On my list of things I find to be riveting I usually would not rank watching dressage among the top, but in the last two days I have really gotten into it. I found myself glued to the monitors that had the live feed playing all day yesterday, watching intently and calculating scores trying to determine what teams were in medal contention. Over the two days of the team competition, it seemed as though each rider that went down centerline set a new standard of excellence. In any sporting event it...

Photo by Flashpoint Photography (Jennifer Ramsey and Cielo B captured the $7,500 Open Jumper Classic. ) The Charleston Summer Classics’ final week of competition at Mullet Hall Equestrian Center on Johns Island, SC, found most attendees weren't so anxious to head home, but rather thinking of extending their stay at nearby Kiawah Island and Seabrook Island beach resorts. Sunny skies and ocean breezes provided another perfect backdrop last week for not only competition in the arenas, but at area...

It was all about speed during Sunday's $55,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. There was a steady rain throughout the class in the Main Stadium, but that did not slow anyone down. Daniel Bluman was the first on course with Fatalis Fatum and advanced to the jump-off in the lead position. The pair set an incredible clear time that could not be beat. Todd Minikus came very close with Pavarotti is second place, and Alexa Pessoa galloped to third place aboard Madison....

Sappire Wins Again for McLain Ward (Shannon Brinkman/ USEF Archives) Wellington, FL - March 27, 2010 - Tonight's $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI 5* drew the largest crowd in the history of equestrian sport in Wellington. More than 9,000 spectators came to see who would win one of the biggest show jumping purses in North America. Sapphire, ridden by McLain Ward (USA) and owned by Ward and Blue Chip Bloodstock, came home with the win and repeated their victory from last year over...

Photo by Randi Muster (Daisy Farish aboard Ballou in the Small Pony Hunters.) The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) Week Nine, held March 10-14, 2010, featured many winners in the equitation, hunters, and jumpers, including the leader in the $200,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix, CSI***, presented by CN. The week nine title sponsor was CN. Double H Farm's Night Train sped to the win with Olympic Gold medalist Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil in the $200,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix, CSI***,...

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...

Photo USEF Archives (Top equestrian athletes sign autographs at the USEF booth.) This weekend the USEF highlighted its new National Affiliation with the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) during a presentation of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) disciplines at the AQHA World Championship Show. Bobby Murphy of Kentucky Horse Shows, LLC, was brought in as the producing director for the USEF showcase, which was held on Friday, November 20. The event showcased the...

Lexington, KY – There were a handful of changes on the leaderboards today as the marathon proved a fair but demanding challenge at the 2009 USEF National Driving Championships at the Kentucky Cup and Lexington Driving Classic which is also serving as a test event for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship remains in Chester Weber’s grasp, after a second place marathon performance – less than a point behind Australia’s Boyd Excell – was good...

Michelle Spadone and Melisimo (Ken Braddick) Lexington, KY - The following five horse/rider combinations have been named by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) to the 2009 Show Jumping Developing Rider Tour. These horse/rider combinations were selected based on their ranking on the March 27, 2009 USEF Computer List. The following horse/rider combinations will compete at CSI2* Linz in Austria, May 8-10, CSI04* Linz in Austria, May 14-17, and CSIO4* Lisbon in Portugal, May 28-31. They...

Jarantow, Poland ­– Team USA set their goal after yesterday's marathon to improve their individual placing and team placing at the World Driving Championship on the last Team USA in Poland (Jacqueline Zimmermann) competition day. They succeeded! The USA Team climbed to 11th place in the final team standings, thanks to the very good results of the US drivers in the final and decisive cones competition. The last competition turned out to be a thrilling and exciting competition in...