Photo by Flying Horse Photography (McLain Ward and Phillipa) Two-time Olympic Gold medal winner McLain Ward raised the roof during the $50,000 Strongid® C 2X CSI-W Grand Prix when he rode Sagamore Farm's Phillipa to the triumph before an enthusiastic crowd that filled the indoor arena at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. Ward traveled from Brewster, NY, to get a jump start on qualifying for the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix that will take place at HITS-on-the-Hudson, in Saugerties, NY,...

Competition in the 2010 Cavalor Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series started in January in Florida. With classes in full swing at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, riders are already earning big points on the series' overall standings. One such rider is Heather Hooker of Wellington, FL. Hooker, who competes in the Series' East Conference Junior division with her mount Perle, won two of the three Cavalor Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series junior...

Photo by Sport Fot/Thierry Billet (Louis Jacobs on Kachina in the 1.45m.) The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) had a successful third week of competition on January 27-31. The week featured the $75,000 Nespresso Grand Prix, CSI** and the $55,000 Nespresso Battle of the Sexes, along with a full schedule of hunter, jumper, and equitation classes. The week three title sponsor was Nespresso. In order to provide the best coffee to riders at the FTI WEF, Nespresso is the official coffee at...

The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious horse competitions, has officially launched its 65th season. This year’s show will be held, once again, at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX, starting on March 17, 2010, and will run through March 28, 2010. It was announced that BBVA Wealth Solutions would be returning as the lead sponsor of the show. “We are thrilled that BBVA Wealth Solutions has agreed to be our lead sponsor again this year....

Photo by Robbi Meisel (Wilhelm Genn and Happy Z) The third week of competition at the 2010 Jacksonville Winter Series got in full swing with the $5,000 Open Jumper Classic being won by Lebanon, Ohio’s Wilhelm Genn, as both owner and rider, piloting the brilliant mare Happy Z. Presented by Farm House Tack, the Jumper Classic served as a prelim to the next evening’s featured event, the $25,000 Marco Family Foundation benefitting H.O.R.S.E. Therapies, a nonprofit therapeutic equine program to air...

The International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC), in partnership with the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), has launched a major new initiative to recognize the world’s best rider according to the Rolex Rankings. Starting at the 2009 Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final in Paris, the leading rider will wear a green and gold armband featuring the words "Number 1, The Rolex Rankings" at FEI Jumping events throughout 2010. The Rolex Rankings are updated every week and officially released at the start of...

Michael Blowen, the Founder and President of Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Kentucky, is pleased to announce that the satellite facility, Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, will be the new permanent home of Bobby Frankel-trainee Gigli and famed New York-bred stallion Thunder Rumble. The first Old Friends auxiliary farm, Cabin Creek, is located just outside of Saratoga in Greenfield Center, NY, and is owned by Joann and Mark Pepper. In 1992, Thunder Rumble...

The Old Dominion Horse Show in Manakin Sabot, VA, was the site for the inaugural competition for ponies nominated to the North American Pony Futurity (NAPF) Registry incentive program. A parade of lovely young ponies competed in hand, divided by ages and genders. USEF “R” Hunter Breeding judges Joe Dotoli (of Vermont) and Beth Neilsen (of Colorado) evaluated the youngsters at the walk and trot prior to standing for conformation. Amateur and pro handlers were equally represented with Tim Foster...

Ivanhoe FQ is undoubtedly one of the most decorated purebred Friesian stallion's of our time, and he will now be standing at stud at Heavenly Gaits Farms, owned by Deb Goldmann, in Elkhorn, WI, for the 2010 breeding season. Ivanhoe FQ is bred and raised by four-time USEF Leading Friesian Breeder Friesian Quest, located in Murrieta, CA. Ivanhoe FQ is by the deceased KFPS World Champion Wicher, also two-time USEF Leading Friesian Sire, out of Jaclyn a Ster Friesian Mare. As quoted by Friesian...

During the weekend of November 5-8, 25-year-old Kerry Tracey of Watkinsville, GA, led the victory gallop at the final SmartPak Equine/United States Eventing Association (USEA) Training Three-Day Event aboard her homebred Thoroughbred/Appaloosa gelding Chasing The Music. Although the entries were low for this long-format division, which was held in conjunction with the Rocking Horse Fall Horse Trials (Altoona, FL), the competition was fierce, and Tracey moved up from fourth after dressage to...