Del Mar, Calif. - With 43 competitors in the World Cup Qualifier, a thick competition of world-class athletes faced off on a course designed by Bernardo Cabral, from Portugal. Harrie Smolders (McCool Photography) The course for the Rancho Valencia World Cup Grand Prix was a lovely mixture of lines and combinations with many tight roll back turns. "The course looked challenging, but fun," commented a spectator of Cabral's creation. The course allowed 10 into a tough jump-off, which included...

North Salem, N.Y. - Rewind to a month ago and Kenny had yet to even show the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse. Now a few short weeks later, the pair has racked up an impressive track record, winning all four of their last four attempts. "He's an amazing horse," Kenny said. "He just keeps winning all the time. It's unbelievable." With three wins with Kenny already under his belt, today's 1.60m track, set on the beautiful grass field at Old Salem Farm, served as the next big test for...

Boyd Martin and Shamwari 4 (Shannon Brinkman Photo) Le Pin-au-Haras, France – The heart of the eventing discipline was on display Saturday at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games with the cross country phase taking center stage at Le Pin National Stud in Le Pin-au-Haras, France. The FEI World Team and Individual Eventing Championship saw 87 combinations set out on a world championship-caliber 5,982m, 33-obstacle cross country course designed by Pierre Michelet (FRA). Due to wet...

Lexington, Ky. - The United States has high hopes of strong finishes in European CSIO5* Nations Cup competition this week, as they field teams in both Hickstead, England, and Gijon, Spain. In Friday’s Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup of Great Britain presented by Longines at CSIO5* Hickstead, the U.S. sends a veteran team into competition. McLain Ward, Reed Kessler, Margie Engle, and Beezie Madden look to showcase the form that earned them spots on the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Short List...

Angel Karolyi and Indiana 127 (Spruce Meadows Media Service) Calgary, Alberta - The 'North American' Tournament CSI 5* at Spruce Meadows concluded on Sunday with an extraordinary showdown in the $210,000 Cenovus Energy Classic Derby. It was déjà vu from the 'National' Tournament in June, as Angel Karolyi of Venezuela and Quentin Judge of the USA battled it out in an exciting derby jump-off. Judge took the win four weeks ago and was hoping to repeat his victory with...

Brandie Holloway benefitted from daughter Hunter's use of her horse for the Gladstone Program with George Morris (Carrie Wirth) Parker, Colo. - Colorado Horse Park's Week IV of Summer in the Rockies got underway Sednesday and the Kathy and Brad Coors Family Grand Prix Arena was rocking with show jumping action. The show is a sell-out for the next few weeks, with large numbers of competitors choosing to enjoy the undeniably ideal Colorado weather and the wonderful amenities of the Colorado...

Richard Spooner riding Tuxedo (Spruce Meadows Media Service) Clagary, Alberta - Competition kicked off in the Chinook Ring Friday morning with the $8,000 Francis Family Cup 1.45m where Richard Spooner (USA) got his third win in a row this week. Held in a faults converted format, the competition saw 30 entries jumping a course set by Manuel Esparza of Mexico. About halfway through the order, Spooner and Tuxedo cleared the course in a time of 66.44 seconds that would hold on for the win. The...

Lexington, Ky .- The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named six athlete-and-horse combinations to the Squad for the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Additionally, eight athlete-and-horse combinations have been named as alternates. Preparation Events for squad members and alternates will be held for United States-based combinations at Great Meadow in The Plains, Va. July 26-27 and for European-based combinations at Wilton in the United...

Kristi Nunnink and R-Star, winners of the CIC3* (Sherry Stewart) Temecula, Calif. - After taking the two-phase lead in the CIC3* at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials, Kristi Nunnink said that she planned to gallop fast enough around the cross-country course to win, and she did just that. She rode R-Star across the finish line 14 seconds slow, and those 5.6 time faults kept her in front, with a total score of 57.5. Nunnink’s score was good enough to defeat John Michael Durr on...

The coveted championship trophy in Doha Doha, Qatar - Nine out of the top 11 ranked riders on the Longines Global Champions Tour are in with a chance to be crowned 2013 Champion in what promises to be an end of season cliffhanger in Qatar. The scramble for maximum points at the 12th and final leg of this year’s series will be intense. Expect ruthless determination from riders at the top of the ranking who are still eligible for the most prestigious prize in show jumping. After 11 events...