Kelsey Thatcher aboard Mirasol in the small junior hunters. Mirasol is a nine year-old 15.3 hand Warmblood gelding.

Posted in Bigeq Show Shots ,

Chelsey Zulia and Peterpotamus, an 8 year-old 14.2h Welsh/TB gelging owned by Mika La Mare, LLC.

What's in a name? Peter Potamus was a cartoon series from the mid-1960s. It featured Peter Potamus the hippopotamus and his sidekick, So-So the monkey. Peter was big, purple, and friendly. Episodes generally consisted of Peter and So-So exploring the world in his time-traveling hot air balloon.

Posted in Bigeq The Pony Zone ,

For all you equitation course junkies out there, of course you can find tons of courses at our sister site, MedalMaclay.com, but here are snapshots of the equitation courses from the Capital Challenge Equitation Weekend.

North American Equitation Championships:

THIS National Children's Medal:

North American Adult Equitation Championship:

Posted in Bigeq

Here's a sequence of pics that'll make you laugh:

It was apparently a looong show day for Alexandra Cheng's equitation horse Galileo, who looked ready for a nap while taking a few extended yawns!

Posted in Bigeq Show Shots ,

2009 North American Equitation Champion: Chase Boggio on Graphiq (pictured on Saturday)

Another day of excellent competition is in the books. Three big winners emerged:

Chase Boggio won the North American Equitation (we were very pleased with that, as he was one of our favorites based on his #2 ranking on the 2009 Bigeq.com Eq Index). He rode just beautifully and his horse Graphiq went around very smoothly with a lovely rhythm. He completely dominated, winning by more than 6 points. Not even a rideoff this year. Reserve went to Laura King and we hear there's not a nicer young woman on the circuit. Congrats!

Sylvia DeToledo won the THIS National Children's Medal Final. People probably don't realize how difficult it is to qualify for these finals, it's unbelievably competitive and a real grind all year to accumulate the points to attend the finals. So each of those kids walking into the ring has already accomplished something impressive. Nonetheless, Sylvia emerged as the champion on Lion King, who is like the "Grappa" of 3' equitation. He's won the children's medal three times now, with sisters Lindsey and Kristen Mohr (they own him) and now Sylvia. He also won the Ariat Adult Final in '07 with Lindsey. He's a star, and Sylvia rode him to perfection. Props to reserve champion Sydney Calloway, she also rode brilliantly. The final result was very, very close and very well ridden.

Charlene Graham won the North American Adult Equitation title. She epitomized the classic "hunter" in hunter seat equitation, riding two lovely flowing courses on her pretty bay mare "Only You." Charlene was a delighted winner, which was nice to see. Reserve went to Melissa Feller, who was also the 2008 reserve champion in the Ariat Adult Medal Final. She rode her courses in a wonderful forward pace which was nice to watch.

The Capital Challenge Equitation Weekend, presented by us -- Bigeq.com!!! -- has come to a close. Congratulations to all the horses and riders for a great weekend of competition.

For those who were unable to attend or watch online at EquestrianSport.tv. We taped the rounds of the winners. They're on YouTube. Click the links below. Enjoy!

Chase Boggio & Graphiq
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb1ROHb_gmg

Sylvia DeToledo & Lion King
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHuwLE3pKxs

Charlene Graham
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0_RqHYf-GY

Posted in Awesome Amateurs Bigeq , Cool Clips , Show Shots ,

Sights and scenes from day one of the Capital Challenge Equitation Weekend... Cayla Richards wins the North American Flat Equitation Championship and the 15 year-old equitation division championship... Jessica Springsteen wins the 16 year-old division, riding two horses, Papillion 136 and a striking gray, Class Action... Morgan Hale (17), Caroline Spogli (13-14), and Sydney Callaway (12&u) win their age divisions. Amber Henter rides to two reserves, in the 16-year old division and in the North American Flat Equitation Championship. So many really lovely horses to watch. Helped with a lot of the awards presentations - lots of gracious and polite winners, tall horses (trying to get those ribbons on the bridle - ladder needed) and general good times. Excited for tomorrow!

View from the sponsor lounge.

2009 Capital Challenge Horse Show

Diederique Vander Knaap, youngest rider in the top ten of the NA Flat Equitation Championship - at 12!!! Wow.

Cute & Cute

Jessica Springsteen collects another blue.

Ribbons are pretty.

One of the courses.

Taylor Ann Adams in action.

Hannah Von Heidegger is all smiles after a win. She finished as reserve champion of the 12/u division.

Posted in Bigeq Show Shots , The Art of Showing ,

Bigeq.com's Horse Show Feature

Hey horse shoppers! Wouldn't it be nice if there was an online database of horse shows and the horses for sale at them? It would be so convenient, right?

Well it turns out Bigeq.com recently created a database on our website and it's right on our front page under the "UPCOMING HORSE SHOWS" section. That's not any random list of shows; if a show is listed there, it means that one of the horses for sale on Bigeq.com is attending that horse show. You can click that link to see the horses competing there, and then call and make an appointment.

What a fabulous selling tool! Sellers, take advantage of this extra feature to help market your horse! It's simple to add the shows your horses are attending:

Login to your Bigeq.com account and "Edit" your horse's ad. Then it's five simple steps:

1) On your horse's ad page, scroll down to "Horse shows this horse is attending."  Click on the dropdown menu of shows (listed in alphabetical order) and select the show your horse is attending. If your show isn't listed, simply type it into the text box under "Don't see a show..." and click "Add."

2) Then select a "start date" ( select an end date of the show if it is multiday).

3) Click "Add Show." Now you'll see your show added to the show schedule!

4) Enter in all of your horse's shows.

5) Now one last VERY IMPORTANT step:
Scroll down and click "Save" at the bottom of the page!

Voila! Now you're done and buyers can coordinate with you to see your horses at shows. It's brilliant! So use this feature and help buyers in their shopping process, and help yourself sell horses more effectively. :)

Happy buying and selling on Bigeq.com!

Posted in Bigeq Online Selling Tips ,

A pair of deliciously cute kids and their ponies! Both compete in the children's pony hunter division.

Here is Ramataas and Brooke Fravel having a quiet moment between classes. Ramataas is a 7 year-old 14.2h Arabian gelding.

Meanwhile, Raspberry Wine and Morgan Ward contemplate their course... and then complete it!

Raspberry Wine is a 10 year-old 12.1 7/8h Welsh Cross gelding owned by Alexa Effron.

Posted in Bigeq The Pony Zone ,

If you were shopping for a 3' equitation horse or hunter, which horse would you call about based on the pictures?

Ok, ok... you can probably tell that's a trick question. It's the same horse, but the photos illustrate the importance of selecting good photos for your online ad. If I were looking for a 3' eq horse and hunter, I'd call on "D". The horse looks clean, shiny and sharp with her knees. Even though photo C is a show photo, it's not really flattering, with her twisting her chest and knees over the fence as if she'd just chipped out of a terrible distance. Photo A is a schooling photo from a lesson, and not very eye catching, while Photo B is over a tiny fence that she's stepping over, even though she looks perfectly attractive.

So this example brings us to another of our Online Selling Tips: PHOTOS = VERY IMPORTANT!!

NOT JUST ANY PHOTO WILL DO when trying to sell your horses online. Riding and showing is a visually-intensive sport. We evaluate a horse not only on whether it clears a fence, but whether it does so in 'good form.'

Your photo is a buyer's first impression of the horse. In an instant the photo has to sell all your horse's good traits, as the buyer is scanning the search results pages. That little thumbnail image is the first step in hooking a potential buyer, so make sure it's good. Here are our tips on selecting good photos to accompany your ads:

• First off: no picture, no sale. We sampled the page views for a group of comparable large ponies listed during a one month time period. The ponies with photos were viewed more than twice as much as the ponies with no photos, despite being similar in capabilities and experience. Any photo is better than none.

• Get a good jumping photo (or conformation shot if the animal isn't backed/jumping yet). Try to get the magic "knee" shot, with both knees up and together at the midpoint of flight over the fence. Many buyers like to view a conformation shot, and the ideal shot would have the horse bridled, clean, and posed in a background that is not distracting on a sunny day.

• A professional or high quality amateur photograph from a horse show is best. DO NOT steal proofs from professional photographers online. Buy the photos and get permission to use them from the photographer.

• If you decide to photograph your horse at home, remember to present the horse as if you would at a show, meticulously groomed, and tack clean (avoid bright, distracting tack bling, polos/boots or saddle pads). The rider should also be well dressed, in boots, breeches and a polo shirt. You want the buyer to focus on the horse, not on the rider's hot pink hat cover and matching saddle pad.

• Select a nice jump to photograph, similar to what you might see in the show ring in terms of condition, not chipped up and worn out. Be aware of distractions in the background: like other horses, people by the ring, farm buildings/equipment, etc. For conformation shots, much of the same applies: pick a nice level place with few distractions. And lastly, shoot on a sunny day! Make sure you're positioned to capture the 'sunny-side' of the horse.

• As you're preparing to submit your ad for your online advertisement, we do recommend color-correcting and cropping your image in photoshop, or another editing program. Make sure the colors and lighting are bright and even, and crop out everything but the horse and the jump.

• Leave any editing at that. Don't be digitally dishonest by Photoshopping your 2'6" hunter into a working hunter. Bigeq does not condone photoshopping of jump heights or other dishonest practices, and we ban it on Bigeq.com.

Posted in Bigeq Online Selling Tips ,

Ludger Beerbaum & Coupe De Coeur

During the World Cup in Las Vegas earlier this year, one had to wonder whether there is a more beautiful horse on the planet? Jump for jump, he was nothing short of gorgeous, bringing pleasure to all in his presence.

He may not have won, but he wowed us all.

Posted in Bigeq Show Shots ,