Will Simpson and The Dude, owned by Nicole Walker (CapturedMomentPhoto.com) Del Mar, Calif. - Today's $25,000 Markel Insurance 1.40m Grand Prix in Del Mar was truly tremendous sport. Some superb horse and rider pairs came to compete, 52 in total, with veteran pair Will Simpson and The Dude (Nicole Walker, owner) taking the win in a 14 horse jump-off. Californian native Mavis Spencer rode Disco Lady (owned by Neil Jones Equestrian) to the win in the Interactive Mortgage U25 qualifier. Having...

Leslie Howard and Donna Speciale Win $40,000 Sovaro Speed Stake (Shawn McMillen) Bridgehampton, N.Y. - Leslie Howard (USA) and Donna Speciale, owned by Laure Sudreau, went early in the field of 41 competitors from five nations, but the Darien, CT resident managed to hang on to the fastest clear round and win the $40,000 Sovaro Speed Stake, the first or four FEI-recognized competitions to be featured at the 41st Annual Hampton Classic Horse Show. Howard was fourth in the lineup and watched as...

Lexington, Ky. – Handlers, owners, and breeders showcased their top hunter prospects this past week at the 2016 Sallie B. Wheeler/US Hunter Breeding National Championship. The competition was held in two phases. Entrants on the East Coast presented their horses at the Virginia Young Horse Festival in Lexington, Va., on Saturday, August 27, while those on the West Coast took part in the Showpark All Seasons Summer Tournament in Del Mar, Calif., on Wednesday, August 31. Following both...

Louisville, Ky. - Beginning on Saturday, August 20th, and ending on Saturday, August 27th, 2016, nearly 2,000 American Saddlebreds, Hackneys, and Roadsters competed for the World’s Championship titles in Freedom Hall at the Kentucky State Fair. The exhilarating and glamorous event culminated on the final Saturday night when seven top horses competed for the crown jewel of the American Saddlebred world as they vied for the Five-Gaited World’s Grand Champion title. After a thrilling...

Lexington, Ky. – Following the horse inspection on Wednesday, the U.S. Driving Team is ready to compete in the 2016 FEI World Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand. Fifty-six combinations from 16 nations, including 14 teams, will contest the championship taking place August 31-September 4 in Breda, The Netherlands. Under the guidance of Chef d'Equipe Ed Young, the team of James Fairclough, Allison Stroud, and Chester Weber, along with individual Misdee Wrigley Miller, aims for a...

Millstreet Town, Co. Cork, Ireland – A small but mighty field contested the Millstreet International Horse Trials CCI3* this weekend with Jacqueline B. Mars Competition Grant recipient Lillian Heard giving a stellar performance to finish in fourth place. Lillian Heard and LCC Barnaby (Denisa Photo) Heard (Poolesville, Md.) and her own LCC Barnaby, a 2006 Irish Sport Horse gelding, had a respectable test to start the competition off with a dressage score of 58.7 and sit in 12th place. They...

Wayne, Ill. – The U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions came to a close on Sunday with the remaining divisions crowning their champions. Anna Buffini earned the National Champion and Reserve National Champion titles in the USEF Young Adult ‘Brentina Cup’ Dressage National Championship presented by Dressage Today with Sundayboy and Wilton II, respectively. Following a fluid test, Julia Lee Barton and Bonnaroo took home the USEF Pony Rider Dressage National Championship title....

McLain Ward and Tina La Boheme (The Book LLC) Bridgehampton, N.Y. - McLain Ward sped to the top in the $30,000 Boar's Head Open Jumper Challenge, presented by Dan's Papers, on opening day at the Hampton Classic Horse Show. The win marked the four-time Olympic veteran's first competition since leading the US team to a silver medal at the Rio Olympic Games. Ward's 2004 gold medal Olympic teammate Peter Wylde was second and Shane Sweetnam of Ireland was third. Ward of Brewster, NY,...

Wayne, Ill. – The final two division titles of the 2016 Markel/USEF Young & Developing Horse Dressage National Championships were determined today as competition came to an end at the Lamplight Equestrian Center. Endel Ots and Lucky Strike earned the Markel/USEF Six-Year-Old National Championship title, their first national championship, following the FEI Six-Year-Old Final Test. Jane Karol and Sunshine Tour won the Markel/USEF Developing Horse Grand Prix National Championship...

Wayne, Ill. – An elite group of young dressage athletes competed for championship honors in the USEF Dressage Seat Medal Finals on Sunday at the Lamplight Equestrian Center. Judges examined the riders’ equitation skills by taking them through a series of flat and pattern work. Averi Allen claimed top honors in the 13 & Under division, while Allison Hopkins earned top honors in the 14-18 division. 13 & Under Division Averi Allen, the 13 & Under Champion, riding Celtic...