AMHA Youth of the Year Ellery Walker (Howard Schatzberg) Shelburne, VT - The 2012 American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) Youth of the Year Contest took place at this year's Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show®, held October 6-13 at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. It is with great enthusiasm that AMHA honors Ellery Walker of Marshall, Michigan, as its 2012 Youth of the Year winner, and Rebecca Jones of Efland, North Carolina, as the reserve...

Cylana and Reed Kessler. (Shawn McMillen Photography) Washington, D.C. - Eighteen-year-old U.S. Olympian Reed Kessler added yet another accolade to her impressive year with a win in the $100,000 President's Cup Grand Prix, presented by Events DC, at the 54th annual Washington International Horse Show (WIHS). A FEI World Cup Qualifier, Kessler topped an impressive list of international competitors aboard her phenomenal mare Cylana to win in her first time competing in the class....

Elizabeth Benson and San Remo VDL. (Shawn McMillen Photography) Washington D.C. - The 2012 WIHS Equitation Finals concluded Saturday evening with an exciting win for 18-year-old Elizabeth Benson of Whitehouse Station, NJ. Benson rode San Remo VDL, a twelve-year-old Latvian Warmblood gelding by Sudanas, through the first two phases of competition, finishing with a score of 89.33 in the hunter phase and a 91.17 point total in the jumper phase. Returning for the final work-off sitting in first...

Temecula, CA — A decorated field of riders and horses will be vying for the top prizes at the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event Nov. 1-4, with three Olympians competing in the CCI3*, as well as the 2011 defending champion and a Pan Am games gold medalist. Equine Insurance of California, Land Rover Professional’s Choice and the Professional Riders Organization are the presenting sponsors of the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event. A portion of all tickets sales will...

Good Times and Ailish Cunniffe. (Shawn McMillen Photography) Washington D.C. - The Junior Hunter divisions concluded their second day of competition on Friday morning with the presentation of championship awards at WIHS. Fifteen-year-old Ailish Cunniffe, of South Salem, NY, and Whipstick Farm Ltd.’s Good Times were awarded the Grand Junior Hunter Championship, sponsored by Roseknoll Sporthorse and Victoria Holstein-Childress. Cunniffe and Good Times were presented The Ides of March...

Chicago VH Moleneind and Olivier Philippaerts clearing the seven-foot wall. (Shawn McMillen Photography) Washington, D.C - The 54th annual Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) continued on Friday, October 26, with a full day of hunter, jumper and equitation competition at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The $25,000 Open Jumper Puissance was the highlight class of the evening with a win for 19-year-old Belgian rider Olivier Philippaerts and Chicago VH Moleneind. ? Nick Dello Joio and...

Ohlala and Lauren Hough. (Shawn McMillen Photography) Washington D.C. - Lauren Hough (USA) and Ohlala were the winners in the $32,000 International Open Jumper 1.50m faults converted class, sponsored by Sleepy P Ranch, as part of the evening competition on Friday.Nineteen entries jumped the course, and Hough and Ohlala cleared the obstacles in a blazing fast time of 46.82 seconds for the win. ? Nicola Philippaerts (BEL) and Stal de Kalvarie’s Diebrich de Kalvarie cleared the course just a...

2012 is nearly over. Show season is winding down and Western dressage organizations are gathering feedback from judges and competitors alike about tests, rules, shows and all things western dressage. Late fall is time for annual meetings for everyone and WD is on agendas all over the country. NAWD and WDAA are busy analyzing data and perfecting tests and rulebooks before the 2013 show season starts so more news will be coming from these fronts very soon. USEF and USDF will have more information...

Reed Kessler and Ligist with ringmaster John Franzreb, Andrea King and Emanuel Andrade of Hollow Creek Farm, and WIHS Executive Director Bridget Love Meehan. (Shawn McMillen Photography) Washington D.C. - The $20,000 International Open Jumper Gambler’s Choice Costume Class, sponsored by Hollow Creek Farm, is always an exciting event at WIHS, especially with Barn Night and thousands of young fans cheering on the riders. In tonight’s class, 18-year-old Reed Kessler, of Lexington, KY,...

Onira and Brianne Goutal. (Shawn McMillen Photography) Washington, D.C . - The 2012 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) continued on Thursday with the first day of classes for the Junior Hunters and several International Open Jumper and Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper classes at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. ? The course designer for the jumpers at WIHS this year is Anthony D’Ambrosio, of Red Hook, NY. The International Open Jumpers had two classes on Thursday, and Brianne Goutal,...