Since 1906, the National Western Stock Show in Denver has been the Super Bowl of livestock shows. On January 24th at this year’s show, Cliff Swanson, along with the Western Dressage Association® of Colorado , presented a two hour clinic in the basics of Western Dressage. Drawing from his skill set clinics, Cliff was able to demonstrate what he normally teaches in five or six half-day clinics. Cliff explained the history of dressage, as he began with a demonstration of aids,...

Ben Maher and Quiet Easy 4 (Sportfot) Wellington, FL -Week five of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by Adequan®, concluded on Sunday afternoon with a win for Olympic gold medalist Ben Maher of Great Britain aboard his young mount Quiet Easy 4 in the $25,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. Maher has been a dominant force in Wellington over the last two weeks with back to back grand prix wins, including last night's $82,000 Adequan...

Kalvin Dobbs and Winde (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Sunday's competition began in the morning with a win for 17-year-old Kalvin Dobbs, of Carmel, IN, aboard Treesdale Farms' Winde in the $15,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix. The class, presented by the Dutta Corporation in association with Guido Klatte, saw 39 entries jumping the course set by Bob Ellis. Nine went clear to advance to the jump-off, and Dobbs and Winde breezed through the short course in 41.928 seconds for the...

Ben Maher and Urico (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Week five of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) featured another exciting "Saturday Night Lights" event with over 4,000 spectators looking on as Great Britain's Ben Maher won his second grand prix in a row for the winter circuit. Maher jumped to victory in the $82,000 Adequan® CSI2* Grand Prix aboard Jane Clark's Urico after also taking top honors in last week's $100,000 Fidelity Investments® CSI 2*...

Ashlee Bond and Wistful on their way to a win in the $54,500 HITS Grand Prix CSI-W2*, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Thermal with their sights set on a 2013 World Cup appearance. They topped 24 for the win. (Flying Horse Photography) Thermal, CA - Before the start of HITS Desert Horse Park’s $54,500 HITS Grand Prix CSI-W2*, presented by Zoetis, course designer Florencio Hernandez of Mexico said that his goal was to have between one and three clear. He landed on the low side of that...

Avery Hinson and Rio's Reflection (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Avery Hinson of New Albany, OH, bested a class of 29 junior riders during Saturday's Taylor Harris Insurance Service's (THIS) National Children's Medal class during week five of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Hinson led the class with her twelve-year-old Warmblood gelding, Rio's Reflection, with a score of 87 points. Maria Moore finished second aboard Angela Moore's...

Last year's riders in the Wellington Dressage Nations Cup. (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, FL - Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) is pleased to announce details of the Wellington Dressage Nations Cup CDIO3* presented by Stillpoint Farm to be held at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival on April 11-14, 2013. The Nations Cup will test a new format for the Pan American Games, which are scheduled for Toronto in 2015. Along with welcoming teams that can compete in the Pan American Games, the...

This week I want to update you about some exciting new programs coming in 2013 for Western Dressage enthusiasts. As this discipline continues to develop, more tests are available, more shows are available, and more award programs vie for participation. The show and clinic calendars are filling up for the year and so much is happening. In January our local WSH Zone added year end awards for Western Dressage following the inclusion of Western Dressage as a subdivision of Dressage on the...

Schaefer Raposa and Jet Stream K (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - The fourth annual Collegiate Equitation Challenge, hosted at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), took place Friday evening at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). The top riders representing varsity teams from the National Collegiate Equitation Association (NCEA) competed head-to-head in a bracket format both over fences and on the flat. Schaefer Raposa, a freshman at Southern Methodist...

Shane Sweetnam and Cyklon 1083 (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Irish show jumper Shane Sweetnam is on a roll during week five of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) with a set of back to back wins in Friday's $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed and jump-off classes to follow up a victory in Thursday's $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic. All three wins were on Spy Coast Farm owned horses - the 1.45m aboard Everly Chin de la Pomme and Friday's 1.40m speed aboard...