Champion Megan MacPherson and reserve champion Hannah von Heidegger with Caraneen Smith of Bigeq.com (Jennifer Wood Media, Inc. ) Upper Marlboro, MD – The Capital Challenge Horse Show opened up competition today at the Show Place Arena. This is the first day of the Capital Challenge Equitation Championship Weekend, presented by Bigeq.com. The Capital Challenge Horse Show runs through Sunday, October 7. The North American Junior Flat Equitation Championship is a fun and competitive class...

McClain Ward & Pjotter Van De Zonnehoeve (Curtis Wallis) New Albany, OH - The New Albany Classic Invitational Grand Prix & Family Day celebrated 15 years of support for the fight against family violence at the home of Abigail and Les Wexner in New Albany, Ohio today, attracting a crowd of 18,000 people to cheer on the participants in the Grand Prix competition. U.S. rider McClain Ward prevailed again aboard Pjotter Van De Zonnehoeve (PJ), whom he won the class on in 2011, as well. Ward...

Dawn Marie Looney from Stronghold Equine Equipment North Salem, NY - Stronghold Equine Equipment has confirmed their support of the American Gold Cup by joining the list of sponsors. The prestigious show started yesterday, September 12, and will run through September 16, with the famed $200,000 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W FEI World Cup Qualifying Competition as the highlight event on Sunday. All of Stronghold Equine Equipment is retailed exclusively at Stronghold Equine Equipment and Tack,...

Becky Holder and Courageous Comet (Hannah Bennett/USEA Photo) Fairburn, GA - The Merial Advanced division at the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Bit of Britain wrapped up today with the show jumping phase at Chattahoochee Hills. Mark Donovan's tough course had riders incurring numerous jump and time penalties with just five double clear rounds in the division. Becky Holder (Palmetto, GA) and Courageous Comet had one rail down but held onto their lead to win the...

Greenwich, UK - The Para-Equestrian Dressage portion of the 2012 Paralympic Games came to a close on Tuesday with Freestyle Test being ridden in Grades IV, III and 1a. Donna Ponessa was the lone U.S. representative on the day, performing her Grade 1a Freestyle in front of the Ground Jury of Kjell Myhre, Lilian Iannone, Gudrun Hofinga, Sarah Rodger and Freddy Leyman. Ponessa (New Windsor, NY) closed out the 2012 Paralympic Games for the U.S. in fine style scoring 70.75% with Wesley...

Reining National Champion Shawn Flarida and Shiners Chick (Waltenberry) Tulsa, OK - The 2012 Adequan/USEF National Reining Championship lived up to its billing on August 31 as six of the top riders in the nation went head-to-head for the title of 2012 Reining National Champion. The class, held at the Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic, had some of the top names in the sport with two of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Team Gold medalists competing. In the end, one of those riders would take...

Donna Ponessa (West Windsor, NY) had a long time to wait before she was able to make her debut at the 2012 Paralympic Games. But she made it worth the wait as she piloted Wes Dunham’s Western Rose to a score of 70.235% in front of the Ground Jury of Kjell Myhre, Sarah Rodger, Gudrun Hofinga, Freddy Leyman and Anne Prain. Riding in Grade 1a competition, Ponessa produced a steady, rhythmic test with the 9-year-old Oldenburg mare to earn fifth place. Western Rose is well Donna Ponessa and...

Reisenbeck, Germany - Heading into the 2012 FEI Four-in-Hand Driving World Championships the United States was looking to be amongst the leaders following the dressage and they have done just that. The U.S. currently stands in Bronze medal position less than a point behind the Germans in second. Reigning World Champions, The Netherlands, currently lead the Team Championship. The U.S. leads the Individual Championship as no one was able to top Chester Weber’s remarkable score of 33.41 from...

Lexington, KY - More than 500 of the very best ponies in the U.S. are in Lexington, Kentucky right now to compete at the 2012 US Pony Finals. Starting Tuesday they will be ridden into competition at the Kentucky Horse Park by youth riders from around the country. Over the next six days riders will take aim at the US Hunter Pony Championships presented by Sallee Horse Vans in Small, Medium, and Large Regular Hunter and Green Hunter sections and at an overall Regular and Green Hunter championship....

Karen O'Connor and Mr. Medicott (Shannon Brinkman) Greenwich, UK - The German Olympic Eventing Team was in a class of its own as history was made at Greenwich Park. Michael Jung led a charge that finished with him winning Team and Individual Gold in a flawless effort on Sam. They were the only combination to finish the entire competition without adding anything to their dressage score. That score of 40.6 meant that Jung is the first person ever to be the reigning European, Olympic, and World...