Happy Mother's Day from ECOGOLD! with Awww videos...

Denielle Gallagher with daughter Juliette

We deal with a lot of wonderful horse moms... They drive their horse-crazy kid to lessons, bankroll the horse adventure, carry buckets, wash those dirty saddle pads and the list of "mom-tasks" goes on and on... Not only they are in charge of all the boring stuff, but they are also their kids #1 fan and supporter, ringside at the end of a ride to say "well done!" 

Mothers play a huge role, even at the higher levels of the sport. They often own the horses or are involved in their children's career in an active way.

And let's not forget all the professional riders who are also moms. It must take an incredible amount of organizational skills and sheer determination, to balance their sports objectives and business requirements with the demands of motherhood.

So here's our Awww salute to moms... whether they are of the "human kind or the interspecies kind...

Jessica Phoenix and baby Jacob

WEG Silver Medalists Stephanie Rhodes-Bosch and Hawley Bennett discuss their mothers & families


  Doggie-mommy adopts some kittehs

Kitteh-mommy adopts some squirrels

Kitteh-mommy adopts a baby bunny

Dressage at Blainville CDI - Grand Prix videos

We're at Dressage at Blainville CDI, which if not the biggest, is one of the most important dressage shows on the North American East Coast. With riders still looking to make the team for the World Equestrian Games and the North American Young Riders Championship, it is full of excitement.

This year, a major change: helmets galore! After Courtney King's accident, we've seen more and more top riders sporting helmets in the show ring. In Friday's Grand Prix, there were 5 top riders with helmets: Jacqueline Brooks, Denielle Gallagher, Jaimey Irwin, Lauren Sammis and Sue Blinks. Dressage at Blainville and Equine Canada posted notices on all the bulletin boards to encourage all riders at all levels to wear one. That's a first!

In Saturday's FEI Young Riders class, one of the riders lost consciousness and fell off her horse right before entering in the ring. No helmet! Thankfully, she was ok but it was a reality check for all of us watching that it only takes a split second to have a silly accident with serious consequences.

Enjoy the videos from Dressage at Blainville!

Jacquie Brooks and Gran Gesto - Grand Prix - 2010 Blainville CDI

Denielle Gallagher and Abrikos 2010 Blainville Grand Prix

A great Royal Winter Fair

It was our first time with a trade stand at the Royal Winter Fair and we had a blast! It was 11 days working very loooong hours but we saw lots of friends, had Meet & Greets with ECOGOLD riders and were also able to sneak out to catch a bit of the action.
Enjoy our pictures and videos!

Autograph session with double Olympic Gold Medalist McLain Ward.
Canada's Dressage Stars meet fans at the ECOGOLD stand after the Grand Prix

Here are some video highlights!
Team Challenge - McLain and Charlie Jayne jump clear, riding in ECOGOLD pads, and help USA win the Team Challenge! Here's McLain and Phillipa's ride.

Grand Prix Freestyle: Ashley Holzer wins, Denielle Gallagher 3rd, Jacquie Brooks and Cheryl Meisner finish 4th, all riding in ECOGOLD pads:
Ashley Holzer's ride

Denielle Gallagher and Abrikos

Cheryl Meisner and Paganini

Jackie Brooks and Balmoral

and here's some fun and silly stuff!
the Canine/Equine Challenge winner

Pas de Deux: "Dressage meets Cowboy" with Gillian Sutherland riding in ECOGOLD pads

Indoor eventing - Diana Burnett

Indoor eventing - Jessica Phoenix