Lexington, KY - For the first time in the history of the Western saddle sport of reining, a collection of the world’s best reining athletes slid into the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, to contest the inaugural five-star reining competition known as the CRI5* - the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup. When the dirt in the arena settled, it was Shawn Flarida and KR Lil Conquistador who laid down a spectacular pattern to take the title on a score of 226.5 in this the...

Callan Solem was victorious in the $40,000 Grand Prix with Magic Cruise at HITS Culpeper. (Photo by Rebecca Walton/PMG). Culpeper, VA - Callan Solem took both first and second place in the $40,000 HITS Grand Prix on Sunday, April 24. Solem was the only rider to complete double-clear efforts in the Commonwealth National Park finale. The Chester Springs, PA-based rider advanced to the jump-off in the show's highlight event after riding fault-free first-rounds over Danny Foster's course...

Cyndi Jackson and Strauss (USEF Archives) Lexington, KY - Dressage riders on the West coast had their opportunity to work with USEF Technical Advisor, Anne Gribbons in the first USEF Observation Session held in California in 2011 on April 5 and 6. Steffen and Shannon Peters kindly hosted the session at their Arroyo Del Mar training facility in San Diego, CA. Over two days, Gribbons worked with each combination individually, fine tuning movements with the veteran pairs and introducing new...

Lexington, KY - The schedule for the 2011 American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) Junior Exhibitor Driving Challenge has been updated, with events added in April and September. Driving Challenge classes have been added to the Oklahoma Centennial, which is set to take place beginning today, April 14, through Sunday, April 17, and the Oregon State Fair Horse Show, which is scheduled for Thursday, September 1, through Sunday, September 4. The events currently scheduled for 2011 range from...

Wellington, FL The ninth week of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) has come to a close at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Saturday Night Lights at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival brought a crowd of more than 4,200 spectators to watch Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa and Let's Fly jump to victory in the $231,000 FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix CSI 4*-W Presented by Bainbridge Companies. Pessoa earned the winning cut of prize money after an exciting jump-off of many of the top horses...

Ellen Toon and Invincible. (ESI Photography© .) Saugerties, NY - For the first time in the history of the HITS Winter Circuits in Ocala, FL; Tucson, AZ; and Thermal, CA, three extraordinary Hunter events took place at nearly the same time on Saturday night and awarded $40,000 in prize money from coast to coast. The Devoucoux Hunter Prix, a two-round Hunter classic, was by far one of the most exciting classes on the schedule this winter and the ticket for riders looking to earn their way to the...

Jonathan Wentz and NTEC Richter Scale (Lindsay Y McCall) Del Mar, CA - March 13, 2011 – Closing day of the 2011 Dressage Affaire (CDI3* W/Y/J & CPEDI3*) arrived at the beautiful Del Mar Horsepark on Sunday March 13, 2011. The Para-Equestrian Dressage riders could breath a sigh a relief with the two qualifying days of the Team Test and Individual Championship Test now completed. Sunday was the day for each rider from the United States, Canada, and Mexico to be bold and showcase his or her...

Hope Glynn and Sabrina Hellman's Woodstock. (Flying Horse Photography©.) Saugerties, NY - The Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final is the talk of the town this season and its key to qualifying, the Devoucoux Hunter Prix, continues to be one of the most popular offerings at the HITS Winter Circuits in Ocala, FL, Thermal, CA, and Tucson, AZ. Never before has a purse of this magnitude been offered for hunters, and never before have so many talented riders at all levels of their careers had the...

Kyle King and Corrine Super's Capone I. (Flying Horse Photography© . ) Thermal, CA - February 17, 2011 - Kyle King (Ocala, Florida) celebrated his birthday with a bang when he rode Corrine Super's Capone I to a triumph in Sunday's $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. Winning Sunday's feature class was extra remarkable for the birthday boy, who won the Grand Prix with the largest starting field to date at the 2011 HITS...

Pablo Barrios and G&C Quick Star 11 won the $40,000 Surpass Grand Prix, CSI 2* (Sportfot©) Wellington, FL - The third week of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) has concluded at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. In addition to 12 rings of hunter, jumper, and equitation competition, there was plenty happening on the grounds. $40,000 Surpass Grand Prix, CSI 2* Pablo Barrios (VEN) and G&C Quick Star 11, owned by G&C Farm of Wellington, FL, captured the top prize in Saturday...