Lexington, KY: The Inspection Tour process can seem overwhelming to someone who has never been through it before. It is the desire of the American Hanoverian Society Education Committee to make new Hanoverian breeders feel welcome, and make this first contact with the Society as stress-free and enjoyable as possible. To further this goal, the committee has embarked on a new program with the purpose of offering personal, one-on-one assistance to anyone new to the Hanoverian inspection process. Those who would benefit from this program would be new breeders, or a breeder attending their first Hanoverian inspection with a mare or foal.

The Netherlands emerged victorious as the pilot season for the FEI Nations Cup™ Dressage 2013 series got underway at Domain Equestre de Grands Pins in Vidauban, France yesterday. Sweden finished second at this opening event, with the host nation of France in third and Switzerland slotting into fourth place. Great Britain sent just three riders, but their chances ended before the competition even began when Sarah Millis’ HP Frontier did not pass the first Horse Inspection, leaving just four countries to battle it out in the final analysis. The Dutch showed their strength when, with only three in their side, they overcame a strong challenge from the full Swedish team that included star riders Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Minna Telde.

Best Score of the Day
It was Vilhelmson-Silfven who produced the best score of day when posting 70.532 with the 11-year-old gelding, Divertimento. But Holland’s Laurens van Lieren and his 10-year-old mare, Hexagon’s Welnetta, were only 0.15 marks behind in second place individually, and when this good result was added to 69.234 from team-mate Stephanie Peters with Unlimited, and 67.255 from Katja Gevers and Thriller, then the Dutch had the edge with a winning margin of 0.404 at the end of the day. Only three of the four results count toward each team total.

Wellington, FL - In the team’s first appearance at the international level, Carmen Franco and the Lusitano stallion Vinho Dos Pinhais recently represented Colombia at the Intermediare I level during the Nations Cup CDI 3*, and their exceptional performance earned them the High Score Lusitano award, sponsored by Interagro Lusitanos. Franco was very excited to show what the 11-year-old Lusitano stallion was all about in this highly competitive dressage ring. “I’m very proud to be here,” she commented, “because we really have to make it for our team for this first year at the international level.” Franco continued, “I’m very proud to bring a Lusitano here. It’s really an amazing experience having a different breed here among this big group of warmbloods. There are good relationships with every horse,” she added, “but the Lusitanos give you something a little extra special that is very nice to have. He’s doing very well, and I am very pleased,” Franco said about Vinho Dos Pinhais, who is owned by Nanette Sexton of Southgate Farm. Sexton is a big fan of the Lusitano breed, and in fact owns two exceptional horses from Interagro: Ubrique Interagro and Acolito Interagro.

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named the following four horse-and-rider combinations to the U.S. Dressage Team for the Aachen CDIO5* held during CHIO Aachen in Germany, June 26-30, 2013. Additionally, two Small Tour combinations have been named to represent the U.S. in CDI4* competition. In 2013, the United States will also be represented for the first time in CDI-U25 competition. The following four combinations have been named to the U.S. Dressage Team for the Aachen CDIO5*(listed in Alphabetical Order):

Jan Ebeling (Moorpark, CA) on Ann Romney, Amy Ebeling, and Beth Meyers' Rafalca
Rafalca is a 1997 Oldenburg mare
Shelly Francis (Loxahatchee, FL) on Patricia Stempel's Doktor
Doktor is a 2003 Oldenburg gelding
Tina Konyot (Palm City, FL) on her own Calecto V
Calecto V is a 1998 Danish Warmblood stallion
Steffen Peters (San Diego, CA) on Four Winds Farm's Legolas 92
Legolas 92 is a 2002 Westphalian gelding