Ravel rocked last night. Plain and simple. It was the best I have ever seen him go and I have been lucky to see him go really well quite a few times. Steffen agreed today when I saw him, he said he felt it and was really excited about the work he was doing last night, but when he arrived here and Anne Gribbons saw him, he was convinced. The horse somehow keeps getting better. After the class last night I went to Del Ray Beach where I am staying with some friends and I got to catch up with a...

The eventers invaded the International Ring at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center on Saturday night, as PRO DerbyCross took center stage before the $30,000 Hermes Puissance. It was good fun, each team had three eventers, one show jumper and one polo player. They jumped three similar, modified courses. Everyone was really game, show jumpers Laura Kraut and Katie Prudent were recruited to jump the solid fences and both not only had a blast – they looked like they knew what they were...

Alida D'Angona, Miss Massachusetts 2011. (Photo courtesy AMHA.) Shelburne, VT — Alida D'Angona, 24, from Bolton, MA, recently was crowned Miss Massachusetts 2011, and will be a presenter at the American Morgan Horse Association's annual awards banquet on Saturday, February 26 in Boston. Born in California, D'Angona traveled with her family as a child across the world to live in Hong Kong before settling in Bolton. With an interest in music as well as the sciences, D'Angona quickly became...

Fair Hill, MD - Youthful enthusiasm combined with practiced precision led the way at the 22nd annual Dansko Fair Hill International Festival in the Country. The thirty-three horse field includes a broad range of competitors, including Olympians and riders that have just returned from the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Amateur rider and former Young Rider Nate Chambers, Vienna, Virginia, was really pleased with the performance of his 14 year-old warmblood gelding, Rolling Stone II....

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen (Stockimageservices.com) Elkton, MD - Cross Country conditions were perfect as a blustery and sunny day dawned at the Dansko Fair Hill International and 89 horses took to Derek DiGrazia's cross country track to contest the USEF National CCI2* and National CCI3* Eventing Championships. The CCI2* competitors were first out and Clark Montgomery (Chatahoochee Hills, GA) took no time in reassuring his lead from the dressage with a foot-perfect performance on Loughan...

U.S. Vaulting Team Wins Gold (Photo by Shannon Brinkman for USEF) Lexington, KY - After years of preparation, what began as a dream finally turned into reality. The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games took place here in Lexington, KY - the first time they had ever been held outside of Europe. But now, what was a reality has turned into a memory as the Games concluded today as the final medals were presented. The U.S. Team started on a high note, taking home the first Team Gold medal of the...

Mary McCormick, earlier in the week (Photo by Shannon Brinkman for USEF) Lexington, KY - The Alltech Arena was a sell-out house with old and new fans of the equestrian sport of vaulting as the men's and women's freestyle final was contested at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games on Saturday, October 9. The crowd was treated to the world's best vaulters who put on a fantastic show for a vocal and appreciative audience. The top 15 from each division were invited back to compete for a...

Lexington, Kentucky - Saddlebred trainer Michael Ray Benn, of Liberty, Missouri, passed away on Friday, October 1, 2010. Benn had been a resident of Liberty for the past seven years and earned his living doing what he loved – training American Saddlebred Horses. He spent his younger years working with Don Hulse and Dale Pugh, and was the head trainer at Callaway Hills Stables in Columbia, Missouri for twelve years, before operating his own training barn in Springfield, Missouri. Most recently...

Mary McCormick (Photo by Shannon Brinkman for USEF) Lexington, KY - Strong performances by both the Women's and Men's U.S. Vaulters entertained a near sold-out Alltech Arena during the second Individual phase of competition during the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games on Thursday. Mary McCormick leads the U.S. effort, followed by Alicen Divita in ninth place and 2006 WEG Aachen Gold medalist Megan Benjamin in 11th place. The Vaulting Freestyle is perhaps the most appreciated phase of the...

Lexington, KY - The USHJA International Hunter Derby made its debut to the world this morning, at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Four of the country’s top hunter riders, demonstrated and educated over 1000 spectators about the exciting International Hunter Derby. The course, which demonstrated the tight turns necessary for a handy hunter, a variety of derby fences and the hand gallop, was designed by Bobby Murphy. The USHJA demo riders were: Jen Alfano and Jersey Boy, Peter...