A team of four junior riders from Australia travelled to Benoni in South Africa to compete at the 30th International Classique presented by Equestrian International from 29 September to 2 October. The team consisted of Joseph Patterson, Lachlan Wicks, Emily Van Sonsbeek and Helen Tremlett, with Penny Tremlett as the Chef d’Equipe. The Australian and New Zealand teams were met at the airport by the South African team, officials and a South African television crew, where introductions and interviews were carried out for the television. ...

Congratulatons to Chris Chugg (pictured riding Vivant) on the pruchase of new stallion, Bodycheck (Balou du Rouet x Carismo) from the ESI Auction in Germany last weekend. The four year old licensed Hanoverian stallion was the top priced horse of the sale. ...

A sick horse on a property in the Caboolture area has been euthanased after returning a positive test result for Hendra virus infection. Queensland Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Rick Symons said the horse had become sick over the weekend and was treated by a private veterinarian. “Samples were taken for Hendra virus testing and the positive result came back late last night,” Dr Symons said. ...

By racing and cinema standards, the premiere of 'The Cup' in Melbourne was a little different. More than 1000 invitees entered on a green carpet through a horse barrier, and the stars of the show at the end of the carpet had four legs, not two. This was a well-dressed premiere, with many people debuting outfits and fascinators that are likely to be featured in the coming spring racing carnival. ...

Suspicions of deliberate poisoning are growing after the mysterious deaths of 21 horses in the Gold Coast hinterland. Owner Steve Hogno says he has lost all but four of his original herd of 25 quarter horses and one more may have to be euthanased soon. "It's not good. We lost two more horses overnight and another one is now crook," he said today. "So that's 21 dead, one sick and only three now that look to be okay."...

Emile Faurie, a member of the record breaking gold medal winning English team at this year’s European Dressage Championships will attend next year’s PSI Dressage & Jumping with the Stars as the international dressage “star”. Emile’s international career has spanned almost two decades, representing Great Britian at European and World Championships and at two Olympic Games. ...

Taranaki dressage queen Vanessa Way has London in her sight after winning heading home the best of the New South Wales Grand Prix dressage competitors at a pre-Olympic qualifier event at Clarendon near Sydney at the weekend. Aboard her star horse KH Arvan she scored an impressive 67.8% at the event that many were using as a warm up for the Australian Dressage Nationals and Olympic Qualifier to be held at the Horsley Park Sydney Olympic venue at the end of the month....

Dressage is one of those unique sports where competitors of different ages and genders compete in the same arena. It usually takes years of hard work and exercise for both horse and rider to have the reflexes and fitness to compete at an elite level. The horse’s athleticism could be compared to a gymnast. Their controlled strength is paramount and without the appropriate focus, high achievement is not possible. ...

Two rails in the showjumping proved costly for double Olympic gold medal winner Mark Todd at a three day event in Holland, but he heads home with a 2012 Olympic qualification to his credit. Todd and NZB Campino led into the final phase at the three star event in Boekelo, Holland, but in the end had to settle for third. “You can not be disappointed with him,” said Todd of the nine-year-old horse. “He felt a bit flat today but you have to remember that although this was his first three star, he has had a big season with Saumur, Compiegne, the Harras du Pin World Cup, Blenheim and the test event all under his belt.” ...

A carefully ridden double clear round was all that it took for Erin Clark and her horse Reflector to take the honours in the horse grand prix at the one star Eastern Bay of Plenty Show in Te Teko today (Sunday). The Opotiki combination were one of five through to the jump-off and were the only ones to leave everything in place at the two-day show. Second went to Paula Mussen (Pukekohe) and Meersbrook Flinstone who had a rail but notched the fastest time of the round. ...