Lexington, KY - The Eventing Eligible Athlete Committee and Eventing High Performance Committee have unanimously recommended David O'Connor to be the Eventing Chef d'Equipe/Technical Advisor to succeed Capt. Mark Phillips in 2013. The recommendation will go to the USEF High Performance Working Group before being presented to the USEF Executive Committee. The search for Capt. Phillips replacement began in 2010. Nine applications were received by the Search Committee. The Committee shortlisted...

Lexington, KY — Grant applications continue to come in to USA Equestrian Trust (USAET) but there’s still time to submit a proposal. All not-for-profits are invited to apply by going to the web site at https://www.trusthorses.org/grant/request.html to fill out the online grant application. The deadline is May 2 at 5 p.m. EST. Past recipients of grants include those doing equine health research, equestrian land conservation, and educational programs. The Trust welcomes applications for need-based...

Kent Farrington and Uceko. (V.Valenti/James Leslie Parker. ) Tampa, FL - Kent Farrington piloted the gray warmblood Uceko to two clear rounds to win Saturday's $200,000 Gene Mische American Invitational, presented by G & C Farm, in Tampa, Florida. This was the 39th year for the Invitational, which was held at Tampa's famed Raymond James Stadium. It is the first that was held after the death of Gene Mische last year. Mische, the founder of Stadium Jumping, Inc., was the creator of the...

Aaron Vale and Paparazzi. (ESI Photography.) Ocala, FL – Aaron Vale won the $25,000 Ocala Horse Properties, LLC Grand Prix on Saturday, April 9, during the Ocala International held at Sharn Wordley Equestrian in Ocala, FL. Just as Canada’s Francois Lamontagne had done the week before during the Ocala Jumping Classic, Vale won the $10,000 Blue Gate Farm Open Welcome on Thursday, April 7, as well as Saturday’s $25,000 Ocala Horse Properties, LLC Grand Prix during the Ocala International. Having...

In a sport involving controlled movements and precise manoeuvres, Langley para-equestrian dressage rider Stephanie Ross is making leaps and bounds. Ross, 18, who has cerebral palsy, recently won three first-place finishes at her first international dressage competition (in California) in March and is on her way toward qualifying for the Canadian Paralympic para-equestrian team heading to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. "As long as my riding stays up to par, I hope to be at the 2016 [Paralympics]," she...

Jennifer Alfano and Miss Lucy at Spring Gathering Charity Horse Show. (Photo by Heather Bellock/PMG.) Katy TX - Today was another beautiful, sunny day for riders at the Spring Gathering Charity Horse Show held at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center. This morning the professional hunter divisions wrapped up in the Main Indoor and awarded championship honors. Jennifer Alfano, Tamara Provost and Erynn Ballard secure championship honors with impressive performances. Jennifer Alfano took home the...

Steffen Peters and Weltino's Magic. (Photo by Jennifer M. Keeler) Burbank, CA - In sunny California, the competition for a coveted spot on the U.S. and Canadian Pan American Games teams heated up during the Festival of the Horse CDI-W/Y/J, held March 31-April 3, 2011, at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank. Despite a large and talented group of international competitors, there was no stopping Steffen Peters with what the judges deemed his new "super horse", Weltino's Magic. Peters and...

Wellington, FL - The 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival has come to a close after a successful 12 weeks of competition. Jennifer Alfano and SBS Farms' Jersey Boy have led the USHJA International Hunter Derby program since its inception, winning classes all over the country in the last few years and proving their expertise in the handy rounds and finesse over the jumps. Tonight was no different, as the pair jumped their way to victory in the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby during the...

Danielle Fleegle with Waterloo and his trainer, Adrian Griner. (Photo courtesy Danielle Fleegle.) Westminster, MD - Danielle Fleegle knew something was wrong. She just had to figure out what that “something” was. Eventually, she did. And a horse named Waterloo went from nearly put down – twice – to a star. In 2010, the horse once known primarily for his bucking, won a PHR Silver Stirrup Award and became the CBLM Training Level Champion and GAIG Reserve Training Level Champion. “I’m so glad that...

Kreuth, Germany - The 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) European Futurity hosted ancillary classes in the $15,000 added Open, $7,500 added Non Pro, $1,000 added Novice Horse Open Level 2 and $1,000 added Novice Horse Non Pro Level 2 this week. The $15,000 added Open Champion is Volker Schmitt (GER) riding Chic Magnetic. The two scored a 228 earning both the NRHA Lawson trophy and $4,653 in prize money. Bernard Fonck (BEL) and Kitas Spark claimed the Reserve Champion title scoring a...