Lexington, KY - At the 2011 FEI General Assembly, it was announced that there will be new FEI Pony Tests effective January 1, 2012. A link to the 2012 tests can be found on the USEF website: https://www.usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/alldressage/dressagePonies.aspx The qualifying period for the USEF National Pony Dressage Championship began August 2, 2011 and will end May 28, 2012. The 2012 FEI Pony Team Test and the 2012 FEI Pony Individual Test must be used at qualifying...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) announces the following updates to the U.S. Show Jumping Squad for the 2011 Pan American Games. Lauren Hough has withdrawn Quick Study from their position as travelling reserve following an uncharacteristic performance at Spruce Meadows in the Grand Prix on September 11, 2011. The first ranked substitute, Margie Engle and Indigo have also withdrawn. Therefore, the second ranked substitute, Kent Farrington (Chicago, IL) and RCG...

Steffen Peters and Weltino's Magic. Photo: SusanJStickle.com. Gladstone, NJ - The top three placings in the Intermediaire I National Dressage Championship never changed throughout the week at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm Dressage Festival of Championship and Steffen Peters dominated with Weltino's Magic finishing on a three day average of 78.661%. Riding for Jen Hlavacek, Peters owned the Dick and Jane Brown Arena this morning, and to music by Seven and Five, he showed off the 9-year-old...

William Fox-Pitt (GBR), the new world number one, is on top again, this time at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR), the second-last leg of the HSBC FEI Classics™, where he leads after the first day of Dressage on a mark of 39.7. Fox-Pitt (GBR), who is wearing the special armband as leader of the HSBC Rankings, has posted the only sub-40 mark so far on his first ride, Catherine Witt’s 11-year-old Parklane Hawk, winner of the Blenheim CCI3* (GBR) last year. The British pair...

Nina Lill and GB Jacs Bond. (NRHA.) Kreuth, Germany – The Consolation for the $187,000 added National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Open Futurity offered plenty of fine reining for visitors today. It was FEI European Champion Nina Lill (GER) who rode to a top score of 220 astride GB Jacs Bond (owner Jan Gerbig). The gelding by GB Jac out of Dr Bonds Bessie was bred by Daniela Schurrer and earned the Western Event Snaffle Bit Level 2 Open Futurity Champion title last year. The duo...

Tucker Johnson and his Four-in-Hand team (Photo by Shannon Brinkman for USEF) Lexington, KY - After a dressage phase in the Combined Driving Championships that left multiple ties at the top of the leader board, today's marathon course proved to mix things up, as is often the case. The U.S. Driving Team is now sitting in second with a combined score of 300.11, behind The Netherlands on a 273.77. Ijsbrand Chardon (NED) won the marathon phase, charging through the obstacles with speed and...

Tina Konyot and Calecto V (SusanJStickle.com) Gladstone, NJ – The United States Equestrian Federation has named the following horse/rider combinations to the Short List/ Nominated Entry for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games according to the USEF Selection Procedure for Dressage. From this group the Definite Entry will be named to represent the United States in the Dressage Championships. The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games take place from September 25-October 10, 2010 in...

Photo by SusanJStickle.com (Sagacious HF recently earned Crown Predicate honors from the KWPN (Dutch Warmblood) Registry) Al Guden’s 11-year-old Grand Prix KWPN gelding, Sagacious HF, recently earned Crown Predicate honors from the KWPN (Dutch) Registry. This special symbol on his registration papers means he is ranked in the top 200 FEI Dressage Horses in the world. Sagacious HF was actually ranked 56th in the world. Guden’s journey with Sagacious HF started when he purchased the...

Today was a good day. Even if with cold temperatures and rain in the morning. Today was a good day. Three Americans sit at the top of the Rolex Three-Day leader board. The sun came out. The freestyle for the Kentucky Cup CDI3* is set to take place soon. And oh yeah, I had a lovely chat with Jonathan “Jock” Paget this afternoon. For those of you not familiar with one of New Zealand’s top riders, Jock and Frances Stead’s Clifton Promise are making their debut at the 4 star level here at the Rolex...

Dressage Dressage riders on the West Coast competed under the California sun this weekend at the Dressage Affaire CDI3* held at the Del Mar Horse Park. Steffen Peters continued to demonstrate his dominance in U.S. dressage, winning in all seven of his outings. With 2009 Horse of the Year, Ravel, Peters blew away the competition winning by nine percentage points in both the Grand Prix (77.660%) and Grand Prix Special (77.375%). Adrienne Lyle and Wizard put in two excellent performances to finish...