WELLINGTON, Fla., Mar. 18--Forty of the world's top riders, including 17 Olympians, will jump for $600,000 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center on Saturday night, Mar. 21. FTI Consulting is sponsoring the $400,000 Finale Grand Prix CSI 5* at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival which is also the final event of the $200,000 FTI Rider Challenge. The Grand Prix is the richest ever held in Wellington and, combined with the Rider Challenge, will make it the richest pay day in USA jumping....

Riding for Reading returns to the horse show arena for 2009 with five events, and two are in March. Riding For Reading, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to promoting reading, literacy and education through equestrian sports and activities. The Riding For Reading class is open to riders from first through twelfth grade, and it is an opportunity for competitors to earn grants for their school’s library. Since the program began, over 500,000 students have benefitted from Riding For Reading...

The Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show has announced the changes to its Qualifying Requirements for 2009. The significant changes pertaining to show pleasure, country pleasure, and park are as follows: 1. A trainer or any member of his family may not show a customer’s show pleasure or country pleasure horse in order to qualify it for the Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show. 2. All ribbon winners in classes of six or more entries will receive the following points...

Christie Little, age nine, of Harrington, DE, is the winner of the Morgan horse, "Cash," or CBMF Walk The Line, as part of an essay contest sponsored by the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) and Team Morgan. Cash was generously donated to the contest by Ann Hailey of Copper Beech Morgans in New Albany, OH, which promoted the Morgan breed and raised funds for Team Morgan to travel to and host international equitation competitions. A fourth grader, Little has worked with her family's...

Dressage riders Kassandra Barteau and Marco Bernal rode away winners at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, both winning high score awards sponsored by Dressage Training Online. Barteau captured the USEF Level High Score and Bernal took home the FEI High Score CDI. “We love the opportunity to recognize the horses and riders who excel at this prestigious show,” said Dressage Training Online founder Reisa Bonetti. “We know the commitment it takes to succeed at this level of competition.” Barteau, who...

The Lake Placid and I Love New York Horse Shows return to the charming village of Lake Placid, NY, June 23-28, and June 30-July 5, and feature every level of competition from children under six competing in the lead line division to Olympic veterans competing in the grand prix—the pinnacle of equestrian show jumping competition. The two-week long horse show series is one of the most highly regarded stops on the nation's hunter/jumper circuit. The Lake Placid Horse Shows include two grand...

Board Members of the American Shagya Arabian Verband, Inc. (ASAV), have a new and truly innovative program that will give mare owners the chance to breed their mares for a stud fee of only $200. This promotion will bring attention to this amazing breed and assist those with limited budgets a chance to compete in today's market. Details can be found at www.shagyaregistry.com . The Shagya is very rare with only about 150 in the U.S. and about 1,500 in the world. It is an Arabian-based breed since...

Out of 50 mares, geldings, and stallions in the three-year-old and four-year-old divisions each, the two mares, H.W.'s Saskia and Quithablue stood out as the true champions that they were at the Oldenburg Free Jumping Day at the Horse Center in Vechta, Germany. Both mares were stunning in their form and explosive power over the fences, and earned top scores that were not at all easily given out by the tough judges, Ulrich Henschke and Gilbert Böckman. H.W.'s Saskia who is by Stakkato, and is...

International competitors from several nations hoping to ride at the FEI World Cup Final in dressage in Las Vegas next month get their last chance at the WEF Dressage Classic CDI-W at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Saturday night, March 14. The Grand Prix Musical Freestyle will start at 7 p.m. under lights in PBIEC's centerpiece International Arena as part of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Tables of six in the International Club can be reserved for $600 or $100...

Stadium Jumping, Inc., the world's leading horse show production company, is pleased to announce that tickets for this year's $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational are now on sale through Ticketmaster. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.ticketmaster.com . The $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational is one of the world's richest equestrian show jumping competitions. Annually, this showcase of sheer equestrian power, speed and excellence attracts the greatest riders and horses in the...