Patricia Griffith and Sway. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL February 10, 2011 - Week 5 of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, which runs through April 3, is off to a busy start in the hunter rings. Hunter horses and riders were in full swing as they aim to qualify for the 2011 WCHR Palm Beach Hunter Classic Spectacular during week 6. Among the hunter divisions that hosted horses and riders this week vying for division championship honors were the Pre-Green 3' Hunters. Patricia...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is seeking an individual to fill the position of Endurance Chef d'Equipe. The successful candidate will be provided with a contract for the 2011-2014 quadrennial and possibly longer. A Search Committee has been appointed: James Wolf - Executive Director, Sports Programs Joseph Mattingley - Endurance High Performance Committee chair Tony Benedetti - Endurance High Performance Committee member Kathy Brunjes - Endurance High...

Elani Rager and Castor in $25,000 HITS Grand Prix. (Brent Ericsen Photography©. ) Tucson, AZ - February 9, 2011 - Competition at the 2011 HITS Arizona Winter Circuit kicked off last week at the Pima County Fairgrounds in Tucson, AZ, with the first of six weeks of A-rated horse shows. Highlighting the week for High-Performance riders at the Sundance Welcome was Sunday’s $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, which was won by Elani Rager of Corrales, NM, and Lisa Upplegger’s...

Ben Maher and Oscar. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - February 9, 2011 - Ben Maher (GBR) scored a win this morning in the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers on the opening day of week 5 of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Maher and Oscar put down a winning time of 60.806 seconds for the win over Peter Wylde (USA) on Lipton De L'Othain (62.987 seconds) and McLain Ward (USA) on Domino (64.050 seconds). The FTI Winter Equestrian Festival's fifth week of competition continues through Sunday,...

Jumping Two familiar names jumped to the top of the $50,000 Strongid C 2X Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health which served as the first of four FEI World Cup Qualifiers at Thermal in California. Rolex/FEI World Cup veterans (they were second in 2008), Rich Fellers and Flexible got back to business and won narrowly over Richard Spooner and Cristallo. Amateur Rider Karl Cook and Uno de Laubry were third. These three combinations were the only short course clears out of the field of 27 -...

Lexington, KY – February 9, 2011 – Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), producer of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone, and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) have announced that the Kentucky Reining Cup, which includes international Reining and the first-ever World Championship Freestyle, will be held in addition to this year’s event at the Kentucky Horse Park, April 28-May 1. One of the world’s most prestigious equestrian competitions and the only CCI**** in...

Daphne Preece with Bon Orphco. (Photo courtesy of JRPR.) Wellington, FL - February 9, 2011 – Daphne Preece’s four-year-old Lusitano gelding, Bon Orphco, showed the judges he has what it takes to be a champion when he rode away with the High Score Lusitano Award at the Gold Coast Dressage Opener Festival CDI. Sponsored by the Lusitano Collection, hosts of The 2011 Lusitano Collection International Horse Auction, the High Score Lusitano Award is presented to the highest scoring Lusitano at select...

Annville, PA - February 9, 2011 - As the mid-point in the 2011 North American League (NAL) draws closer, riders are doing all they can to earn valuable points in the Series' overall standings. As point tallies are increasing, so too are excitement levels as the NAL prepares to host its first ever dual year-end Finals. The NAL will maintain its traditional year-end Finals in six divisions - Children's Hunter, Adult Hunter, Children's Jumper, Adult Jumper, Pony Jumper, and the Low...

Thermal, CA - February 8, 2011 - Rich Fellers of Wilsonville, OR, put an exclamation point on Desert Circuit II when he rode Harry and Mollie Chapman's McGuinness to the blue ribbon in Sunday's $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. Winning Sunday's feature class was icing on the cake for Fellers who, less than 24 hours earlier, captured Saturday night’s $50,000 Strongid C 2X CSI-W Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal...

Hannah Burnett had a meteoric rise to the highest levels of the sport, after coming up through the Young Riders program, she completed the 2007 Rolex Kentucky CCI4* with Keep the Faith at the age of 21. She has since won the 2009 USEF National CCI2* Championship and the 2010 National CCI3* Championship, both with Dick Thompson's St. Barths. Find out more about Hannah at: www.HSBEventing.com . I can’t believe it’s already 2011 and time to start the winter eventing season! Last...