Last week I posted a virtual show entry video from an amazingly brave woman who continues to allow me to use her material for examples in this blog. Her courage and generosity inspire me and I hope that her open heart and willingness to be visible inspire you too. I hope that some of you readers are able to identify with her as a peer, a rider struggling to understand riding and training her stock horse and that you professionals at least respect her courage. Reaction to the video has been...

Lexington, KY - The following horse-and-rider combinations have been named by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) to represent the U.S. at CSIO5* Barcelona in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Final in Barcelona, Spain, September 26-29, 2013. The following combinations will represent the U.S. in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona at the CSIO5* Barcelona: Beezie Madden (Cazenovia, NY) will ride Abigail Wexner's Cortes 'C' and Simon Cortes 'C' is a...

Major equestrian competitions attended by U.S. athletes, both domestic and overseas, are listed in this weekly preview. Please look below to find competition listings by discipline* and breed. We hope you will follow the competitions that most interest you, but check Equestrian Weekly on Monday for a report of any top finishes by U.S. Equestrians. *lists of competitions in all international disciplines will include only FEI competitions or USEF Championships within the USA and international FEI...

Ian Silitch and Party Girl on their way to a $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix win (©ESI Photography) Culpeper, VA - Ian Silitch admits that it’s hard to jump ten jumps perfectly no matter how good your horse is, but came close enough to perfection to win the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix on Saturday at HITS Culpeper. Silitch of Ocala, Florida and Linda Bamman’s Party Girl coupled scores of 86 and 81 for a total of 167 and the win by only one point. “I have been riding Party Girl...

Lexington, KY- Over the weekend, the Stanley Park Fairgrounds in Estes Park, Colorado, played host to 25 of the top junior dressage riders for the 2013 USEF Dressage Seat Medal Finals. Held in conjunction with the Paragon Dressage CDI, the annual championship hosted elite equitation Alexander Dawson (www.yourhorses.ifp3.com) competition in 13 & Under and 14-18 age divisions. In the 13 & Under division, Alexander Dawson topped the field of 13 to claim championship honors, while in 14-18...

Saugerties, NY - A talented group of Canadian dressage stars crossed the border into New York over the weekend. One of them was on top of the leaderboard more often than not. In the two major Grand Prix classes Ashley Holzer and Jacqueline Brooks earned victory. With Jewel's Adelante, Holzer won the FEI Grand Prix test with a score of 68.936%. That put here above fellow Canadians Diane Creech and Jacqueline brooks in second and third respectively. In the Grand Prix Freestyle it was brooks...

Estes Park, CO - With his 2012 Brentina Cup winner Lombardo LHF, Brian Hafner (Penngrove, CA) won two Grand Prix classes at the Paragon CDI3* over the weekend. On Friday, he won the FEI Grand Prix with a score of 66.745%. He continued to earn top results on Sunday in the FEI Grand Prix Musical Freestyle, winning with a 68.800%. Hafner also won the Prix St. Gorerge on Friday with California Chablis and finished second in both the Intermediare I and Intermediare I Freestyle classes. The...

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...

Lexington, KY - U.S. Pony Drivers, Wendy O’Brien and Katie Whaley drove like women on a mission over the weekend at the Minden CAIP-B4 in Minden, Germany to score two top 10 finishes for the United States. O’Brien (Aiken, SC) drove to a ninth place finish in the Pair Pony division which hosted 35 competitors. The 2012 USEF National Champion drove her own talented ponies to a fourth place finish in the dressage and then produced competitive marathon and cones phases to complete on a...

Lexington, KY - U.S. drivers are off to a strong start at the Minden CAIP-B4 in Minden, Germany. Katie Whaley (Paris, KY) stands in seventh place in a field of 24 following the driven dressage in the Pony Team division. She drove Mia Allo’s team to a score of 53.18. In the Pony Pair division, Wendy O’Brien lies fourth on a score of 44.29 after the dressage. The Aiken, South Carolina resident is driving her own pair of ponies in the ultra-competitive 35 strong field. For more...