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)...

Candyland and Hope Smith (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Over two days of competition, Hope Smith rode her own Candyland to the Forré Fine Art Low Adult Hunter 2'6" Section A championship. The duo won three of the four over fences classes and placed third in the under saddle to finish a top the field of 32 competitors. Christy Powell and her own Savion finished the day as the Forré Fine Art Low Adult Hunter 2'6" Section B champions. The pair won both over fences classes...

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...

Molly Baumhoff and Esteban La Paz jump in the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix (ESI Photography) Thermal, Calif. - After her own success in the Devoucoux Hunter Prix, Hope Glynn’s day just got better when her student, Molly Baumhoff, riding Lauren Henry’s chestnut gelding, Esteban La Paz, took the blue ribbon in the $1,500 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix. With scores of 84 and 86 for a total of 170, theirs was a dominating performance to win $450. Natalie Templeton took...

John Bragg on Laura Strasburg's Social Hour take first place in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix (ESI Photography) Thermal Calif. - John Bragg left the show ring with a stack of ribbons after taking first, second, fourth, eighth and ninth place in the HITS Desert Circuit I $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix. The Rancho Santa Fe, California, native is no stranger to the HITS Thermal spotlight and claimed first place on Laura Strasburg's Social Hour, and second on his own Quesera. “It’s...

Peter Pletcher and Thanks for the Gold (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Peter Pletcher and Thanks For The Gold kicked off hunter action for WEF 3 in the Shapley's Grooming Products Green Conformation Hunters. Thanks For The Gold, owned by Rancho De Los Arboles of Oak Point, TX, topped two of the over fences classes, along with the model and under saddle, to finish the day as champions. Also turning in consistent performances over the two days were Having Said That ridden by Kelley Farmer. The...

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....