It takes a lot of people to keep our U.S. show on the road, so the first Barn Notes will be fairly basic introductions of the Dressage staff: Barn Manager Dougie Hannum first travelled with the U.S. Team in 1966 as a show jumping groom and he hasn't missed much over the last four decades. The first team horse he looked after was called Ilan, he belonged to James Paxton but Frank Chapot rode him on the team and Dougie was part of the deal. He was around when a jumping horse named Sloopy had...

Janne Rumbough. (Photo courtesy of JRPR.) Wellington, FL – Janne Rumbough and her PRE gelding JR proved to be an unstoppable team during the Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge II CDI when the duo captured the Adult Amateur High Score of the show. The victories kept rolling in for Rumbough when her high score helped her win the Everglades Dressage Adult Amateur High Score Award, sponsored by Everglades Dressage and Bethany Peslar. Rumbough was presented with a beautiful embroidered saddle...

Ocala, FL - Four United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Driving National Championship titles are at stake at the 2011 CAI-B Live Oak in Ocala, FL, as Ponies (four-in-hand, singles and pairs) and Horse Pairs vie for top honors. The first phase of competition for the FEI classes - dressage - is now complete. Shelly Temple of Windsor, SC, put herself well ahead of the competition, winning the FEI Single Pony dressage with a score of 41.60. Driving her Morgan LR Ami B-Line, Temple was happy...

Lincoln, NE - Olympian Carol Lavell has said, “For most Young Riders, obtaining financial support becomes the ultimate hurdle.” Through The Dressage Foundation's new 'Lessons in Fundraising and Giving' Program, riders will learn valuable tools that will help them throughout their equestrian careers. Program participants will learn how they can raise the financial support necessary to continue their education and career. Participants will hear from people who have “been there, done that” as well...

Elizabeth Benson and San Remo VDL. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - The 4th Annual George Morris Excellence in Equitation Championships, presented by Artisan Farms, were held on Friday evening in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. A feature event for the junior riders at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, the class saw an exciting win for 16-year-old Elizabeth Benson of Whitehouse Station, NJ, trained by Stacia Madden of Beacon Hill Show Stables....

Oklahoma City, OK – Two of the nation’s top NRHA Processionals are coming to Colorado for the 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Regional Clinic Series May 21-22. NRHA Professionals Randy Paul and Tracer Gilson will once again share their expertise to benefit Reiners of all ages and experience levels at Skyline Ranch in Carbondale, CO. NRHA Professional Randy Paul reached one of the industry’s great milestones by becoming a Million Dollar Rider in 2008. Paul has had a long and...

Oklahoma City, OK – The 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Regional Clinic Series is coming to Santa Fe, NM, May 14-15. NRHA Professionals Stefano Massigan and Marco Ricotta will hold a clinic for reiners of all ages and experience levels at the Santa Fe Equestrian Center. Massignan, an NRHA European Futurity finalist and multiple Italian Reining Horse Association (IRHA) Futurity, Derby and Maturity finalist, recently relocated to the Southwest with his wife Ky. Their new operation...

Wellington, FL - March 5, 2011 - The $35,000 Hermès Puissance was the highlight event on Saturday night, and it was an exciting show of power and scope. Pablo Barrios (VEN) was the winner after he cleared the 7'3" puissance wall with G&C Quivola, owned by Gustavo Mirabal. The FTI WEF's eighth week of competition, sponsored by G&C Farm, concludes on Sunday, March 6. The Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic will be held on Sunday followed by the $150,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty...

Sandy Ferrell and Moshi. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - The eighth week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, which runs through April 3, is well into its second day of competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The sun was shinning along with strong gusts of wind as the Green Conformation Hunters made their way into the E.R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring on Thursday morning. Sandy Ferrell was aboard the new entry from Stephanie Riggio, Moshi, for the championship...

Last March I made my inaugural visit to Wellington, FL and the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center for CSIO week, which included the USEF Selection Trials for the US Show Jumping Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and the $75,000 FEI Nations Cup presented by CN. My partner in crime, Melissa Davis, and I set-up our Merchandise “Fort” and sold-out of nearly all the USA and patriotic coats, polos and hats we’d shipped down. Unseasonably chilly temperatures for Palm Beach...