Lexington, KY —Meagan Drew may not have started out as a cookie cutter equestrian, but then again, her break-the-mold approach may have been the leg up she needed to claim success in and out of the show ring. “I cleaned stalls two summers in a row every day so I could ride horses and take lessons,” says the 18 year old Drew. “It wasn’t my mom writing a check—it was something I had to do. It made me appreciate the lessons I did get and it made me work harder....

Wayne, Ill. – The third day of competition at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions featured exciting action in four divisions, including the first national champion title of the show won in the Adequan ® /USEF Para Dressage National Championship and the first of the young and developing horse classes with the Markel/USEF Seven-Year-Old Dressage National Championship. Codi Harrison and Katholt's Bossco. ©SusanJStickle.com Neue Schule/USEF Grand Prix Dressage National...

Three rising dressage stars are representing the U.S. this week in Ermelo, Netherlands, at the 2023 FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses (WBC). Get to know more about these up-and-coming equine athletes with insights from their owners and trainers. Vianne and Hope Beerling. ©SusanJStickle.com Vianne (Kastel’s Vitalis x Raureif) 2016 Hanoverian mare Owner: NorCodia USA Rider: Hope Beerling (Califon, N.J.) Vianne is the product of Catherine Haddad...

It takes years and a full team effort to develop a horse to the top level of equestrian sport— with riders, owners, grooms, coaches, and many more focusing on giving a horse the best chance at success. This process was true for Mai Baum, known as Lexus, on his road to winning the 2023 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ CCI5*-L with Tamie Smith in the irons. Smith remembered seeing Lexus, a 2006 German Sport Horse gelding owned by Alexandra...

Elkton, Md . – The 2022 MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill presented by Brown Advisory came to an exciting conclusion with Sunday’s show jumping phase. Combinations rode over solid tracks designed by Ken Krome (USA) to determine the final placings in the CCI3*-L and CCI5*-L divisions. Elisa Wallace and Renkum Corsair rose to the occasion to win the 2022 USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championship for the USEF Combined Training Trophy, while Tim Price (NZL) and Coup de Coeur Dudevin...

Wayne, Ill. – The six remaining national championship divisions concluded on Sunday at the 2022 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions. A week full of seasoned competitors as well as up-and-coming talent made for an exciting, high-caliber event. USEF Children Dressage National Championship Autumn Vavrick and Dante (SusanJStickle.com) Twelve USEF Children Dressage National Championship combinations began the competition in the Grand Prix Arena by riding the second of two tests to determine...

Ella Fruchterman and Holts Le'Mans. ©KTB Creative Group Traverse City, Mich. – A phenomenal week of equestrian competition concluded on Sunday at the 2022 FEI North American Youth Championships with the Juniors and Young Riders presenting their freestyle tests. Ella Fruchterman (Woodbury, Minn.) and Holts Le’Mans struck gold in the Junior division, while Erin Nichols (Yorba Linda, Calif.) and Handsome Rob AR topped the Young Riders podium. 2022 FEI NAYC Junior Dressage...

Day three of the Gotham North FEI North American Youth Jumping Championships, presented by USHJA, invited Junior and Young Rider teams to take center stage and vie for their podium positions. Over two rounds, teams battled it out for top honors, but it was ultimately Zone 4, with team members Caroline Mawhinney (Wellington, Fla.), Ella Duffy (Alpharetta, Ga.), Hailey Royce (Wellington, Fla.), and Mia Albelo (Miami, Fla.), taking gold in the Junior Team Final. A combined team of athletes from...

Ocala, Fla. – Four newly minted USEF National Champions exited the arena on Sunday, March 6, at the conclusion of the 2022 Live Oak International CAI. After the event was cancelled in 2021 due to COVID-19, competitors and their families were happy to be back at Live Oak International in Florida’s warm and sunny late-winter weather. Sunday’s competition brought the cones phase to the main arena, and the athletes and their horses and ponies rose to the occasion with numerous...

Correction: The original version of this release noted Mackenzie Peer's horse, Quantum MRF, as a stallion. He is a gelding. Wayne, Ill. – The remaining five titles were decided on the final day of the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions on Sunday: Lexie Kment and Manatee, USEF Children Dressage National Champions; Michael Bragdell and SenSation HW, Markel/USEF Young Horse Six-Year-Old Dressage National Champions: Nick Wagman and Don John, USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Champions;...