Gladstone, NJ - The prestigious 2012 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East got underway Saturday with the flat phase and gymnastics phase. Held at the beautiful USET Foundation Headquarters in Gladstone, New Jersey, 92 competitors competed in the first two phases of the event, vying for the coveted winning title. Seventeen-year-old Jacob Pope of Columbia, MD, is currently atop the leader board after winning today's gymnastics phase with a score 95.5, and also...

Woodside, CA - Derek di Grazia has done a substantial redesign of his cross-country course for the Woodside International Horse Trials, which will take place on Oct. 5-7, presented by Professional’s Choice and Equine Insurance of California. Di Grazia says he’s changed five combinations on the course for the featured CIC3* division, and he’s also made numerous alterations for the CIC2* and CIC1* divisions. “Because we did quite a bit last year, when Woodside became an...

The fourteenth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder The last several weeks I’ve talked about how to get started in western dressage. If you are curious, you’ve checked out the website, taken advantage of the free basic membership by becoming a member, read the rules, reviewed the tests, read the articles, participated in the Forum discussions, found WD groups on Facebook, visited YouTube and chatted with your friends about it. Maybe you’ve contacted your local...

The twelveth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder Every day I field calls from people wanting to know more about Western Dressage. What is it? How do I find out more about it? Can anyone do it? Is it hard? Who teaches Western Dressage? Are there shows? Last weekend a few of our riders were invited to do a Western Dressage demonstration at the local dressage show. What struck me was the feeling of being out of place amongst my dressage friends because we were wearing our western...

McLain Ward and Antares F won the $100,000 Wells Fargo Grand Prix of Devon Middleburg, VA - Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS) announced today that the $200,000 Taylor Harris Triple Crown Challenge will return again next season. Debuting this season, the Triple Crown Challenge offered a unique test with a spectacular $200,000 top prize for any show jumping rider that could put together back to back to back wins at three of the nation's most prestigious grand prix events on the same...

So we are closing in on the end of the Para-Equestrian Dressage portion of the 2012 Paralympic Games, with only two Freestyles left for the U.S. to perform. It has been an amazing experience for me so far and the icing on the cake would be a medal for our riders! We have come incredibly close on a few occasions but with two more opportunities we are still hopeful. Jonathan Wentz and NTEC Richter Scale were so close on Saturday but had to settle for fourth, not bad in your first Paralympic...

McLain Ward and Antares F winning the $100,000 Wells Fargo Grand Prix of Devon, the first leg of the THIS Triple Crown (Parker Russell - The Book LLC) Middleburg, VA - Olympic gold Medalist McLain Ward and his London partner Antares F will be in the spotlight as the second leg of the all-new Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS) Triple Crown Challenge takes place at the famed Hampton Classic Horse Show in Bridgehampton, NY on Sunday, September 2nd during the $250,000 FTI Grand Prix & FEI...

Kelley Farmer and Act of Valor won the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show of Kentucky Summer Series. (Ashley N. Williams/PMG) Lexington, KY - Along the fence line of the Stonelea Arena, people watched as the first competitor entered the ring for the $5,000 Hallway Feeds National Hunter Derby. In the fourth week of the Kentucky Summer Series, the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show welcomed riders of all experience to a challenging course, and a...

Ireland’s Darragh Kenny won the $10,000 Open Jumper High Score Awards, Presented by Sir Ruly, Inc., at the 2012 Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. Pictured, from left to right, are Maria Teresa Torano, Darragh Kenny, Danielle Torano with daughter, Natalia, and Mary and Antonio Albertini. (Shawn McMillian Photography) East Dorset, VT – For the second year in a row, Ireland’s Darragh Kenny was the winner of the $10,000 Open Jumper High Score Awards, presented by Sir Ruly, Inc....

Jeffery Welles and Laracon (Tammy Hardy Photography) Hampton Falls, NH – There were four exciting show jumping classes hosted Saturday at The Jumper Classic®, presented by Fidelity Investments® and Audi of America. In the $12,000 Speed Derby, Jeffery Welles of Brewster, NY, and Laracon, owned by Amanda Gunthel, were fastest for first place. Located in the beautiful town of Hampton Falls, NH, at the Silver Oak Equestrian Center, The Jumper Classic is New England’s premier...