Manuel Torres and Cinderella top the $40,000 HITS Grand Prix presented by Zoetis (©ESI Photography) Culpeper, Va. - The clock didn’t strike midnight on Cinderella and Manuel Torres at HITS Culpeper this weekend. The eight-year old Westphalian mare carried Torres (Leesburg, Virginia) to top honors in the $40,000 Grand Prix presented by Zoetis. With only a handful of grand prix in her repertoire, Cinderella picked up her second high-performance blue on Sunday. “She’s peaking...

John Perez and Utopia (Captured Moments Photography) San juan Capistrano, Calif. - On an idyllic Southern California afternoon, the $30,000 1.40m Markel Insurance Grand Prix, presented by Davidson Communities, welcomed twenty entries. With a mixed field of veterans, young horses and rookie grand prix riders, Jackie Leemon's expansive course challenged but didn't over face the competitors. In a jump-off of eleven horse and rider combinations, seasoned partners John Perez and Utopia rose...

Kevin Babington and family watch the Carling King tribute. (Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports) Halifax, Mass. - As the 2014 Silver Oak Jumper Tournament drew to a close on the final Sunday, Irish rider Kevin Babington celebrated one of the most special days in what has been a long and highly decorated career. First, during the pre-game ceremonies, his great mount Carling King, who recently passed away, was honored with a wonderful video production on the big video screen ringside. Put together by Jeff...

Brunello and Boyd during their winning handy round (A Galvin/Phelps Media Group) Lexington, Ky. - -"I feel like it's a bit of a dream, like pinch me. I'm still a little bit in shock." That is what the winner of the 2014 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals had to say after her finish, and it is no wonder Liza Boyd thought winning derby finals twice in a row aboard Brunello was a long shot. She gave birth to her second child just two and a half months prior to the competition, giving...

CPHA Junior Medal Final Winner Abby Jorgensen with family, trainers and CPHA representatives (Captured Moments Photography) San Juan Capistrano, Calif. - Kicking off the medal finals season, Blenheim EquiSports hosted the California Professional Horsemen's Association (CPHA) Junior and Adult Finals at the Blenheim Summer Classic. An impressive crowd gathered at Blenheim Farms' indoor ring for the Final Round. Three experienced female equestrians made up the judging panel, Stacia Madden,...

Kevin McCarthy claiming top honors with Jeffrey Welles (left) and Darren Granziano (Alex Lynch) Halifax, Mass. - Friday was speed day at The Silver Oak Jumper Tournament, but although many were speedy, few were clean in our main event. With an exciting Welcome Stake ending the day yesterday, today's featured class was the 1.30m Cross Insurance Speed Derby. Olaf Peterson Jr.'s unique Speed Derby course design made for an exciting afternoon at Silver Oak. In a field of 29 horse and rider...

Lexington, Ky. - Tori Colvin and Inclusive claimed victory in the Classic Hunter Round of the $180,040 USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship. Their scores of 92, 90 and 95 for a 289 total was unmatched after a field of 75 horses contested today's course in the Kentucky Horse Park's Rolex Stadium. Jimmy Torano, the busiest rider with eight mounts in the class, saved the best for last as he guided Mindful to second place with 90, 92 and 94 for 288 total points. Liza Boyd and...

Scott Stewart and Remarkable during their smooth winning round (A.Glavan/Phelps Media Group) Lexington, Ky. - Through three rounds of the 2014 USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Championship, the horse at the top of the pack changed, but the rider stayed the same. Winning the first round and coming back on top in the final was Scott Stewart, capturing the championship with the most eye-catching of his seven mounts, Remarkable. "I love young horses and bringing them along," Stewart said. "So I think this...

Lexington, Ky. - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named four horse-and-athlete combinations to the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games U.S. Dressage Team. Additionally, two horse-and-athlete combinations have been named as substitutes. The following horse-and-athlete combinations have been named to the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games U.S. Dressage Team (in alphabetical order): Laura Graves (Geneva, Fla.) and her own Verdades Verdades is a 2002 Dutch Warmblood...

Owens & Messick (Shawn McMillen Photography) Lexington, Ky. - Amateur rider Kyle Owens picked a good day to break into the 90s for the first time in his riding career. And, his excellent timing and performance aboard Messick paid impressive dividends, as he tied professional John Barker with Carlotta for the blue ribbon in the Second Round of the USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Championship, August 12-14 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. "This was so exciting. I'd never even gotten a...