Rodrigo de Matos is a Principle Rider of L'Escola Portuguesa d'Arte Equestre, and the Chief Instructor at Morgado Lustiano in Portugal. He represented Portugual at the recent Paris Symposium where all four of the great classical European schools of riding were invited to a joint performance and exchange of ideas. Participants included the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, the Cadre Noir, L'Escola Portuguesa, and the Spanish National School. As a representative of L'Escola and Morgado Lusitano,...

History repeated itself as Kent Farrington and Upchiqui won the $75,000 Budweiser Prix de Penn National for the second time on closing night of the 2008 Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Suspense is the essence of competition. Farrington faced 28 very tough competitors to repeat this win. The seventh of 10 clean trips in the first round, Farrington knew speed would be a prime factor in the jump-off. “Upchiqui is an exceptionally fast horse,” said Farrington, 20. “ He’s a great horse. He covers...

When show jumping returns to HITS Culpeper for two consecutive weeks in late August, all eyes will be on the third annual United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Tad Coffin Zone III Junior Equitation Finals that will take place on August 23 during the Winston National. Following a ringside dinner reception hosted by Bridgewater College, around 35 talented exhibitors will take aim at the course set in the majestic grand prix ring at HITS Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, VA. “HITS has taken...

The “southwest edition” of the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo spreads out this September 19-21, stretching into every corner of the 20-acre Sky Ute Event Center in Ignacio, CO. So many clinicians are in the line-up, the event has added extra venues, and family fun has its very own “Junior Rodeo” arena. Shopping spills out from the indoor arena to a pleasant grassy area, complete with picnic tables. Horses for private treaty sales, breed presentations and stallion and mare demonstrations are stabled...

Dressage judge Betsy Berrey was the featured speaker at this month's Shop Talk. Michelle Hundt and Betsy Rebar-Sell, co-owners of Sho Clothes, hosted the third in a series of monthly discussions at the Sho Room in Wellington, FL. The Gold Coast Dressage Association (GCDA) co-sponsors the event with Sho Clothes to provide local equestrians the opportunity to learn from top professionals in the area. Betsy Berrey is a well-respected "S" judge who often officiates at dressage shows on the winter...

The FEI has awarded the 2010 Final of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping to Geneva, Switzerland. This event, which will be held April 14-18, 2010, is the second FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final to take place in the Swiss city after a first in 1996. “The FEI is looking forward to another outstanding Final,” said John Roche, Director of the FEI World Cup™ Jumping. “It is a great recognition for all of us on the organizing committee and our 700 volunteers,” commented Geneva CSI-W...

Richard Spooner and Cristallo won the CSI5* Grand Prix du Prix de Monaco. This was the fourth leg of the Global Champions Tour 2008. Spooner and the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding sped around the course and picked up the win with a time of 38.99 seconds, only 0.02 seconds ahead of second place. Jeanne Hobbs won the Fourth Class at the FEI CSIO4* at Lipica, Slovenia. It was a 1.45 meter class with 58 starters. Hobbs was riding Night and Day 8, a 15-year-old Oldenburg gelding. In the Team...

The FEI Veterinary Department is pleased to announce that a course for Promotion to Event Veterinarians and Continuing Education will be organized during the European Championship for pony riders in Avenches, Switzerland, July 22-24, 2008. Avenches is a historic city located between Lausanne and Bern. The course will be held in collaboration with the organizing committee of the championship and will give the participants the opportunity to immerge themselves in the atmosphere of a wonderful...

The National Horse Show Association of America is pleased to announce the dates and locations for this year's ASPCA Maclay Regional competitions. The horse shows' qualifying classes determine which riders will compete in this year's ASPCA Maclay National Championship, which will be held at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament, featuring the 125th National Horse Show. The show will run from October 29-November 2, 2008, at the Oncenter Complex in Syracuse, NY. The ASPCA Maclay...

Eighteen-year-old rookie Laura Teodori went clean and well within the time allowed in an exciting jump-off against three veteran riders to win the $100,000 Premier Truck & Trailer Grand Prix of Del Mar, an American Grand Prix Association (AGA) event, at the Del Mar National Horse Show. Riding Kasoar D’Uxelles, owned by L & M Ventures, LLC, Teodori went up against 29 competitors from all over the nation in the competition held Saturday, May 3. Only three others—Ali Nilforushan, Alicia...