Working Equitation
Working Equitation is fairly new to the USA but has been around in Europe for years. This incredibly fun discipline, which is open to all breeds, is a combination of dressage type tests, obstacle courses, and obstacle speed courses. Its popularity is really starting to grow.
Our journey with this sport started a little late compared to some, in 2013, but we have had the most amazing time learning and competing with Working Equitation. We have attended a number of clinics and schooling shows, the Judges Seminar with Claudia Elsnor Matos, and have competed at the IALHA and Haras Cup Championships. We both attended the week long Trainer's Seminar in California where we had the privilege of learning from Nuno Matos, clinician for the Pedro Torres Academy of Portugal. We also hosted him two more times here in Illinois.
Erica has enjoyed the sport so much so that she decided to work towards earning a judges card for Working Equitation. After a number of years learning, competing, judging schooling shows, and attending judge seminars, Erica applied for her "r" judge card with WE United, and in the fall of 2018 she was granted her license.
If you are looking for WE clinicians, we are a great team, and since we come as a pair we can handle larger number of riders.
If you are planning a WE show, Erica is a fantastic judge, with a great eye, upbeat attitude, and passion for the sport.
If you are around the Illinois or Midwest area, and are interested in learning more about Working Equitation, please visit contact us, or visit www.workingequitationillinois.com or www.weunited.us. We are part of the Illinois WE United group, and together we hope to introduce this fun sport to more and more people and really get Working Equitation growing!!
Our journey with this sport started a little late compared to some, in 2013, but we have had the most amazing time learning and competing with Working Equitation. We have attended a number of clinics and schooling shows, the Judges Seminar with Claudia Elsnor Matos, and have competed at the IALHA and Haras Cup Championships. We both attended the week long Trainer's Seminar in California where we had the privilege of learning from Nuno Matos, clinician for the Pedro Torres Academy of Portugal. We also hosted him two more times here in Illinois.
Erica has enjoyed the sport so much so that she decided to work towards earning a judges card for Working Equitation. After a number of years learning, competing, judging schooling shows, and attending judge seminars, Erica applied for her "r" judge card with WE United, and in the fall of 2018 she was granted her license.
If you are looking for WE clinicians, we are a great team, and since we come as a pair we can handle larger number of riders.
If you are planning a WE show, Erica is a fantastic judge, with a great eye, upbeat attitude, and passion for the sport.
If you are around the Illinois or Midwest area, and are interested in learning more about Working Equitation, please visit contact us, or visit www.workingequitationillinois.com or www.weunited.us. We are part of the Illinois WE United group, and together we hope to introduce this fun sport to more and more people and really get Working Equitation growing!!
What We've Done with Working Equitation!
US Licensed Officials Seminar, April 4-8, 2019
In keeping up with her education and judge requirements, Erica attended the US Licensed Officials Seminar in San Diego California this spring. The seminar was taught by International WAWE judge, Antonio Vicente. Antonio was a fantastic instructor! His experience and passion for the sport really shown through the whole event. The youth of this sport, especially in the US, keeps the associations ever learning and changing in an effort to maintain the spirit of the sport. Having the WAWE instructors critique and offer suggestions is a priceless process.
In keeping up with her education and judge requirements, Erica attended the US Licensed Officials Seminar in San Diego California this spring. The seminar was taught by International WAWE judge, Antonio Vicente. Antonio was a fantastic instructor! His experience and passion for the sport really shown through the whole event. The youth of this sport, especially in the US, keeps the associations ever learning and changing in an effort to maintain the spirit of the sport. Having the WAWE instructors critique and offer suggestions is a priceless process.
Erica has earned her "r" Judge Card!
As of October 2018, Erica is now able to officially judge WE United rated Working Equitation shows. Erica would like to Thank WE United and their Licensing Committee for granting her this title! Her hard work over the last 3 years has paid off.
As of October 2018, Erica is now able to officially judge WE United rated Working Equitation shows. Erica would like to Thank WE United and their Licensing Committee for granting her this title! Her hard work over the last 3 years has paid off.
Howard earned 6th place in the 2018 WE United National Achievement, American Rider, for Intermediate A level!! He accomplished this by riding Jubiloso, Luchador, and Fresona Intermediate A throughout the year.
Erica and SM Serafin earned the Confederation for Working Equitation 2017 Reserve Champion Year End Award in Novice Open, and the Region 5 Champion Year End Award in Novice Open!
Confederation for Working Equitation Judge Training Seminar
Erica is making progress towards earning a Working Equitation judge card! She attended the Judge Seminar taught by Tarrin Warren and Carmen Franco May 11 - 14, 2017 in Raleigh, NC. She successfully completed 13 classroom hours and 9 practical hours of study. One step closer!!
2015 Haras Cup - CDC Memoria & Erica Peet
2015 Haras Cup - CDC Luna & Howard Peet
2015 CDC Luna & Youth Rider, Katie Berger
Working Equitation Trainer's Seminar with Nuno Matos!!
The week long Trainer's Seminar with Nuno Matos was an amazing time. Nuno Matos, Working Equitation rider of Portugal, ran 6 of us (trainers from around the US), through an intensive work course with our horses, to improve our negotiation of the obstacles for the ease of handling phase, increase our scores in the dressage phase, and gave us fantastic pointers for the speed phase. At the end of the week, a clinic and schooling show, open to the public, was held and we all put our new knowledge to the test.
Haras Cup Working Equitation International Championship
Oct. 24-26 2014, Magnolia, Texas
The first ever Haras Cup was held at the beautiful property of Haras Dos Cavaleiros. They offered Kids 13 & under, Juniors 14-17, Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced levels for Working Equitation. It was judged by 2 international Working Eq. judges; Claudia Elsner Matos of Portugal & Sandra Migl of Austria. We took 3 horses.
Erica rode Barquillero LXIV Novice level, and placed 2nd out of 22!! Howard rode Kudu GF Intermediate level and placed 5th out of 7, Howard also rode Memoria CDC Novice level, and Meagan Hansen also rode Kudu in the Juniors level, and took 4th place!
This was one of the most fun shows we have ever participated at. The atmosphere was happy, all the fellow competitors cheered for each other and helped each other out. We are so happy to have gotten involved in this discipline and look forward to getting to more events in the future!
Erica rode Barquillero LXIV Novice level, and placed 2nd out of 22!! Howard rode Kudu GF Intermediate level and placed 5th out of 7, Howard also rode Memoria CDC Novice level, and Meagan Hansen also rode Kudu in the Juniors level, and took 4th place!
This was one of the most fun shows we have ever participated at. The atmosphere was happy, all the fellow competitors cheered for each other and helped each other out. We are so happy to have gotten involved in this discipline and look forward to getting to more events in the future!
Andalusian World Cup - Las Vegas, Sept. 25-27 2014
The inaugural Andalusian World Cup National Show went off without a hitch! What a way to show off all of our horses abilities, a combination of American performance classes, Working Equitation, and ANCCE halter classes made this quite the show! Everyone had a great time! In addition to the championships earned by the horses, Howard was awarded the Andalusian World Fellowship Award- for a person who has gone to great lengths to create a sense of unification, friendship, and fellowship within the rest of the horse community. Thanks to the World Cup show committee for putting on such a great event, and here's to the next one!!
Working Equitation Judging Seminar- Eugene, OR Sept. 3-7
In an effort to better educate ourselves about the growing sport of Working Equitation, Erica attended the Judging Seminar. She sat in as an auditor to learn as much as she could from the clinician, Claudia Elsnor Matos of Portugal. Claudia spent 3 days lecturing, showing video clips, and testing the judge prospects that attended to get licensed as Working Eq. judges. It was a very informative seminar, and Erica came home with a much deeper understanding of the discipline and how it should be done. In addition to the seminar, there was also a riding clinic being presented by Jorge de Sousa. He worked with a number of riders on how to improve their dressage phase tests, and how best to work on improving certain obstacles. Erica watched the clinic as much as she could and picked up some really good pointers. In all, this was time VERY well spent and we highly recommend it to anyone who wants to truly understand Working Equitation!
Nuno Matos Working Equitation Clinic, Eugene, OR July 2
Howard took a few days to take advantage of being able to learn from an international Working Equitation professional, Nuno Matos of Portugal. Howard was able to be schooled on Armani owned by Julie Alonzo. Howard loved Nuno's no nonsense approach to teaching horses about obstacles and his easy going demeanor. It was a great time and Howard cannot wait for the next time!