Emily McGowan (center) receives her equitation blue ribbon from grand prix rider Molly Ashe-Cawley (left) as mother Katie McGowan watches. (Classic Communications) Bridgehampton, NY - For the eighth consecutive year, the Hampton Classic hosted the championship finals for the Long Island Horse Show Series for Riders with Disabilities on Monday, with riders in three divisions competing for year-end titles. Bridgehampton National Bank sponsored the day of competition for riders with disabilities,...

Jennifer Bliss rode Extraordinary to the first place finish in the $10,000 GGT Footing 3'3" Hunter Derby on the final day of the Fieldstone Summer Showcase (Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group) Halifax, MA - The Fieldstone Summer Showcase I ended Sunday with the much-anticipated $10,000 GGT Footing 3'3" Hunter Derby where Jennifer Bliss guided her two top mounts to the 1-2 finish. The derby has always been both a competitor and crowd favorite at the Fieldstone Show Park in Halifax, MA, and...

As you know I occasionally receive a story from a Western Dressage rider and this week I would like to share with you the story behind a beautiful magazine cover photo that appeared recently in Paint Horse Journal and which featured coverage of Western Dressage. The photo was of Katrina Sanders and her Paint horse Pirate. Here is what Katrina shares with western dressage enthusiasts this week: “Thank you so much for offering to feature my photo in your blog! I am honored and so grateful...

Richie Moloney and Slieveanorra - (Cealy Tetley) Bromont, Quebec - Irish rider Richie Moloney finishes in first place in the Modified Grand Prix event, on Saturday July 27 at the 38th edition of International Bromont. Venezuelan course designer Leopoldo Palacios' course comprised many technical difficulties, as the participants' results reflect. Of the 34 pairs registered, none succeeded in executing a perfect round: the time allowed of 83 seconds combined with a highly challenging...

Centurion B and Lisa Goldman Traverse City, MI - Lisa Goldman took a chance. When she came around the corner to the last line in the jump-off of the $10,000 Positive Step Open Jumper Welcome Prix, she had a choice to make: pull or kick. Her split-second decision to kick made all the difference. She and Centurion B earned their second consecutive blue ribbon at Horse Shows by the Bay Series IV, by a margin of just .06 seconds. Charles Jacobs, of Boston, MA, who challenged Goldman eight horses...

Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run's Eternal (Mary Adelaide Brakenridge) Parker, CO - The crown jewel of the Summer in the Rockies six-week series, the $50,000 Parker Adventist Hospital Grand Prix, was held on Saturday afternoon. It was Military Day at the Colorado Horse Park, honoring and welcoming military and first responders to enjoy family activities and great show jumping. Title sponsor Parker Adventist Hospital was on hand for helmet fittings and distribution of free riding helmets to...

Kevin Babington rides Mark Q to victory in the $100,000 Woodlea Farms Grand Prix (The Book, LLC) Lake Placid, NY - Irish Olympic veteran Kevin Babington won the $100,000 Woodlea Farms Grand Prix at the 36th annual I Love New York Horse Show, Presented by Sea Shore Stables, LLC. Babington was one of 12 entries from the starting field of 32 to reach the tiebreaking jump-off by riding without penalty over the 16-jump, first-round course designed by Richard Jeffery at the North Elba Showgrounds. He...

Josephina Nor-Lantzman and Chello Z (McCool) San Juan Capistrano, CA - On another gorgeous breezy Southern California afternoon, sixteen horse and rider combinations attempted the track set by internationally renowned course designer Guilherme Jorge in the $30,000 June Classic III Grand Prix, presented by The Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel. The challenges on course resulted in only three fault-free rounds with the victory going to the only double clear of the day, Brazilian Josephina Nor-Lantzman...

Westport, CT – A short month and a half ago, Molly Ashe Cawley underwent serious back surgery, but this week anyone watching her ride at the Farifield County Hunt Club June Benefit Horse Show would never have guessed. In her first time out since the surgery, Ashe claimed a victory in the $5,000 New England Hunter Derby aboard her talented derby mount Kenzo, owned by Kristen Abbatiello-Neff. The win in Connecticut comes as part of a string of successes for Norfield Stables LLC, which Ashe...

Todd Minikus and Uraguay (The Book, LLC) North Salem, NY – Todd Minikus and Legacy Stables' Uraguay won the highlight event of the first week of the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, the $50,000 Old Salem Farm Grand Prix presented by Suncast. They were fastest in the jump-off to beat Darragh Kerins (IRL) on E-Muze Yek and Christine McCrea (USA) with Romantovich Take One. Along with top show jumping, there were Grand Hunter Champions awarded, as well as Classics for the Medium and...