Photo by Robbi Meisel (Aaron Vale and Platinum) The $25,000 Jacksonville A-Z Grand Prix sponsored by North Florida Hunter Jumper Association on January 30 closed out Week IV of competition with one of the most successful riders in show jumping, Aaron Vale, adding another win to his illustrious career. After a week of observation, course designer Allen Rheinheimer put all he learned about the starting field into a lengthy and technical 13 obstacle-16 effort test with a time allowance of 96 tight...

Photo by Flying Horse Photography (Keri Potter and Rockford I) The all-new Devoucoux Hunter Derby kicked off with a bang at the 2010 HITS Desert Circuit when one of the top hunter riders in the country, John French, piloted Victoria Komisar’s Over the Moon to the inaugural win in the $10,000 Devoucoux Derby on the West Coast. French of Gilroy, CA, had the highest score in both the first and second rounds of the popular 3'3" class that featured 29 starters on a course set by John Manning, which...

One of the leading hunter/equitation riders and trainers will be giving a Hunt Seat Clinic, sponsored by Palm Beach Riding Academy, in the International Arena on February 16 at 3:30 p.m. during the World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Week, which is the sixth week of the 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Smith and his wife, Emily, own and have operated Ashland Farms since 1992. They have trained and or shown to numerous championships at shows such as Devon, Capital Challenge,...

The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) continued a strong circuit this year in the second week of competition held January 20-24. The week featured the $50,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, CSI** along with a full schedule of hunter, jumper, and equitation classes. The week two title sponsor was Purina Mills, and through Land O'Lakes Purina Feed, they are the exclusive horse feed sponsor of the 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Land O'Lakes Purina Feed, LLC (www.landolakesinc.com), is a...

Photo by Stephanie Law (Fiderline, Nancy Holowesko, & Ulla Petersen. ) In 2009, Nancy Holwesko of Crosiadore Farm in Trappe, MD, presented a number of excellent foals and mares to the Oldenburg Horse Breeders' Society, and in the end she was honored by having both the top mare and top foal of the 2009 North American Inspection Season. The mare, Fiderline, who she bought at the 2006 Oldenburg Elite Foal Auction in Vechta, Germany, had the highest scores of any mare at the two Mare Performance...

Photo by Susan J. Stickle (Todd Flettrich and Otto.) Dressage trainer Todd Flettrich and his mount Otto, owned by Cherry Knoll Farm, had an exciting victory in Friday afternoon's FEI Grand Prix de Dressage at the Gold Coast Opener Festival in Wellington, FL. Competing in the main arena at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center, Flettrich and Otto completed their Grand Prix test with a score of 67.8% for the overall victory, and qualified to compete in Saturday's Grand Prix Special following the win....

Photo by Robbi Meisel (Wilhelm Genn and Happy Z) The third week of competition at the 2010 Jacksonville Winter Series got in full swing with the $5,000 Open Jumper Classic being won by Lebanon, Ohio’s Wilhelm Genn, as both owner and rider, piloting the brilliant mare Happy Z. Presented by Farm House Tack, the Jumper Classic served as a prelim to the next evening’s featured event, the $25,000 Marco Family Foundation benefitting H.O.R.S.E. Therapies, a nonprofit therapeutic equine program to air...

PF Chief Runnin Bear and Paint racing sensation Got Country Grip were named the American Paint Horse Association’s (APHA) Running World Champions for 2009. The Regular Registry and Solid Paint-Bred world champions, respectively, and 16 other Running Champions were announced January 16 at the Heritage Place sale in Oklahoma City. Running Champion awards, presented annually, are given to Paint Horses that demonstrate outstanding athleticism on the racetrack. Selection is based on their level of...

Lexington, KY – Olympic superstar, Debbie McDonald, has taken on the role of USEF Developing Dressage Coach for the United States Equestrian Federation. McDonald’s name is synonymous with the US Dressage program for the last decade having represented the US across the globe, winning the 2003 FEI World Cup Final and leading the US to Team Bronze at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and the 2006 World Equestrian Games with her legendary mare Brentina. The USEF Developing Dressage program has been...

Breeder Ken Borden, Jr., has characterized his Little Bit Farm, Inc., as “small but mighty.” They have had growing success and many year-end awards for both farm and horses, but this past year was a banner one. For 2009, Little Bit Farm is the leading dressage breeder for both the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the United States Dressage Federation (USDF), with five USDF Horse of the Year winners and two of their four approved stallions entering the record books. Masterpiece...