There’s a new queen of dressage. Great Britain’s Charlotte Fry made it two victories in a row with the expressive Glamourdale to take the Blue Hors Grand Prix Freestyle this evening at the Ecco FEI World Dressage Championships. It happened the day...

The glamorous Glamourdale and Great Britan’s Charlotte (Lottie) Fry short-circuited expectations for a home country winner at the Ecco FEI World Dressage Championships in Denmark, edging Danish star Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Vamos Amigos for the...

Denmark, as predicted, made history today, taking the place usually reserved for Germany at the top of the dressage world championships podium and earning the Scandinavian nation's first medal in the global title competition since it won bronze in...

At the top level of the sport, more and more dressage horses are reaching the heights. Multiple breathtaking performances impressed as the ECCO FEI World Championships got under way with the first day of the Blue Hors Dressage Grand Prix in front...

The FEI world championships, which get under way Saturday, are about more than medals. For dressage, show jumping and eventing, they are qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympics, while the para dressage is a qualifier for the 2024 Paralympics. Who...

Even without spectators in the grandstand, the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation’s arena has character. The towering backdrop of the historic stables in Gladstone, N.J., offers a reminder that this is where so many of the country’s most famous riders...

Hunter rider Amanda Steege has had great success with Lafitte de Muze in the country’s most important hunter competitions. Even so, she admitted to some extra stress today during the inaugural $10,000 Bill Ellis Memorial/U.S. Hunter Jumper...

In the nation’s most densely populated state, the Horse Park of New Jersey is a tree-shaded oasis. I think of all the places where I used to compete not so long ago that have been developed or no longer stage shows—Coppergate in Basking Ridge,...

As a kid, Lauren Chumley didn’t have a pony. The family wasn’t into horses, and her parents weren’t paying for her to ride. But as Lauren pointed out, "Little girls that like horses are going to like horses, whether you have horses or not." Her...

If anyone had the pedigree to win the Open Preliminary section at the Essex Horse Trials, it was Isabelle Bosley. She knows Moorland Farm, where the Essex cross-country was held today, after dressage and show jumping were staged yesterday at the...

The Essex Horse Trials, which began in 1968, is a piece of eventing history that always looks toward the future. In a bold move, the competition's latest version was showcased this weekend at two venues--Moorland Farm in Far Hills and the U.S....

The American squad of up-and-coming horses and riders had quite a milestone as they were second in the Nations Cup of Rotterdam, Netherlands, today, with Alice Tarjan of Oldwick, N.J., the highest-placing rider on the Dutta Corp. U.S Dressage Team...

The U.S. will be hosting the Longines FEI World Cup finals twice in the next four years, with the Split Rock Jumping Tour’s Fort. Worth, Texas, venue just announced as the site of the show jumping and dressage competition, three years after Omaha’s...

You’ve got to love a town where the official seal bears the image of a show jumper, neatly clearing a vertical obstacle of red and white rails. That municipality is Far Hills, N.J., which has quite a history with horses. The name Far Hills has long...

An international dressage show scheduled for the Horse Park of New Jersey has been cancelled due to lack of entries and a complication involving withdrawal of one key official, but the Level 3 national Dressage at the Park show, scheduled in...

Hope Hand’s devotion to U.S. Para Dressage efforts over the decades paid off in three ground-breaking medals at last summer’s Tokyo Paralympics, part of the long process in which she played a key role as America’s status in the discipline was...

The management team that kept the Devon Horse Show running and relevant for decades resigned today. No one is more closely associated with the U.S. Equestrian Federation Heritage fixture than David Distler, who began working there in 1974, and...

I’ve written this story 12 times over the years since 1999, when McLain took his first grand prix at Devon with Twist du Valon and started a remarkable run as the fan favorite at the venerable show on Philadelphia’s Main Line. Seven years ago, the...

Alice Tarjan found herself in the company of such big names as Olympic medalists Steffen Peters and Adrienne Lyle today when the U.S. Equestrian Federation announced the Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team Short List for the 2022 FEI Dressage World...

Bouncing back is Tamie Smith's specialty, and the same can be said of her Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event mount, Fleeceworks Royal. The mare's 5-star debut at the Kentucky Horse Park last month started with a dressage test that put her first in...

Thoroughbreds are few and far between at the upper ranks of three-day eventing, ever since the steeplechase and roads and tracks elements were eliminated from the sport's prestige competitions after 2005. With the departure of the long format,...

A memory from the 1984 Olympics that has stuck with me was French show jumper Pierre Durand walking out of the ring in Los Angeles with a bridle in his hand after Jappeloup refused and he fell off, along with the bridle. It was a sad picture, but...

Things are back to normal at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, with people lining up several hours before the 5-star horse inspection yesterday to be sure that they got the best view of the stars from  the U.S. and five foreign countries,...

You know the ASPCA Maclay, the U.S Equestrian Federation Medal and the USEF Talent Search--they are the equitation finals that get the most publicity. But what about the American National Riding Commission Championships, which wrapped up last...

If you want a deeper understanding of the Michael Barisone attempted murder case, there are two movies you should see. One is Pacific Heights (1990), starring Michael Keaton as a tenant in an escalating dispute with his landlords that ended in...

After being in jail for nearly three years and charged with crimes that could have kept him behind bars for decades, Michael Barisone today was cleared of two charges by reason of insanity and ruled not guilty on three others after being tried for...

Switzerland's Martin Fuchs took the Longines FEI World Cup Show Jumping championship in Leipzig, Germany, today, with a two-horse approach. He rode Chaplin in the opening competition on Thursday, then switched to The Sinner for Saturday's jump-off...

Self-defense cannot be asserted in the Michael Barisone attempted murder trial, Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor ruled today. The judge made that decision as he met this morning with defense and prosecution lawyers at the Morris County...

"She was a horsewoman through and through, to her core, and every moment we got to spend with her made us better horsewomen and better people. She was a class act." That's how Sandra Nagro Lobel was remembered by a former student, Elizabeth...

After thousands of speculative, gossipy posts on social media and multiple court conferences, dressage trainer Michael Barisone's attempted murder trial finally got under way today in Morristown, N.J., with dramatic opening statements from his...

The boyfriend of shooting victim Lauren Kanarek continued being questioned by defense lawyer Edward Bilinkas today at dressage trainer Michael Barisone's attempted murder trial in Morristown, N.J., which got under way Monday and will continue for...

After decades running her Knightsbridge training stable in Monmouth County, N.J., Mary Knowlton has moved on to an administrative job at Princeton Show Jumping. She acted on a long-term realization when an opportunity presented itself, making a...

The one job title that doesn't appear on Dr. Jesslyn Bryk-Lucy's resume is "juggler," but there certainly would be justification for adding it. The veterinarian in charge of caring for Centenary University's 100 horses was recognized as the...

In its 35-year history, the Show Jumping Hall of Fame has never had a dinner to induct those being honored. Last night, that changed forever, as 180 people packed a dining room at the Wanderers Club in Wellington, Fla., to salute not only those...

Talk about pressure! Last night, Bliss Heers found herself as the only American in a five-horse jump-off for the $406,000 Lugano Diamonds 5-star grand prix under the lights at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. In 2021, when Covid...

The winners of last night's 5-star dressage Grand Prix Special and Freestyle were the same admired competitors as in the qualifying classes earlier this week, but the atmosphere in the International Arena lifted riders and spectators alike into a...

Dressage returned to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in a big way last night, with a sold-out VIP section that was treated to a brilliant performance by U.S. Olympic team silver medalist Adrienne Lyle and the stunning stallion...

"She is back with us," trainer Emil Spadone said today about show jumper Cassandra Kahle, who was in a coma after suffering a traumatic brain injury in a fall from her horse at a show last month. Cassie, a 29-year-old professional rider, moved a...

A two-year-old video of Olympic eventing double gold medalist Mark Todd striking a horse with a tree branch continues to wreak havoc with his reputation. The latest fallout from the controversy that erupted over airing of the incident is the...

For one person, covering everything that's happening in Wellington on a show week is impossible, even though the distance between the dressage and hunter/jumper showgrounds is relatively short. But with nearly 20 rings going, it can be tough to...

Professional show jumper Cassandra Kahle today was flown to a rehabilitation facility in Atlanta from Gainesville, Fla., where she has been hospitalized with a traumatic brain injury for nearly two weeks. "The move and flight went very smoothly....

After several days without much progress, Cassandra Kahle thrilled everyone at her hospital bedside about 9:30 yesterday morning when she opened her eyes. And today, it got even better. "Her eyes were open for several minutes at a time," reported...

After several days without much progress, Cassandra Kahle thrilled everyone at her hospital bedside about 9:30 this morning when she opened her eyes. And that's not all she did. The 29-year-old professional rider, who suffered a traumatic brain...

Show jumper Cassandra Kahle, who suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) after a fall during a competition last month, has been diagnosed with diffuse axonal injury (DAI) in her brain. Emil Spadone, the owner of Redfield Farm where 29-year-old...

Update note: This weekend, things were status quo for show jumper Cassandra Kahle, who is hospitalized with a traumatic brain injury. We will update you as things change. Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page to cover medical and rehab expenses for Cassie has...

After making some progress, Cassandra Kahle developed aspiration pneumonia from her breathing tube today. Although the professional show jumper has been unconscious since a fall last weekend, on Wednesday she was able to respond to commands, such...

Lee Carter, who was chosen as the Kentucky Horse Park's executive director in October--then unchosen when he and the park couldn't come to terms--will get the job after all. The park put out a new Request for Proposal last year to re-start the...

It all started just a week ago tonight. Lars Petersen was at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Fla., for the Friday Night Lights freestyle and walked over to speak with his old compatriot, Andreas Helgstrand. Lars, a Danish...

During the Maryland 5-star three-day event last month, word circulated that Lee Carter, the executive director of Equestrian Events Inc., had been named executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park. A TV station had covered the Kentucky Horse Park...

The U.S. Equestrian Federation's annual meeting wrapped up last night in Naples, Fla., with a salute to the country's standout horses in six breeds and disciplines. The Smart Pak/USEF Horse of the Year Awards featured not only high-score horses in...

What’s in the future for Monmouth at the Team? The former Monmouth County Horse Show made an impressive statement as a boutique fixture in Somerset County, with the lure of lavish hospitality and a welcoming style. Most important in terms of...

The most inspiring moments at the U.S. Equestrian Federation's annual meeting come during the evening when the Pegasus Awards are presented. The international and national stars, the volunteers, the notable people who have devoted their lives to...

The Washington International Horse Show is moving out of its namesake city for the third time since its founding in 1958, heading to Prince George's Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Md., for 2022. The show, formerly 4-star rated, will be a...

One of the state's best-known stables has been sold, with plans in the works for refurbishment that will bring Duncraven back to its glory days. The facility in Titusville, Mercer County, had been on the market for several years. Though it is in...

As the USA’s dressage technical advisor, at last summer’s Tokyo Games she led the way to the country’s first Olympic team silver dressage medal since 1948. But now Debbie McDonald is out of a job. According to a U.S. Equestrian Federation...

It has been an incredible year for New Jersey dressage riders, who made quite a mark at major competitions, ending their spectacular season with last weekend’s U.S. Dressage Finals. Heather Mason of Flying Change Farm in Lebanon has found the key...

When you want an answer, you have to ask for one. So my question to Andreas Helgstrand (CEO of the Global Equestrian Group that owns the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center) was whether he is planning to move Wellington, Florida's, Adequan...

Michael Barisone was “incoherent” after the Aug. 7, 2019 shooting for which he was charged with two counts of attempted murder, according to a Washington Township, N.J., police officer who responded to the scene. Detective Derek Heymer recounted...

My headline, which I have always used for New Year's stories over the decades, comes from a seldom-sung verse of a favorite carol, Deck the Halls. Last year at this time, the headline signaled the hope that 2021 would be better, so good riddance to...

The holidays offer the perfect occasion to showcase a feel-good tale, so here's one that fills the bill. During Dressage at Devon last fall, I spotted a lovely palomino, and marched right over to him. That was only natural; palominos are rare in...

In her equitation championship debut, Ella Witt of Califon won the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association 3’3’ Hunter Seat Medal Final East last Saturday aboard Stakkair, owned by Redfield Farm. But only a few days later on the horse show roller coaster,...

The winner and runner-up in  the HITS $400,500 grand prix were new faces, which German course designer Werner Deeg considers a good thing. The finale of the Saugerties, N.Y., spring/summer series was won yesterday by 25-year-old Megan McDermott on...

Whether he was on the red carpet, running a horse show, pulling out all the stops to organize a party or helming his public relations firm, Mason Phelps Jr. was always a force to be reckoned with. He knew everyone and had a knack of getting them to...

The Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event May 5-9, the Garden State Horse Show on the same dates and the Essex Horse Trials July 17-18 will be welcoming the public after the U.S. Equestrian Federation announced this week it will allow a...

News that a limited number of spectators from the general public will be allowed under new Covid protocols at U.S. Equestrian Federation-licensed shows starting May 3 did not come in time to save the 2021 Devon Horse Show and Country Fair. In...

The stunning announcement came today that the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair is cancelled for the second year in a row, as the organizers and board cited “far-reaching operational and financial implications due to on-going (Covid-related)...

From the outside, much looks familiar this year at the Winter Equestrian Festival and Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Fla. The palm trees at the entrances sway in a slight breeze, amid inviting landscaping blooming with brightly...

Rumors have been swirling about whether this spring's Devon Horse Show and Country Fair will be cancelled for the second year in a row due to the Covid situation. But the welcome announcement came today that one of the country's most beloved shows...

The group trying to save the 2021 Land Rover Kentucky 5-Star Three-Day Event got another reprieve today. They now have until Wednesday at 6 p.m. to raise a bit more than $300,000 to wrap up the $750,000 goal set by Equestrian Events Inc., the...

An accident of local geography started Nancy Jones on a career with horses that went from the ground up to national recognition, earning her the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s 2020 Jane Marshall Dillon award. Jonesie, who runs her business at...

If you haven’t been to the grounds of the Winter Equestrian Festival or the Adequan Global Dressage Festival since Covid shut them down last March, don’t be surprised to find things quite different on your return this year. Those fleeing to...

The headline today is from the fourth verse of “Deck the Halls,” one of my favorite carols. It’s quite appropriate; for most of us; Covid 2020 can’t pass away fast enough. Here we are in the middle of the “holidays,” which haven’t felt very festive...

Moments of glory with horses usually are fleeting, but the disappointments too often seem to come like clockwork. Kim Herslow actually enjoyed more than few of those splendid special moments with Rosmarin, a Hanoverian she bought in Germany as a...

A lifetime ban against hunter/jumper trainer Bob McDonald has been lifted by the U.S. Equestrian Federation, as the U.S. Center for SafeSport closed a case against him involving allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor in 1973. McDonald was...

The Covid cancellation of their sleepaway riding camp put a big hole in the summer for Charlie Brandy and Maya Green. But like others who have risen to the pandemic challenge instead of stewing about it, the teens found a way to keep busy while...

The persistent question of how the USA’s three major fall indoor shows could run during a pandemic-plagued season was answered today: They are going ahead, even though it won’t quite be business as usual in the Covid era. It’s good news, following...

Things are really revving up at the Horse Park of New Jersey, where this weekend’s horse trials attracted a waiting list of 100, with everyone eager to get back in action after long weeks without competition. The park conducted a low-key opening...

She’s been the Winter Equestrian Festival’s overall open jumper champion rider at least since 2009, though Laura Chapot hasn’t kept track of how many times the honor has come her way over the years. And while she claimed the title again in...