The Chronicle is lucky to have a talented stable of writers, photographers and bloggers who contribute to our site.
Bloggers
Jennie Brannigan — Contributing Blogger
Up-and-coming eventer Jennie won the intermediate level of the Adequan/USEA Gold Cup and took home individual and team gold in the two-star at the North American Junior and Young Riders Championship in 2008. Brannigan currently works for Phillip Dutton and is on the USEF Eventing Training “B” List. We’re happy she’s agreed to send us blog reports of her travels. You can learn more about Jennie at her website: http://www.branniganeventing.com/
Lauren Sprieser — Contributing Blogger
Rising dressage star Lauren won team bronze and team gold for Region 2 at the 2003 and 2005 North American Junior and Young Rider Championships, respectively. She’s qualified four times for the Brentina Cup, placing third in 2006 aboard Bellinger and winning one of the classes with Clairvoya in 2009, and has brought five horses to Grand Prix, including her current competition horses Ellegria and Victorious. She hails from outside Chicago, Ill., but currently runs her own training and teaching business, Sprieser Sporthorse, in Marshall, Va. Learn more about Lauren and her business at: www.SprieserSporthorse.com and www.LaurenSprieser.com
Catherine Haddad Staller- Contributing Blogger
Catherine is a top dressage rider currently living and competing in Germany. She trained with legendary trainer Willii Schultheis before his untimely passing and continues with his protégé, Rudolph Zeilinger. Catherine currently runs her own training and competition facility in Vechta, Germany. She has been long listed to the U.S. Dressage Team since 2004 and was the reserve rider for the FEI World Equestrian Games in 2006. She competed at the FEI World Cup Final in Las Vegas, Nev., in 2007. Learn more about Catherine and her business at http://internationaldressage.com/
Web Columnists
William Micklem — Columnist
William is an international coach and educational and motivational speaker. He is a Fellow of the British Horse Society and author of The DK Complete Horse Riding Manual, the world’s top-selling training manual. He found Karen and David O’Connor’s three Olympic medalists Biko, Giltedge and Custom Made and breeds event horses, including Karen O’Connor’s Olympic horse Mandiba and Zara Phillip’s High Kingdom. He is also the inventor of the Micklem Bridle, which is now approved for use in dressage by the FEI. www.WilliamMicklem.com
David W. Ramey — Veterinary Columnist
David W. Ramey, DVM, began veterinary practice in 1984 in the Los Angeles area of southern California, and he is still there today. His clinical practice specializes in the care and treatment of sport and pleasure horses. Dr. Ramey is a vocal advocate for the application of science to medicine, and, as such, for the welfare of the horse. He is an internationally known author and lecturer, and he’s written more than a dozen books on a variety of horse care topics. He’s also presented topics at the American Association of Equine Practitioners meeting seven times, most recently in 2008. To learn more about Dr. Ramey, visit www.doctorramey.com.
Cornelia van Schaik — Fashion Consultant
Cornelia van Schaik feels entitled to comment on equestrian fashion because in her long horsey life she has competed in hunters, jumpers, Big Eq and dressage through FEI, plus an amusing spin in trail classes. Her foray into the eventing world is limited to spectating, but she loves the bright colors. Cornelia finds fox hunters have it easiest when it comes to fashion, for they are not concerned about such things as whether a particular coat color will match their black, bay or chestnut.
Tik Maynard — Columnist
In the summer of 2008 Tik Maynard came up with a grand plan. He decided to spend a year working for some of the greatest horsemen he could find in different disciplines and write about his experiences. So far, Tik has worked for Johann Hinnemann, Ingrid Klimke, and David and Karen O’Connor. Though that year is now over, he is still working on expanding his equestrian education. Tik is a jack of all equestrian trades. He is a national pentathalon and tetrathalon champion, an “A” pony clubber and a grand prix competitor. http://www.tik.ca/
Between Rounds Columnists
David O’Connor — Columnist
David is probably the most recognizable name in the English horse world today, thanks largely to his individual gold medal at the 2000 Olympics. He was also a member of the U.S. squad that won the team gold medal at the 2002 World Equestrian Games, and he rode to victory at the 1997 Badminton CCI**** (England) on Custom Made and the 2001 Rolex Kentucky CCI**** on Giltedge. David coaches horses and riders at his home in The Plains, Va., and he’s long been involved in the administrative side of the sport, serving on numerous U.S. Eventing Association committees and being the former chairman of the U.S. Equestrian Team’s Eventing Active Riders Committee. He is currently the president of the United States Equestrian Federation. His first column was published in January 2003. www.oconnoreventteam.com
Denny Emerson — Columnist
Denny is a former international competitor who breeds and trains sport horses and riders at his Tamarack Hill Farm in South Strafford, Vt., and Southern Pines, N.C. He’s a former vice president of eventing for the U.S. Equestrian Team and a two-time former president of the U.S Combined Training Association, and he’s the current chairman of the USA Eqestrain Breeders’ Committee. He was a member of the gold medal-winning team at the World Three-Day Event Championships in 1974, and his next goal is to qualify for a championship team in his new sport, endurance riding. Denny has been the Chronicle‘s eventing columnist since 1989 and was named one of the Chronicle‘s “50 Most Influential Horsemen of the 20th Century” in 1999. www.tamarackhill.com
Scott Hassler — Columnist
Scott, the National Young Horse Dressage Coach, resides in Chesapeake City, Md., and has trained many horses to Grand Prix. The U.S. Dressage Federation Sport Horse Committee chairman since 2001, he helped establish the sport/bredding record-keeping system now active in the USDF and U.S. Equestrian Federation. He began writing Between Rounds colums in 2005. www.hasslerdressage.com
Susie Schoellkopf — Columnist
Susie, of Buffalo, N.Y., is an active R-rated judge for hunters and equitation. She was a successful hunter rider and now is the owner and manager of SBS Farms, a training stable, as well as the executive directore of the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center. She is a member of several U.S. Equestrian Federation committees and a founder of the Horsemen’s Advisory Council. Susie’s first Chronicle column was published in November 2002. www.thebtrc.org
Anne Gribbons — Columinst
Anne is a native of Sweden who has been active in dressage in the United States since 1972. She has trained and shown over a dozen of her horses to Grand Prix, nine of which were United States Equestrian Team long listed. A number of her students have competed at the FEI levels, and several have schooled and shown their own horse to Grand Prix with her help. She is an “O” judge and currently serves as technical advisor of the US Dressage Team. www.knolldressage.com
Bill Moroney — Columnist
Bill Moroney is president of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association, a member of the U.S. Equestrian Federation Board of Directors and a USEF R-rated judge. In between officiating, he’s head trainer at Salamander Farm in Middleburg, Va. He started writin Between Rounds columns in 2004. www.stonegatestables.com
Linda Allen — Columnist
Linda is one of the world’s most popular and respected show jumping course designers and technical delegates. She designed the acclaimed courses for the 1992 FEI World Cup Final in Del Mar, Calif., and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. From her home in Salinas, Calif., Linda travels around the country and the world giving clinics, and she was one of the founders of the Young Horse Jumper Championships. She is the secretary of USA Equestrian and the chairman of its Jumper Committee. Linda has been a Chronicle show jumping columnist since 2001.
