Devon, PA - The weather was hot, and so was the competition over the course of the first three days of the 2011 Devon Horse Show and Country Fair. The Dixon Oval and Gold Ring provided an elegant backdrop to the nation's top Junior riders ranging in experience from their first time at Devon to showing here most of their young lives. Some of these incredibly talented individuals will be in the limelight for years to come, while others have chosen to put their passion aside to pursue an...

Leipzig, Germany – Beezie Madden kicked off the 2011 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final with a win for the U.S. Wednesday morning in the Opening Competition. Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo bested the field of 24 as the only combination to jump faultlessly in the first round. Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo. (Photo by Rebecca Walton/PMG) Madden (Cazenovia, NY) was the first U.S. rider in the ring and set the tone immediately. The Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Coral Reef Ranch jumped...

Karen O'Connor and Mandiba Deliver (Shannon Brinkman) Elkton, MD – Karen O’Connor and Mandiba did not take the easy road to the 2009 Dansko Fair Hill International CCI***, but they delivered on the second day of dressage and put in a dynamite test for a score of 39.6, making them the only pair to go under 40 going into Saturday’s cross country. Also serving as the USEF National CCI*** and CCI** Eventing Championships, Fair Hill International showcased some very professional...

Imagine the scenario. Sitting under a shaded tent facing a perfectly manicured and maintained hunter ring. Free food abounds. Dozen upon dozen of pony riders are mounted upon the most gorgeous ponies you have ever seen in your life. You get to kick back, relax and take in this awesome environment, free of stress or cares. Just another day in the life of this very lucky journalist and editor. Yes…the 2009 USEF Pony Finals is under way at the Kentucky Horse Park, and for the first time in...

Hong Kong, China – A jump-off between the United States and Canada decided the Team Gold medal tonight at Sha Tin. Gold for the USA (Shannon Brinkman) Two countries, tied on a score of 20, after two rounds. The US won. In the Olympic rules, all team members return to the ring to jump-off. Canada began the evening a horse down because Mac Cone withdrew Ole. This meant that they did not get to drop a score. Under the watchful eye of Chef d'Equipe George Morris, McLain Ward led it off...

Wellington, FL - Severe weather on Thursday March 6 caused the postponement of the $30,000 WEF Challenge Cup which a also served as the fourth leg of the USEF Selection Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com (The Top Three Riders at the USEF Selection Trials for Show Jumping (L-R: Laura Kraut, Nicole Shahinian-Simpson, Will Simpson)) Trials for Show Jumping at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The Selection Trial began on Friday morning at 8 a.m. The grounds crew worked tirelessly and...

Amy Dragoo (Bonnie Mosser on Merloch winning the Jersey Fresh Three-Day Event CCI***. ) The rain held off for most of the day for the finale of the Jersey Fresh Three Day Event, but everyone appreciated the break in the weather. Sally Ike’s show jumping tracks proved challenging yet fair and major changes in the standing of each division would unfold as the day went on. There were plenty of surprises in the Advanced Horse Trials division which was serving as a selection division for the...

Aachen, Germany - Chester Weber (Ocala, Fla.) and his team of First Edition, Julius V, Kadora, and Kasper D, drove to an impressive win in the driving phase of the CAIO-4* at CHIO Aachen finishing the first phase of competition on a score of 38.85. The win marks another top performance Weber has achieved at Aachen throughout the years. The team finished atop the podium in a field of 25 entries. Weber has been a mainstay at CHIO Aachen for the U.S. Driving program, having competed at the venue...

Hagen, Germany – After the U.S. Dressage Young Rider Team earned bronze in the Future Champions CDIOY Hagen Nations Cup earlier in the week, they added solid rides in Friday’s CDIOY FEI Young Rider Individual Test and Sunday’s CDIOY FEI Young Rider Freestyle. Chef d’Equipe George Williams guided Kat Fuqua and Dreamgirl, Erin Nichols and Elian Royale, and Christian Simonson and Son of a Lady as they closed out the event. The top U.S. individual result was Simonson and Son...

Drammen, Norway – The U.S. Jumping Team ended their time at CSIO3* European competitions under the guidance of Chef d’Equipe Anne Kursinski at CSIO3* Drammen. The highlight of the week came with Alise Oken and Gelvera’s win in Sunday’s CSIO3* Grand Prix with Alessandra Volpi and Haya Loma N finishing third. After winning last week’s European Equestrian Federation Nations Cup at CSIO3* Uggerhalne , the U.S. Jumping Team of Oken, Volpi, Jacob Pope, and Nikko Ritter...