Lexington, KY – A seasoned veteran of the USEF Driving Four-in-Hand Team battled the elements to win the 2009 Laurels at Landhope Advanced Horse Teams division in a deluge on Friday. Rain plagued the annual event in West Grove, PA and many of the competitors chose to withdraw from the marathon phase (including reigning Silver medalist from the 2008 World Driving Championships, Chester Weber) but Jim Fairclough (Newtown, NJ) made the best of a very wet weekend. Fairclough’s fortitude prevailed...

The World Games 2010 Foundation will begin activities for the much anticipated 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games this summer when the Kentucky Cup Reining—the official test event for the discipline of reining—will slide into the new indoor arena at the Kentucky Horse Park this July. A four-star FEI event, the Kentucky Cup Reining offers a similar format to the Games in both nations cup competitions and individual championships. Nations expected to field teams include Brazil,...

Lexington, KY – US Eventing Chef d’Equipe and Technical Advisor, Captain Mark Phillips and the USEF have renewed the contract for Mark Phillips to serve in this capacity through 2012. In his 16 years in tenure as the Chef d’Equipe and coach of the US Eventing Team, Capt. Phillips has never taken a team to an Olympic, World or Pan American Games without bringing home a medal. His tenure has been highlighted by a Team Gold medal at the 2002 World Equestrian Games and David O’Connor’s Individual...

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The 2008 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams that competed in Beijing, China in August and September will come together again as they visit Washington, D.C. for the traditional White House visit on October 7. The White House visit, which will include more than 500 U.S. athletes, will begin at 9:40 a.m. on the South Lawn. The President has been an ardent supporter of the 2008 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams having hosted a send-off celebration at the White House prior...

Authentic (Shannon Brinkman) Hong Kong, China – Under the unsettled skies of the impending typhoon the individual medals were decided by not one but two jump-offs. America’s Beezie Madden and Authentic out ran six other combinations to be the fastest of the four faulters to win her first Indivdual medal. “In the Olympics there is usually a jump off for medals,” said Madden. “So we expected it. When it ended up being seven to jump off for the bronze it made for a...

Hong Kong, China - The US show jumpers were all business when they returned to the main arena at Sha Tin tonight for the first round of the Nations Cup, the US riders finished on 12 faults, tied with Switzerland for the lead. Sapphire was Perfect for McLain Ward (Shannon Brinkman) Bookended by two members of the 2004 Gold medal winning team, Team USA’s performance was impressive, although somewhat unpredictable. McLain Ward and Sapphire started it off for the US but they had plenty of...

When the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games take place at the Kentucky Horse Park in 2010, horses and riders will compete on a new state-of-the-art surface, which is being installed by the German company who developed it. The Outdoor Stadium which is currently under construction at the Kentucky Horse Park will be ready to receive its new surface in January or February of 2009. Otto Sport–und Reitplatz GmbH is the developer and supplier of this 86,000-square-foot stadium surface, as well as two...

Lexington, KY - This spring, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) hired Eric Stauffer of Middleburg, VA, as the Managing Director of Driving. Stauffer, a native of Northeastern Pennsylvania, has been riding all his life. He got his start in the pony hunters then moved on to the pony jumpers - riding on the A circuit in the Devon, PA, area. He was then introduced to eventing by Sally Graburn, mother of Sterling (the current National Singles Driving Champion). Stauffer moved to the...

To mark the first-ever hosting of Equestrian Events in Hong Kong and the one-year countdown of Beijing Olympic Games, The Olympic Equestrian Company is pleased to join hands with the MTR and OMEGA to launch a limited-edition “Olympic 1-Year Countdown” MTR Souvenir Tickets Set. Priced at $88, each ticket set includes two adult souvenir tickets* and a specially-designed ticket holder. Don't miss out on this commemorative collectible item! Sales Period: August 20–September 10, 2007 Ways to...

McLain Ward and Wings (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) began its fifth week of competition on Wednesday with a win for two-time U.S. Olympic Team Gold Medalist McLain Ward and his mount, Wings, in the $34,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45m speed class. Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Cyklon 1083 led the way through a large part of the class, but were bested by Ward and Wings at the very end and finished in second place. Week five of the FTI Consulting...