Overall Grand Champion Samantha Sommers and Small Affair at the 2013 US Junior Hunter National Championships - West (Captured Moment Photography) Lexington, KY – The top junior hunter riders on the west coast met at Showpark Facility in Del Mar, CA, July 22-23 for the 2013 US Junior Hunter National Championships – West. The riders were separated into 15 & Under and 16-17 divisions, as well as Small Junior Hunter and Large Junior Hunter, and competed in three phases: Classic...

Note to self: The Boy Scout motto “Be Prepared” applies to many things. When teaching a WD clinic be prepared for anything! This week’s blog comes from Vancouver Washington on the Columbia River where the “Discover Western Dressage” clinic is being held as a fundraiser for Silver Buckle Ranch. The Buckle is a non-profit youth ranch that houses Clark County’s disabled riding program. It is a pleasure to be here and to know that the clinic proceeds will be used...

Suzy Satfford (Picsofyou.com) Raeford, NC - The first day of competition at the Southern Pines CDE came to a close with pony drivers taking their first steps towards earning National Titles as they performed their dressage tests. National Championship competitors were fortunate to enjoy sunny skies, as CDE competitors following the lunch break were met with a deluge of rain. In the USEF National Combined Driving Single Pony Championship Suzy Stafford leads the field after scoring 45.23 in the...

Charles “Sonny” Brooks, D. “Jerry” Baker, Starman and Nautical Inducted in Annual Ceremony at Gene Mische American Invitational Brooks is First African-American So Honored Lexington, KY —April 8, 2013—The Show Jumping Hall of Fame held its annual induction ceremony at the Gene Mische American Invitational at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL, on April 6. Honored with induction were two horses, Nautical and Starman, and two people, D. “Jerry”...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and United States Eventing Association (USEA) are pleased to announce the introduction of the Eventing 18/Advancing Athletes program, a new joint initiative beginning in 2013. The goal of this program is to build a foundation of future horsemen and women that will hopefully go on to represent the United States. This is an important step in the Athlete Pipeline. Selection into the program will be based on talent, competitiveness,...

I have been promising to update readers on current trends in the Western Dressage world. One way of keeping track of what WD is doing, where it is going and who is doing it is to track events. NAWD, CD and WDAA all maintain calendars of clinics and shows around the country. By analyzing those calendars we have a simple method of tracking what is happening. The information is limited by the fact that show and clinic organizers must report their event to the organization for inclusion on these...

There wasn’t a whole lot of NCEA team competition last week (many teams took the week off while they were represented at the WEF Collegiate Equitation Challenge ), but some top teams are back in action this weekend. Check below for my take on each of the NCEA Matchups that'll be happening in the coming days. No.2 Auburn University vs. No.4 South Carolina University South Carolina heads to Auburn to try and rein in a reeling season. Working with three straight losses, and coming off...

Today’s post comes from Sin City, Las Vegas Nevada. Since I am here in the region of Southwest Western Dressage, I decided to write the blog as an interview with someone from the Las Vegas equestrian community who was doing Western Dressage. So I opened up the phone book to call a local barn. Every barn number but one was disconnected or no longer in service. The one that was working was a casino! So I called a feed store, thinking that at the feed store would be someone who knew someone...

Las Vegas, NV - The $50,000 Fisker Automotive World Cup Grand Prix was the pinnacle of the Las Vegas National beginning with a fiery opening ceremony act. Welcoming the local crowds, fans and competitors was a one-of-a-kind fire infused performance that set the stage for some hot competition. Thirty-five rounds of international talent prepared to take on German course designer, Olaf Petersen Jr.'s World Cup Qualifying test. From an early stage it looked as if the young stars were taking...

Elkton, MD - The Dansko Fair Hill International CCI wrapped up Sunday as National Titles were awarded in both two and three-star competition. Competitors tackled Sally Ike’s challenging show jumping courses under uncharacteristically sunny, beautiful skies. Hannah Sue Burnett held her nerve to win the CCI3* National Title with Harbour Pilot to win her third Fair Hill crown (the 26-year-old has two CCI3* victories and one win in the CCI2*). In the USEF National Two-Star Eventing...