Day One at the 2012 Olympic Games It’s been crazy as I landed from one fire (NAJYRC) into another - trying to get my brain to switch over and into Games mode. So far it has been great. Considering it started by me flying from Lexington to Chicago to Boston to Washington, DC to London in one day. It’s a complicated story without a really logical explanation but ground stops in Chicago = desperate. The UNITED staff couldn’t have been more accommodating and they worked it out...

Cosmo and Laura Pfeiffer. Traverse City, MI - After observing Laura Pfeiffer win the featured 1.35-meter Open Jumper class on Wednesday during the Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival, you might have believed that Pfeiffer could have done it with one hand tied behind her back. Because she almost did. During the jump-off, as Pfeiffer tackled what would become the decisive and winning turn with her mount Cosmo, she had an equipment malfunction. "I think the difference was the tight, tight...

Katie Prudent showed the crowd that V can get it done. (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, AB - With a record five day crowd of 117,336 braving the heat, the 2012 Spruce Meadows ‘North American’ Tournament was wrapped up on the last day of the Spruce Meadows Summer Series. With the Olympics fast approaching, the Sunday of the ‘North American’ Tournament marks the last International competition for many riders before the opening ceremonies in London. With this in...

Steffen Peters and Legolas 92 (Susan J. Stickle) Gladstone, NJ - Four years ago, Steffen Peters and Ravel, then an inexperienced 10-year-old, won the 2008 Grand Prix National Dressage Championship at the Festival of Champions in California. That performance earned the pair a trip to the Olympic Games where they were fourth. Four years, an FEI World Cup title, a CHIO Aachen victory and two Bronze medals at the FEI World Equestrian Games later - Ravel was granted permission by the USEF selectors...

Jaclyn Pepper is on of four young riders selected for the 2012 Olympic Dream Program(Laura Price) Lincoln, NE –Four young riders have been selected for the 2012 Olympic Dream Program that annually sends young riders to Europe for an intensive 10-day dressage experience. The program is administered and funded annually by The Dressage Foundation (TDF). An independent selection committee, after reviewing dozens of applications, chose Nicole DelGiorno (NJ), Catherine Chamberlain (AZ), Jaclyn...

Lexington, KY - Today marked the conclusion of the professional hunter divisions for the second day of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. Riders gathered at the Stonelea to vie for the championship awards in the competitive divisions. Tammy Provost and Chris Payne proved successful in the Green Conformation Hunters and Second Year Green Working Hunters, respectively. Jennifer Alfano rode to the top of the leaderboard with Lions Paw in the Regular Conformation Hunter division, as well as showing...

Alma Perkins & Charisma It was a day to remember in Benton, Louisiana, as Alma Perkins became the 100th member of The Dressage Foundation's Century Club on May 5, 2012. The journey to this special milestone began in 1996, when noted dressage judge and instructor, Dr. Max Gahwyler, suggested that The Dressage Foundation create a program to encourage older dressage riders to remain active in the sport. It was decided that to become a member of the Century Club, the ages of the horse and...

FEI President, HRH Princess Haya (Photo by Edouard Churchod/FEI) Lusanne, SUI - FEI President, HRH Princess Haya, announced today that the Saudi Equestrian Fund will finance the revitalisation of the FEI Nations Cup™ series. Announcing the agreement at the opening of the FEI Sports Forum in Lausanne (SUI) today, Princess Haya informed delegates that the Saudi Equestrian Fund will provide full financial support for the 2012 series and has also agreed to a five-year title sponsorship...

Raeford, NC - Competitors in the USEF National Single Horse Championship set scorching paces through Richard Nicholl’s eight obstacle marathon course. Leading times through each obstacle dipped lower and lower as the afternoon went on. Sterling Graburn, Friday’s dressage leader, posted the quickest marathon score of the division; lengthening his overall lead and he heads into Sunday’s cone phase on a score of 116.33. Sterling Graburn and Ulano (Picsofyou.com) Graburn...

Tampa, FL - Riders demonstrated their proficiency in the equitation classes at the Tampa Equestrian Festival's Tournament of Champions today. Earning the top accolade in the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship class was Hanna Marco on Careman. Testing Jose Gamarra's equitation course to first place in the Pessoa USEF Hunt Seat Medal was Morgan Ward riding Blitz DU Maris. In the Amateur-Owner Hunters Robin Swinderman earned two blues for her efforts aboard INXS. The ASPCA Maclay course, by...