Lori Sawyer-Lyons and Senna M (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Lori Sawyer-Lyons edged out the competition to win the Ariat National Adult Medal class during week five of competition for the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Sawyer-Lyons, of Fort Lauderdale, FL, rode Jimmy Torano's Senna M to first place. Sawyer-Lyons had a narrow margin of victory in a competitive class with the top three finishing only one tenth of a point apart. Sawyer-Lyons and Senna M...

Ashlee Bond and Cadett 7 have often been among the top finishers during the first two weeks of the HITS Desert Circuit. Yesterday, however, they were the ones to beat in the $33,000 HITS Desert Classic, presented by Zoetis. It came down to speed as Bond and Cadett topped a 14-horse jump-off. (©Flying Horse Photography) Thermal, CA - The Grand Prix Ring at HITS Thermal was set with 15 jumping efforts for 42 horses Thursday, and the outcome came down to fractions of a second. In an electrifying...

McLain Ward and Zander (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Week five of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) continued on Thursday with a victory for McLain Ward (USA) and Zander in the $33,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 5. The duo won over Great Britain's Ben Maher riding Quiet Easy 4 and Peter Wylde (USA) aboard Lewin 5. Week five of the FTI WEF circuit, sponsored by Adequan®, runs February 6-10. The week will feature the the $82,000 Adequan® CSI 2*...

Liza Boyd and Fieona (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Liza Boyd of Camden, SC, started her season at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) with big wins in the Gold Coast High Performance Working Hunter Division. Boyd was champion with Jack Towell and Kelly Maloney's Fieona and also took home reserve honors on Janet Peterson and Finally Farm's Quatrain. Boyd and Fieona, a nine-year-old Oldenberg mare, placed third under saddle and first in both over fences...

Georgia freshman Leylan Gleeson earned Equitation over Fences MOP Honors during the Bulldogs win over South Carolina. That win helped propel Georgia to the No.1 Ranking (Lauren Shamon) The first NCEA Coaches Poll of the spring season was released Wednesday and, as predicated , there was quite a shake up at the top. The Georgia Bulldogs have jumped Auburn University to reclaim the No.1 Ranking, and Oklahoma State has broken the SEC’s stronghold on the top three spots. The Cowgirls...

A big weekend of NCEA competition had its share of upsets and near misses. At the end of it a few things seem certain: there will be a change at the top of the next NCEA Coaches Poll, and there will be plenty of competitive drama leading up to the NCEA National Championship in April. No.3 University of Georgia def. No.1 South Carolina University 11-8 The Gamecocks stole one from the Bulldogs in Bishop during the fall season. On Saturday the Bulldogs stole one back on the South Carolina home...

Sonia Zugel and Ungaro. (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, FL - The Wellington Dressage CDI-W presented by The Dutta Corp. at the 2013 Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) drew to a close today. The featured class was the FEI Intermediare Freestyle. First place in the $6,000 FEI Intermediare Freestyle went to Sonia Zugel (IRL) riding her mount Ungaro (Weltmeyer II x Wendekreis). The pair were successful in yesterday's $5,000 FEI Intermediare I and Friday's $3,000 FEI Prix St. George....

Alise Oken and Teirra. (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Week four of the2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by Fidelity Investments®, concluded on Sunday afternoon with a win for 21-year-old Alise Oken and Hi Hopes Farm, LLC's Teirra in the $25,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela set the courses for week four jumper competition in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC)....

Larkspur and Francesca Dildabanian (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - The fourth week of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) concluded Sunday with the Coldwell Banker Children's Hunter 14 and Under division, hosted in the Equine Tack and Nutritionals Ring 6. Champion honors were awarded to Ashley Whitner's Larkspur, ridden by Francesca Dildabanian. The pair placed first and third over fences during day one of competition and finished up day two with another...

Ben Maher and Cella (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - It was a star-studded equestrian event during week four of the2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival's (FTI WEF) "Saturday Night Lights" competition as Great Britain's Ben Maher piloted Jane F. Clark's Cella to victory in the $100,000 Fidelity Investments® CSI 2* Grand Prix. Competing in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC), Maher and Cella finished on top of 49 entries over...