Caitlin Boyle following her win in the IHJA Junior Medal Finals (Emily Riden) Wayne, IL - The long anticipated Illinois Hunter Jumper Association (IHJA) "A" Medal Finals sponsored by Barrington Saddlery, were the highlight of the Grand Prix Ring today at the Showplace Fall Classic Championship Horse Show at the Lamplight Equestrian Center. An all day slow rain didn't stop competitors since the new GGT footing was perfect in the rain. Popular course designer Skip Bailey of Wellington, FL,...

Welcome to the fifth nstallment 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 challenging...

John Pearce and Chianto jump to a win in the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, making it two in a row for Pearce at HITS Saugerties this week (ESI Photography) Saugerties, NY – On the heels of a win in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix with Son of a Gun, John Pearce of Bermuda Dunes, California jumped his way to another blue on Sunday in the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented, by Zoetis, this time aboard Forest View Farm’s Chianto. Celebration, however, soon...

Team Weber on the marathon course at Caen. (Photo courtesy of Madeleine Augustsson) Ocala, FL – Nine-time U.S. national four-in-hand champion Chester Weber remains undefeated in France following his second win there in the CAI-A4 Caen August 23-25, against a field of 12 drivers and 60 horses representing seven nations. Team Weber’s win at the CAI-A4 Caen is especially significant as the competition was the test event for the 2014 World Equestrian Games. In early June, Weber had the...

David Oliynyk and Generous rode to the top of the $15,000 NEHJA 3'3" Hunter Derby Finals during the Fieldstone Summer Showcase II (Kendall Bierer/PMG) Halifax, MA - Under sunny skies and beautiful New England conditions the $15,000 NEHJA 3'3" Hunter Derby Finals, presented by GGT Footing, featured the top horse and rider combinations from across the country. Besting a field of 40 competitors during the Fieldstone Summer Showcase II, David Oliynyk and Generous led the field from start to...

Pablo Barrios and Zara Leandra (Phelps Media Group, Inc.) Lexington, KY - Pablo Barrios and Zara Leandra returned to the Rolex Stadium with a vengeance after a close second place finish in Friday's $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic. They edged out Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run's Eternal by less than .2 seconds in the jump-off to claim the title in today's $40,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix, sponsored by Audi of Lexington. Eight riders from the field of 31 starters advanced to...

Colombia’s Mark Bluman and G&C Blue won the $10,000 Theory Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, on August 8 at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, VT - Colombian rider Mark Bluman was in the winner’s circle yet again on Thursday, August 8, after topping the $10,000 Theory Welcome Stake, presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. The win marked Bluman’s third...

Shane Sweetnam and Solerina (Phelps Media Group, Inc. International) Lexington, KY - For the second week in a row, the Irish had all the luck, specifically Shane Sweetnam during the $50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix, sponsored by Audi of Lexington, at the Kentucky Summer Classic. This time he was aboard Solerina for the win, shaving valuable seconds off his jump-off time to beat fellow countryman Richie Moloney and Carrabis Z, who placed second. Sweetnam's winning mount from last...

Todd Minikus and Quality Girl on their way to a win in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Saugerties (ESI Photography) Saugerties, NY - Quality Girl’s feet were lightning fast and her turns were tight as she carried Todd Minikus of Loxahatchee, Florida to a win in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, Friday at HITS Saugerties. Besting a field of 47, Minikus added another grand prix to a long list of top finishes with his own Quality Girl during...

McKayla Langmeier guided Czar-Z to victory in the $5,000 NEHJA Hunter Derby on August 1 at the Vermont Summer Festival, held in East Dorset, VT. (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, VT - Thirteen-year-old McKayla Langmeier, of East Granby, CT, and Czar-Z added another hunter derby win to their record after topping the $5,000 NEHJA Hunter Derby at the Vermont Summer Festival on Thursday evening, August 1. The pair collected the first hunter derby victory of their career during the 2011...