Kelli Cruciotti and Chamonix H (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Kelli Cruciotti hasn't graduated from high school yet, but has already asserted herself as one of the most competitive young riders at the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival and a contender in the Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Series, presented by the Dutta Corp. in association with Guido Klatte. From an original order capped at 68, Cruciotti and Chamonix H, owned by Serenity Equestrian Ventures, joined an 18-horse jump-off...

Conor Swail and Martha Louise (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - The 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) concluded its second week of competition, sponsored by Wellington Equestrian Realty, on Sunday with a win for Ireland's Conor Swail and Martha Louise in the $34,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. Course designer Luc Musette finished the week with 34 rounds in the 1.50m competition with six to jump-off. Swail and Ariel and Susan Grange's Martha Louise cleared the short...

Ellie Ferrigno and Boneparte Z (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Ellie Ferrigno guided Kristi C Siam's horse, Boneparte Z, to three firsts and a second over fences to finish the final day of hunter competition as the Echo Junior Hunter 3'3" champion. Only working together for a month, Ferrigno and Boneparte Z looked like seasoned partners. "He's [Boneparte Z] a really sweet horse. We match really well, and he's really fun!" Ferrigno exclaimed. The reserve champion was awarded to...

Ian Millar and Dixson (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Canada's Ian Millar was the proud winner of Saturday night's $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 2* aboard Ariel and Susan Grange's Dixson during week two of the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). In a five-horse jump-off, Millar and Dixson topped the class by two one-hundredths of a second over Brianne Goutal (USA) and Remarkable Farms LP's Zernike K. Course designer Luc Musette (BEL) set a challenging...

Lexington, Ky. - On a night dedicated to the horse, two special athletes were recognized for their excellence in 2014 during the USEF's Year End Awards Gala. In a year that witnessed equestrian athletes excel, Cortes 'C' and Ellis GV reached the pinnacle of their sports and for their achievements were named International and National Horse of the Year, respectively. Voting was open to the public through January and both horses, already fan favorites, were rewarded for their...

Lexington, Ky. - To close out a year of milestones, Beezie Madden (Cazenovia, N.Y.) was awarded the Robert P. Strub Trophy as the 2014 USEF Equestrian of the Year at the USEF Pegasus Awards Dinner. In the process the jumping superstar again made history as the first athlete to ever earn the coveted title four times. The 2005, 2006, and 2013 Equestrian of the Year extended her legacy in 2014 with a remarkable campaign that saw her collect victories throughout North America and Europe. Her season...

Eric Lamaze and Fine Lady 5 (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - The 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) continued on Friday with the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge featured in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL. Continuing his top form throughout the first two weeks of the circuit, Canada's Eric Lamaze raced to victory aboard Artisan Farms LLC's Fine Lady 5 over teammate Tiffany Foster and Artisan Farms'...

Eric Lamaze and Rosana du Park (SportFot) Wellington, Fla. - Canada's Eric Lamaze and Rosana du Park are now two for two in this year's Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Series at the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). After winning the $25,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 1 in the first week of competition, the pair stepped up to win Thursday's $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 2 in week two at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC)...

Bull Run's Faithful and Kristen Vanderveen Win $2400 1.3-1.35m Jumpers at The Ridge at Wellington (Shannon Bower/Phelps Media Group) Wellington, Fla. - Vast green polo fields created the perfect backdrop for the start of the second week of The Ridge at Wellington's Turf Tour. Competition in both rings remained strong throughout the day on Wednesday, January 14. While the weather remained overcast for most of the morning, the sun peeked out during the afternoon to highlight a beautiful set...

Kevin Babington and Mark Q jump at the 2014 Zoetis $1 Million Grand Prix in Saugerties, New York (ESI Photography) Saugerties, N.Y. - HITS, Inc. is pleased to announce that the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) has approved the Saugerties $1 Million Grand Prix, presented by Wells Fargo, September 6, 2015, as a CSI5* event. Based on the prize money and the ranking, this class should be the highest-ranked class in the United States this year. The new FEI CSI5* designation...