Elizabeth Boyd & Brunello. (Flashpoint Photography.) Conyers, GA Spring has sprung and summer is just around the corner. The Classic Company has two weeks of horse showing not to be missed, with increased prize money, new classes and an array of special events. “We’ve taken many of our exhibitors’ suggestions and made them into reality for the Summer Classics. I believe they’ll be as excited as we are with the results," Bob Bell of Classic said. Hunter riders will take center stage during the...

Scott Stewart and Empire. (Photo by Sportfot.) Wellington, FL - It was an important day for hunters at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Sixty entries took their shot at a chance to compete in the $50,000 USHJA Hunter Derby, one of the biggest purses in the world offered for hunter competitors. The class began this afternoon in the E.R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring. With a large number of spectators standing by, each horse and rider combination took their turn over a course of eleven jumps,...

Mario Deslauriers and Cella. (Photo by Sportfot.) Wellington, FL Week 11 of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival concluded on Sunday afternoon with a victory for Mario Deslauriers (USA) and Cella in the $30,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic Finale. Deslauriers and Cella, owned by Jane F. Clark, were the only pair to master the course with double clear rounds for the win. Guilherme Jorge of Brazil designed the courses in the International Arena this week and concluded the...

Courtney King-Dye will speak about The Road to Grand Prix during the KWPN-NA Annual Meeting. (Susan J. Stickle.) Sutherlin, OR - Once again the KWPN-NA Annual Meeting pulls out all of the stops to give breeders, trainers, owners and riders information to help them advance their horses up the ranks to Grand Prix, for both jumping and dressage. The Royal Dutch Warmblood Studbook of North America (KWPN-NA) has put together an unprecedented number of experts that includes Olympic medalist Steffen...

Andre Thieme and Coco 135. (ESI Photography©.) OCALA, FL - On a perfectly beautiful afternoon at HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, FL, German show-jumping icon Andre Thieme riding Seth Vallhonrat's Coco 135 captured the victory in Sunday's $50,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, to close out the Ocala Finals. Thieme's win marked the first time this season that a rider captured more than one victory in a Sunday Grand Prix, his first being aboard his own Cesar three weeks...

Jonathan Wentz on NTEC Ritcher Scale with trainer/sponsor Kai Handt and USPEA President Hope Hand. (Lindsay McCall) Del Mar, CA – Closing day of the 2011 Dressage Affaire (CDI3* W/Y/J & CPEDI3*) arrived at the beautiful Del Mar Horsepark on Sunday, March 13, 2011. The para-equestrian dressage riders could breathe a sigh a relief with the two qualifying days of the Team Test and Individual Championship Test completed. Sunday was the day for each rider from the United States, Canada and Mexico to...

Joel Kiesner. (Photo by Stuart Vesty.) Welcome to the second of many features profiling various people in equestrian sport - athletes, trainers and more. The profiles are published regularly in the United States Equestrian Federation's Week in Review e-newsletter. This week meet Joel Kiesner, whose lifelong experience has evolved into training methods focused on maximizing the best assets and talent of the Arabian horse. His exceptional talent and abilities have resulted in numerous awards -...

Pierre St. Jacques and Lucky Tiger (SusanJStickle.com Photo) Wellington, FL - The second day of the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by the International Polo Club got underway with the Grand Prix Special on a glorious day in South Florida. Nine horse-and-rider combinations went forward to the Special after Thursday’s Grand Prix and the remaining eight will contest the Freestyle this evening. Polish rider Michal Rapcewicz proved unbeatable, winning the Special on 69.771% on Randon....

Steffen Peters and Ravel (SusanJStickle.com Photo) Wellington, FL – Despite the weather’s best attempts to delay the start of the 2011 World Dressage Masters presented by the International Polo Club Palm Beach, the competition prevailed and the only World Dressage Masters in the United States got underway at 2 p.m. at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center after some fierce storms passed over Florida. The field featured 17 of some of the best horses and riders in the world including veteran...

Steffen Peters and Ravel at the FEI 5* horse inspection. (Marie Cobb/Susan J. Stickle.) Wellington, FL - The World Dressage Masters Palm Beach CDI5* presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach got off to an auspicious start on Wednesday, March 9, as all 15 horses were presented to the FEI Ground Jury and passed the mandatory inspection. They will go on to compete in the Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special and Grand Prix Freestyle over the next two days. The highlight of the WDM Palm Beach is...