Laura Kraut and Cedric (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center experienced one of its biggest crowds ever on Saturday night as more than 7,000 spectators filled the stands to watch Laura Kraut (USA) and Cedric race to victory in the $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI 5* during week eleven of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Kraut and Cedric won two grand prix classes in a row earlier in the circuit with victories in the $78,000...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Executive Committee approved an Extraordinary Rule Change in the Morgan Division of the USEF Rule Book on March 21, 2011, requiring exhibitors in leadline classes to wear protective headgear at all times while mounted, effective immediately. "We applaud the American Morgan Horse Association for this bold, forward-thinking move," said USEF President David O'Connor. The rule change was put forward by the board of the American Morgan...

Beezie Madden and Danny Boy. (Photo by Sportfot.) Wellington, FL - The final round of the $31,000 WEF Challenge Cup Series was held on Thursday afternoon with a victory for Beezie Madden (USA) and Abigail Wexner's Danny Boy at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Week 11 of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival is sponsored by FTI Consulting Inc. The week's feature events will include the final Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday at 2:30 p.m., and the feature event of the...

Michael Hughes and Norton. (ESI Photography©.) Ocala, FL -This past Saturday, highly-acclaimed Junior rider Michael Hughes of Morriston, Florida captured the win in the R.W. Mutch Equitation Championship aboard Norton, owned by Drumnacross Farm, LTD. Hughes sealed the victory after a two-round score of 354. “It was a good class,” said Hughes, who has built a remarkable career in the Junior and Equitation divisions at 15 years old. “I thought the courses in both rounds were difficult, and it...

Nick Skelton and Big Star. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - Week 10 of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) concluded with two great events at The Stadium, the grass field venue at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Nick Skelton (GBR) and Big Star, owned by Beverly and Gary Widdowson, notched another big win this circuit by taking the top prize in the $78,000 Pennfield Feeds Grand Prix, CSI 2*. The FTI Winter Equestrian Festival's feature event, the $500,000 FTI...

Lincoln, NE - Olympian Carol Lavell has said, “For most Young Riders, obtaining financial support becomes the ultimate hurdle.” Through The Dressage Foundation's new 'Lessons in Fundraising and Giving' Program, riders will learn valuable tools that will help them throughout their equestrian careers. Program participants will learn how they can raise the financial support necessary to continue their education and career. Participants will hear from people who have “been there, done that” as well...

Andre Thieme and Uvalier. (ESI Photography©.) Ocala, FL - It seems the luck of the Irish was with German High-Performance rider Andre Thieme yesterday when he piloted his own Uvalier to a blazingly fast finish in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. The win marks his third of the season and the second in five days for Thieme who, just last Sunday, rode Seth Vallhonrat's Coco 135 to an exciting victory in the $50,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer...

North Salem, NY – The exciting schedule of events for the 2011 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows is sure to attract many of the nation's best horses and riders to one of the country's most beautiful equestrian training centers. The two-week long horse shows return to Old Salem Farm in North Salem, NY, May 10-15 and May 17-22. Recently, the North American Riders Group (NARG) voted the Old Salem Farm Horse Shows as one of their Top 25 Horse Shows in America for 2010. With a mixture of new and...

Courtney King-Dye will speak about The Road to Grand Prix during the KWPN-NA Annual Meeting. (Susan J. Stickle.) Sutherlin, OR - Once again the KWPN-NA Annual Meeting pulls out all of the stops to give breeders, trainers, owners and riders information to help them advance their horses up the ranks to Grand Prix, for both jumping and dressage. The Royal Dutch Warmblood Studbook of North America (KWPN-NA) has put together an unprecedented number of experts that includes Olympic medalist Steffen...

Dressage Steffen Peters swept the 2011 World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by the International Polo Club, dominating both the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Freestyle at Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. The California combination scored a personal best CDI Grand Prix score of 80.872% and a Freestyle score of 84.525% at the only CDI5* in the United States. Tina Konyot and Calecto V were second in the Grand Prix and third in the Freestyle to complete a strong showing for...