Boyd Martin and Trading Aces over the table at fence 19 (Hannah Bennet/USEA) Richfield, MI - All the action at the Richland Park Horse Trials CIC3* came to a roaring climax Saturday as the horses and riders galloped through the cornfields across Ian Stark’s massive cross-country test. Time was a major factor due to the twisting nature of the course, and not one pair was able to avoid the sting of time penalties. This weekend was also a part of the exciting Adequan USEA Gold Up and PRO...

Note to Self: 1. Prepare classical instructor that you will be appearing before him in western tack and riding an Appaloosa stallion, NOT your third level Westfalen import and 2. Don’t ride in a clinic without a photographer A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…. I got a book from the library called The Schooling of the Western Horse by John Richard Young. It was published in 1945 (practically the dark ages) and outlined progressive training for western horses. Critically...

Rich Fellers and Flexible rode to the winner’s circle over an impressive field this weekend to collect first-place honors in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Thermal (Flying Horse Photography) Thermal, CA – Fifty-three horse-and-rider combinations took the field, but it was the reigning World Cup winners who ruled the day Friday, when Rich Fellers and Flexible rode to victory in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis. The rider from Wilsonville,...

The twenty third in a series of blog post from Michelle Binder I began this Western Dressage Blog specifically as a blog for NAWD to help raise public awareness about WD groups other than WDAA. I saw a need for publicity specific to that organization. I also saw a need for a forum that presented the reality that other organizations with different missions and goals regarding WD existed. USEF has not licensed Western Dressage as an independent discipline so at this time there is no officially...

Lisa Williams and Sanmorino score Amateur-Owner 35 and Older Hunter Championship at the Alltech National Horse Show. (Kendall Bierer for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International) Lexington, KY - The hunter action continued today at the Alltech Arena in the picturesque Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. The Amateur-Owner divisions concluded with their championships today, naming Tracy Scheriff-Muser and Absolut as the Grand Champion. Scheriff-Muser also earned the Amateur-Owner 35 and...

Bridgehampton, NY - McLain Ward is hard to beat at the Hampton Classic Horse Show. On Friday afternoon Ward rode Pjotter Van De Zonnehoeve to victory in the $50,000 Spy Coast Farm/Young Horse Show Series Grand Prix Qualifier, and he grabbed third place on Antares F. As the third rider to start in the 13-horse jump-off, Ward, on Antares F, stopped the timers just 0.02 seconds short of the mark Kent Farrington had set right before him on Venus (42.26 seconds). Four more riders tried and failed to...

So I have been in London for about five hours or so and it is everything I was expecting and more. To rewind a bit I spent last Wednesday-Sunday at the 2012 USEF National Dressage Championships at the picturesque Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, IL. After spending the better part of the last week watching the best up-and-coming Young and Developing Horses in the U.S. as well as juniors demonstrate fabulous equitation skill the future of the sport certainly seems very bright. A big hand and...

Dougie Hannum doesn’t stress. But when the red foam finger feeding frenzy kicked off today - he may have gotten slightly agitated. It didn’t last long. The SmartPak/USEF Foam Finger “Dressage is #1” Initiative has really taken off. These things are everywhere and everyone wants one. The British are so polite. They say please, they insist on paying, they ask if they can have their photo taken with Sarah Paull who is actually running around wearing a giant foam finger...

Isabelle Caccamise won the Pessoa/USEF Hunt Seat Medal at the Brandywine Valley Summer Series. (AnLi Kelly-Durham/PMG) Devon, PA - The sun was shining at the historic Devon Show Grounds as the equitation riders took their turn today in the Pessoa/USEF Hunt Seat Medal and ASPCA Maclay at the Brandywine Valley Summer Series horse show, presented by Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS). Heritage Farm was on top of their game today, with wins in both medal classes. The Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat...

As the $2,500 Junior Hunter Stake took over the Dixon Oval Saturday afternoon, the crowd grew to watch what the juniors have been trying to prove since Thursday; they have what it takes to be a stand-out at Devon. At the end of the day the strenuous efforts and undeniable talent shone from the Dixon Oval, and the top riders were recognized for their consistent unsurpassable aptitude. The afternoon kicked off with the Small Junior Hunter Stake, 16 & 17 with 24 entries hoping to have the top...