This week in Calgary, Alberta (Canada) the largest Canadian showjumping venue Spruce Masters is holding its annual Masters Tournament from September 8th – 12th 2010. Olympic-class competitors travel from all corners of the world to compete for over $100,000 in prize money.

The FEI jog where horses are tested for soundess prior to the week’s competitions is being held today at 9:00am and results of any disqualified or withdrawn horses will be posted later today.

Watch world-class showjumping at the Spruce Meadows Masters

To learn more about the Masters, click on the link for the event schedule.

If you are interested in watching the Masters on television, check the the television schedule which also includes live online streaming during competition!

Good luck to all of the competitors!

For those who don’t have the finances to participate in dressage shows, a website called InterDressage.com has created the perfect solution. For $15.00 USD, entrants can fill out a form and send in a dressage test (tests are listed on the website) to be judged by accredited British dressage judges. You can either submit your test on DVD/CD, memory stick or upload it to a video-sharing website (such as YouTube) and then you will receive a marked test, as well as your placings in the class. Your marked test is sent back to you, along with a ribbon.
The classes are run once monthly, so be sure to send in your entry prior to the closing date. Two weeks after the closing date, results will be announced on the website and marked tests will be mailed back to participants.

For those who compete over fences or who have young horses, there is an equitation class where participants are judged on the pair’s walk, trot and canter as well as 4 jumps. Additional marks are awarded for obedience and overall impression. There is also an in-hand class, available to certain horse types.

Compete online with InterDressage.com!

InterDressage.com is perfect for those who aren’t quite ready for the show ring, don’t have access to regular coaching and would like feedback on their performance, whose horses do not trailer well or even those who would like to compete for fun.

Horse shows can be confusing for those who are just starting out. As the season approaches, many people are preparing to enter their first horse show.

Show Ring Ready is a good source of practical knowledge about horse shows, including types of tack that are appropriate for each division, stabling ettiquette and much more for hunter/jumper shows.

(Just note that the rules noted are Equine Canada rules, and you need to refer to your local governing body for rules that apply to your equine jurisdiction.)

Tips and advice for hunters and jumpers

Many amateur riders have complained about a lack of appropriate divisions for the “in-between size” horses. The market for sport ponies and 16.0hh+ horses is well established, however there is a huge gap for horses that do not fit into those categories.

While some argue that the reason “mid-size” horses do not fit easily into the show ring is because they are unable to make the distances to make them successful. However, the reality is that not all riders are suited to large, big-moving horses. Many feel more comfortable on a horse that takes up their leg without feeling like they are being overpowered.

Breeder P. Wynn Norman, owner of Sportponies Unlimited and breeder of the late eventing sport-pony Theodore O’Connor, feels strongly about the need for a division that could draw large crowds for riders on mid-sized horses.

She says on the Sportponies Unlimited website:

“….debates about heights, distances and qualifications are all part of the sport’s “big picture.” In an ideal world, decisions about such things would reflect the philosophy, mission and vision of the sport and its leadership. Indeed, I argue that a sport’s national governing body should be philosophically, as well as financially, sound. And I wonder if anyone in USEF (The United States Equestrian Federation, the national governing body of equestrian sports) ever addresses the big picture, such as that illustrated by this big, gaping hole?”

At the London International Horse Show every year, the crowd turns its attention to a class of a different size! The Shetland Pony Grand National has been part of the show since 1981, and riders must qualify to attend.

Click on the link to learn more about the Shetland Pony Grand National, or on the video below to see the ponies and their diminutive riders in action.

Broadcasting from WHDT in West Palm is “Equus” TV on channel 17. The line-up includes the Equus Report, Equus Games and Equus Stable.

They report on local competitions, horses for sale and other equine news. Tune into any one of these horse television shows to get your daily equine fix!

Click here for a Comcast TV schedule featuring Equus.

This video says it all. Epona.tv/uk has posted a video of dressage rider Patrik Kittel on Watermill Scandic at the Odense World Cup qualifier in Denmark last week with a blue tongue due to hyperflexion, also known as rollkur.

Epona.tv has posted a FAQ regarding questions about their video footage, including Patrik’s explanation of the events and Epona’s desciption of what they saw.

Watch the Patrik Kittel video on Epona.tv’s YouTube site

Starting today at 8:00am EST, there will be a live feed online of the Upperville Colt and Horse Show, which has been running annually since 1853.

This will be the 156th show, and takes place Monday, June 1-Sunday, June 7, 2009.

Upperville is the oldest horse show in the United States. It runs for seven days, and has over “two thousand horse and rider combinations from young children on ponies to leading Olympic and World Cup riders and horses.”

If you are interested in learning more about the show, visit their website at The Upperville Horse Show or simply check out the video feed at Equestrian Sport TV.

For many people, showing is a typical part of the spring and summer seasons. Unfortunately not everyone is able to afford showing, have a horse that is capable of showing in the discipline/level they would like to show at, etc. The list can go on and on.

Volunteering is a great way to get involved in your local equine community

An alternative to showing is volunteering. Not only will you gain valuable knowledge from watching upper level riders ride (and how they place) but also keep on top of your discipline’s trends and any new rules that may be in place. Every show requires volunteers, whether it be for set-up, scoring assistance, maintence of the grounds throughout the day (ie, moving/replacing obstacles or jumps) or just general office help.

While it may not seem as glamorous as showing and receiving ribbons for your efforts, the knowledge you will gain is invaluable. Also, it is a way to give back to your local equine community, as so many others have done. Without volunteers, it would be nearly impossible to hold shows except for at very well-funded venues who can afford to employ staff versus depend on the help of other equestrians for free. You will also meet new potential friends that possibly live in your area and enjoy the same type of riding you do!

If you are intrested in learning more about volunteering and what sort of tasks need to be done, contact a few of your local competition stables or showgrounds (call at least 1-2 weeks in advance to notify them you are interested in volunteering). The horse world is very small, and no doubt your efforts will be appreciated by your local equestrian community.

Lucinda Fredericks and her horse Headley Britannia were the winners of this year’s Rolex Three Day Event this past weekend. They finished on their dressage score of 32.3 which was excellent in a very competitive field of riders. The Australian rider’s husband Clayton Fredericks also won Rolex back in 2007.

For more on the top riders at this year’s Rolex event, check out the competition’s website RK3DE.com.

Here is an interesting photo montage of some of the event’s cross-country highlights.