The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) joins the global Olympic Movement in celebrating the two-year countdown to the London 2012 Olympic Games on Tuesday, July 27. In conjunction with the London Organizing Committee's celebration activities, the USOC is sharing thoughts from some of its top 2012 Olympic hopefuls, organizing athlete appearances, distributing Olympic sport storylines and Games fun facts, launching an online feature series and commemorative video on a www.TeamUSA.org , and...

FireandEarthPhoto.com. (Rigo, Shawna Harding, Lois Yukins, Dr. Ulf Moeller and Tim Dutta at the USEF National Developing Horse Dressage Championship presented by The Dutta Corporation and Performance Sales International.) Wayne, IL - Eventful nights continue but Saturday evening was not about the recurring thunderstorms, instead the excitement at Lamplight Equestrian centered on a huge tree that fell on one of the stabling tents. Happily there were no injuries sustained, but crews worked...

FireandEarthPhoto.com (Caroline Roffman on her five-year-old chestnut Hanoverian gelding Bon Chance.) Wayne, IL - Strong night-time thunderstorms delayed the start of Saturday’s competition at the Lamplight Equestrian Center, giving way eventually to a lovely day that started with eleven junior riders competing for the Gold in the USEF Dressage Medal Seat 13 & Under Final presented by Dressage Today. Anna Campbell aboard her new mount Mai ended up on top, making her trip from Dallas, TX, well...

Photo by Hippoevent (Seventy-year-old Jan van den Broek, of The Netherlands, will defend his World title in Pratoni. ) The FEI World Single Driving Championships return to Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, July 28-August 1. Pratoni hosted the Single Horse Driving Championships very successfully in 2006, and the Italian Equestrian Federation is now welcoming the competitors on their site for the sixth edition of these championships. It was just 12 years ago that the first official FEI Single...

Photo by Diana Hadsall (Williams and Don Bailey at Dressage by the Bay. ) When asked what George Williams thought of the setting in the Grand Prix Ring on Friday night of the $5,000 Dressage by the Bay FEI Freestyle competition, one word summed it up—atmospheric. That's because a large crowd of dressage enthusiasts lined the amphitheatre-like arena to watch horses and riders perform choreographed routines to music. Williams earned the highest score of the evening (72.25%) on Betsy...

Some of the top up-and-coming junior riding talent in the United States will be bound for the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, August 4 for the Essex Classics/United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Hunterdon Equitation Cup Classic, held as part of the USEF East Coast Junior Hunter Finals. The Hunterdon Cup Classic is open to any rider that is an active USHJA junior member and has won a USEF Medal, ASPCA Maclay, USEF Show Jumping Talent Search, or WIHS Classic through July 1 of the...

The clock is ticking down for the start of the second annual The Chronicle of the Horse /USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals, which will be held at the new indoor arena at the Kentucky Horse Park, August 20-21. The Hunter Derby is rooted in tradition and all trainers, owners, and spectators are encouraged to make August 21 a “Black Tie Affair” and wear formal or evening attire. A full schedule of Derby events is available on the Derby website. The two days of competition will feature the...

Photo by Brooke Jacobs (: Members of the 2010 Three- and Five-gaited US Saddle Seat World Cup teams at historic Spindletop Hall.) The U.S. Saddle Seat Equitation World Cup hosted a benefit dinner on Sunday evening, July 4, at the beautiful and historic Spindletop Hall in Lexington, KY. The 2010 Gold Medal Gala featured cocktails, dinner and both live and silent auctions. Auction items included stallion breedings, barn visits, rides on very special horses, vacation packages, tack and equipment,...

Are you tempted to cut your grass, then rake it into soft, fragrant, tasty piles of clippings for your horse to nibble? According to equine nutrition expert Dr. Juliet Getty, this should be the last thing you encourage your horse to eat. It has to do with that extra step: raking. Grass clippings that stay on the pasture after mowing, where they can dry in small amounts, are generally not a problem. But never gather them into piles to feed them to your horse. It’s partly because clippings are...

Photo by Flashpoint Photography (Jennifer Ramsey and Cielo B captured the $7,500 Open Jumper Classics. ) Mullet Hall Equestrian Center on Johns Island, SC, welcomed exhibitors to something truly special in horse showing. The Charleston Summer Classics, a Boutique Horse Show produced by The Classic Company, began its two-week run by offering lots of Southern Charms. Returning to the historical Low Country area for a second year, Bob Bell, Chairman of the Summer Classic continued the rebuilding...