Kate Mullen & "Elnieta" win the HorseShow.com/CDS Dressage Seat Equitation Challenge on the first day of the CDS Championship Show (Jennifer M. Keeler) Rancho Murieta, CA - California is well-known as home to some of the best dressage horses and riders in the country, and many of those were on display as the first championship titles of the weekend were awarded today at the California Dressage Society (CDS) Annual Championship Show at the Murieta Equestrian Center in Rancho Murieta, CA,...

The 2013-2014 NCEA begins on Friday when No.5 Kansas State takes a road trip to Blythewood. They’ll meet the No.3 Gamecocks in a marquee non-conference matchup before heading to Dover to face Delaware State. My quick look at both matches is below. No.3 South Carolina University vs. No.5 Kansas State University This trip to Blythewood will be a new experience for the Wildcats, none of whom have been to South Carolina for NCEA competition. The last time they met on the Gamecocks home turf...

Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo (Rebecca Walton) orth Salem, NY - Friday the 13th proved to a lucky day for Beezie Madden, who stormed to victory on her veteran mount Coral Reef Via Volo during the $100,000 American Gold Cup Qualifier, presented by Double H Farm & Windsor Show Stables. Fifty-five entries showed on the Grand Prix Field at Old Salem Farm during the 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W, but only eight finished without fault to qualify for the jump-off, where Madden and Coral...

Pablo Barrios leads the 2013 Hagyard Challenge Series Standings with Zara Leandra. (Rebecca Walton) Lexington, KY - With another top placing at the KHJA Horse Show last week, Venezuelan rider Pablo Barrios has furthered his lead in the 2013 Hagyard Challenge Series. He and his talented mount Zara Leandra kicked off the Series by winning the first Hagyard Lexington Classic in May, and they then garnered wins in both the third and fourth events. Most recently, Barrios and Zara Leandra finished...

Last week I posted a virtual show entry video from an amazingly brave woman who continues to allow me to use her material for examples in this blog. Her courage and generosity inspire me and I hope that her open heart and willingness to be visible inspire you too. I hope that some of you readers are able to identify with her as a peer, a rider struggling to understand riding and training her stock horse and that you professionals at least respect her courage. Reaction to the video has been...

Jared Petersen and Titus 2:11 on their way to a win in the $40,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Culpeper (ESI Photography) Culpeper, VA - Twenty-one-year-old Jared Petersen of Archer, Florida and fellow Legacy Farm rider Jordan Coyne of New Port Richey, Florida went one-two in Sunday’s $40,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Culpeper, posting the only double clear rounds of the day. In a field that included grand prix veterans such as Laura Linback, Tracy...

Pablo Barrios and Zara Leandra won Thursday's $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic (Rebecca Walton) Lexington, KY - Following his win in Thursday night's $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic, Pablo Barrios has leapt to the top of the leader board for the 2013 Hagyard Challenge Series. Barrios and his talented mare Zara Leandra were the winners of the first class in May, and with a speedy clear round during Thursday's event they bested a 15-horse jump-off for another victory. Richie Moloney...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named the following horse-and-rider combinations to the U.S. Dressage Team for the Hickstead CDIO3* in Hickstead, England August 1-4, 2013. Additionally, the U.S. will be represented by two individuals. The following four combinations have been named to the U.S. Dressage Team for the Hickstead CDIO3* (listed in Alphabetical Order): Shelly Francis (Loxahatchee, FL) on Patricia Stempel's Doktor Doktor is a 2003 Oldenburg...

Lillie Keenan and Pumped Up Kicks jump their way to a win in the $125,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Saugerties over the weekend (©ESI Photography) Saugerties, NY – Lillie Keenan and Pumped Up Kicks were pumped up just enough Sunday afternoon to win the $125,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis. The 15-year-old rider and Chansonette Farm, LLC’s Pumped Up Kicks closed out three weeks of spring shows at HITS-on-the-Hudson...

Kaitlin Campbell on Rocky W Devon, PA - This evening's open jumper class was the Idle Dice Open Jumper Stakes class. The class was named after famed jumper horse Idle Dice. Idle Dice was originally bred as a thoroughbred race horse, but he was discovered and retrained by Bernie Traurig who showed him as a hunter. He was later purchased by Harry Gill and shown as a jumper by Rodney Jenkins. Idle Dice won over $400,000 in his career (an amount that would triple if adjusted to the value of...