Derek Petersen and Cassevel win the $2,500 Brook Ledge Open Welcome ESI Photography) Ocala, Fla. - Derek Petersen of Archer, Florida, riding his and Maddie Skimming’s Cassevel, came out on top in the $2,500 Brook Ledge Open Welcome on Wednesday at HITS Post Time Farm, after placing second in the same class during the first week. The Brook Ledge Welcome included two combinations set in the course designed by Foster, and proved to be a challenge for the competitors. Only two, Petersen with...

Aaron Vale and Quidam's Good Luck jump clear in Sunday's $50,000 Equine Couture/Tuff Rider Grand Prix at HITS Ocala (ESI Photography) Ocala, Fla. - HITS regular Aaron Vale of Williston, Florida, turned on the afterburners in the $50,000 Equine Couture/TuffRider Grand Prix jump-off Sunday to knock out the competition and win the class on Troy Glaus’ Quidam’s Good Luck. Forty-five horses competed in the first round over a course designed by Manuel Esparza of Mexico City, Mexico....

Kasey Perry and Goerklintgaards Dublet (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, Fla. - Kasey Perry (USA), coming off of a fantastic week of performances at Week 3 of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF), topped the FEI Intermediaire 1 Freestyle class, presented by Chesapeake Dressage Institute. Perry aboard Goerklintgaards Dublet scored a 72.150%, followed by Christoph Koschel (GER) on Leuchtfeuer DE finishing on a 71.225%, and Kimberly Herslow (USA) and Rosmarin placing third with a score...

Will Simpson and The Dude take first in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix Friday, January 22, 2015 (ESI) Thermal, Calif. - Competition in the Grand Prix ring is heating up at HITS Desert Horse Park, as Will Simpson stretched his streak to three with a win in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix with Monarch International’s The Dude. Forty-one starters took to the SmartPak track but only thirteen left all the jumps up and qualified for the jump off. Simpson and The Dude, who won $7,500...

Lars Petersen and Mariett (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, Fla. - For the second time early in the 2015 season, Lars Petersen (DEN) and Mariett, a 1998 Danish Warmblood mare, rose to the top of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) "Friday Night Stars" FEI Grand Prix Freestyle class presented this week by US P.R.E. Association. The duo scored a 75.325% to take the class, with Shelly Francis (USA) placing second on a 74.500% aboard Doktor, and fellow Danish rider Mikala Gundersen (DEN)...

Wellington Fla. - Week three of the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) continued on Friday with a win for Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Cyklon 1083 in the $34,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45m speed class in Wellington. Course designer Leopoldo Palacios (VEN) set the speed track for Friday's 1.45m competition with 57 entries and 19 clear rounds. Shane Sweetnam and Spy Coast Farm LLC's Cyklon 1083 were the winners in 60.69 seconds, just over Jessica Springsteen (USA) and Stone Hill Farm's...

Lisa Goldman and Centurion B take the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix at the HITS Ocala January Festival (ESI Photography) Ocala, Fla. - The $25,000 Smart Pak Grand Prix, held in the Ocala Horse Properties Stadium, boasted 33 competitors vying for their share of the prize money. Goldman came out on top again, this time aboard Centurion B whom she has had since he was a 2-year-old. Eight riders advanced to the jump off over Esparza’s first round course of 15 jumping efforts. Goldman said,...

McLain Ward and Best Buy (Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group) Wellington, Fla. - Set amidst lush pastures, voluminous trees and a cloudless sky, The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour ended the third of its 12-week series. Friday, McLain Ward and Best Buy would ride to the top of the leader board, tripping the timers in an untouchable 37.911 seconds, a second and a half faster than second place finisher Beth Underhill with Viggo. Riders were faced with 15 efforts in a challenging course designed by...

Eric Lamaze and Fine Lady 5 (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Olympic gold medalist Eric Lamaze (CAN) is now three for three in the Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Series at the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Held each Thursday throughout the 12 weeks of WEF competition, Lamaze won the first two classes aboard Rosana du Park and scored his third victory in Thursday's $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 3 riding Fine Lady 5. He rides both horses for Artisan Farms LLC....

Lars Petersen and Mariett (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, Fla. - Lars Petersen (DEN) and Mariett, a 1998 Danish Warmblood mare, topped the FEI Grand Prix CDI W class sponsored by the U.S. P.R.E. Association on the first day of competition during Week 3 of the 2015 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF). The duo scored a 73.220% to take the win, followed closely by Jose Daniel Martin Dockx (ESP) aboard the beautiful P.R.E. stallion Grandioso, scoring a 72.360%, and Shelly Francis (USA) and...