When the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) announced its 2005 champions, the list included Hilltop Farm's elite Hanoverian stallion Contucci as the 2005 USEF Leading Sire Dressage Breeding. Contucci's accumulated points of 766 were more than double the #2 ranked sire, who accumulated 331 points. The title of USEF Leading Owner Dressage Breeding was also awarded to Hilltop Farm, likely due to many of Contucci's offspring successes. Since 2004, Contucci has been represented in the USEF...

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Dressage Committee is pleased to announce the launch of a new dressage championship program in 2006, the "Passage Cup." Designed to assist and encourage today's Young Riders as they transition to the Senior Grand Prix, the Passage Cup will shed much-needed light on tomorrow's stars--today. "With this exciting new program, we're looking to 'bridge the gap' for our talented dressage riders who are graduating from the Young Rider ranks to High...

The Welsh stallion Carolinas Red Fox passed away on the morning of November 15 due to complications from Cushings disease and laminitis. The 1985 Welsh Section B stallion by Carolinas Purple Emperor (Solway Master Bronze x Eden Blue Bunting) out of Downland Dresden (Downland Chevalier x Downland Dignity) was imported from Wales as a yearling by Nancy Jane Reed of Land's End Farm in Centreville, MD. Red Fox had numerous wins on the line in England before arriving in the States. With limited...

The first four days of competition at the 33rd Paso Fino Horse Association Grand National Championship Show are now in the history books. The very first class of the show, Pleasure Schooling Four-Year-Old Fillies had a total of 48 entries and Dictadora de Flat Rock, ridden by Shaw Laney and owned by Paul and Ali Casey, topped the class. Fifteen national champions were crowned on the first day and 17 the second. Competition on Monday included the very first Pleasure Amateur Owner Geldings For...

The multi-U.S. National Champion Andalusian stallion, Davido MC, died on May 2, 2005, of an aortic aneurism, while breeding a mare at Selwood Park Stable, in Elkhorn, WI. Davido MC was owned by Gareth A. Selwood for 12 of the horse's 15 years and was bred by Music City Andalusians of Nashville, TN. He was sired by the imported 2000 USEF Leading Andalusian Sire, Ofendido VII, and out of the imported Poseido V daughter, Huerfana. Davido MC qualified for and showed at a record 11 consecutive...

The Westfalian-bred stallions Damon Hill and Florencio won the World Breeding Federation Sport Horses (WBFSH) World Championships for young dressage horses, held July 1-3 in Verden, Germany. Five-year-old Damon Hill (Donnerhall x Rubinstein), ridden by Helen Langehanenberg, scored a 9.02 in the finals, just ahead of half-brother Donnerball (Donnerhall x Alabaster) and FBW Dejavu (Dacaprio x Glueckspilz). In the six-year-old division, last year's five-year-old champion Florencio (Florestan x...

Burbank, CA — R-E-S-P-E-C-T. That’s exactly what Debbie McDonald earned from officials, competitors and spectators alike as she rode Brentina to victory in the 2005 U.S. Grand Prix Freestyle Championship and U.S. League Final in Burbank, California this weekend. Strutting through a freestyle program to the sound of Aretha Franklin, Olympic Team Bronze medalist McDonald and Brentina earned the winning score of 77.975% and a standing ovation in defending her 2004 title. Riding her...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) Annual Meeting and Youth Conference is set for Thursday through Saturday, February 17-19, at the Embassy Suites in Lexington, KY. The Annual Meeting is the one time each year when the membership meets formally and directly with the Association’s leadership. This year’s open forum is titled “Brainstorming the Future of The Saddlebred.” Leaders of the Association and other leading breeders, owners, professionals, experts, amateurs and those with...

Harrisburg, PA — Making a name for herself amidst a field of 30 young riders, 15 year old Addison Phillips, of New York, NY, and her mount, Cantus Anuberth II, won the 2004 USEF Individual National Junior Jumper Championship, which took place October 14th through 16th at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Phillips was awarded a Triple Crown custom award blanket after the win. Coming in second was 16 year old Cody Auer, of Fairfield, CT, atop Regina, followed by 14 year old Aimee Aron,...

Lexington, KY — After jumping a clear round followed by a clear jump-off Friday, Olympian McLain Ward (Silver Team medal, Athens 2004) and Goldika 559 (Holstein, Cor de la Bryere – Zelena II) claimed a first place victory during the World Cup Show Jumping Qualifier at the CSI-W Lexington Grand Prix. Closely following in second place was Lauren Hough (Alternate, Athens 2004) on Casadora (Dutch Warmblood, Indoctro – Kadora) with four faults on the final jump off. In a three-way...