Chester Weber and his team during the cones phase. (Photo courtesy of PicsofYou.com) Ocala, FL - From a record 11th national title for four-in-hand’s Chester Weber to two-time NFL Superbowl linebacker Max Montoya scoring a win in the Intermediate Pair Horse division, this year’s Live Oak International Combined Driving had it all. Ocala, Florida, known as the ‘Horse Capital of the World’ saw hometown hero, Chester Weber drive Jane Clark’s KWPN geldings to an...

Ben Maher and Urico (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - British superstar Ben Maher added an unprecedented fifth grand prix win to his tally at this year's FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) with a win in Saturday night's $125,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix CSI 3* aboard Jane Clark's Urico. Competing in the tenth week of competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, Maher topped Lauren Hough (USA) and Ohlala, and Daniel Deusser...

Michael Leon continues his winning ways in the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby (Flying Horse Photography) Burbank, Calif. - Michael Leon, who earned a big check in the 2013 LEGIS Hunter Rider Bonus, is no stranger to winning. He started off the 2014 show year by dominating the $2,500 LAEC Opener USHJA National Hunter Derby at The LAEC Opener Horse Show (Jan 17-19), and if he and Freedom (Anna Sophia Lotman, owner) win a second derby together at LAEC this season, he’ll earn another...

Lexington, Ky. - The USEF and USET Foundation have come together in 2014 through a gift from USET Foundation Trustee Betsy Juliano and Havensafe Farm to host the first ever USEF/USET Foundation Dressage Pipeline Clinic, January 28-29, 2014 at the Global Dressage Grounds in Wellington, Fla. This clinic will showcase the U.S. dressage pipeline of athletes and horses with the four USEF Dressage Coaches: Robert Dover, USEF Chef d'Equipe/Technical Advisor; Debbie McDonald, USEF Developing Coach;...

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping and Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Finals Set for April 2015 Las Vegas, NV - The International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and Las Vegas Events, Inc. (LVE) join in announcing that the FEI World Cup™ Finals in both show jumping and dressage will return to Las Vegas in 2015. Las Vegas will host the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final and the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final at...

Kate Mullen & "Elnieta" win the HorseShow.com/CDS Dressage Seat Equitation Challenge on the first day of the CDS Championship Show (Jennifer M. Keeler) Rancho Murieta, CA - California is well-known as home to some of the best dressage horses and riders in the country, and many of those were on display as the first championship titles of the weekend were awarded today at the California Dressage Society (CDS) Annual Championship Show at the Murieta Equestrian Center in Rancho Murieta, CA,...

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...

Thanks to everyone who took the time to send emails to USEF and for sharing your thoughts and feelings about the direction Western Dressage should take. It is so important to hear and listen to different ideas from all directions as the discipline develops. At this point all there is to do is continue to ride and train and show, and most important, to have fun with our horses. With another show coming up this weekend for us, I have put a lot of thought into the questions the last show brought...

From its inception, the Western Dressage Association® of America has maintained a focus on education. Our member’s quest for knowledge to learn Western Dressage is why the WDAA continues to create opportunities that will benefit the partnership of horse and rider. Just in the last few months, several exciting offerings have become available that will further pave the Western Dressage Journey for all. In May, WDAA joined HorseShow.com ’s new Online Coaching program to offer a...

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...