Ocala, FL - February 15, 2011 - It wasn't just an illusion when Taylor McMurtry and her own Just An Illusion won Sunday's $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. The horse-and-rider combination celebrated their first Grand Prix win ever to conclude the Ocala Winter Classic. "I'm so happy!" exclaimed McMurtry, 18, who found her way to the top on a beautiful sunny day at HITS Post Time Farm. "I'm overwhelmed. Especially since it was my goal to win a Grand Prix this year, I am...

Wellington, Florida - February 12, 2011 - In only its second year the FTI Great Charity Challenge Presented by Fidelity Investments® has galloped out of the gates to become one of the largest fundraising events in Palm Beach County with a goal of one million dollars to benefit 32 Palm Beach charities at an exciting Pro-Am show jumping family event on Saturday Feb. 19th, 2011. To be held at the prestigious Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida which has recently...

Oklahoma City, OK – November 28, 2010 – Shawn Flarida and Shine Chic Shine still hold a convincing lead at the conclusion of the first go of the $170,000 added NRHA Open Futurity competition at the 2010 NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show being held now through December 4 at Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. Flarida rode the three-year-old stallion by Smart Chic Olena, owned by Amabile & Strusiner of Grandview, Texas, to a 227.5 in Saturday’s third...

Chester Weber and his Four-in-Hand Team. (Photo by Shannon Brinkman for USEF. ) Lexington, KY - The final World Championship event in the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games began today as part one of the Combined Driving Dressage took place. Thirteen drivers performed their tests today, 11 competing as part of the team competition and the United States' Casey Zubek and Bill Long competing as individuals. At the top of the leader board there is a tie for first place between Ijsbrand Chardon of...

F.A.C.E. Vaulters for the U.S. Vaulting Team (Photo by Shannon Brinkman for USEF) Lexington, KY - It was a busy day in the Alltech Arena at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games as the Vaulting World Championships got underway with both the Team Compulsory Test and the Male and Female Individual Compulsory Tests. The Gold Medalist from the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany was back to defend her title today. Megan Benjamin, 22, of Saratoga, CA, performed her individual...

Laura Goldman and Carlingford JD (Photo by Shannon Brinkman for USEF) Lexington, KY - The FEI World Para Dressage Championships kicked off today with riders competing in the Team Test. The Kentucky Equine Research U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team fielded a group of four riders, three of whom were new to the international stage for the team competition. Jonathan Wentz, Laura Goldman and Susan Treabess all represented the U.S. for the first time at the championship level, with the 2000 and 2008...

Shannon Brinkman (Becky Holder and her Courageous Comet.) Lexington, KY - The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team continued to demonstrate consistency in the first phase with Karen O’Connor, Becky Holder and Phillip Dutton performing their dressage tests on Friday at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Riding as an Individual, Becky Holder and her own and Tom Holder’s Courageous Comet were second to go after the lunch break. They set the stage for the remainder of the afternoon scoring a 39....

[New Albany, Ohio] – The New Albany Classic Invitational Grand Prix & Family Day announced today that New Albany’s own teen rock band sensation, Monkee Hollow, will be opening for American Idol celebrity David Archuleta at the Tween Brands Concert at The Classic, presented by Justice on Sunday, September 26, 2010. Monkee Hollow will be the first-ever local band to be invited to perform on the Tween Brands stage. Winners of the 2010 Battle of the Bands in central Ohio, they will debut their...

Kassie Barteau Thanks Toscano (SusanJStickle.com) Gladstone, NJ – The 2010 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions got off to a flying start on Friday afternoon as the Intermediaire I National Championship kicked off a competitive two weekends featuring the best dressage riders in the United States. Highlighted by the National Grand Prix Dressage Championship which is also serving as the USEF Selection Trial for Dressage for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, these...

Saturday morning’s second phase of the SmartPak Equine United States Eventing Association (USEA) Training Three-Day competition at the Inavale Horse Trials in Philomath, OR, proved to be a challenge, as the placings shifted around quite a bit in the division sponsored by Gallops Saddlery. The overnight leader added penalties to her score in steeplechase, giving Maria Schatz an opportunity to snatch the lead, following clean trips from phase A through D, to move her up from the third position....