Shane Sweetnam and Solerina (The Book LLC 2013) North Salem, NY - The 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W returned to the picturesque Old Salem Farm Wednesday to kick-off the week-long international jumping competition featuring the world's top athletes. Thanks to phenomenal reviews from 2012, a large number of entries created a section split for the day's main event on the Grand Prix Field: the $8,000 Danbury Porsche Audi 1.40m Open Jumper class. During the first section, it was...

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen at the First Horse Inspection (USEF) Lexington, KY – Seven horse-and-rider combinations will be representing the U.S. at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials, September 12-15. Set at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, England, the field is packed with some of the best riders in the eventing world. Eighty-four combinations will tackle the CCI3* while 67 are competing in the CIC3* for eight-and nine-year-old horses. All U.S. horses passed the...

Jimmy Torano and La Bonita putting on a show in the final round of the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final (©ESI Photography) Saugerties, NY – Jimmy Torano of SW Ranches, Florida admits that he and Kathryn Haefner, who owns La Bonita, gambled on the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final, entering the five-year-old German-bred Warmblood mare in the highest stakes hunter class in the world. Lady Luck, however, was on their side at HITS Saugerties this week. Or, perhaps, La Bonita is...

Nayel Nassar and Lordan jump their way to Zoetis Million glory at HITS Saugerties during Championship Weekend (©ESI Photography) Saugerties, NY – Nayel Nassar of Stanford, California proved that a 3,000-mile trip across the U.S. was well worth the effort Sunday when he rode Lordan to a hard-fought victory in the fourth-annual Zoetis $1 Million Grand Prix at HITS Saugerties. With the post-competition tunes of Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell playing in the background, Nassar prepared to...

Ava Stearns and Denmark leading the Child Individual Championship in the USHJA Child/Adult Amateur Jumper Regional Championship at HITS Saugerties (©ESI Photography) Saugerties, NY – Individual Champions were crowned during the USHJA Child/Adult Amateur Jumper Regional Championships over the weekend at HITS Saugerties. Ava Stearns, representing Massachusetts, stole the show for the children, and Lexi Maounis of Connecticut won for the adults. Stearns piloted Missy Clark's Denmark and...

Penelope Leprevost and Dame Blanche van Arenberg (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, AB , - The Spruce Meadows 'Masters' continued today with two top competitions in the International Ring. Taking the top prize in the $125,000 CANA Cup 1.60m was Penelope Leprevost (FRA) and Dame Blanche van Arenberg. The luck of the Irish was with Conor Swail today when he finished first and second in the $50,000 ATCO Structures & Logistics Cup 1.50m on Martha Louise and Lansdowne. The Spruce...

Conor Swail raises his trophy with George Lidgett, Chief Operating Officer, Americas, ATCO Structures & Logistics (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, Alberta - In a great display of horsemanship, Ireland's Conor Swail guided both of his horses to the top of the leaderboard in the $50,000 ATCO Structures & Logistics Cup 1.50m. There were 41 entries in the class, and 14 in the jump-off. Swail went fifth in the order on Lansdowne in the jump-off and with a daring approach to the...

Lexington, KY - With several top performances at Nations Cup competitions this year, the U.S. aims to continue its winning ways in the Nations Cup competition at the CSIO5* Spruce Meadows 'Masters,' September 7, in Calgary, Canada. In the $350,000 BMO Nations Cup, Beezie Madden, Lauren Hough, Kirsten Coe, and Lauren Tisbo will represent the U.S. with Robert Ridland serving as Chef d'Equipe. The 2013 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final champion, Madden (Cazenovia, NY), has led numerous U.S....

Rainier, the Overall Grand Champion and Champion Best Young Horse - East in the 2013 Sallie B. Wheeler/US National Hunter Breeding Championship, with handler Richard M. Taylor (Richard Clay Photography) Lexington, KY – The top young horses from across the country displayed their qualities in hopes of claiming a title at the 2013 Sallie B. Wheeler/US National Hunter Breeding Championship. Judges Sharon Stewart-Wells of Ruidoso, NM and Deborah Sands of Encinitas, CA traveled to both coasts...

Saugerties, NY – While still deciding what horse she will pilot in the Zoetis $1 Million Grand Prix just days away, Tracy Fenney of Flower Mound, Texas is pulling double duty as she aims MTM Inquisitive at the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final. Fenney and the five year old Warmblood gelding won Saturday’s $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix Wild Card at HITS Saugerties with a score of 177 after an 87 and 90. Thirty-five competitors took to the Outside Course at HITS-on-the-Hudson...