Friday will be an important day in the road to the 2012 London Olympic Games for the Australian Dressage Team with the start of the Olympic Regional Team Qualifier at the Bates Australian Dressage Championships to be held at Sydney International Equestrian Centre, Horsley Park. The national selectors have named the team to contest the Group F/G Group Team Qualifier. Due to quarantine restrictions it is necessary to hold the qualifier in two parts, one in each hemisphere as riders and their horses are based in both Australasia and Europe. ...

Endurance riders from Uruguay claimed Team and Individual gold in the Senior division, while the host nation of Chile dominated the Young Riders classes at the 2011 Pan-American Endurance Championships staged in Santo Domingo (CHI) last weekend. Bernardo Algorta registered an impressive average speed of 20 kilometres an hour with his horse, Cacique, to take the Senior title for Uruguay, ...

Germany’s Michael Jung won the 6 Year Old title with the Hannoverian mare Rocana while Great Britain’s Kitty King claimed the 7 Year Old honours with the Dutch-bred mare Zidante at the 26th FEI World Eventing Championships for Young Horses at Le Lion d'Angers over the weekend. This specialist fixture is widely recognised for identifying the rising stars of the future. Proof of this is clear in the number of horses which progress from Mondial du Lion to produce results at European, World Championship and Olympic level. ...

The historic Warwick Campdraft kicks off today with the first competition, the Ladies Silver Cup Draft. This legendary event runs through until Sunday, featuring top quality campdrafting and rodeo action throughout the week and weekend, culminating on Sunday with the final of the famous Black Toyota Warwick Gold Cup Campdraft. The seven day program of events keep the competitors and crowds coming back each year, with good prize money for competitors and plenty of action for spectators. ...

Dutch rider, Hans Peter Minderhoud, was in reflective mood after winning the opening leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage series in Odense, Denmark this afternoon with the 11 year old chestnut stallion, IPS Tango. He has his sights firmly set on a place at the series final in 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands next April along with a spot at the London Olympic Games, but he knows he has a lot of work to do to get there. ...

Switzerland's Pius Schwizer secured a superb back-to-back double when adding victory in the second leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2011/2012 series in Helsinki, Finland today to his opening-round success in Oslo, Norway last Sunday. Once again riding Carlina, the 49 year old rider was one of nine through to the second-round jump-off against the clock in which he set a target that could not be matched despite some heroic efforts from those who followed him. ...

IJsbrand Chardon (NED) won the first FEI World Cup™ Driving competition of the season held in Hannover, Germany, this wekeend. His compatriot Koos de Ronde finished second, ahead of Tomas Eriksson (SWE) who was struck by fate in the winning round. ...

Whether you have the time to visit the Bates Australian Dressage Championships for one day or four days, there will be plenty to keep you entertained. This event is for all those who love the beauty of the horse. Whether you ride for pleasure or any of the many disciplines, there will be something for you at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre from the 27 to 30 October. This competition attracts the best riders from across Australia, all vying for a personal best or a place on the dais. It also includes a Regional Olympic Qualifier for the 2012 London Olympic Games. ...

Maurice Beatson is on a roll. The Dannevirke farmer was today (Friday) a convincing winner in the opening round of the New Zealand World Cup series on the final day of the Hawke's Bay A and P Show. Aboard My Gollywog – his homebred horse who spent most of last season out with injury – he was the only one to go double clear over a challenging Kevin Hansen (Hastings) designed course. The former Olympian, World Champs representative and World Cup final competitor had the luxury of being the last of a trio of riders to go in the jump-off. Twelve started the class, but just Beatson, former World Cup series winner Simon Wilson (Waipukurau) on Swinger and young gun Tess Williams (Gisborne) on her flea-bitten grey Alltech Craighaven Nitro progressed through to the second round. ...

There are still several half price services available to good quality stallions through the Gunalda and District Western Performance Club (G&DWPC). There are also still a few spaces for extra stallions who wish to be included. A 'first in best dressed' policy has been adopted for this sale and services must be used in the 2011 breeding season. ...