Lexington, KY – When the world’s most talented show jumpers converge on Las Vegas, April 20-24, Nicole Simpson, of Thousand Oaks, California, will be among them. Following her third-place performance on El Campeon’s So Long at the $75,000 Ultimate Equine Grand Prix in Indio, California, February 27, Simpson’s ticket to the Entertainment Capital of the World has essentially been purchased. Leading a group of more than 30 equestrian hopefuls in the West Coast League,...

Randi Muster (McLain Ward) Lexington, KY – Exactly three-quarters of the way through a series of 12 qualifying competitions for the East Coast League, the dust of a heated race to the 2005 FEI World Cup Show Jumping Final is quickly starting to settle. Just as quickly, a clear trend in leaders begins to unfold, and Brewster, New York’s McLain Ward seems determined to lead the way to Las Vegas on April 20. Heading up a varied group of more than 60 riders, Ward holds onto the...

Winning the American Hunter Jumper Foundation Hunter Classic Spectacular is important to any hunter rider, but for Louise Serio this time was especially important. Just the day before one of her young clients (Rachel Geiger) lost her mom, Jeannie, in an unexpected turn of events and Louise made a decision that she was going to try and win for Jeannie. And so on Saturday, February 19, 2005, in Wellington, FL, with sadness in her heart but determination in her ride, Serio and Costello negotiated...

The Zada Enterprises, LLC, Florida Dressage Classic ended on a high note on Sunday, February 20, as spectators were treated to more than 20 musical freestyles performances. The $2,000 Grand Prix Musical Freestyle class drew a huge crowd and Leslie Morse’s winning ride on Kingston garnered almost unprecedented enthusiasm from the spectators. The dynamic ride to the Pirates of the Caribbean tune, "The Curse of the Black Pearl" was perfectly suited to Kingston, who seemed as pumped up as the crowd....

On Sunday, February 12, many of the top national equestrians tested their skills in the Bayer-Legend $25,000 Grand Prix Sponsored by Gulf Coast Winter Series. The competition was held at the Harrison Country Fairgrounds on County Farm Road in Gulfport, MS. The winner of the Bayer-Legend $25,000 Grand Prix was I.Z’s Lifetime, owned by Bjorn and Clara Ikast of Laredo, TX with Bjorn Ikast in the irons. I.Z.’s Lifetime, an 11-year-old stallion won $7,500 with two clear rounds. Second place was CR...

The West Coast Active Riders (WCAR) organization has many members competing at the Indio Desert Circuit horse shows in Indio, CA. Richard Spooner is currently one of the most successful West Coast grand prix riders, and he is the original founder of the West Coast Active Riders organization. The Indio Desert Circuit is only in its third week of competition, but Richard Spooner has won the majority of prizes in the grand prix competitions. In the $30,000 Ariat Grand Prix on Friday, February 4,...

This Silver Anniversary year of Rolex Watch USA. joining the Kentucky Three-Day Event as Title Sponsor is reason for grand celebration. The last 25 years have been a glorious partnership between the organizer, Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), and Rolex Watch USA., enabling the event to develop into one of the most prestigious in the world and exert a worldwide impact on the fortunes of U.S. eventing teams in Olympic and World Championship competition. The 2005 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event will...

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has announced the riders who will represent the United States at the CSIO Wellington, March 9-13 during the Winter Equestrian Festival at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington, FL. The USEF has also announced that Frank Chapot will serve as chef d’equipe. Under the direction of Chapot, 2004 Olympic Show Jumping Team Silver medalists McLain Ward and Beezie Madden will join Kimberly Frey and Lauren Hough...

View of the show jumping course at the 2003 World Cup Finals. (Jan Gyllensten) Some of the world’s best riders and horses are placing their bets on Las Vegas this year, eager to see if their scores from earlier qualifying competitions will be enough to earn a ticket to the entertainment capital of the world in April. If they make the final cut, they’ll join the ranks of dozens of world-class athletes, each hoping their skill, combined with Lady Luck, will earn the coveted title of...

Wellington Dressage, the first of the three major dressage shows at the Winter Equestrian Festival, drew to a close on February 6 with the musical freestyle competitions and a special awards ceremony hosted in the Internationale Arena. Leading the musical freestyle winners, was show superstar, Ashley Holzer. Holzer won the $2,000 FEI Grand Prix Freestyle aboard her dynamic Dutch stallion, Imperioso, with a score of 71.583%. Holzer also won the $1,500 FEI Intermediaire-I Freestyle riding Pop Art...