It was all about speed during Sunday's $55,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. There was a steady rain throughout the class in the Main Stadium, but that did not slow anyone down. Daniel Bluman was the first on course with Fatalis Fatum and advanced to the jump-off in the lead position. The pair set an incredible clear time that could not be beat. Todd Minikus came very close with Pavarotti is second place, and Alexa Pessoa galloped to third place aboard Madison....

It was with speed and grace that Jeffery Welles was able to capture Saturday night's victory with his top mount, Armani, during a three-horse jump-off. The pair raced through the finish line in 44.36 seconds after completing a clear short course during the 2010 $200,000 Gene Mische American Invitational presented by G & C Farm at Raymond James Stadium. Peter Leone tried to catch his time with Select, who also left all the rails intact, but the duo's time of 44.87 seconds would fall just short...

Winner Matthew Metell riding Pioneer, owned by Heritage Farm (James Leslie Parker ) Gladstone, NJ - It was a picture perfect ending to a picture perfect weekend for the 2009 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – East in Gladstone, NJ. Matthew Metell, riding Pioneer (owned by Heritage Farm) captured the prestigious win at the Finals – East. This year the Finals – East had a record number of entries with 97 riders completing all three Phases. The weekend...

Team Gold medalists—Zone 8—from the Team Jumper competition. (USEF Archive/Randi Muster) Lexington, KY —Last night the joint was, as they say, jumpin’. Day three of the five-day USEF Pony Finals National Championships kicked off this morning with Phase I for the Regular Pony Hunters (model and under saddle), moved on to the Small Pony over fences class, and segued by sunset into the rousing 2009 USEF National Pony Jumper Team Championship. This year’s Small Pony Hunter title...

Maddy Darst (USEF Archive/Randi Muster) Lexington, KY—There is a lot that goes into the makings of a champion pony. Just ask Ohio’s Meredith “Maddy” Darst. She would know. And to prove it, two of her mounts—Rock the Boat and Brownland’s Mr. Mac—jumped their way through the over fences phase of the 2009 United States Equestrian Federation Pony Finals National Championships to take the Medium Green Hunter Pony and the Small Green Hunter Pony champion...

Nicole DelGiorno and Lamborghini Dane (Flashpoint Photography) Lexington, KY—The Junior dressage riders were back in the arena this morning for the Individual medal tests. Some gusty wind and impending storms made for some excitable horses, but the riders rose to the challenge and produced some lovely tests for the judges during the USDF/Platinum Performance North American Junior & Young Rider Dressage Championships. In the end, less than one whole point separated first place from...

Molly Rosin and Havarah's Charly Hold their Lead (Shannon Brinkman) Elkton, MD ¬– The temperatures dropped overnight but the competition continued to heat up at the 2008 Dansko Fair Hill International which is playing host to the 2008 USEF National CCI** and CCI*** Eventing Championships. The second day of dressage unfolded without a change to the top of the leaderboard in the CCI**. Local rider Molly Rosin and Havarah’s Charly staved off a charge from the Californian...

Hong Kong, China – Steffen Peters, the anchor rider for the US Team, did everything he could to coax a brilliant performance out of Ravel to secure the team bronze medal. Courtney King-Dye and Mythilus (Shannon Brinkman) Peters really went for broke and finished the first Individual Qualifier in 10th place individually on a 70.00%, which wasn’t quite good enough for a team medal after teammate Debbie McDonald had a completely uncharacteristic performance on Brentina. Ravel, who is...

Elkton, MD ­ – Unsettled weather continued on Friday for the second day of dressage at the USEF Eventing National CCI*** Championships at Fair Hill International, and Thursday’s leader Boyd Martin (Australia) staved off challenges for almost two entire days on a score of 46.1. It wasn’t until the second to last rider of the day, Phillip Dutton, Martin’s employer, put an end to his reign. Dutton, who is riding for the first year under the American flag put in a...

Lexington, KY – With the second day underway in the 2007 Markel/United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) National Young Horse Dressage Championships presented by Collecting Gaits Farm, Willy Arts and Waterloo SE claimed the title of National Champion in the four-year-old division, besting 19 other horses to win with a score of 8.62. It was Kentucky’s own Kathy Priest and her horse Reliance who took Reserve Champion with a score of 8.16. Arts continued their success from the day...