Lane Clarke and Semira de Saulieu (McCool) San Juan Capistrano, Calif. - Easter weekend was celebrated in style at Blenheim EquiSports Spring Classic II, complete with an Easter bunny, egg hunt, and the exciting $40,000 Spring Classic II Grand Prix, presented by Orange County Register. Indeed an International class, flags representing competitors' nationalities fluttered in the background. Spectators covered the grassy knoll above the Grand Prix field, while 38 entries tried to conquer...

Scott Brash and Hello Forever (Emily Riden/PMG) Miami Beach, Fla. - It has been 29 years since a rider representing Great Britain has led the coveted American Invitational victory gallop, but today, the world's number one rider, Scott Brash (GBR) clinched the victory during the 43rd $127,500 American Invitational. Aboard Hello Forever, Brash broke the beam in 33.35 seconds to outrun his fellow eight contenders in a nine-horse jump off and take back the title after nearly a 30-year drought...

Liz Halliday & Fernhill by Night (USEA/Leslie Mintz) Norwood, N.C. - When the ride times were changed at The Fork Horse Trials in Norwood, N.C., Liz Halliday-Sharp ended up with only five minutes of warm-up for her and Deborah Halliday’s 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse Gelding, Fernhill by Night. It turned out those five minutes were all she needed, as she was able to secure the overnight lead with a score of 41.8 – besting 41 other horse and riders. “I walked up about five...

Carlos Lopez (Stefano Grasso/LGCT) Miami Beach, Fla. - Carlos Lopez (COL) and Zephyr II claimed a fast and furious opening victory in the CSI5* schedule today at the truly special Miami Beach venue. Second place went to two-time LGCT Champ Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS) and Questina who stopped the clock just under 1.5s behind Lopez. Third went to World No15 Gregory Wathelet (BEL) and Egano van het Slogenhof who finished a nail-biting 0.06s behind Tops-Alexander. Sunbathers and paddlers enjoying...

Hardin Towell (Stefano Grasso/LGCT) Miami Beach, Fla. - It was a home win for the USA in the feature class of the day, the Artisan Farms Trophy. Hardin Towell and Cadence, owned by Jennifer Gates, were just too fast for the rest of the combinations who took to the testing Uliano Vezzani course - the pair stopped the clock at a lightening 37.15s, 2nd place went to Steve Guerdat and Concetto Son in 38.25s and 3rd to Maikel van der Vleuten and VDL Groep Arera C in 38.71s. The American really...

Reining (Paint Horse Journal) Nearly $80,000 has been added to reining, cutting and working cow horse classes at the 2015 APHA World Championship Show . When added to the existing $50,000 Farnam Pleasure Stakes payouts and more than $500,000 in additional cash and prizes, there are more reasons than ever to saddle up for the world’s premier Paint Horse show. Taking place November 4–14 at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas, the APHA World Show features the largest...

Michael Hughes Presented with the Maxine Beard Award (Emily Riden/Phelps Media Group) Wellington, FL - The United States Equestrian Team Foundation is pleased to announce that 18-year-old Michael Hughes of Allendale, NJ has been selected as the 2015 recipient of the Maxine Beard Show Jumping Rider Award. Hughes was presented with the Maxine Beard Award trophy at the Winter Equestrian Festival Finale on March 28, 2015, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. The...

(Stefano Grasso/LGCT) Miami Beach, Fla. - Crowds are already forming around the competition arena boundaries, eager to see the fantastic equine athletes here to compete in the first round of the 2015 Longines Global Champions Tour season in Miami Beach, Florida, as they train in the afternoon sunshine. The first day of the Longines Global Champions Tour beckons as tomorrow, world-class horses and riders will take to the spectacular and unique ocean-side arena for the first time to battle it out...

Waco, Texas. - Seeding and match-ups have been determined for the 2015 National Collegiate Equestrian Association National Championship, set to take place April 16-18 at the Extraco Events Center in Waco, Texas, the NCEA Selection Committee announced Tuesday. The top-12 overall teams (Western and Hunt Seat combined) are invited to compete. The NCEA Selection Committee determines and invites these teams based on a number of factors throughout the season. The top-four seeds in the NCEA...

The Big 12 Champion Baylor Bears The Baylor equestrian team took home its first Big 12 championship since 2010 with an 11-8 win over Kansas State in the finals Saturday at Turning Point Ranch in Springtown. Baylor fell 3-2 in fences, but tied in the reining event to trail just 5-4 at the halfway point. But, the Bears took a convincing 4-1 win in flat to take an 8-6 lead. With horsemanship remaining, Baylor needed two points for the win, and the Bears’ Mary Brown and Charlotte Green took...