Overall Grand Champion Samantha Sommers and Small Affair at the 2013 US Junior Hunter National Championships - West (Captured Moment Photography) Lexington, KY – The top junior hunter riders on the west coast met at Showpark Facility in Del Mar, CA, July 22-23 for the 2013 US Junior Hunter National Championships – West. The riders were separated into 15 & Under and 16-17 divisions, as well as Small Junior Hunter and Large Junior Hunter, and competed in three phases: Classic...

Caroline Martin aboard Quantum Solace on their way to the Eventing CCI2* Individual Gold medal (Brant Gamma Photos) Lexington, KY – The 2013 Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North (NAJYRC) finished Sunday after another fantastic week of top competition for Junior and Young Riders. Eventing was the focus of the final day with Team and Individual Medals for CCI1* and CCI2* riders. In the CCI2*, Caroline Martin (Area III) and Quantum...

Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run's Eternal (Mary Adelaide Brakenridge) Parker, CO - The crown jewel of the Summer in the Rockies six-week series, the $50,000 Parker Adventist Hospital Grand Prix, was held on Saturday afternoon. It was Military Day at the Colorado Horse Park, honoring and welcoming military and first responders to enjoy family activities and great show jumping. Title sponsor Parker Adventist Hospital was on hand for helmet fittings and distribution of free riding helmets to...

Calgary, Alberta – Five weeks of world-class competition wrapped up at Spruce Meadows on Sunday afternoon with a fantastic win for Ireland’s Conor Swail and Lansdowne in the $400,000 Spruce Meadows ‘Pan American’ Grand Prix. The final event of the summer featured a five-horse jump-off with a win for the Irish, Colombia’s Daniel Bluman and Sancha LS in second and fellow Irishman Cameron Hanley and Antello in third. Canada’s Peter Grant set the track on Sunday...

Show season keeps moving forward and the scores keep coming in. At the last WSH show, the high score rider, Linda Coates-Markle, received a whopping 76% on NAWD Level 3 Test 1 (that is the western equivalent of USDF First Level) riding her Quarter Horse mare. Once again, this last weekend, shows featuring Western Dressage classes were held all over the country and WD riders on both sides of the nation received the highest Phyllis Ray and Starr in the warm-up (Darcia Drapeau) scores recorded at...

McLain Ward and Cadence (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, Alberta - Despite having first ridden Cadence last week, McLain Ward had confidence in his new mount. They have had a string of top finishes at the 'Canada One' and 'North American' Tournaments, and today was their first victory. Ward was one of three that made it into the jump-off in the $50,000 Akita Drilling Cup 1.50m out of 36 entries. He was the first to go and put in an efficient round in 36.52 seconds with...

GCT Estoril (GCT Press Office) Estoril, Protugal - There was joy and heartbreak tonight as Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann seized his first Grand Prix win as Portuguese rider Luciana Diniz narrowly missed out on a home victory. After one of the toughest Grand Prix of the season so far, in sizzling temperatures in Estoril, von Eckermann and Gotha came out on top with Scott Brash and Hello Sanctos the only other combination to jump three clear rounds. The local crowd went wild with excitement...

Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister on their way to a tenth place finish (Shannon Brinkman) Aachen, Germany – Cross country day proved to be influential at the Aachen CICO3* at the 2013 CHIO Aachen. Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister tackled the final phase with determination and finished in tenth place in a field of world-class horses and riders. The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team finished in seventh place after unfortunate results plagued them throughout the day. Though a disappointing...

Caitlin Ziegler and Butragenia (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, AB – The Spruce Meadows Summer Tournaments continue this week at the 'Canada One,' held June 25-30. Today was full of team competition and camaraderie, with the Paramount Resources Prix des Nations competitions held for junior and amateur riders at levels 1.10m-1.40m. There was also a 1.00m Friends of the Meadows Prix des Nations. Caitlin Ziegler, a member of the 1.40m Prix des Nations winning team who has...

Lexington, KY - Drivers from the United States put the world on notice over the weekend in France as they stor Chester Weber on his way to a win in Saumur (Photo Courtesy of Chester Weber) med to victory in both the Four-in-Hand and Pony Team divisions at the Saumur CAI-A4. Chester Weber cruised to victory in a world class Four-in-Hand division, finishing on a three-day total of 128.5,while in Pony Team competition Laurie Astegiano ended on an overall score of 145.93 to earn her first Saumur...