Temecula, CA - The Galway Downs International Three-Day event got underway this morning with the first horse inspection for the four divisions, followed by dressage for 30 of the 49 starters in the CCI1*. Competition continues on Friday with the completion of the CCI1* dressage, before all the horses in the training three-day event, the CCI2* and the featured CCI3* perform in the dressage ring. The early leader in the CCI1* is Julie Flettner, of Petaluma, Calif., on Ping Pong, who scored 42.5...

Laura Chapot and Quointreau Un Prince get some serious height over the CWD fence in Friday's $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS Saugerties. (ESI Photography) Saugerties, NY – Laura Chapot just extended her impressive mid-summer winning streak with another victory in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS-on-the-Hudson. Friday’s triumph marked the fourth consecutive win for Chapot in the last two weeks and the...

So we got the competition started yesterday. Literally. Boyd was first in on Otis Barbotiere and did a great job with the French phenom. Still green, Otis tried his heart out and coped remarkably well with the atmosphere. Unfortunately the judges weren't all quite on the same page yet, as the caffeine in the coffee was seemingly NOT evenly distributed. There was a 7 point spread in his scores which in the sport of reining, for instan ce, would be cause for an audit.We got over that, but it...

As the United States looks forward to the 2012 Paralympics for the United States Para-Equestrian Dressage Team, the Para-Equestrian Driving Team will be preparing for the 2012 Para-Equestrian World Driving Championships, scheduled August 30-September 2, 2012 in Breda, The Netherlands. The 2012 USEF Para-Equestrian Driving Team for the World Driving Championships include Diane Kastama, Grade 1, from Arroyo Grande, CA; Pam Johnson, Grade 2 from Pleasant Hill, MO; and Karen Gorham, Grade 2, of...

The sixth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder When on a horse, I wear a riding helmet. My students wear riding helmets. I ride and show western and dressage. The helmet/hat quandary, style vs. safety, the tradition or common sense conversation is therefore a subject near and dear to my heart. On March 22, 2012, I went into the hay barn to get a bale of hay to feed lunch in the barn. To make a long story short, despite my usual care in tipping bales, as I turned to leave the...

Katie Tyler and Galliard won the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search during the opening week of the 2012 Vermont Summer Festival. (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, VT - The future stars of show jumping are out in full force at the 2012 Vermont Summer Festival horse show running July 4 through August 12 at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT. The six-week festival is hosting a Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search competition each Friday. Open to riders under the age of 21...

The fifth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder Last week I poked a little fun at what western dressage riders are wearing for both schooling and show. This week I want to bring you the reality of the situation from manufacturers who give us the products that will ultimately be seen in rings around the country. Last week I showed you the proposed North American Western Dressage rules for WD show attire. Since the requirements state that riders must wear a long-sleeved shirt with...

Donald Cheska and Ad Fundum. Traverse City, MI - Sun and a light morning breeze set the stage for the $10,000 Open Jumper Welcome Prix today at Horse Shows by the Bay, as 30 competitors eagerly challenged the Evie Frisque (Ontario, Canada)-designed course. Sponsored by Positive Step Farm and Patrice Schreiber, today's competition is the first of four $10,000 Open Jumper Welcome Prix classes to be hosted by the Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival throughout the month of July in scenic...

Rebecca Hart and Lord Ludger (SusanJStickle.com) Gladstone, NJ - The 2012 USEF National Para-Equestrian Championships held in conjunction with the USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage Paralympic Selection Trials came down to the slimmest of margins this afternoon as riders performed their Freestyle tests at the Pine Meadow location of the USET Foundation. Heading to the final test of the championships only a few marks separated the top three riders and the remaining 20% of the final score would be...

President of Taylor Harris Insurance Services Michael Taylor. (Kenneth Kraus) Middleburg, VA - Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS) announced the debut of the all-new Taylor Harris Triple Crown Challenge. This unique challenge offers a spectacular $200,000 top prize for any show jumping rider that can put together back to back to back wins at three of the nation's most prestigious grand prix events. The three events included in the Taylor Harris Triple Crown Challenge are the $100,000...