Oklahoma City, OK - Michael Pope's 7-year-old horse, Whizota, "tried his heart out" and that determination edged the pair over their competitors into first place. Pope, Elizabeth Cosper and Olivia Hartman were crowned USEF National Youth Reining champions of three separate age groups at Saturday's 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby. The Youth qualified for the USEF Championships by earning points in Qualifying Classes throughout the country in 2010-2011. Pope, a...

Oklahoma City, OK – The 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby showcased the $155,000-added Open Derby finals on Saturday, July 1 at the Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, Okla. The NRHA Derby Show is the NRHA’s premiere event for the world’s best four-, five- and six-year-old reining horses and hosts to two slates of ancillary classes. During the go-round, 428 entries competed for a spot in the finals with 69 of the top-scoring horse-and-rider teams...

Oklahoma City, OK – The 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby featured the $40,000-added Level 4 Non Pro; $22,500-added Level 3 Non Pro; $12,500-added Level 2 Non Pro; $7,500-added Level 1 Non Pro and $5,000-added Prime Time Non Pro division finals on Friday, July 1, at Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, OK. Out of the original 546 entries, the top 58 qualified to compete in Friday’s finals. Shaunda Rai Ruckman of Scottsdale, AZ, continued her stellar year...

Lexington, KY - The USEF has updated the Developing Rider List based on spring performances so far in 2011. Riders will be invited to participate in training sessions with USEF Technical Advisor Capt. Mark Phillips at competitions throughout the summer and fall seasons in preparation for the 2011 Pan American Games and 2012 Olympic Games. An additional rider was added to the Developing Rider List on June 30, 2011. Name/Age/Hometown The following riders have been named to the Developing Rider...

Oklahoma City, OK - A highlight of Thursday’s competition at the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby Show was the inaugural $15,000-added 7 & Up Non Pro Derby, which featured 25 entries aboard their experienced reining horses, age seven and older. Samantha Griffin of De Winton, Alberta, Canada, and Dun Playin Tag dominated the 7 & Up Non Pro Derby by scoring a 225 – 5.5 points ahead of the competition. The seven-year-old gelding, owned by her father Lance Griffin...

Yvonne Barteau and GP Delano (Photo by Diana Hadsall). Traverse City, MI - For Yvonne Barteau and KYB Dressage, the journey north from Maple Park, IL, proved to be quite fruitful as she and her mounts GP Raymeister and GP Delano took home both blue ribbons in this week's feature money events. GP Raymeister scored a 74.5% to win the $2500 FEI Grand Prix Musical Freestyle while GP Delano won the $1500 FEI Intermediare I Musical Freesyle with a score of 75%. Both horses are owned by Grand Prix...

Lake Placid, NY — Margie Engle of Wellington, FL, rode Indigo to victory in the $30,000 Intercat, Inc. Open Jumper Classic to highlight Friday’s competition at the 42nd annual Intercat, Inc. Lake Placid Horse Show. Engle, a 2000 Sydney Olympic veteran who has been a Grand Prix champion in Lake Placid a record seven times, was one of 11 entries from the starting field of 43 to qualify for the timed jump-off by riding without penalty over the 15-jump, first round course at the North...

Calgary, Alberta, Canada - Two-time Olympic Gold medalist McLain Ward (USA) bested an international entry of 52 to score his first victory of the Spruce Meadows “Canada One” Tournament in the WESTJET Cup. Riding his 10-year-old Dutch gelding, Pjotter, Ward piloted two clear rounds, with a blazing trip around the jump-off course of 42.52 seconds to defeat American teammate Mario Deslauriers. Fourteen horse/rider combinations had advanced to the jump-off over the technically demanding...

HH Narcos Du Marais owned by Double H Farm and ridden by Christina Kelly winner of the $32,500 Fairfield Grand Prix and the Callari Cup presented by Wells Fargo Advisors. From left to right: John E. Franzreb III, Catherine Herman, Laura Totten, Michel Nischan, George N. Venizelos, Alison Ashman, Jennifer Ross, and Lynn Coakley (Reflections Photography). Westport, CT - Christina Kelly aboard HH Narcos Du Marais owned by Double H Farm emerged victorious over a field of 24 competitors at the...

Lake Placid, NY — Todd Minikus of Wellington, FL, rode Romy to victory in the Beacon Hill Horse Transportation 1.45m Power and Speed Class to highlight Thursday’s competition at the 42nd annual Intercat, Inc. Lake Placid Horse Show. Minikus, winner of the horse show’s $75,000 Mirror Lake Inn Grand Prix of Lake Placid in 2007 and $75,000 Woodlea Farms I Love NY Grand Prix in 2004, was one of seven entries from the starting field of 15 to qualify for the speed section of the...