Leslie Berndl and Koopman's Lightning Rod (Jacqueline Zimmermann, Hippoevent) Today was marathon day at the World Championship Single Driving in Jarantow, Poland and it was a true festival for the driving sport. Thousands of enthusiastic spectators visited the marathon site and enjoyed a high quality and accident-free marathon with lots of action. The very tough, but horse friendly and fairly built, marathon course was very demanding for both horses and their drivers at this high level. Donna...

Lexington, KY - Following a routine drug test on August 19 at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, Mythilus, a US dressage horse, ridden by Courtney King-Dye, was found to have tested positive for Felbinac. Felbinac is considered a class A prohibited substance by the FEI. Felbinac is usually applied topically for the relief of local pain and inflammation and belongs to a group of medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). When Mythilus arrived in Hong Kong he was treated...

Jimmy Torano of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, topped the $10,000 Open Jumper High Score Awards, presented by Sir Ruly, Inc., at the six-week Vermont Summer Festival held July 9-August 17 in East Dorset, VT. Offered for the second year, the $10,000 Open Jumper High Score Awards, presented by Sir Ruly, Inc., awards $10,000 in bonus money to the most consistent open jumper competitors throughout the six-week circuit. For the second year in a row, it was Torano who came out on top. Torano is one of the...

Don’t miss the final tour stop of 2008 as master horseman Chris Cox brings his Ride the Journey tour to Albuquerque, NM. Gear up for a memorable two-day learning experience as Cox takes to the arena on October 18 and 19 at Expo New Mexico. Two-time Road to the Horse Champion and popular clinician, Cox knows how to share a lifetime of knowledge in ways that inspire and enlighten. His approach to horsemanship is all about building a willing, working partnership on a firm foundation. Cox’ RFD-TV...

The eyes of the horse world may be focused on the Olympics in Hong Kong, but the pony hunter world is excited about a large Welsh pony appropriately named Newsworthy who is making headlines of his own. For a string of lucky junior riders, Newsworthy has been their ticket to the top. And now, the stellar grey pony is being honored by Breyer Animal Creations® as its newest equine sculpture. Breyer’s Newsworthy model, sculpted by Susan Carlton Sifton, shows the champion equine in a perfect jumping...

The world of reining is coming to an arena near you as National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) North American Regional Affiliate Finals slides into 10 locations across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Horse lovers will find thrills and excitement as all levels of reiners from North America compete for the prestige of advancing to the Adequan® North American Affiliate Championships in Oklahoma City, OK, November 27-December 6. These finals will bring sliding stops and fast spins to avid...

Raul de Leon was awarded the designation of Master Instructor by the American Riding Instructors Association (ARIA) in July. A former Cuban junior jumping champion, de Leon furthered his career in the U.S., working closely with former United States Equestrian Team coach Bertalan de Nemethy and eventually settling on Long Island. From 1994 to 1990, de Leon served as co-director of the Westmoreland Davis Equestrian Institute at Morven Park with his friend and former student, 1976 Olympic...

Two lucky youths won big with a small equine prize. At the American Shetland Pony Congress this month, two American Shetland ponies were awarded to winners of two youth essay contests. Youths from around the country exercised their writing skills for the chance to win one of these amazing Shetland ponies. Entries were numbered and judged anonymously. Kimberly Cotter was the lucky winner of E’s Sir Nite and Kasey Waxler of Pennsylvania was awarded Cross Country’s Mr. Banker. Kimberly Cotter, the...

Authentic (Shannon Brinkman) Hong Kong, China – Under the unsettled skies of the impending typhoon the individual medals were decided by not one but two jump-offs. America’s Beezie Madden and Authentic out ran six other combinations to be the fastest of the four faulters to win her first Indivdual medal. “In the Olympics there is usually a jump off for medals,” said Madden. “So we expected it. When it ended up being seven to jump off for the bronze it made for a...

Content from a FEI Press Release The FEI press release contained an update on two issues: doping / medication cases at the 2008 Olympic Games and the report by the second FEI Vice President on Dressage. DOPING CASES The following combinations will not be competing in the Jumping individual final competition held tonight (Thursday, 21 August). They have been provisionally suspended by the FEI further to doping/medication control tests that indicated the presence of capsaicin in each horse. Rider...