Des Moines, IA – The American Shetland Pony Club, Inc.’s, National Congress celebrated its 65th observance in July by returning to its original home in Iowa and posting a stunningly successful competition. The 2011 American Shetland and American Show Pony National Congress was held July 12–16, 2011, at the beautiful Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, IA. More than 500 ponies from across the United States & Canada competed for 364 national championship titles. The...

Danielle Torano and Capitano won the $30,000 Otter Creek Grand Prix, presented by Devoucoux Saddles, on Sunday, July 24, 2011 at the Vermont Summer Festival (David Mullinix Photography). East Dorset, VT — Danielle Torano of Ft. Lauderdale, FL and the amazing Capitano, owned by Sir Ruly, Inc., sped around the course to win the $30,000 Otter Creek Grand Prix, presented by Devoucoux, on Sunday, July 24, at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. The six-week equestrian...

Oklahoma City, OK - Twelve college-age riders competed in the 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Collegiate Reining Championship during the recent NRHA Derby Show in Oklahoma City, OK. Jesse Gentile of The Ohio State University won the championship title and NRHA Lawson trophy with a score of 218. When asked what advice he would give young reiners, Gentile who rode Out Dun the Son from Gary Sanders of Steele, MO, said, “Have fun, and even though it’s (reining) is a lot...

Culpeper, VA – Show jumping action is set to resume this week in the heart of Virginia’s horse country at HITS Culpeper. The Showday National (July 6-10) will kick off the series, followed by the Cavalier Classic (July 13-17) at HITS Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, VA. Each week will feature a full schedule of competition from beginner level to high-performance classes. Entries are strong for both shows and HITS is expecting some fierce competition as both hunter and jumper riders...

Oklahoma City, OK – The 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Derby featured the $40,000-added Level 4 Non Pro; $22,500-added Level 3 Non Pro; $12,500-added Level 2 Non Pro; $7,500-added Level 1 Non Pro and $5,000-added Prime Time Non Pro division finals on Friday, July 1, at Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, OK. Out of the original 546 entries, the top 58 qualified to compete in Friday’s finals. Shaunda Rai Ruckman of Scottsdale, AZ, continued her stellar year...

Annville, PA - Summer is here, and with warm air and sunshine flooding horse shows across the country, competition in the 2011 North American League (NAL) has heated up. The NAL's two year-end finals are just months away, and riders are continuing to put in stellar performances in the show ring with the hopes of qualifying for one of both of the finals. The NAL will maintain its traditional year-end Finals in six divisions – Children’s Hunter, Adult Hunter, presented by...

McLain Ward and Oh' D Eole on course in the $75,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, NY (ESI Photography). Saugerties, NY — McLain Ward, aboard Oh' D Eole, has taken HITS-on-the-Hudson by storm, capturing Sunday’s $75,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, and earning his third consecutive Grand Prix victory. Ward also clinched the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix at HITS-on-the-Hudson I on his own Oh'...

Saugerties, NY — Heading into the HITS-on-the-Hudson show season it was no secret that the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix was going to be one of the most popular classes on the schedule with hunter riders from all over the country vying for a place in the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final (September 10-11 at HITS Saugerties). That sentiment proved to be true when 65 starters took to the field in yesterday’s $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix, the first of seven qualifiers offered...

Saugerties, NY — Equestrians from all over the world are reuniting at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, NY, for the first of three consecutive weeks of hunter/jumper show jumping. The competition begins on Wednesday, May 25, and continues until Sunday, June 12, when the Purina Mills Weekend will wrap up the spring shows with its popular Kids Day and the much anticipated $100,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. For the past several days, horse trailers, RVs, and...

North Salem, NY – Leslie Howard won the $25,000 Grand Prix of North Salem in true “Leaping Leslie” form as she piloted her Lennox Lewis 2 around the jump off course fault free in a time of 31.716 seconds at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows. Course Designer Leopoldo Placios laid down a track that tested the horses and riders, with only eight of the original 34 starters making it around without penalty. Of those eight, there were only four who managed to navigate the...