Wellington, FL - February 14, 2011 - The FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) is bigger and better than ever in 2011, with more prize money and more opportunities for the world's best horses and riders to excel in the specialties of their sport. The World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Hunter Classic Spectacular will be held for the 15th straight year at the FTI WEF beginning on February 18. The Spectacular first debuted in 1997 as an expansion of the popular World Championship Hunter Rider...

Burbank, CA - Riders who dream of competing at the Pan American Games will begin their quest at the Mid-Winter Dressage Fair CDI 1*/Y/J in Burbank, CA, February 24-27, 2011. As the first official qualifying competition on the West Coast, horses and riders will compete in front of FEI judges Jayne Ayers ("I" USA), Natalie Lamping ("I" USA), and Lorraine MacDonald ("I" CAN). In addition, this competition will serve as an early-season qualifier for the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of...

Hayley Barnhill and Casallo. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - February 13, 2011 - Today's competition was the wrap-up of week 5 of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, which runs through April 3. Numbers were soaring today as competitors and spectators alike came to enjoy the sunshine and the horses. Among those competitors were the older section of Large Junior Hunters. Casallo was awarded the championship honor in the Large Junior 16-17 Hunters. Hayley Barnhill was aboard the John...

Nick Skelton and Big Star. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - February 13, 2011 - The fifth week of competition at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival concluded on Sunday with the $25,00 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic, and it was Nick Skelton (GBR) and Big Star, owned by Beverly and Gary Widdowson, who proved victorious over a field of 65 entries. Alan Wade of Co. Tipperary, Ireland, designed today's courses and set a first-round track that 11 combinations would clear....

Grace Stuntz and Fitzhugh. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - February 12, 2011 - The FTI Winter Equestrian Festival continued today and the hunter divisions were popular and competitive. Among the lucky riders who got to show in the afternoon when the sun was shining, were the Amateur-Owner 18-35 3'3" Hunters, presented by Illustrated Properties. Grace Stuntz was aboard her own mount Fitzhugh for the tricolor win this evening. Week 5 marks the second week this season that Stuntz and...

Patricia Griffith and Sway. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL February 10, 2011 - Week 5 of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, which runs through April 3, is off to a busy start in the hunter rings. Hunter horses and riders were in full swing as they aim to qualify for the 2011 WCHR Palm Beach Hunter Classic Spectacular during week 6. Among the hunter divisions that hosted horses and riders this week vying for division championship honors were the Pre-Green 3' Hunters. Patricia...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is seeking an individual to fill the position of Endurance Chef d'Equipe. The successful candidate will be provided with a contract for the 2011-2014 quadrennial and possibly longer. A Search Committee has been appointed: James Wolf - Executive Director, Sports Programs Joseph Mattingley - Endurance High Performance Committee chair Tony Benedetti - Endurance High Performance Committee member Kathy Brunjes - Endurance High...

Gladstone, NJ - February 8, 2011 - The United States Equestrian Team Foundation is pleased to announce the election of new Trustees Jenny Sutton, Chester Weber and Jack Wetzel. They will aid and assist the USET Foundation in its mission to support the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America's elite and developing international, high-performance horses and athletes in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation. Jenny Sutton, of Naples, FL, has been...

Wellington, FL - The World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach is set to take place at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center on March 9 - 11, 2011. The World Dressage Masters presented by Axel Johnson Group is the world's richest dressage series, with 100,000 Euros in prize money offered at the Palm Beach event alone. It attracts many of the world's top competitors, including Olympic and World Championship medalists. Twenty of the world's top ranked dressage...

DunHaven Expressive, 2010 People’s Choice Roadster Pony. (Photo by Casey McBride.) Lexington, KY - Each year two Shetland Ponies are honored with Shetland People’s Choice Awards. Members of both the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the American Shetland Pony Club are invited to cast their votes in favor of their favorite Shetland Harness Pony and their favorite Shetland Roadster Pony. In 2010 two exceptional Harness Ponies were honored by their peers. Abracadabra owned by Cathy...