Emma Kurtz and True Love (Shawn McMillen Photography) Washington, D.C. - Young riders competed in the WIHS Pony Equitation Finals at the Washington International Horse Show Sunday afternoon with a win going to 13-year-old Emma Kurtz of Hudson, OH, riding True Love. Trained by Amanda Lyerly and Mike Rheinheimer, Kurtz scored an 86 over fences and moved from second to first with her ride in the work-off under saddle to take the lead. She was presented The Jane Marshall Dillon Memorial Perpetual...

Meredith Darst and Soldier in their winning presentation. (Shawn McMillen Photography) Washington D.C. - The 2013 Hermès WIHS Equitation Finals concluded this evening with an exciting win for 16-year-old Meredith Darst of Lebanon, OH. Darst rode Elizabeth Gabler's Soldier, a seven-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Carolus II, through the first two phases of competition finishing with a score of 88.75 in the hunter phase and a 91 point total in the jumper phase. Returning for the final...

Woodside, California - Lauren Billys, of Sanger, Calif., guided Ballingowan Ginger to a four-fault show jumping round to grab the lead (51.0) in the CIC3* at the Woodside International Horse Trials. Debbie Rosen, of Calabasas, Calif., stands second on The Alchemyst (54.5), and Jolie Wentworth, of Crockett, Calif., stands third on Good Knight (58.2). The Woodside International Horse Trials are the first event in the 2013/2014 season of the Adequan/USEA Gold Cup Series. Billys, 25, and...

Barbara Ann Merryman, Ashley Foster and Haley Waters (Randi Muster) Jacksonville, FL - The highly- anticipated ASPCA Maclay Regionals were held on the final day of the 2013 Southeast Medal Finals at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center. Ashley Foster of Brookeville, MD executed Allen Rheinheimer's course flawlessly aboard Leena L, owned by KMW Ponies LLC, to take home the coveted prize out of a total of 39 riders. Her life-long friend, Haley Waters earned the second place prize with an...

Lucy Davis became the youngest GCT Grand Prix winner Saturday (GCT Press Office) Lausanne, Switzerland - America's Laura Kraut keeps hold of her season rankings lead after a dramatic second round showdown in Lausanne. Keeping ahead of Christian Ahlmann and Luciana Diniz, Laura Kraut stays on top going into the 11th leg of the season in Vienna, Austria. Keeping US domination strong, California's Lucy Davis stole the show in Lausanne after an unbelievable win, marking the biggest in her...

Ben Asselin and Makavoy (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, Alberta - Speed and power described the two competitions on the schedule Friday at the Spruce Meadows 'Masters'. Opening up the evening was the $205,000 Encana Cup 1.60m, and the fastest in the jump-off was Calgary's own Ben Asselin on Makavoy. The $75,000 ATCO Electric Six Bar featured four rounds of thrilling jumping as Martin Fuchs (SUI) cleared 1.95m for victory on Conte Della Caccia. The Spruce Meadows...

Rhian Murphy piloted Phantom to the MHJ Junior Medal Finals victory during the 2013 Massachusetts Hunter Jumper Finals at the Fieldstone Show Park (Phelps Media Group, Inc. International) Halifax, MA - Top riders from across New England gathered at the Fieldstone Show Park for the 2013 Massachusetts Hunter Jumper Finals. After working all year to qualify for the prestigious event, riders competed in their respective divisions to earn the championship honors. The Junior Medal was award to Rhian...

Hunt Tosh and Casanova (Emily Riden) Lexington, KY - "It was a pretty easy decision considering both horses were coming from the same barn," Dr. Betsee Parker of Middleburg, VA, owner of Casanova said. "They have both been so good, there really was nothing else to ask of them. They were fantastic both days." Tosh added: "The great owners made a good decision. That was my gut instinct, but I never even had to say anything. They both came into the schooling ring and said neither one of them are...

Jennifer Alfano and Candid (Phelps Media Group, Inc. International) Lexington, KY - The eyes of the hunter world are glued on the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show this week as the country's top horses and riders converge for the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship Finals and the inaugural USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Program Championship. Today riders utilized the first day of the World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) week show, running now through Sunday, August 18, to prepare for the...

Welcome to 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 challenging moments on their journey...