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...

Brianne Goutal and Onira (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, Alberta – The $50,000 RBC Financial Group Cup 1.60m was the highlight event of the day and fans saw Brianne Goutal (USA) ride to victory with her veteran partner Onira. In the All Canada Ring, Shane Sweetnam and Fineman were the only clear round to win the $25,000 Direct Energy Derby 1.45m. Today's competitions were the start of weekend competition for the 'Canada One' Tournament in the Spruce Meadows Summer...

Aachen, Germany - The U.S. Dressage Team emphatically marked their resurgence with a podium finish in Wednesday’s Lambertz FEI Nations Cup at the Aachen CDIO5*. The U.S. Team of Steffen Peters, Tina Konyot, Jan Ebeling and Shelly Francis earned a third place finish on a team total of 217.298. The U.S. Team (Shannon Brinkman) “Our Nations Cup riders came here for a medal and they did not disappoint. Each of them showed why they are among the best in the world,” said Chef...

Katie Dinan and Sandro (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, Alberta -The $10,000 CN 'Fast Track' Junior/Amateur 1.40m Derby had 34 entries attempt a long derby course, and there were 18 that proceeded on to the jump-off. There were eight double clear in the lengthy jump-off course, but the fastest of those were Katie Dinan and Sandro, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Larino x Casimir owned by Grant Road Partners. They finished in 50.89 seconds. Second place went to Wilton...

Calgary, Canada - The United States sent two teams into competition Thursday afternoon in the $100,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup at the CSIO5* Spruce Meadows ‘Continental’ Tournament. Not only was the U.S. eyeing top finishes but qualification for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Season Series Final as well as a chance to win the North American, Central America and Caribbean League of Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Series were all on the line. In its inaugural season...

Lexington, KY - In preparation for future success on the international stage, many of the top American dressage combinations have travelled overseas to hone their skills in Europe. Talented horse-and-rider pairs from throughout the U.S. will compete in many of the most prestigious European CDIs throughout the course of this summer. "Dressage is a ‘Who Beats Whom, Where Sport’ and this fact makes it imperative that our American athletes at all levels compete against the best in the...

Current Standings The third qualifier at Showpark's Ranch & Coast Classic hosted thirty-seven horse and rider combinations - the largest group of entries to date. With almost half the class going clean, sixth to go in the jump-off, Nick Haness aboard the fabulous mare Zeppelien (Kendall Perrin, owner), set a blazing time that couldn't be beat. "We decided to give it a try at the first qualifier - it was definitely the biggest course she had done since we imported her. She was...

Kristen Bumpus and Cupid (Phelps Media Group) Halifax, MA - The first day of the Fieldstone Spring Festival welcomed the top riders in the nation to the new and improved Fieldstone Show Park. After an overhaul, the Fieldstone Show Park kicked off the first day of the weeklong show with thrilling hunter and jumper competition. David Oliynyk rode to the top of the 1.15m Jumpers, while Kristen Bumpus piloted Cupid to the top of the ranks during the 1.25m Schooling Jumpers as she tackled the course...

Heather Blitz and Paragon (Susan J. Stickle) Wellington, FL - Blitz and Paragon finished first in the FEI Grand Prix Special CDIO 3* with a 72.313%, narrowly beating fellow American Cesar Parra and Van the Man who finished second with a 72.208%. Shelly Francis (USA) and Doktor rounded out the top three with a final score of 70.646%. Judges for the class were: Linda Zang at E, Anne Gribbons at H, Mirabel Alonso at C, Joan Macartney at M, and Evi Eisenhardt at B. The three-day, three-test format...

The teams for this year's Wellington Nations Cup (Susan J. Stickle) Wellington, FL - April 11, 2013 - The final show of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) began Thursday at The Stadium of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. The grand finale of the AGDF is the Wellington Nations Cup CDIO/CDI3* presented by Stillpoint Farm, which will run April 11-14, 2013. Entries have boomed for the AGDF's final weekend, fostering highly competitive CDI and National...