Emily Chapman is an 18-year-old from Tucson, Arizona who will be attending the University of Kentucky in the Spring of 2013. She is a member of the three-gaited section of the 2012 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team. There is a misconception that equitation is easy, and that the riders who show in this division simply “sit pretty” on a horse. So people often ask why I chose to compete in the equitation division over other divisions. Well, because one of the primary goals of equitation...

Suzy Stafford at the 2011 FEI World Driving Championships for Combined Ponies. (Marie de Ronde) Lexington, KY - Suzy Stafford (Wilmington, DE) represented the U.S. at the 2011 FEI World Driving Championships for Combined Ponies in Lipica, Slovenia held September 21-25, 2011. She drove her Morgan-Arabian Cross mare Josephine to an impressive finish in the cones phase and was awarded the Bronze medal in the Singles Pony Championship. Stafford has been notified by the FEI that the Swedish single...

Jenny Taylor and the 2012 World Champion Park Saddle, PLS High Pine Picasso (© Stephen Kinney/AMHA) Oklahoma City, OK - David and Cindy Vogels had a lot to celebrate Sunday evening when their homebred AMHF I've Got A Secret won both the World Champion Senior Gelding and World Champion Gelding honors with trainer Robert Kellert. The two-year-old FRF Supreme Judge was the World Champion Junior Gelding with John Hufferd showing for Fire Run Farm. In a switch, the World Champion Junior Mare,...

Boekelo, The Netherlands- The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team stands eighth in FEI Nations Cup competition as they head into Saturday’s cross country at the Military Boekelo CCIO3*. The final two members of the Nations Cup team, Jennie Brannigan and Jon Holling, performed their dressage today in front of the Ground Jury of Sue Stewart, Eric Lieby, and Helen Christie. All riders on Friday had to contend with heavy rain throughout the day but the weather didn’t deter Holling (Ocala, FL)...

The sixteenth in a series of guest blog posts from Michelle Binder In an attempt to acknowledge the current diversity within the discipline, show organizers have started offering exhibitors the opportunity to ride ANY test they want to ride, from any organization that has published tests. A buffet of western dressage is now available with something for everyone. The show organizers want to meet the needs of the competitors and in so doing really have taken the first step toward acceptance and...

Lexington, KY- The Kentucky Classic CDE came to an exciting conclusion Sunday with the final cones phase. Additional accolades were on the line as competitors in the Pair and Ponies divisions vied for National Titles. The leaders following the marathon refused to yield, driving accurate final phases to clinch coveted USEF National Championships . USEF National Pairs Championship Jimmy Fairclough entered the cones phase with an 11 point lead over second placed competitor Misdee Wrigley-Miller....

Bettina Loy and "Carette MG" win the CDS Young Horse Futurity for Five-Year-Olds. (Jennifer M. Keeler) Burbank, CA - Exhibitors at the 45th Anniversary California Dressage Society Championship Show Presented By HorseShow.com continued to enjoy a unique championship experience and atmosphere on Saturday at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, CA. The wildly popular and lucrative CDS Horse of the Year program classes continued, in conjunction with the CDS Young Horse Futurity (including...

Lexington, KY - Saturday as expected was an action packed day at the Kentucky Classic CDE with all competitors contending with Richard Nicoll’s formidable marathon course. Four divisions were also being run as USEF National Championships, with the 18 entries vying for National Titles driving an eight obstacle second phase at the Kentucky Horse Park. USEF National Combined Driving Ponies Championship In the USEF National Combined Driving Ponies Championship, the top drivers in each...

Lexington, KY- Pair and Pony drivers completed their first phase of USEF National Championship competition Thursday afternoon under beautiful, sunny skies at the event held in conjunction with the Kentucky Classic CDE. Performing their dressage tests in front of the Ground Jury composed of Klaus Christ, Diana Brownlie and Martha Hanks-Nicoll, 18 American competitors made their first steps toward claiming National Titles. In the USEF National Pairs Championship, Misdee Wrigley-Miller has jumped...

Major equestrian competitions attended by U.S. athletes, both domestic and overseas, are listed in this weekly preview. Please look below to find competition listings by discipline* and breed. We hope you will follow the competitions that most interest you, but check Equestrian Weekly on Monday for a report of any top finishes by U.S. Equestrians. *lists of competitions in all international disciplines will include only FEI competitions or USEF Championships within the USA and international FEI...