Ken Berkley and Prestige Win Sanctuary First Year Green Working Hunter Championship Wellington, FL - Nick Skelton (GBR) accumulated another win at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) today in the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup 2, this time taking the top prize with Beverley Widdowson's Carlo 273. The Irish took the next two places, with Richie Moloney on Slieveanorra, owned by Equinimity LLC/Richie Moloney in second and Cian O'Connor on Ashkirk Ltd. & Cian...

Cian O'Connor and Everything Capture First G&C Farm 1.45m Jumper Victory Wellington, FL - The FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) kicked off competition today with hunter/jumper classes in 10 rings. In the International Arena, Olympian Cian O'Connor (IRL) scored the first win of the season with Everything, owned by Abdulla Humaid Al Muhairi, in the G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers. The first week of the FTI WEF runs through Sunday, January 15, and is sponsored by Surpass....

Wellington, FL - The 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) hosted its opening press conference on Tuesday afternoon at the White Horse Tavern in Wellington, FL. A large crowd of local, national, and international media were in attendance to hear the latest news on the 12-week competition, which begins tomorrow. The FTI WEF will host thousands of the world's best horses and riders on January 11-April 1 at the beautiful Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in what...

Wellington, FL - Coaches representing the four main governing bodies of collegiate riding will host seminars for the young riders at this year's College Preparatory Invitational (CPI) Horse Show. Reprentatives from the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA), American National Riding Commission (ANRC), Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA), and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), will all be on hand. Presenting its second annual event, the 2012 CPI will be held...

New Orleans, LA – After decades of discussion, debate and consternation, the current increment system—the way points are calculated when a horse places in a class at a rated competition—was successfully revamped. “It’s something that’s not happened in our lifetimes,” noted United States Hunter Jumper Association President Bill Moroney with a smile. “This is a massive change. The beauty of this system is how easily it’s understood. This rule...

Temecula, CA — Sara Mittleider and Harry Houdini put in a measured dressage test on Thursday, but the Trakehner gelding looked just as at home on the cross-country course today as he galloped around faultlessly to maintain their lead in the CCI1*. Mittleider, of Kuna, Idaho, was thrilled with her rising star, whom she’s only been riding for a year and half. “I was very impressed with the maturity and confidence he showed today. The footing was a non-issue, and I was so, so...

They say it never rains in Southern California, but the heavens opened up on the CCI3* competitors at the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event. Still, the conditions didn’t prevent Buck Davidson, on Carl and Cassie Segal’s Ballynoe Castle RM, from taking the lead in dressage, scoring 41.8. “’Reggie’ was fantastic,” said Davidson, of Ocala, Fla. “He just keeps showing up. I just couldn’t be happier with him—he just steps up and does...

The first half of this day involved my computer, two cappuccinos and the hotel office. "Just be sure we kick some ass." Unfortunately Jon Holling's Eventing horse Downtown Harrison was withdrawn for veterinary reasons in Ocala this morning. But those were his words when I texted him my condolences. He's a friend and a class act, so we're all sad for him. Luckily we have Lynn Symansky to step into his shoes. She's a star. Interestingly she will be making her second Pan Am...

Paragon He’s only eight years old but he’s the talk of the dressage world. Yesterday people came to watch him school because they had seen him on YouTube and they wanted to see him in person. Luckily for the U.S. he’s on our team at the 2011 Pan American Games, after claiming reserve championship honors at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions. Owned and ridden by Heather Blitz, the lanky 18- plus-hand chestnut gelding has jaw-dropping movement in...

Gladstone, NJ – The 2011 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals-East concluded on Sunday afternoon with an exciting victory for 18-year-old Samantha Schaefer of Westminster, MD. Showing over two beautiful autumn days at the USET Foundation Headquarters in Gladstone, NJ, eighty-four hopefuls came out to show this weekend in the 30th annual competition. Schaefer earned the win with high scores across the board in a head-to-head final four jump-off. Judges Jimmy Lee and...