Exciting Five-Gaited American Saddlebred action at last year’s Mane Event Horse Show (Shiflet) Springifeld, Ill. - If you’re curious about high-stepping American Saddlebred horses and Hackney ponies, watch them compete on the free live webcast of the Mid-America Mane Event Show this Thursday through Sunday on the USEF Network. You’ll see top horses and riders compete in five gaited, three gaited and harness performance and pleasure classes. Mane Event also hosts three national...

Welcome to the fourth installment of a different kind of blog from WDAA! The purpose of this post is to allow the reader "into the heads" of both a trainer/judge/competitor, Karen Abbattista and her student, Deborah Herbert, a Florida WDAA member. We would like to share with you some moments in Deb's journey as she pursues her riding goals with her AQHA mare "GenuineArcticSpring", barn name "Belle". Please enjoy as you follow along with these posts that we consider interesting or...

Cathleen Driscoll and FOREVER BLUE (AlCookPhoto.com) Harrisburg, Pa . - Cathleen Driscoll, of Elk Mills, MD, and FOREVER BLUE, won the $10,000 North American League (NAL) Adult Jumper Final, presented by SmartPak, today at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Only nine competitors made it through to the jump-off out of 28 starters, and Driscoll and her 7 year old mare were the only pair to produce a second clear round, stopping the clock in 33.707 seconds. Ericka Caslin and her own RIOLETTO,...

Giavanna Rinaldi and JULIETTE receive their awards from Siri Dupont-Hurley of EquiFit and Annette Longenecker of the NAL (AlCookPhoto.com) Harrisburg, Pa. - October 19, 2013 - Giavanna Rinaldi, of Wayne, Illinois, and her own JULIETTE, won the $10,000 North American League (NAL) Children's Jumper Final, presented by EquiFit, today at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. This was the 14 year old's second NAL victory this week - yesterday she won the NAL Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper...

Kelsey Thatcher and ATHENA receive their awards (AlCookPhoto.com) Harrisburg, Pa. - October 19, 2013 - Kelsey Thatcher, of Bluffdale, UT, had an amazing day at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, winning the $15,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic and earning the division Championship with ATHENA, and also placing second and taking the Reserve Championship with EVERYTHING. Thatcher, who is trained by Alex and Maggie Jayne, was also named the horse show's Leading...

Darragh Kenny and PROF DE LA ROQUE (AlCookPhoto.com) Harrisburg, Pa. - Ireland's Darragh Kenny was the crowned the 'speed demon' of the evening at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, capturing the $33,000 Keystone Classic Speed Stake with PROF DE LA ROQUE, owned by Postage Stamp Farm, LLC, as well as the Open Jumper Speed Championship with TOP GUN IV, owned by Oakland Ventures LLC. Fellow Irishman Alan Wade designed the course, which consisted of 13 obstacles set at 1.45 meters...

Emilie Rucci and I SPY A RAINBOW (AlCookPhoto.com) Harrisburg, Pa. - Emilie Rucci, of Pittstown, NJ, and I SPY A RAINBOW won the $4,000 North American League (NAL) Pony Jumper Finals today at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Out of eleven starters, only four made it to the jump-off. Spectators - including the top jumper riders - filled the best seats in the house and encouraged the smaller competitors with cheers and 'clicks' at moments where the ponies might have had a...

Giavanna Rinaldi and G.P.S. BRILLIANT DISGUISE (AlCookPhoto.com) Harrisburg, Pa. - Giavanna Rinaldi, of Wayne, Illinois, beat a field of 25 starters in the $5,000 North American League (NAL) Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Final on her own G.P.S. BRILLIANT DISGUISE at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show today. Rinaldi, just fourteen years old, was one of only eight riders to make it to the jump-off round, setting an unbeatable time of 34.993 seconds as second rider into the ring. Madeline...

VALENTINE and Jaime Auletto receive their award (AlCookPhoto.com) Harrisburg, PA - Jaime Auletto, from Tabernackle, NJ, and her own bay mare VALENTINE were crowned Amateur Owner Hunter 3'3" Grand Hunter Champion this morning at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Auletto really didn't think they would win, but decided to 'just keep her braided'. "I'm very surprised!" said Auletto. "That division is SO tough - Jane [Gaston] and Daryl [Portela] are both amazing". Auletto...

Springfield, Ill. - When you can’t attend, a free live broadcast is the closest thing to being there! The Mid-America Mane Event Show live stream will begin Thursday, October 24, and continue through Sunday, October 27, from the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. Wall to wall coverage includes three national finals – NHS “Good Hands,” Pleasure Olympics and AHHS Hackney Youth Medallion – plus all 126 classes for Saddlebreds, Hackneys, and Roadsters. This...