Ben Maher and Contigo (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - The 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) got underway with its eighth week of competition on Wednesday with a win for Great Britain's Ben Maher and Contigo in the $25,000 Nutrena Jumper Classic. Anthony D'Ambrosio (USA) is the course designer in the International Arena for week eight. D'Ambrosio began the week with 48 entries in the $25,000 Nutrena Jumper Classic with a 15-horse jump-off and six double clear rounds. Olympic team...

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Fibonacci 17 (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Germany's Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Fibonacci 17 were the winners in Saturday night's $372,000 Suncast® CSI 5* Grand Prix in week seven of the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Jumping under the lights of the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC), Michaels-Beerbaum and the 10-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding (For Feeling x Corland) won a six-horse jump-off,...

The 2015 FEI World CupTM Finals in Las Vegas has announced that tickets for individual sessions of both the Longines FEI World CupTM Jumping Final and the Reem Acra FEI World CupTM Dressage Final will go on sale on the event’s website on February 17, 2015. The FEI World CupTM Finals return to Las Vegas, April 15-19, 2015, marking the Finals' first time in the U.S. since 2009, and the sixth time that Las Vegas has had the honor of hosting one of the world’s most prestigious...

Kelley Farmer and Mindset (Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group) Wellington, Fla. - An underdog rose to the top of the ranks Friday at The Ridge at Wellington's second annual Hunter Derby Days. Mindset is the rising superstar of Rose Hill Farm, bought for Lilli Hymowitz to show in the Small Junior Hunter division, but professional hunter rider Kelley Farmer captured the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby victory with consistent rounds and finesse on the turf derby field. Farmer and...

Kasey Perry and Goerklintgaards Dublet (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, Fla. - Kasey Perry (USA), coming off of a fantastic week of performances at Week 3 of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF), topped the FEI Intermediaire 1 Freestyle class, presented by Chesapeake Dressage Institute. Perry aboard Goerklintgaards Dublet scored a 72.150%, followed by Christoph Koschel (GER) on Leuchtfeuer DE finishing on a 71.225%, and Kimberly Herslow (USA) and Rosmarin placing third with a score...

McLain Ward and Best Buy (Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group) Wellington, Fla. - Set amidst lush pastures, voluminous trees and a cloudless sky, The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour ended the third of its 12-week series. Friday, McLain Ward and Best Buy would ride to the top of the leader board, tripping the timers in an untouchable 37.911 seconds, a second and a half faster than second place finisher Beth Underhill with Viggo. Riders were faced with 15 efforts in a challenging course designed by...

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...

Todd Minikus and Quality Girl claim the Zoetis $1 Million Grand Prix (ESI Photography) Saugerties, N.Y. - They’ve been second and third in the money before, but today Todd Minikus (Loxahatchee, Fla.) and Quality Girl galloped triumphantly to a Zoetis $1 Million Grand Prix win. With the weather on the side of spectator and exhibitor – clear, breezy and comfortable – Minikus was both ecstatic and thankful. “As athletes we appreciate the opportunity and support from...

Kevin McCarthy claiming top honors with Jeffrey Welles (left) and Darren Granziano (Alex Lynch) Halifax, Mass. - Friday was speed day at The Silver Oak Jumper Tournament, but although many were speedy, few were clean in our main event. With an exciting Welcome Stake ending the day yesterday, today's featured class was the 1.30m Cross Insurance Speed Derby. Olaf Peterson Jr.'s unique Speed Derby course design made for an exciting afternoon at Silver Oak. In a field of 29 horse and rider...

The victorious U.S. team. (Samantha Lamb) Hickstead, England - The USA team rode out as the winners of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ of Great Britain, held Friday at the All England Jumping Course, Hickstead. The quartet of McLain Ward (Rothchild), Reed Kessler (Cylana), Margie Goldstein-Engle (Royce) and Beezie Madden (Cortes C) led from the start in Friday's feature class of the Longines Royal International Horse Show. After the first round, they were the only nation to finish on a...