Andy Fraser President, Finning Canada, presenting the winners trophy to Jerome Hurel. (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, Alberta - Opening day of the 2012 Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament lived up to all expectations. Fifty-three horse/rider combinations from 9 nations took to the International Ring for top spot in the 1.50 meter Akita Drilling Cup. Over the 500 meter course designed by Leopoldo Palacios (VEN), with 14 jumping obstacles, it was Richard Spooner (USA) that...

Sabrina, 2012 Best Young Horse East Coast and Sallie B. Wheeler/US National Hunter Breeding Champion, and handler Bucky Reynolds. (Susan M Carter) Lexington, KY - The tallies are in and the Overall Grand Champion has been crowned at the 2012 Sallie B. Wheeler/US National Hunter Breeding Championship. The east coast's Best Young Horse Champion has won the Overall title for the sixth time in the Championship's two phase history as Sabrina, a chestnut Hanoverian filly, was selected as the...

Gabe Aniello performing his Free Test at the 2012 World Vaulting Championship (www.barny-th.de) Le Mans, France - On the second day of competition at the FEI World Vaulting Championship, the U.S. vaulters had a day of strong performances. Gabe Aniello (Redwood City, CA) leads the U.S. vaulters in the Individual Male Championships, currently sitting in ninth place with a total score of 7.277. Aniello partnered with Forrest Cump and lunger Agnes Forst. "I had a rough beginning but I pulled it...

Blythe Marano and Urban won the $50,000 Rood & Riddle Grand Prix at the Kentucky Summer Classic. (Kendall Bierer/PMG) Lexington, KY - The applause and excitement could be heard resounding throughout the Kentucky Horse Park [yesterday night] as the $50,000 Rood & Riddle Grand Prix got underway in the Rolex Stadium. It was the fifth day of the Kentucky Summer Classic, and the nation's top riders gathered to show under the bright lights of the stadium for a share in the prize money,...

Darragh Kenny and Lipton De L’Othain won the $5,000 Open Jumper 1.40m class on Wednesday, August 1, at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, VT – Week five of the 2012 Vermont Summer Festival kicked off on Wednesday, August 1, with the Manchester & the Mountains Horse Show at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT. Ireland’s Darragh Kenny and Lipton De L’Othain, owned by The Wannahave Group, were the winners in the highlight...

Leslie Howard et Lennox Lewis 2 Credit Normand St-Jacques Bromont - American rider Leslie Howard, who won the first FEI Open Jumper 1m50 this week, presented by the Ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport, enjoys victory again in the Desjardins Speed Derby, winning with a comfortable six-second margin. A high-energy course The Speed Derby's course, built in two rings, added a challenge for the horses by using the walkway to cross over. Twenty-two horse/rider teams...

Katie Prudent showed the crowd that V can get it done. (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, AB - With a record five day crowd of 117,336 braving the heat, the 2012 Spruce Meadows ‘North American’ Tournament was wrapped up on the last day of the Spruce Meadows Summer Series. With the Olympics fast approaching, the Sunday of the ‘North American’ Tournament marks the last International competition for many riders before the opening ceremonies in London. With this in...

Laura Kraut and Cedric won the 23'000 € 1.55 m Syndicaat van de Rotterdamse Havenbedrijven Prix at the Rotterdam CHIO. (Erin Cowgill) Rotterdam, Netherlands - June 22, 2012 - Laura Kraut and Cedric could not be stopped on Thursday, June 21, 2012, as they emerged the victors of the qualifying 23'000 € 1.55 m Syndicaat van de Rotterdamse Havenbedrijven Prix. The Concours Hippique International Officiel (CHIO) has seen some of the world's greatest competitors vie for the prestigious...

Stacy Parvey-Larsson and Benidetto with Debbie McDonald (Tracy Schlabach) Lexington, KY - USEF Developing Dressage Clinics wrapped up for the Spring season last week in Loxahatchee, FL at Walter and Mary Anne McPhail's High Meadow Farm. The clinic schedule began in Thousand Oaks, CA at Michael and Linda Fowler's Epona Farms, January 7-8, and included clinics at High Meadow Farm, January 31-February 1 and April 3-4 and an additional clinic at Epona Farms, March 16-17. Focusing on the...

Samantha Senft Secures the Ariat National Adult Medal Victory Aberdeen and Andres Rodriguez (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Venezuela's Andres Rodriguez had a great morning at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) on Friday, earning the top two prizes in the $1,500 Adequan Seven-Year-Old Young Jumper Qualifier. Week four of the FTI WEF runs February 1-5, and is sponsored by Adequan. The Budweiser Clydesdales will be making two appearances at the FTI WEF this week. The first will...