The Irish team are hot favorites to win the second leg of the 2011 FEI Nations Cup™ series in Rome (ITA) tomorrow, but they got the worst of the draw today and so will be first into the ring as the action gets underway in the stunning surroundings of the Piazza di Siena. A total of nine teams will line up in this leg of the elite eight-nation tournament, as the host country makes a guest appearance on home turf. The American Team of Charlie Jayne, Christine McCrea, Margie Engle and Rich...

Lexington, KY — May in Kentucky was all about the catch-ride. One ride. One horse. One shot at history. At Louisville, it meant a late-replacement jockey, John Velazquez, would win his first Kentucky Derby with Animal Kingdom. At Lexington’s Kentucky Horse Park that same weekend, it meant students facing their own last-minute leg-ups, with just minutes to assess a horse before entering the Alltech Arena and their date with destiny at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association...

Taylor Ann Adams and Eastwood at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. (Photo by Holly Whiteman/ PMG). Lexington KY - The first week of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show wrapped up the first week of a two-week long, horse show event. On Wednesday, May 18, the series will pick up again with the Kentucky Spring Classic. Riders and spectators experienced summer-like weather conditions throughout most of the show with a touch of rain putting only a slight damper on the last two days. The Junior Hunter...

Ireland won the opening leg of the 2011 FEI Nations Cup™ series in a nail-biting thriller at La Baule in France today. On an afternoon when the form-book was turned on its head, Robert Splaine's side of Shane Sweetnam (Amaretto Darco), Billy Twomey (Romanov), Cian O'Connor (Larkhill Cruiser) and Cameron Hanley (VDL Southwind) produced superb jumping to finish with a two-fault advantage over the runners-up from Belgium, while the mighty German side had to settle for third spot in...

Lexington, KY - Today marked the beginning of what promises to be an exciting first week at Kentucky Spring Horse Show. Riders showcased their horses under beautiful weather at the Kentucky Horse Park's Stonelea Ring during the Professional Hunter divisions. The hunter competition will continue through Sunday, and will pick-up again next week during the Kentucky Spring Classic. Brian Walker and Garfield were victorious in the High Performance Hunters at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show (Photo...

Jhesika Wills. (Photo by Carolynn Bunch). Lincoln, NE – Four advanced young riders have been selected for the 2011 Olympic Dream Program that annually sends young riders to Europe for an intensive 10-day dressage experience. The program is administered and funded annually by The Dressage Foundation (TDF). On May 2, an independent Selection Committee, after reviewing dozens of applications, chose Mary Bahniuk Lauritsen (MA), Jhesika Wells (WA), Kathryn Butt (SC) and Laura DeCesari (AZ) to...

Oklahoma City, OK – New Market, TN, will be the next host for the 2011 NRHA Regional Clinic Series. Mike Flarida, Charlie Hutton, Matt Flarida and Charlie Wills will be sharing their tips and techniques at the Ricer Glen Equestrian Center on May 28-29. This clinic is an amazing opportunity for reiners of all ages and experience levels to ride with top NRHA Professionals and take part in the first Regional Clinic Show hosted by the Tennessee Reining Horse Association. Mike Flarida from...

Sons of the Wind School of Equestrian Arts will be hosting their annual "Pride of Portugal; the Lusitano joins the Ride for Life" Festival on Saturday, June 4, 2011. (Photo courtesy of Sons of the Wind School). Merrimac, MA - On Saturday, June 4, 2011, the Sons of the Wind School of Equestrian Arts will host its third annual Lusitano Festival. This year, the Pride of Portugal; The Lusitano, joins the 'Ride for Life.' This exciting event showcases the beautiful Lusitano horses and the...

The American Horse Council is pleased to announce that the new, up-to-date 2011 Horse Owners and Breeders Tax Handbook is hot off the presses! No one involved with the horse industry should be without the Horse Owners and Breeders Tax Handbook. Topics covered in the Handbook include: • Business versus hobby-including summaries of important court decisions; • Passive loss rules; • Forms of doing business; • Record keeping and accounting rules; • Sales, Exchanges and...

Wellington, FL - The Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) Spring Circuit continued last week with week 5 on April 13-17. ESP was very pleased to see that exhibitor numbers at the show increased 25% from 2010. The horse show offered a full schedule of hunter/jumper competition, with three classes featured: the $10,000 Pennfield Feeds Open Jumper Welcome Stake, the $7,500 Reist Industries High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Stake at The Stadium, and the $30,000 ESP Spring 5 Grand Prix. The winner of...