All posts by Associate Editor

Competitions, Dressage, Events, Para-Equestrian

Global Dressage Festival National Challenge Wrap-Up and Upcoming Events

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Global Dressage Festival National Challenge Wrap-Up

Alix Szepesi and William. Photo: www.susanjstickle.com

Wellington, FL – March 8, 2012 – Alix Szepesi of Hamilton, MA took top honors on Tuesday, March 6, the first day of the Global Dressage Festival National Challenge.  Szepesi, who is currently based in Wellington, rode William to an outstanding score 77.432% in the USEF First Level Test 2-Open at the Stadium show grounds of the Global Dressage Festival (GDF).  Susanne Dutt-Roth of Canada also scored well earning 77.000% in the USEF Fourth Level Test 1-Open riding D2.  The GDF National Challenge was only the second show for the eight-year-old warmblood.

The Global Dressage Festival also welcomed their first Para-Equestrian competitor, Jody Schloss, 39, of Toronto, Canada.  Schloss scored impressively in both of her classes on Tuesday riding Inspector Rebus.  The pair received 74.118% in the FEI Para Test of Choice and 75.500% in the FEI Para Freestyle Test of Choice.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

David McPherson & Scott Brash Share British Victory in $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 9

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Keenan, Ulrich, Jacobs, and Bausano Win $20,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Series Team Event, Scott Stewart and Tristan Score Championship in Sanctuary Green Conformation Hunters

David McPherson and Silver Spring. Photos © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – March 8, 2012 – Top British riders David McPherson and Scott Brash each took home their winner’s share on Thursday in a split class for round nine of the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Series at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Held in a ‘California Split’ due to the large number of entries, the class awarded two sets of placings, each with $32,000 distributed. McPherson and his own Silver Spring and Brash and Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham’s Sanctos Van Het Gravenhof were both awarded top honors. The team of Lillie Keenan, Lydia Ulrich, Charlotte Jacobs, and Gabrielle Bausano won the $20,000 Artisan Farms Young Riders Grand Prix Series Team Event presented by Dutta Corporation in association with Guido Klatte. Scott Stewart and Tristan were champions in the Sanctuary Green Conformation Hunters.

Continue reading David McPherson & Scott Brash Share British Victory in $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 9 →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Dressage, Driving, Events

Kentucky Team Closes In on World Championships

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Sterling Graburn and Ulano Still No. 1 in Single Horse

Photo by Picsofyou

GEORGETOWN, KY – MARCH 2012 – Team Sterling took a giant step forward on the road to the Combined Driving Single Horse World Championships at the Little Everglades International Combined Driving Event in Dade City, Fla.

The first USEF Selection Trial was held Feb. 23, with Team Sterling placing third overall.

Sterling Graburn drove away with first place in the dressage test with a score of 40.1, and took third in the marathon phase, which was enough to keep him at the top of the field. But a tough and technical cones course promised to be a game changer and it was. There was only one double clear in the FEI division, dropping Graburn and his equine partner Ulano, owned by Larry Denny, to third.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, USEF

A Call to Action: Southeastern Tornadoes – Donate Now to the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund

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The duo of tornadic storms that devastated the southeast United States last week left a wake of splintered wood, shattered glass, downed power lines, despair and shock for the residents of towns like West Liberty, Kentucky and Harrisburg, Illinois to clean up and recover from. As if that weren’t enough, one of the region’s heaviest snowfalls of the year came down on Sunday night and further hindered an already difficult recovery process. For some effected residents the physical and monetary burdens of recovery are intensified by the need to care for their horse or horses. It is in times like these that the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) calls on you to aid them by donating to the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund.

Continue reading A Call to Action: Southeastern Tornadoes – Donate Now to the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund →

Championships, Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Culpeper, Virginia Is the Next Stop on the Road to HITS Championship Weekend

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CULPEPER, VA (March 7, 2012) – As the countdown to HITS Championship Weekend is well underway, East Coast riders will look to HITS Culpeper for  pivotal qualifying opportunities. Weekly $40,000 Grand Prix will give High-performance riders the chance to punch their ticket for the third annual Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix. In addition, HITS Culpeper will host five $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix, all of which will qualify for the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final and five $1,500 HITS Hunter Prix as qualifiers for the all-new $250,000 HITS 3’ Hunter Prix Final. All three big-ticket classes will meet at HITS Championship Weekend at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York September 7-9, 2012 to crown their champions.

The HITS Culpeper Show Series will get underway when the Commonwealth National kicks of hunter/jumper competition April 18-22. Riders return on July 6, with two consecutive weeks of competition during the Showday National, July 4-8, followed by the Cavalier Classic, July 11-15. August brings two more weeks of competition with the Winston National, August 15-19, and the Constitution Classic, August 22-26. HITS will close out the 2012 season Virginia during the Culpeper Finals September 26-30 while introducing the first qualifying opportunities for the 2013 Pfizer Million.

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Competitions, Events, Kentucky Horse Shows, Olympic Games, Show Jumping, USEF

US Show Jumping Team Observation Events to Be Held in Four Locations

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Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) announced today the four competitions which will host the 2012 US Show Jumping Team Observation Events. These events will play an important role in selecting the U.S. Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Following the USEF Selection Trials at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival March 21-24, 2012, a Long List of athlete/horse combinations will be ranked. Any of these combinations wishing to continue in the Olympic Selection process will have to contest two of the four USEF Observation Events.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Laura Kraut and Teirra Top $32,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic

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Laura Kraut and Teirra. Photo © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – March 7, 2012 – The ninth week of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival began with this morning’s $32,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic, and Laura Kraut (USA) rode Stars and Stripes’ Teirra to victory. Richard Spooner (USA) and Billy Bianca, owned by Molly Ohrstrom, were second, while Ben Maher (GBR) and Rowan, owned by Miss Louise Flower, were third.

Sponsored by the Bainbridge Companies, week nine will host the $200,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix, CSI 4*-W, presented by the Bainbridge Companies on Saturday, March 10, at 7 p.m. Other highlights include the $20,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Team Event on Thursday, March 8, at 7 p.m. and the $32,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday, March 11, at 2 p.m.

Continue reading Laura Kraut and Teirra Top $32,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Events, Para-Equestrian

Jody Schloss Captures Highest Score at Global Dressage Festival National Challenge

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Jody Schloss and Inspector Rebus

Wellington, FL – March 7, 2012 – Jody Schloss, 39, of Toronto, Canada had another banner day at the Global Dressage Festival National Challenge on Wednesday.  The Para-Equestrian rider received the highest score on Inspector Rebus receiving 72.500% in the FEI Para Test of Choice class at the Stadium show grounds of the Global Dressage Festival (GDF).

Schloss rode her first horse at 11 years of age.  She left the sport for a while, but then returned to riding as part of her therapy following her injury in 1996.  She has only been competing on “Rebus” for one year and is classified to ride in the Grade 1A level, which is for the Para-Dressage rider with the most significant level of impairment.  She trains with Jessica Rhinelander while wintering in Wellington.  Schloss’ mom, Gail, who was on hand to watch her daughter compete, said that Jody really enjoyed the show.

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Competitions, Dressage, Events

Attention All Dressage Riders Interested in Competing in $35,000 WEF Wellington Dressage Nations’ Cup CDIO3*!

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Wellington, FL – March 7, 2012 – The deadline for riders to participate in the $35,000 WEF Wellington Dressage Nations’ Cup CDIO3*, presented by Stillpoint Farm, is fast approaching.  This prestigious event takes place April 12-15 at the Stadium show grounds of the Global Dressage Festival.

The CDIO3* features world-class teams of dressage riders and horses from the United States and foreign nations competing in the FEI Prix St. Georges, Intermediare I and Intermediare Freestyle classes.

US riders that would like to be considered for the team need to complete a declaration form and return it no later than March 9, 2012 to Jenny Van Wieren-Page, USEF Director of Dressage High Performance.

Continue reading Attention All Dressage Riders Interested in Competing in $35,000 WEF Wellington Dressage Nations’ Cup CDIO3*! →

Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Emma Sullivan Tops the $15,000 Marshall & Sterling Child/Adult Jumper Classic as HITS Wraps Up the Ocala Tournament at Post Time Farm

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Emma Sullivan aboard Thinkslikeahorse’s Elder on course in the $15,000 Marshall & Sterling Child/Adult Jumper Classic. Photos ©ESI Photography.

OCALA, FL (March 7, 2012) – Emma Sullivan of Lafayette, Louisiana rode to victory under the lights on Saturday in the $15,000 Marshall & Sterling Child/Adult Jumper classic at HITS Ocala. She and Thinkslikeahorse’s Elder were the winning pair out of 65 who showed over International Course Designer Jack Robson’s first and second round tracks.

“I was so excited when I won – it was unbelievable! I really love this horse and he has been so much fun to ride,” said Sullivan. “It was a really difficult course and I saw some really fast rounds, so I knew the last turn to fence four had to be tight enough to win. You always risk a rail, but luckily we did it. I’d really like to thank my trainer, Aaron Vale, for everything and letting me ride this great horse, and my parents for being there.”

Robson, of Coronado, California presented 12 obstacles in the first round and repeated six in the jump-off with plenty of challenges in between.

Continue reading Emma Sullivan Tops the $15,000 Marshall & Sterling Child/Adult Jumper Classic as HITS Wraps Up the Ocala Tournament at Post Time Farm →