI Classics™ Series, will run a CCI**** and the 12th championship for the United States Equestrian Team Foundation Pinnacle Cup, signifying the zenith in eventing competition in the United States. The event draws over 100,000 spectators and...

Las Vegas, NV – After defending Rolex FEI World Cup Champion Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum broke the timing beam at 32.04 seconds with Shutterfly at the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Final, the question remained: how do you beat this horse? US superstar McLain Ward tried with Sapphire, the pair looked phenomenal. Foot perfect, lightning fast and with some seriously bold moves, Ward went with two remaining in the 13 horse jump-off and there was reasonable consensus that Sapphire’s effort...

Gene Mische and Jessica Montezuma (Geoff Oliver Bugbee/USEF) Cincinnati, OH – The philosophy is pretty simple: “If you take care of this sport, it will take care of you.” Gene Mische is a lifetime of living proof. Mische was honored by legions of fans and friends for decades of involvement in the equestrian world. At the Pegasus Awards Ceremony, Mische was presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement award at the 2009 USEF Annual Meeting. “I’m...