We’re on the move! We’ve decided to trade in the parched, hot summers of So Cal for the verdant green of  Oregon. I’ve been here nearly a month now, and the milder weather and occasional rainy days are a welcome change, though I’ve been warned I’ll probably change my tune about the rain once winter sets in.

Since the task of moving our selves and our critters a thousand miles just wasn’t keeping us busy enough ;-), we’re also doing some major renovations on our property. Oh yeah, and we’re getting married! I’ll be closed from July 23 - July 30 as family and friends descend on Eugene, OR to share our Big Day. In the midst of all the hemming and the hawing and the planning and the sawing, I have to remind myself–Change is Good. And so it is.

If you watched Animal Planet’s World Cup Finals broadcast you probably noticed that the dressage coverage amounted to a paltry few minutes and not a single ride was shown in its entirety. In response to complaints from the dressage community, Animal Planet has posted videos of the complete rides on their website. Check out Isabel Werth’s winning ride on Warum Nicht (aka “Hannes”), Catherine Haddad’s showy “Gladiator” freestyle on Maximus, and crowd favorites Courtney King and Idocus whose lovely ride earned them a standing ovation and a sixth place showing overall.

Via Swedish Warmblood Fence Talk

The rider list for the Rolex FEI World Cup have been announced! Here’s the dressage lineup for the US:

Qualifying from the U.S. League
(Rider/Residence /Horse/Age, Breed, Sex/Owner)

Steffen Peters/San Diego, Calif./Floriano/17-year-old Westphalian gelding/Stephen and Laurelyn Browning

Courtney King/New Milford, Conn./Idocus/17-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion/Christine McCarthy

Leslie Morse/Beverly Hills, Calif./Tip Top 962/13-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding/Leslie Morse

FEI Additional Rider/Wild Card:

Catherine Haddad/Vechta, Germany/Maximus JSS/12-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding/Janet S. Schneider Trust

Courtney King is certainly having a banner year and I can’t wait to see her and Idocus perform. Also, Andreas Helgstrand and the amazing Blue Hors Matine are scheduled to compete! If you aren’t familiar with this pair, check out my earlier post “Two Dressage Videos You Won’t Want to Miss.” For the entire dressage and show jumping lineup, go to WorldCupLasVegas.com.