Lexington, KY - Lillie Keenan, of New York, NY, has been named the first Show Jumping Hall of Fame Rider of the Month for 2013. Keenan competes in the East Conference Junior division of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series aboard Londinium. The month of January was very successful for Keenan and her riding partner, as they earned a 3rd place finish at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival’s first week, a 1st place finish at the Festival’s second week, and a 4th place...

After a second-place finish in last week’s $5,000 offering, Jenny Karazissis stepped up for the cash and finished first in the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix, this time aboard Undeniable. Karazissis hopes to again make the trip east this year for the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final (Flying Horse Photography) Thermal, CA - It was a rewarding day for hunter riders in Thermal, as Desert Circuit III wound to a close with two big-money competitions on Sunday, which marked the conclusion of...

Michael Hughes continues to prove that age doesn’t matter in the show ring. The junior rider piloted Luxina to a win in the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, this weekend at HITS Ocala and topped some of the country’s biggest names in show jumping (ESI Photography) Ocala, FL – Michael Hughes, 17, topped a star-studded field on Sunday in the $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Ocala IV. Hughes of Allendale, NJ had two rides in Sunday’s main event and...

Gramercy Park (Clip Clip Click) Lexington, KY - In 2011, the Peter Wetherill Cup debuted as an award to celebrate a current equine athlete who best exemplifies the qualities of a top-class show hunter. This prestigious perpetual trophy is presented annually at the Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular in Wellington, FL, to the owner of the World Championship Hunter Rider Program's Hunter of the Year. The elegant silver cup was donated by the USHJA Foundation in honor of late horseman Peter...

Since 1906, the National Western Stock Show in Denver has been the Super Bowl of livestock shows. On January 24th at this year’s show, Cliff Swanson, along with the Western Dressage Association® of Colorado , presented a two hour clinic in the basics of Western Dressage. Drawing from his skill set clinics, Cliff was able to demonstrate what he normally teaches in five or six half-day clinics. Cliff explained the history of dressage, as he began with a demonstration of aids,...

Ben Maher and Quiet Easy 4 (Sportfot) Wellington, FL -Week five of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by Adequan®, concluded on Sunday afternoon with a win for Olympic gold medalist Ben Maher of Great Britain aboard his young mount Quiet Easy 4 in the $25,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. Maher has been a dominant force in Wellington over the last two weeks with back to back grand prix wins, including last night's $82,000 Adequan...

Kalvin Dobbs and Winde (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Sunday's competition began in the morning with a win for 17-year-old Kalvin Dobbs, of Carmel, IN, aboard Treesdale Farms' Winde in the $15,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix. The class, presented by the Dutta Corporation in association with Guido Klatte, saw 39 entries jumping the course set by Bob Ellis. Nine went clear to advance to the jump-off, and Dobbs and Winde breezed through the short course in 41.928 seconds for the...

Ben Maher and Urico (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Week five of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) featured another exciting "Saturday Night Lights" event with over 4,000 spectators looking on as Great Britain's Ben Maher won his second grand prix in a row for the winter circuit. Maher jumped to victory in the $82,000 Adequan® CSI2* Grand Prix aboard Jane Clark's Urico after also taking top honors in last week's $100,000 Fidelity Investments® CSI 2*...

Ashlee Bond and Wistful on their way to a win in the $54,500 HITS Grand Prix CSI-W2*, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Thermal with their sights set on a 2013 World Cup appearance. They topped 24 for the win. (Flying Horse Photography) Thermal, CA - Before the start of HITS Desert Horse Park’s $54,500 HITS Grand Prix CSI-W2*, presented by Zoetis, course designer Florencio Hernandez of Mexico said that his goal was to have between one and three clear. He landed on the low side of that...

Avery Hinson and Rio's Reflection (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Avery Hinson of New Albany, OH, bested a class of 29 junior riders during Saturday's Taylor Harris Insurance Service's (THIS) National Children's Medal class during week five of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Hinson led the class with her twelve-year-old Warmblood gelding, Rio's Reflection, with a score of 87 points. Maria Moore finished second aboard Angela Moore's...