Grand All Over and Emma Kurtz (Photography) Wellington, FL - Grand All Over lived up to his name during week eleven of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). The fifteen-year-old Welsh Pony gelding owned by David Gochman was champion of the Visse Wedell Medium Pony Hunter divsion with Emma Kurtz. Kurtz, of Cleveland, OH, piloted Grand All Over to second place under saddle and finished first, third, and third over fences. Reserve champion was Sassafras Creek, ridden by Daisy...

Havens Schatt and Smiles (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Havens Schatt and Smiles had plenty to grin about after earning championship honors in the Lucas Equine Equipment Performance Hunter 3'3" division during week ten of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Schatt and Smiles, a ten-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Bruce Duchossois, bested the division with consistent performances over two days of competition. Day one, the pair won the under saddle...

Lexington, KY- The United States Equestrian Federation’s Dressage Developing Program, made possible by a generous gift from Akiko Yamazaki and Red Husky Foundation through U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation, has gotten off to a successful start in 2013. The program opened with two observation competitions, at the Gold Coast Opener CDI-W in West Palm Beach, FL, January 17-20 and at the Mid-Winter Dressage Fair CDI3* in Burbank, CA, February 21-24. Debbie McDonald, USEF Developing Dressage...

Lili Hymowitz and Westside (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Lili Hymowitz dominated the Voltaire Design Large Pony Hunter division on the last day of competition for week three of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Hymowitz was champion of the division with Scott Stewart's Westside, a ten-year-old Warmblood gelding. The pair won both over fences rounds on day one of competition for the division and placed second under saddle. On day two, Westside and...

Laurie Stevens and Iceman (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Iceman and Laurie Stevens were triumphant for the second week in a row at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). The duo received championship honors in the Camping World Adult Amateur Hunter 51 & Older (Section A) division during week one before taking home the championship again in week two. Stevens, of Boca Raton, FL, and her eleven-year-old Westphalian gelding placed first and eighth over fences on...

Peter Pletcher and Ivory Coast (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Ivory Coast and Peter Pletcher were named champions of the Second Year Green Working Hunter division after two days of competition at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Ivory Coast, owned by Eva Bisso, and Pletcher led the division after day one of competition when they placed third and sixth over fences before winning the under saddle. Ivory Coast and Pletcher picked up another blue ribbon, this...

Jessica Stitt and On the Hour. (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Jessica Stitt took home both champion and reserve champion prizes with her geldings On the Hour and Taken in the FarmVet Amateur/Owner 3'3" 18-35 division at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Competition for the division wrapped up on the last day of week one of the FTI WEF in the Equine Tack and Nutritionals Ring 6. On day one of competition for the division, Stitt and On the Hour placed first...

Lexington, KY - President Lee Vulgaris announced this week that the Paso Fino Horse Association (PFHA) has officially named Sally Walker as its new Executive Director. The association president stated that Walker was chosen to serve as the organization’s Director from over 70 candidates elicited through a nationwide search. Walker comes to PFHA with extensive leadership experience in the nonprofit, corporate, and private business worlds. She is also a lifelong horsewoman. Most recently,...

Lexington, KY- Four U.S. riders head to Argentina this week to take part in FEI Nations Cup competition at the prestigious CSIO-W Buenos Aires. The show running November 6-11 hosts the final Nations Cup for the U.S. jumpers to compete in for 2012. American riders Charlie Jacobs, Quentin Judge, Catherine Pasmore and Alison Robitaille will be under the guidance of Norman Dello Joio as he provides veteran leadership in the role of Chef d’Equipe. Due to rain, Nations Cup competition has been...

Emily Chapman is an 18-year-old from Tucson, Arizona who will be attending the University of Kentucky in the Spring of 2013. She is a member of the three-gaited section of the 2012 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team. There is a misconception that equitation is easy, and that the riders who show in this division simply “sit pretty” on a horse. So people often ask why I chose to compete in the equitation division over other divisions. Well, because one of the primary goals of equitation...