Emilie Rucci and I SPY A RAINBOW (AlCookPhoto.com) Harrisburg, Pa. - Emilie Rucci, of Pittstown, NJ, and I SPY A RAINBOW won the $4,000 North American League (NAL) Pony Jumper Finals today at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Out of eleven starters, only four made it to the jump-off. Spectators - including the top jumper riders - filled the best seats in the house and encouraged the smaller competitors with cheers and 'clicks' at moments where the ponies might have had a...

Elizabeth Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night (Libby Law Photography) Lexington, Ky. - The first U.S. horse-and-rider combination performed their dressage test Thursday for the FEI Nations Cup competition at the Military Boekelo CCIO3*. Elizabeth Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night took to the dressage arena in front of the judging panel of David Lee (IRL), Andrew Bennie (NZL), and Ciska Van Meggelen-Peek (NED) at the historic venue in Boekelo, The Netherlands. Halliday-Sharp (East Sussex,...

Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch (Hannah Bennett/USEA Photo) Lexington, Kentucky – The USEF National Open Horse Trial Championship wrapped up Sunday morning after the Advanced stadium phase was delayed a day due to torrential rain. Run in conjunction with the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by VTO Saddlery, national championship competition ran from September 26-29, at the Texas Rose Horse Park in Tyler, Texas. Eleven combinations vied for the Jack Le Goff Trophy...

Angel Karolyi of Venezuela rode S-Acorada Donaldson to victory in the $15,000 Open Jumper Classic on Saturday, September 14, at the Aiken Fall Festival II in Aiken, South Carolina (David Mullinix) Aiken, SC – Venezuela’s Angel Karolyi put in an impressive performance to claim victory in dramatic fashion in the $15,000 Open Jumper Classic on Saturday, September 14, at the Aiken Fall Festival II in Aiken, South Carolina. Nine of 15 horse and rider combinations would advance through...

Well fall is under way and I am trying to clear a little writer’s block. The last shows of the year are winding down. We are headed for the last ones in our area the last two weekends of the month. Fall is time to evaluate progress and prepare for next season. Some of us set goals for training, some for clinics, some for next year’s show season. We look at our feeding programs, exercise programs, breeding programs and whatever else we are running. I always find myself thinking ahead...

Caitlin Boyle following her win in the IHJA Junior Medal Finals (Emily Riden) Wayne, IL - The long anticipated Illinois Hunter Jumper Association (IHJA) "A" Medal Finals sponsored by Barrington Saddlery, were the highlight of the Grand Prix Ring today at the Showplace Fall Classic Championship Horse Show at the Lamplight Equestrian Center. An all day slow rain didn't stop competitors since the new GGT footing was perfect in the rain. Popular course designer Skip Bailey of Wellington, FL,...

McLain Ward and Cadence (The Book LLC 2013) North Salem, NY - Passing thunderstorms did not deter the exciting action during the second day of the 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W. The international jumping competition featured the $33,000 Don Little Memorial Welcome Stake, where McLain Ward of Brewster, NY bested 60 entries to capture the winning honors on the Grand Prix Field at Old Salem Farm. Earlier in the day, Michael Hughes and Dromma topped a 19-horse jump-off during the $3,000 High...

Welcome to the fifth nstallment of a different kind of blog from WDAA! The purpose of this post is to allow the reader "into the heads" of both a trainer/judge/competitor, Karen Abbattista and her student, Deborah Herbert, a Florida WDAA member. We would like to share with you some moments in Deb's journey as she pursues her riding goals with her AQHA mare "GenuineArcticSpring", barn name "Belle". Please enjoy as you follow along with these posts that we consider interesting or challenging...

Jimmy Torano and La Bonita putting on a show in the final round of the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final (©ESI Photography) Saugerties, NY – Jimmy Torano of SW Ranches, Florida admits that he and Kathryn Haefner, who owns La Bonita, gambled on the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final, entering the five-year-old German-bred Warmblood mare in the highest stakes hunter class in the world. Lady Luck, however, was on their side at HITS Saugerties this week. Or, perhaps, La Bonita is...

Saugerties, NY - Sunny Drescher of Hinesburg, Vermont put on a dominating performance in the National PHA Junior Medal Final at HITS Saugerties this weekend. Piloting her own Sting, a seven-year-old Westfalen gelding, to the top score of 86 in the first round, Drescher led the class from start to finish, mastering the test and clinching the blue ribbon. The National PHA Junior Medal Final highlighted the Friday of HITS Championship Weekend at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York and...