Photo by Flashpoint Photography (Shakira do Jacare and owner Sarah Owen during the retirement ceremony.) Shakira do Jacare, the brilliant 14-year-old Brazilian-bred chestnut mare owned by Sarah Owen and Muny Sunk Stables officially retired from the sport of show jumping in an emotional ceremony during the 2010 Atlanta Summer Classics. Dubbed the “Queen of Speed” by her competitors, Shakira’s presence alone at many a grand prix was enough to rattle the nerves of most seasoned jumpers. However,...

The summer weather is heating up and so is the competition in the Cavalor Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series. Lisa Goldman rode Morroco to lead the June standings and be named as the Cavalor Show Jumping Hall of Fame Rider of the Month for June. Goldman competes in the Series' East Conference Amateur-Owner division with her mount Morroco. The month of June was a huge success for the pair, as they swept first-place honors in Series classes held at the Showplace Spring Spectacular I,...

A dramatic win by Darragh Kenny of Ireland in the $75,000 Hermès Grand Prix CSI 2* for the Whitney Perpetual Challenge Trophy highlighted the 41st Annual Lake Placid Horse Show. Only five entries from the starting field of 24 succeeded in completing the 16-jump, first-round course designed by Olaf Petersen, Jr., of Germany without penalty. They returned for the nine-jump jump-off at the North Elba Showgrounds. First to go was Callan Solem of Chester Springs, PA, who set the mark to beat by...

Christine McCrea of East Windsor, CT, rode Sweetheart to victory in the Champlain Valley Equipment 1.45m Jump-Off to kick off the 33rd Annual I Love New York Horse Show. Hillary Dobbs of Sussex, NJ, took an early lead in the class with the first of five clean rides over the 12-jump, first-round course at the North Elba Showgrounds, which she followed with a clean jump-off ride in 39.055 seconds. Her lead held until McCrea matched her double-clean rides but with a faster jump-off time of 38.664...

Photo Courtesy Continental Divide Horse Show (Terri Rickford’s equine portraits are given as trophies in the Continental Divide Horse Show Championship classes and have proven to be extremely popular.) What is more beautiful than the northern plains of Colorado in late August with the snow capped Rocky Mountains as a backdrop. This is the scene that will greet the exhibitors of the 42nd Annual Continental Divide Horse Show. Continental Divide started out in 1968 as a Morgan horse show but as...

The 65th Annual Pennsylvania National Horse Show (PNHS) will return to the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Exhibition Center in Harrisburg, PA, October 14-23. As is tradition, the PNHS will open with Junior Weekend. Each year this popular opening weekend attracts the best junior riders (up to age of 18) from across the country as they compete for championship titles in hunter, jumper and equitation divisions. "I love Junior Weekend because the riders bring a great sense of enthusiasm and...

“It’s a very large and generous contribution,” said John Boomer, retiring President and CEO of The Dressage Foundation, as he announced a $1-million gift made by Gordon Cadwgan, father of Olympian Carol Lavell. Cadwgan, who has been a longtime generous supporter of The Dressage Foundation and its work, has instructed that his $1-million gift is "to be used where needed most, and as the Foundation best sees fit to carry out its mission." he Dressage Foundation's mission is "To cultivate and...

Kate Levy of Katonah, NY, won the Whiteface Mountain 1.45m Jump-off to kick off the 41st Annual Lake Placid Horse Show. Levy was the third of 20 entries to try the 12-jump, first-round course at the North Elba Showgrounds. She rode her mount, Vent Du Nord, to one of what would be eight fault-free rides. She then turned in another fault-free ride in 37.350 seconds to take an early lead that would hold for the remainder of the class. Placing second was Hillary Dobbs of Sussex, NJ, who had two...

Photo by Mike Ferrara (In 2008 Pelphrey and DA Salvatore earned the Champion spot in Youth Nationals’ largest class, Arabian Hunter Pleasure.) Think today’s teenagers are lazy and lack ambition? You’ll think again when you meet the 2009 Arabian Horse Association (AHA) Youth of the Year, Katie Pelphrey from Louisville, Ky. Pelphrey was chosen for the Youth of the Year honor among a field of incredible young individuals who represent the Arabian breed to the greater equine community in ways...

Courtesy KWPN-NA (KWPN-NA keurings are inspections of breeding stock. Both young horses and mature horses are presented. Pictured---Brooklynne and Jody Cunningham) Breeders devote their lives, energy and hopes to producing world-class sport horses that will compete at the top levels of dressage, eventing, jumping and driving. One of the best tools available to help breeders in their quest is the keuring, or inspection, of breeding stock. The 2010 KWPN of North America (Royal Dutch Warmblood...