Todd Minikus and Quality Girl on their way to a $75,000 UlcerGuard Grand Prix win. (ESI Photography) Saugerties, N.Y. - As the curtain closed on the HITS Saugerties Summer Series, thirty-five horses and riders turned out for Sunday’s $75,000 UlcerGuard Grand Prix for a shot at the money. The field consisted of Olympians and world-cup finalists, in addition to talented juniors and amateurs, but only one could claim the top title. Twelve advanced to the shortened course set by Mark McGowan...

Maggie Jayne and Frosted Blue win the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Chicago Festival of the Horse (Allyson Lagiovane/Phelps Media Group) Wayne, Ill. - The final day of World Championship Hunter Rider week at the Chicago Festival of the Horse began differently than most. David Cormalleth played tribute to the late Russel Frey with a rendition of "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes before riders in the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby entered the Grand Prix arena to compete...

Kelley Farmer and Baltimore on their way to a $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby win. (ESI Photography) Saugerties, N.Y. - Summer’s highly anticipated stop on the HITS USHJA International Hunter Derby Tour made its appearance at HITS-on-the-Hudson. Hunter royalty descended on the Grand Prix Ring at HITS Saugerties to compete for a sweet slice of the prestigious payday. Kelley Farmer has worn the crown in the first three HITS $100,000 Hunter Derbies on the tour: Ocala Winter Circuit...

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica (Shannon Brinkman Photo) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Eventing competition at the Olympic Equestrian Center at Deodoro continued on Sunday with the second day of dressage. The U.S. Olympic Eventing Team moved up from seventh place and is now tied with New Zealand for sixth place on a total of 137.50. Lauren Kieffer and Phillip Dutton gave strong performances for the U.S. in a hotly contested team competition. Germany currently leads the team standings on a total of...

Piber Köflach, Austria – The U.S. Driving Team of Donna Crookston, Sterling Graburn, and Suzy Stafford, along with individual Leslie Berndl, made a valiant effort at the 2016 FEI World Driving Championships for Singles, which proved to be a true championship test. The strong international field consisted of 75 combinations from 23 countries, and after four days of competition, the U.S. team finished 14th. Sterling Graburn and Mannkato (Krisztina Horváth/Hoefnet.com) Graburn (Paris,...

Giavanna Rinaldi and Dulf Van Den Bisshop (Devaney Iglesias/Phelps Media Group) Wayne, Ill. - After a gallop to the final line and a double-clear effort, the crowd at Lamplight Equestrian Center rose to their their feet and cheered for Giavanna Rinaldi and Dulf Van Den Bisschop. The 17-year-old was all smiles as she crossed the finish line, while her mount soaked in the applause and celebrated their victory in the $75,000 Grand Prix at the Chicago Festival of the Horse. "He knew he did well,"...

Beesd, The Netherlands – Stefanie Putnam made her European debut at the 2016 FEI World Para-Driving Championships and impressed with a stellar performance. As the sole U.S. representative, Putnam looked right at home competing against a strong international field. She partnered with Bethesda After Dark to finish fifth in the Grade I division. Stefanie Putnam and Bethesda After Dark (©Marie de Ronde-Oudemans) Putnam (Lafeyette, Calif.) executed a solid test with her own Bethesda After Dark...

Mark Jungherr and Conte Couleur won the $30,000 Manchester & The Mountains Grand Prix on August 6 at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. (Andrew Ryback Photography) East Dorset, Vt. – Mark Jungherr of Amesbury, MA, riding Conte Couleur was victorious in the $30,000 Manchester & The Mountains Grand Prix on Saturday, August 6, during week five of the Vermont Summer Festival. The Vermont Summer Festival runs for six consecutive weeks from July 5 through August 14, 2016,...

Laura Chapot and Quointreau Un Prince on their way to a $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix win. (ESI Photography) Saugerties, N.Y. - A big day of elite competition commenced with Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix. An accomplished field of forty-five tested the course set by Mark McGowan of Kilmarnock, Great Britain, but only one could take home the blue ribbon. There is no slowing down when the Chapot’s are in town. Rider, Laura Chapot, and her mother and trainer, Mary Chapot, have been...

Boyd Martin and Blackfoot Mystery (Shannon Brinkman Photo) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - The eventing horse inspection officially kicked off equestrian competition at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday. Over the next 14 days, 204 athlete-and-horse combinations in the three equestrian disciplines of eventing, dressage, and show jumping will compete for coveted Team and Individual medals at Rio’s Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Center. The U.S. Olympic Eventing Team of Phillip...