Karl Cook and Basimodo on their way to win the $75,000 Sunshine Series Grand Prix, at National Sunshine Series Week I (ESI Photography) Thermal, Calif. - With an enthusiastic crowd in attendance at HITS Desert Horse Park, Karl Cook and Basimodo won Saturday’s $75,000 Sunshine Series Grand Prix. Suspense grew amongst spectators as four entered the jump off, but Cook was confident in his partner, knowing the best is yet to come. “I loved how Basimodo rode tonight. He has a lot of...

Elkton, Md. –The Dutta Corp Fair Hill International came to an exciting conclusion on Sunday as three- and two-star competitors proved their mettle over Sally Ike-designed show jumping tracks. Both Jennie Brannigan and Julie Richards produced faultless rounds to claim victory in the CCI3* and CCI2*, respectively. Jennie Brannigan & Cambalda (Shannon Brinkman) With a clear effort in the show jumping, Brannigan (Kennett Square, Pa.) and Nina Gardner’s 12-year-old Irish...

Lexington, Ky. – This weekend the West coast dressage community will descend upon Epona Farms as it hosts the second USEF/USET Foundation Dressage Pipeline Clinic. This clinic, which is made possible through a gift from USET Foundation Trustee, Betsy Juliano and Havensafe Farm, will be held October 11-12, hosted by Michael Fowler's Epona Farm in Thousand Oaks, Calif. The clinic will showcase the U.S. dressage pipeline of athletes and horses with the USEF Dressage Coaches, including...

Upper Marlboro, Md. - The Capital Challenge Horse Show, presented by The Gochman Family, concluded with another day of fantastic hunter competition. Junior and Children's riders were featured in the Show Place Arena and the outdoor ring, and six championships were presented. Lili Hymowitz and Tiffani won the Grand Junior Hunter Championship, while Savanah Stuart and Andover were named Grand Children's Hunter Champions. The Capital Challenge Horse Show hosts the premier hunter...

Jan Ebeling and Santo Domingo (Jennifer M. Keeler) Burbank, Calif. - After four days, six rings, and nearly 1500 rides scheduled to come down centerline, final championship titles were awarded Sunday and the competition officially entered the record books as the largest edition in the 47-year history of the Annual California Dressage Society (CDS) Championship Show, held in conjunction with the Great American Insurance Group/USDF Region 7 Dressage Championships, September 25 - 28, 2014 in...

Demaskus Devon, PA – Since our last glimpse of Damaskus (Don Principe x Raureif), he has proven to be quite a star, winning the Hanovarian inspection in a field of 19. He took it all in stride but his owner, Catherine Haddad Staller, was probably a bit more excited. “I am thrilled,” she said. “He showed very well.” But for Damaskus, life remains uncomplicated, spending most of his time in the pasture, playing and resting and staying close to mom. But for those...

Lexington, Ky. - After two days of tests, Sydney Hutchins found herself leading the victory gallop of the 2014 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals West at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. Savannah Dukes finished in second, with Mitchell Endicott in third and Sydney Hutchins and Sorcerer (McCool) Michael Williamson in fourth. After a demanding Flat Phase where USEF Talent Search Final judges Ronnie Beard and DiAnn Langer worked the...

Blueberry Hill (Shawn McMillen Photography) Lexington, Ky. - The US Hunter Pony Championships presented by Sallee Horse Vans, held as part of the US Pony Finals, came to a close on Saturday under intermittently rainy skies at the Kentucky Horse Park. Regular Medium Hunter Ponies went to task in the Walnut Ring in their Over Fences phase to determine the 2014 Champion. Taylor St. Jacques and Finders-Keepers emerged victorious on Saturday afternoon but it was Thursday’s champion, Blueberry...

Lake Placid, N.Y. - Michael Hughes of Allendale, N.J. won the Lake Placid Lodge 1.30meter Speed Class, the first jumper class of the 2014 Lake Placid Horse Show, Presented by Sea Shore Stables. Hughes topped a field of 36 horses and won the one-round class by turning in the fastest fault-free ride, finishing in 66.306 seconds on Winchester, owned by Christina Fried. Placing second was David Tromp of Saugerties, NY, who finished clean in 66.867 seconds on Alice in Wonderland, and third went to...

Lexington, Ky. - USA Equestrian Trust has awarded nearly $300,000 in grants to help fund more than a dozen projects by equine non-profits. Since the inception of the Trust’s grants program, the organization has awarded more than $1.8 million in grants. The projects funded as part of the grant application period ending in May were: AMERICAN MORGAN HORSE EDUCATIONAL CHARITABLE TRUST ($44,500) to develop an online home school module that teaches courses through horsemanship and to purchase...