Caen, France - The first day of dressage competition at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games got underway Monday beneath rainy skies at the d’Ornano Stadium with the first half of competitors completing the FEI Grand Prix Test. Forty-nine combinations performed in front of the Ground Jury of Stephen Clarke, Elizabeth McMullen, Isabelle Judet, Susan Hoevenaars, Francis Verbeek, Dietrich Plewa, and Liselotte Fore. The United States got off to a strong start with solid performances...

Julie Welles and Twan won the $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix on August 9 (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, Vt. - Julie Welles of Wellington, FL, and Twan triumphed in the $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix on August 9 during the final week of the Vermont Summer Festival horse show in East Dorset, Vt. The six-week equestrian competition runs July 2 through August 10 at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, Vt. A total of 10 entries found their way to a clear round...

Westport, Conn. - Thanks to Ariat International and the dedication of three volunteers in the Champions Equine Service program, three well-deserving charities devoted to horse welfare and the horse-human bond are receiving grants. Individuals who volunteer a minimum of 24 hours in a year for an equine charity on the EQUUS Foundation Equine Welfare Network are recognized as Champions and automatically entered into a drawing where the winners have the opportunity to select their charities to...

Shannon Dahmer and Lakota Lace (Phelps Media Group) Parker, Colo. - A horse of a different color has been attracting notice at Dressage in the Rockies for more than just his spots. Lakota Lace, an 11-year-old Appaloosa/Percheron/Quarter Horse gelding, picked up back-to-back wins in the Intermediaire I at the Colorado Horse Park. In his first time out at that level, Lakota Lace scored 68.816 percent on Friday, winning the FEI High Percentage Championship, and 67.895 percent on Saturday. Trainer...

This article was originally posted at www.useventing.com . Matt Brown and Super Socks BCF (StockImageServices.com) Five days of competition came to a close Sunday at The Event at Rebecca Farm with the third and final phase of the Adequan USEA Gold Cup and PRO Tour Series. Blossom Creek Foundation’s Super Socks BCF and Matthew Brown of Petaluma, California gave a top class performance, completing Richard Jeffery’s show jumping course without a single fault. James Alliston of San...

Tracy Fenney rode MTM Timon to the $30,000 Nutrena Grand Prix victory on the final day of the Showplace Spring Spectacular II (Phelps Media Group) Wayne, Ill. - Silence fell on the crowd at the Showplace Spring Spectacular II as Texan Tracy Fenney raced around the jump-off track aboard MTM Centano. A rub down the double-combination of the final line had spectators on the edge of their seats, but the rail stayed in its cups as Fenney dashed across the final oxer in 31.456 seconds to win the...

Burbank, Calif. - For the second year in a row, Jenny Karazissis led the victory gallop in the $10,000 Memorial Day USHJA International Hunter Derby, this time aboard Undeniable (Kelly Straeter, owner). “I’m so lucky to be able to ride such incredible horses,” Jenny commented. “Undeniable is such a competitor and he’s such a nice mover that it just brings a smile to your face when you ride him.” The judges definitely loved his movement and expression, and...

SAUGERTIES, NY – Peter Leone put the antics of nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, My Pleasure, to good use on Friday when he jumped to win the first of 16 grand prix offered during the 2014 HITS Saugerties Spring Circuit – the $25,000 SmartPakGrand Prix, presented by Zoetis. ©ESI Photography Asia Manning of HITS presented winner’s honors, including a Horze Equestrian cooler, to Peter Leone and My Pleasure after their win in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis....

Article originally posted at www.useventing.com . Davidson and Copper Beech (StockImageServices.com) When Buck Davidson found his lucky red socks stashed in the corner of his camper the other day, he knew it was a good omen. Then, when he and Copper Beech scored 43 in dressage – the horse’s owner Carl Segal’s favorite number – he figured he had this event in the bag. Who can argue with fate? Sunday, Davidson (Riegelsville, Pa.) and the eight-year-old Irish gelding won...

Parker & Texas Checkmate (Tricia Booker Photography) Katy, Texas. - Paige Parker, of Baylor University, rose to the top of the Collegiate Invitational today with three consistent performances on three different horses. The Invitational was one of the featured events of the concluding day of the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show I. The event, presented by Max Bowl and the Boatright, Dougherty and Roberts families, brought eight student athletes together for head-to-head competition on catch rides....