U.S. participants fare well at Aachen on the road to Jerez
The U.S. had several successful participants in the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany, June 25-30, 2002.

Dressage WEG squad finalized, prepares to go overseas
The United States Equestrian Team (USET) has announced the list of horses and riders for the Dressage World Championships at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Jerez, Spain in September. The list was named following selection trials at the ...

Brentina leads the way for WEG squad
After struggling with the humidity in the first two trials, Debbie McDonald went through the five days between the two trials hoping her mare's problems with the New Jersey environment were over. Unfortunately, New Jersey wasn't quite finished with Brentina, as the chestnut mare began to break out in hives a mere two hours before the Grand Prix test that would likely determine whether she would make the team. But a game Brentina overcame her troubles to put in two strong tests to take the top spot after all four trials to select the dressage squad for the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain.

McDonald keeps her hopes alive at WEG Dressage selection trials
Debbie McDonald and her chestnut mare Brentina came into the first leg of the dressage selection trials for the World Equestrian Games team as clear favorites. Not only did they qualify with the highest calculated percentage among the U.S-based riders, but also any news story on the West Coast dressage circuit in the past year has invariably read as the chronicles of Debbie and Brentina. So when Peggy and Parry Thomas' champion Hanoverian struggled through her Grand Prix test-her ragged breathing was echoing around the stadium--and finished a lackluster 5th, it seemed clear something had gone terribly wrong.

Highlights from Conrad Schumacher at the dressage symposium: Prepare. Do it. Reward
"Dressage is a difficult sport. The basics are more difficult than piaffe, passage, and one time changes," said Conrad Schumacher. "The first obstacle we have, [learning the basics,] is the highest obstacle." Yet, at the National Dressage Symposium April 12-14 at the Kentucky Horse Park, Schumacher presented a very systematic, clear program for developing the basics and bringing out the brilliance in the upper levels. Over 700 dressage enthusiasts ...

USDF Declares 2002 As Year of the Freestyle
The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) has declared 2002 as the Year of the Freestyle. Musical freestyle dressage combines the beauty and strength of the horse with the stirring impact of music. Now a featured aspect of the ...

Crossing Over To Dressage
Everyone is doing it. Or so it seems. What is the big draw to dressage one might wonder? One little hint: it's not the show clothing or the gigantic prizes for little effort. It is more than the sum of little parts. Dressage is a challenge which encompasses nearly every aspect of a rider's life. Think of art, dance, aerobics, music, rhythm, harmony and dance. Try it yourself and add to my list. The dance of two, with or without music. That is the ...