Male against female. Husbands battling wives. Established stars challenged by sparkling newcomers. Olympic Gold versus Olympic Gold. The winners were thousands of spectators who turned out Saturday night for the Battle of the Sexes at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, the first time for such an event in the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center that has been completely remodeled at a cost of $10 million. For the record, the team of 10 women scored 31 points to win $50,000 shared between...

Lexington, KY – Braving frigid temperatures, US vaulter, Mary McCormick, won the 2009 CVI** Leipzig, January 23-25. In front of huge German crowds McCormick put on an impressive show vaulting on Tjekko (owned and lunged by Lasse Kristensen), to finish on 8.367 just ahead of Switzerland’s Marion Graf and Ines Juckstock from Germany. Leipzig plays host to a CDI, CAI and CSI and the multi-discipline event drew tens of thousands of fans. “Competing at Leipzig was an amazing experience,” said...

One of the top hunter breeders in the country will now have a place to store the coolers and saddle pads her horses have been awarded throughout the year thanks to winning a brand new Oakcroft Tack Trunk at the recent USEF Annual Convention. Dr. Paula Pell of St. Petersburg, FL, was the lucky winner of the “Win An Oakcroft Trunk,” which took place during an Oakcroft sponsored breakout session at the annual convention in Cincinnati, OH, and was open to all attendees. Pell and her husband were at...

Caitie Hope's winning momentum from last year has followed her into 2009, and last week she rode her way into the winner's circle once again. Hope of Barrington, IL, competed at the Lake St. Louis Horse Show in St. Louis, MO, and executed consistent rounds for top ribbons. She trains with Diane Carney at Telluride Farm, based in Hampshire, IL. Hope piloted Cinch, owned by Kathleen Hope, in the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter division and came away with the overall championship. The pair earned two...

The 2009 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit started off with a bang for Kyle King. The Ocala resident posted the fastest double-clear round aboard Paola to secure the top prize in Sunday's $25,000 HITS Grand Prix to close out the Ocala Pre-Circuit 1 at HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, FL. King and his 12-year-old mare outlasted a field of 24 horses in the first round and an additional four pairs that advanced to course designer Jerry Dougherty's jump-off track to secure the first-place check of $7,500 in...

Negro (Ferro x Variant), the KWPN licensed stallion bred by Mr. Borgers and owned by GertJan van Olst, has earned the prestigious title of Keur stallion. The KWPN awards this predicate to stallions who earn an index over 140 points and who have offspring competing at grand prix. Easily surpassing these requirements with the dressage index of 159 points, Negro will accept this honor at the KWPN Stallion Licensing in Hertogenbosch this February. Negro had a very successful show career under Anne...

The National Horse Show Association of America announced new information for their rules and regulations, as well as the declaration form for the 2009 ASPCA Maclay equitation classes. ASPCA Maclay classes are held nationwide and count as qualifiers for the ASPCA Maclay Regionals and the ASPCA Maclay National Championship. The new information for the rules and regulations section for the ASPCA Maclay classes reads as follows under the "Conditions Governing Regional Final Competition" heading:...

Gene Mische and Jessica Montezuma (Geoff Oliver Bugbee/USEF) Cincinnati, OH – The philosophy is pretty simple: “If you take care of this sport, it will take care of you.” Gene Mische is a lifetime of living proof. Mische was honored by legions of fans and friends for decades of involvement in the equestrian world. At the Pegasus Awards Ceremony, Mische was presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement award at the 2009 USEF Annual Meeting. “I’m...

Farnam®/Platform™ USEF Horse of the Year, Jamaica (My Elisabeth Weber) Cincinnati, OH – Every year the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) honors the best horses across all breeds and disciplines at the Farnam®/Platform™ USEF Horse of the Year Awards dinner at the USEF Annual Meeting. In 2008, there were some fantastic horses to honor. Five were singled out and recognized for their achievement as Horses of Honor. Jamaica took the night’s biggest accolade. Jamaica,...

George Morris (USEF Archives) Lexington, KY – 2008 was a year of remarkable achievement for the US Show Jumping Program. Highlighted by the Team Gold and Individual Bronze medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, the US show jumpers won on major contests on four continents. At the reins of the program was the legendary, George H. Morris. For his attention to detail, unwavering commitment to perfection and unyielding commitment to the horses and riders in his program, Morris has been...