Jil Sander and Alyssa Pitts were invited to, and participated in the USET/USEF pre-Olympic Games Elite Rider Clinic with Anne Gribbons and Steffen Peters! It was a fabulous learning experience, and the perfect end to two weeks of training with Steffen Peters. Alyssa is lucky to receive such wonderful instruction, and she is very thankful for the opportunity to participate in clinics of this level.

Jil Sander and Alyssa Pitts participated in the USDF National Symposium in the Developing Horse demonstration with Debbie McDonald.

Melissa Mulchahey's Furst Fiorano and Alyssa Pitts were demonstration riders in the Young Horse demonstration with Scott Hassler.

Alyssa Pitts and Jil Sander are the Equestrians Institute year end Prix St Georges Champions. Wrazzmatazz and Alyssa Pitts are the Reserve Champions, completing a clean sweep of the Prix St Georges.

Alyssa Pitts and Melissa Mulchahey's Furst Fiorano are the Equestrians Institute year end Training Level Champions with an average score of over 77%.

Alyssa Pitts and Melissa Mulchahey's Furst Fiorano are the USEF 4 Year Old National Champions!!!! They won with an 8.5, including a 9.2 for trot.

Alyssa Pitts and Jil Sander placed 5th in the USEF Developing Horse Prix St Georges! They also placed 2nd in their warm-up class.

Alyssa Pitts and Melissa Mulchahey's Furst Fiorano have been invited to the National Young Horse Championships. They are ranked #1 in the country going into the championships! Alyssa Pitts and Jil Sander have been invited to the National Developing Horse Prix St Georges Championships, and they go in ranked #3 in the country! Awesome day for us, and we are really excited about competing in Chicago at the end of the month. Many thanks to Melissa Mulchahey for all of her support.

Alyssa Pitts and Melissa Mulchahey's Furst Fiorano were Open High Point of the show and won the Mary Dodd Perpetual Trophy for Training Level and the Carlene Coffin Perpetual Trophy for First Level. Furst Fiorano won all of his classes, and his highest score was 82.8%.

Jan Chisholm and Valeria won one of their First Level classes, placed 2nd in their other First Level class, and placed 2nd and 6th in their Training Level classes. They scored 70% in one of their Training Level classes.

Melody Gilmore and Kraftwerk had an awesome showing debut! They had two 2nds, a 3rd, and a 5th in their Training Level classes with high a high score of 69.6%.

Wrazzmatazz and Alyssa Pitts won both of their Prix St Georges classes, scoring 66.8% and 66.6%. They won the Developing Horse Prix St Georges.

Romischer Prinz and Alyssa Pitts won both of their Third level classes in Romischer Prinz's showing debut.

Alyssa Pitts and Jil Sander won their Intermediare I class with a 71.8% and their USEF Developing Horse Prix St Georges class with a 71.471%. They are currently ranked 3rd in the national standings for the Developing Horse.

Alyssa Pitts and Melissa Mulchahey's Furst Fiorano scored 8.8 in the USEF 4 Year Old class, which is the highest single score nationally to date! He also scored 80% in his Training Level class.

Wrazzmatazz and Alyssa Pitts won their Prix St Georges class with a 65%, and they placed second to Jil Sander in the Developing Horse Prix St Georges with a 65%.

Alyssa Pitts and Jil Sander won both their Prix St Georges class and their USEF Developing Horse Prix St Georges class. Their score of 70.7% in the Developing Horse currently ranks them in the top 5 nationally.

Alyssa Pitts debuted Furst Fiorano in the USEF 4 Year Old class, which he won with an 8.12, ranking him currently 3rd nationally. He also scored 76% in his Training Level class and 72% in his First Level class.

Wrazzmatazz and Alyssa Pitts scored 64% in the Prix St Georges, placing second to Jil Sander.

Alyssa Pitts and Jil Sander won both their Intermediare I class and their USEF Developing Horse Prix St Georges class. Their score of 67% in the Developing Horse currently ranks them in the top 10 nationally.

Alyssa Pitts debuted Wrazzmatazz at Prix St Georges, and he scored 62% in both rides. Not bad for a horse who was competing at Preliminary eventing less than a year ago!

Heidi Brandt and Painted Sarendipity won both of their First Level classes and were the First Level Amateur High Score.

Jan Chisholm and Valeria won both of their Training Level classes with scores of 69% and 70.8%, making them the Training Level High Score.

Melissa Mulchahey purchased the exciting young horse, Furst Fiorano at the Westfalen Elite Auction. Furst Fiorano is a fabulous young horse by Furst Piccolo out of a Donnerbube I mare. We are excited for the upcoming show season with Furst Fiorano! Look for him in the USEF 4 year old division this year.

AP Dressage hosted another clinic with Alfredo Hernandez. Here is a video clip put together by Carolynn Bunch Photography:

Alyssa Pitts and Jil Sander won both their Prix St Georges and Intermediare I classes. Jil Sander scored 67% in her Intermediare I debut.

AP Dressage hosted another successful and popular Alfredo Hernandez piaffe/passage clinic. Alfredo will return for another clinic March 14-15.

Avery and Alyssa won the Equestrians Institute Year End High Score award for First Level with an average score of 74.01%. We hear that Tim Mallin and Avery are getting along great in Connecticut and surviving the horrible snow that the east coast has experienced this winter.

We are excited to announce that Alyssa has been given the ride on Redhawk's Sagacity, an absolutely amazing horse by Sir Donnerhall out of a mare who competed at the Pavo Cup. Sagacity is an outstanding example of the superb quality horses that are being bred by Red Hawk Ranch in Murrieta, CA.

Alyssa Pitts and Jil Sander were selected to ride in the On the Levels symposium with Debbie McDonald and Janet Foy. Jil Sander received rave reviews with Janet Foy jokingly saying, "There is a trailer out back that you can put your mare in!"

AP Dressage is excited to host a clinic with Morten Thomsen, one of the new US Team coaches! This is his first trip to the Northwest, and we hope to have this become a regular occurence. For more information, contact Alyssa at (360) 453-7196.

AP Dressage hosted a clinic with piaffe/passage specialist Alfredo Hernandez. Below is a video of Alfredo working with Alyssa Pitts and Romischer Prinz, a Zweibrucker gelding by Rossignol out of a Genius x Don mare. This is Romischer Prinz's third time working with Alfredo.

Alyssa Pitts and Jil Sander won all of their classes in Jil Sander's Prix St Georges debut with scores of 68.6% and 67.8%.

Alyssa Pitts and Avery won all of their classes in Avery's debut at Second Level with high scores of 72.6% and 71.9%. They also scored 74% in Avery's First Level class as well.

AP Dressage and Cedar Meadow Farm hosted a clinic with Alfredo Hernandez. Here is a short clip of Jil Sander and Alyssa Pitts working with Alfredo.

Alyssa Pitts has been chosen as a YoungStar Spotlight winner! This fantastic honor has been bestowed upon Alyssa by DressageTrainingOnline.com.

Here is information from the press release: "Alamo, California, USA - June 21, 2010 - DressageTrainingOnline.com, announced the first ever YoungSt(a)r Spotlight grant, back in October 2009. This educational tour grants monies to a minimum of 6 chosen Young Dressage Horse enthusiasts! The monies will be spent on airfare, lodging, transportation and attendance to a prearranged hosted trip to Germany centered around the 2010 Bundeschampionate. Directly in line with those dates will be a private tour going to visit top young horse trainers, riders and breeders. Additional exclusive small forums and discussions with many of the world's most knowledgeable and successful in this specific area will be additional pieces to this tour. Educational segments led by DTO feature partner trainer, Dr. Ulf Moeller, head trainer of the famed PSI sporthorses, Michael Klimke, Ingo Pape and numerous FEI judges, well versed in young horse evaluation. To walk away with a grounded understanding of what to look for and how to develop outstanding young dressage horses is the focus of this program. The tour will be led primarily by the USA's official USEF Young Dressage Horse Coach and Trainer Scott Hassler, who has trained and developed over 25 horses to the Grand Prix level and Reisa Bonetti, Founder of DressageTrainingOnline.com, who has sponsored the grant as an opportunity to lend a hand toward the education and success of the USA in the future development and success of up and coming grand prix horses. "The educational tour developed out of the obvious need for further learning around "proper" development of the young horse. They are so different mentally and physically from an older more confirmed horse. I see so much struggling from the majority of owners of young horses, dreams that may not come true and mixed messages from the competitive young horse community in America. I saw a real need for better more in depth information, coming from those who have been there, done that..., so I decided to throw my hat into the ring for making a difference in that area of our Dressage Community." Says founder of DressageTrainingOnline, Reisa Bonetti. "This tour is sure to be so valuable to the participants, if each of the attendees are able to positively affect a handful of horses, it is a success! The plan is to be able to grow the monies needed for increased tour attendance and provide this grant on an annual basis." The winners were chosen based on their experience with developing young dressage horses, their proven dedication and passion around making this a focus of their career and nominations and references submitted to DressageTrainingOnline.com from their supporters. DTO is making the first time announcement of the following individuals as recipients of the first annual YoungSt(a)r Spotlight: Jamee Amundson of Colorado, Alyssa Pitts of Oregon, Kelly Krambs of California, Benjamin Pfabe of Virginia, Brandi Benedict of Virginia, Lauren Ball Tisdale of Ohio and our 2 runners up are Lisa Pembleton of Florida and Linda Shultz of Kentucky. Congratulations to all of our winners! Follow DressageTrainingOnline.com, online, on facebook , twitter and through our newsletter. You may continue to follow the spotlight of more tour details, watch a filmed documentary of the tour as well as viewing the 2011 tour details, by visiting DressageTrainingOnline.com's, Community Connection."

Alyssa Pitts and Jil Sander have been invited to ride in the USEF Elite Rider clinic with Morten Thomsen at Arroyo del Mar in San Diego, CA. Morten Thomsen is the new team coach for the US team.

Alyssa Pitts and Jil Sander were invited to ride in the USEF Talent Search with Debbie McDonald at Epona Farms in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Here is an excerpt from an article on Eurodressage.com explaining the USEF Talent Search: "Historically, the United States has had great success on the international stage, however, as USEF Dressage Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons explained, "Of everything we do right now, the Developing Clinics are probably the most important thing as they are all about the future and developing new Team members and new horses. We need to create depth in our Teams, because we have some great horses at the top, but we need more coming in after them and we want to be able to have more choices." "I think where we have lacked a little bit in the past is not really trying to develop future combinations for the United States," McDonald added, "as some of our top horse and rider combinations are getting older, we are starting to realize that we need to be thinking about the future, which is why the Developing Clinics were created." She elaborated on one area of particular interest, saying, "The Talent Search, especially, is about finding people who might not be on a list or have gone to championship, but who are very promising and discovering them, giving them a path to follow, a plan for future, and if they don't have sponsors, finding them a way to go ahead and continue on that path." "The program was designed to find future Olympians to represent the United States," noted McDonald."

Alyssa Pitts and Jil Sander won both of their Fourth Level, Test 3 classes with a 70% and a 69%.

Alyssa Pitts and Avery swept all of their First Level classes with scores of 75%, 74%, 73.7%, and 73.4%, scoring the four highest scores of the show.

AP Dressage is excited to host a clinic with Piaffe/Passage specialist, Alfredo Hernandez. We are lucky to have Alfredo come to the Northwest...Alfredo has worked with many of California's top trainers including Leslie Morse, Hilda Gurney, Tracey Lert, Sandy Howard, Tracey Hill, and recently, he has caught the attention of Steffen Peters. Alfredo has a gift with horses, and horses of all levels are welcome from green to Grand Prix. Please contact Alyssa Pitts for more information. (360) 453-7196. There are some riding slots still available, and auditors are welcome.

Alyssa Pitts and AP Dressage have moved to Cedar Meadow Farm in Snohomish, Washington. Alyssa is very sad to leave all of her friends in California, and she will really miss everyone in the horse world in California. It has been a tough decision process, but she is also excited to be back home in Washington, and she hopes to have as much fun in Washington as she has had in California. She is now accepting new students and horses in training as well as offering boarding at Cedar Meadow Farm.

Alyssa Pitts and Bruce Keeler and Harvey van Dyke's VaVoom MRR won three out of their four Third Level classes with high scores of 67% and 66%. This was VaVoom MRR's first show, and he turned a lot of heads.

Alyssa Pitts and Ziva were Reserve Champions in the Cal Bred Futurity, placed 4th in the Open Futurity, and were 8th in the CDS Training Level (despite having a longside of letters blow down during their test!).

Alyssa Pitts and Jil Sander placed 6th in the USDF Third Level, 9th in the CDS Third Level, and placed 2nd in their Third Level warm-up class.

Alyssa Pitts and Avery placed third in their Training Level warm-up class with a 70%.

Laura Langford and Paulette placed 9th in the CDS Amateur Third Level.

Alyssa Pitts and Ziva were the overall show High Point with a score of 75%! Alyssa and Ziva were also the Woodside Series Training Level Champions, scoring 73.2%. They won all three of their First Level classes with high scores of 75% and 73%.

Alyssa Pitts and Jil Sander were the Woodside Series Champions for Third Level, and they also won their Fourth Level class as well.

Alyssa Pitts and Avery were Woodside Series Reserve Champion at Training Level, only 1 overall point behind Ziva, with a 72.8%.

Laura Langford and Paulette were the Woodside Series Third Level Amateur Champions.

Alyssa Pitts and Avery won their Training Level class with a 72.8%.

Congratulations to Laura Langford and Paulette, CDS RAAC Reserve Champion at Third Level! They also won two of their Third Level classes.

Alyssa Pitts and Avery swept all of their Training Level classes on their way to winning the Jeanine Merrill Memorial Trophy. They scored 77%, 76.8%, 76%, and 74%.

Alyssa Pitts and Ziva placed second to Avery in all of their classes except one, scoring 73.6%, 69.6%, 69.6%, and 68.8%.

Allison Walewski and Enigma placed 3rd in the CDS RAAC Second Level.

Alyssa Pitts and Jil Sander won Jil Sander's debut at Fourth Level with a 66.9%. They also won one of their Third Level classes, scoring 69.7% and 65.9%.

Alyssa Pitts and Ziva had a great first outing together, winning most of their Training Level classes with scores of 77%, 75%, 75%, 75%, and 69.6%

Alyssa Pitts debuted Sure Pik at Training Level, winning most of their Training Level classes with high scores of 78%, 75%, 72%, 72%, and 69.6%.

Elise Cutini and Solut won one of their Second Level classes and have qualified for the USDF Championships at Second Level.

Allison Walewski and Enigma won both of their Second Level classes.

Charlene Ku and Bear It All won several of their First Level classes.

Laura Langford and Paulette scored 64%, completely their qualifications for the CDS Championships at Third Level.

Elise Cutini and Solut scored 64% in both of their Second Level classes and have qualified for the CDS Championships at Second Level.

Allison Walewski and Enigma picked up another qualifying score at Second Level as well.

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of my beloved Finckenburgh, better known as "Sam". Sam was my first FEI horse, and he was a superstar of a horse in every respect. Besides being a gifted athlete and a patient teacher, he was a true gentleman. Upon his import to the USA, he became Kristina Harrison-Naness' first top quality horse. I retired him 3 years ago, and he has enjoyed a lovely retirement in the green pastures of Washington state with my parents, Bonnie and Garry. They loved Sam dearly as well, and I know that he couldn't have had a better retirement.

Alyssa Pitts and Brynna Quillin's Donnerhill scored 67.9 and 67.5 in Donnerhill's Fourth Level debut, placing 2nd in both classes.

Megan Leonard and Regantanzer had an incredible debut at Third Level, winning their first class and placing second in their other class with scores of 66% and 65%! Congratulations and welcome back Megan and Regantanzer!

Diane Abraham and Uddevalla had a great start to the season, placing 2nd and 3rd in their First Level classes earning two qualifying scores.

Alyssa Pitts has been admitted to the USEF "r" Judging Program. Successful completion of this program results in becoming an official USEF licensed "r" judge...wish Alyssa luck!