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...

The Gold United States Para-Equestrian Team (Pictured Left to Right: USEF Director Pam Lane, Chef d'equipe Missy Ransehousen, Rebecca Hart, Erin Alberda, Mary Jordan, and in front is Donna Ponessa). Photo: Hope Hand/USPEA. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - When the United States Para-Equestrian Team flew Down Under for the 2011 Melbourne CPEDI3* (held at Werribee Park National Equestrian Center), they were prepared to give it their all. This competition was not just about top scores but it was...

Fairfield, CT — St. Andrews University Equestrian Program director and Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) coach, Peggy McElveen, is promising quintessential Southern hospitality when the Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. Horse Complex hosts the 39th Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Championships, May 3-6, 2012, in Raleigh, NC. Think rocking chairs. Magnolia blossoms. White picket fences. “A Taste of Raleigh” from its finest five-star restaurants. And...

Things are getting going now. The day started with a trip to the USOC communications headquarters at the Main Press Center - it was great to see everyone and make some plans for the next three weeks. To many of the sport people, what we do is very foreign so I did a lot of explaining about how these horses are going to get to Mexico. The USOC staff is great, I met them all in Colorado Springs a few weeks ago - it is a great reminder that we are part of something so much greater than our sport....

Guadalajara Day 2 : Happy Columbus Day to everyone at home! We are trotting along swimmingly here in Mexico – never a dull moment in thus constantly changing place. We had breakfast this morning with Mauricio Guererra, the competition manager for Equestrian, and got up to speed on all the things that going on in our sport here in Guadalajara. There are some changes, but flexibility is key at any Games so we are rolling with it. We met up with Kerri Macgregor, the Chef d'Mission from...

Gladstone, NJ- Fourteen-year-old Lillie Keenan, of New York, NY, was a front runner today in the first two rounds of competition for the 2011 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals-East. Held at the USET Foundation Headquarters in Gladstone, NJ, the Talent Search Finals celebrate a momentous 30th anniversary this year. With Finals held each year on the east and west coasts, this program has produced some of the country’s top jumping riders, including McLain Ward,...

OXFORD, PA - The Dansko Fair Hill International is right around the corner, marking the culmination of the Bit of Britain Jersey Fresh Fair Hill Challenge. Lisa Marie Fergusson has her sights set on claiming the $15,000 prize by competing in the CCI 3* aboard her teammate Smart Move. John Nunn, owner of Bit of Britain, wanted to create a challenge that really gives upper level competitors some incentive to compete at two outstanding events. He also thought a hefty cash prize would be a nice...