Chester Weber and his team tackle the cones phase during the 2012 CAI Lähden. (Marie de Ronde-Oudemans) Lähden, Germany – American Combined Driver Chester Weber kicked off his summer European tour in style, proving that he truly is “Mr. Dressage” and that Team Weber-Clark has the ability to take Europe by storm. Weber, the nine-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Champion, competed at CAI Lähden in Germany where he set the dressage ring on fire with a score of 36.35 to...

Laura Kraut and Cedric earned the second place award in the €200.000 1.60m Longines Grand Prix Port of Rotterdam. (Erin Cowgill) Rotterdam, The Netherlands - The stakes were high on Sunday, June 24, as the Longines GrandPrix Port of Rotterdam got under way. For many of the competitors it was the final opportunity to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics. The USA's Laura Kraut and Cedric stole the spotlight as their success continued from their victory earlier in the week in the € 23,000...

I knew, when accepting this job in December, 2011 that I was under-qualified. My writing credentials are fine enough, I have editing experience, a media background, and a good education. My deficiency was that I knew very little about horses and even less about equestrian sports. Compared to my USEF colleagues, I was in a state of almost complete ignorance. I’ve twice been on group trail rides in western Colorado. Adding that to the rest of my riding experience I’d been on a horse...

The American Hackney Horse Society Youth Medallion finals have been moved to the Mid America Mane Event Horse Show held at Springfield, Illinois on October 18 – 21, 2012. Any classes after the finals at Mane Event will qualify for the Youth Medallion finals in 2013. The UPHA/American Royal Horse Show will still offer the AHHS Youth Medallion classes which qualify exhibitors for the 2013 AHHS Youth Medallion Finals. There will be a breakfast (with NHS Good Hands and Pleasure Medallion...

The Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America is pleased to welcome its first part bred Welsh Pony into its registry. Doll House Sadie, a 16 year old chestnut pony mare, was bred and is owned by Cynthia and Jim Doll of Doll House Farm in Oakland, Maryland. Sadie’s pedigree includes ponies that have excelled in both the breeding shed and in the show ring. Her grandsire, Salvandi Calidog, was a purebred registered Section B stallion that stood for many years at Cynthia’s farm and sired...

The Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America is pleased to announce a brand-new awards program that carries with it a title of distinction that will last a lifetime - the Welsh of the Year Award. This exciting new program is designed to promote ownership, encourage involvement and spotlight the achievements of extraordinary Welsh breed individuals. Nominations submitted throughout the year will culminate in the selection of the top winner by WPCSA membership to be awarded at the Society’s...

The third in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder I promised you last week I would share more about the informal surveys that have helped give Western Dressage a voice through NAWD, and given me good stuff to share with you. While we believe there is much common ground to be found between western and dressage, there are differences between Western Dressage and BOTH parent disciplines. As Western Dressage continues to develop into a unique discipline in this country it is imperative...

Laura Kraut and Cedric won the 23'000 € 1.55 m Syndicaat van de Rotterdamse Havenbedrijven Prix at the Rotterdam CHIO. (Erin Cowgill) Rotterdam, Netherlands - June 22, 2012 - Laura Kraut and Cedric could not be stopped on Thursday, June 21, 2012, as they emerged the victors of the qualifying 23'000 € 1.55 m Syndicaat van de Rotterdamse Havenbedrijven Prix. The Concours Hippique International Officiel (CHIO) has seen some of the world's greatest competitors vie for the prestigious...

Hungary, one of five countries confirmed as official candidates to stage the FEI World Equestrian Games™ in 2018, has withdrawn from the bidding process. The Hungarian capital Budapest had been named as one of the five 2018 bid cities earlier this month, but in a letter to FEI Secretary General Ingmar De Vos this week, the President of the Hungarian National Federation Vilmos Lázár confirmed that the Hungarian bid has now been withdrawn. In the letter Mr Lázár...

Devin Ryan won the won the $30,000 Vermont Summer Special Grand Prix, Presented by The Equinox Resort and Spa, at the 2011 Vermont Summer Festival and will be returning in 2012 to compete in the Young Jumper Series. (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, VT - The next generation of grand prix horses will take center stage during the Vermont Summer Festival with the addition of five-year-old, six-year-old and seven and eight-year-old Young Jumper classes. Returning to East Dorset, VT, for six...