Chester Weber finished first in Friday's dressage at CAI Caen and maintains the lead heading into Sunday's cones phase. Normandy, France - After another world-class performance in Friday's dressage at the Caen CAI-A4 (A 2014 Alltech World Equestrian Games Test Event), one in which he took the blue ribbon, Chester Weber (Ocala, FL) finished second in the marathon on Saturday. With a score of 69.65. He was 1.64 points off the winner Hans Heus of Holland. Weber is now the over all leader with...

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...

Lexington, KY - The following horse-and-rider combinations have been named by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) to represent the U.S. at CSIO5* Barcelona in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Final in Barcelona, Spain, September 26-29, 2013. The following combinations will represent the U.S. in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona at the CSIO5* Barcelona: Beezie Madden (Cazenovia, NY) will ride Abigail Wexner's Cortes 'C' and Simon Cortes 'C' is a...

Major equestrian competitions attended by U.S. athletes, both domestic and overseas, are listed in this weekly preview. Please look below to find competition listings by discipline* and breed. We hope you will follow the competitions that most interest you, but check Equestrian Weekly on Monday for a report of any top finishes by U.S. Equestrians. *lists of competitions in all international disciplines will include only FEI competitions or USEF Championships within the USA and international FEI...

Lexington, KY - The United States will be represented by one Four-in-Hand team at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Test Event, August 22-25, 2013. The CAI-A4 will be held at Caen racecourse in Calvados, France. Chester Weber (Ocala, FL) will drive a team made up of his own seven-year-old KWPN gelding Boris W, 13-year-old KWPN gelding Boy W, and 16-year-old KWPN gelding Para, along with Jane Clark's 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Splash, and Koos de Ronde's 12-year-old Dutch...

Ian Silitch and Party Girl on their way to a $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix win (©ESI Photography) Culpeper, VA - Ian Silitch admits that it’s hard to jump ten jumps perfectly no matter how good your horse is, but came close enough to perfection to win the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix on Saturday at HITS Culpeper. Silitch of Ocala, Florida and Linda Bamman’s Party Girl coupled scores of 86 and 81 for a total of 167 and the win by only one point. “I have been riding Party Girl...

Lexington, KY- Over the weekend, the Stanley Park Fairgrounds in Estes Park, Colorado, played host to 25 of the top junior dressage riders for the 2013 USEF Dressage Seat Medal Finals. Held in conjunction with the Paragon Dressage CDI, the annual championship hosted elite equitation Alexander Dawson (www.yourhorses.ifp3.com) competition in 13 & Under and 14-18 age divisions. In the 13 & Under division, Alexander Dawson topped the field of 13 to claim championship honors, while in 14-18...

Saugerties, NY - A talented group of Canadian dressage stars crossed the border into New York over the weekend. One of them was on top of the leaderboard more often than not. In the two major Grand Prix classes Ashley Holzer and Jacqueline Brooks earned victory. With Jewel's Adelante, Holzer won the FEI Grand Prix test with a score of 68.936%. That put here above fellow Canadians Diane Creech and Jacqueline brooks in second and third respectively. In the Grand Prix Freestyle it was brooks...

Estes Park, CO - With his 2012 Brentina Cup winner Lombardo LHF, Brian Hafner (Penngrove, CA) won two Grand Prix classes at the Paragon CDI3* over the weekend. On Friday, he won the FEI Grand Prix with a score of 66.745%. He continued to earn top results on Sunday in the FEI Grand Prix Musical Freestyle, winning with a 68.800%. Hafner also won the Prix St. Gorerge on Friday with California Chablis and finished second in both the Intermediare I and Intermediare I Freestyle classes. The...

Welcome to the fourth installment 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...