The 2009/2010 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final, which kicks off with preliminary classes at the Palexpo Arena in Geneva tomorrow (Wednesday), has been blown wide open by the late withdrawal of Ireland's Jessica Kuerten. When three-times champion Germany's Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, who gave birth to her first baby just six weeks ago, confirmed last week that she will not defend the title, then Kuerten's position as long-time favorite was further strengthened. But the Irish rider who topped...

Many of the country's top horses and riders will once again return to Chicago to compete at Showplace Production's horse shows this year as pursuit of the coveted $60,000 Showplace Leading Rider Series begins for the 2010 season. Returning for its fourth consecutive year, the Leading Rider Series has made an exciting addition to its lineup this year, adding six divisions of leading hunter awards along with the previous jumper honors.The 2010 Leading Rider Series will offer $32,500 in jumper...

Randi Muster/Mustphoto, Inc. (Richard Spooner and Cristallo) Wellington, FL – The test of endurance which serves as the USEF Selection Trials for the US Show Jumping Team for the Alltech 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games continued with the fourth round of jumping in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Twenty-six American horses jumped in the penultimate Trial and clear rounds continued to prove very valuable. There were four clear rounds and three that added...

THERMAL, CA —The Maple Leaf was flying high at the HITS Desert Horse Park during Desert Circuit IV when a pair of Olympians from Canada had Grand Prix triumphs during an action-packed week of show jumping at HITS Thermal. On Saturday night, Pearce aboard Forest View Farm's Chianto, beat out the 22 other starters to challenge international course designer Bernardo Cabral's first-round track, as well as the eight riders who advanced to the jump-off in the $50,000 Purina Mills CSI-W Grand Prix,...

Photo by Flying Horse Photography (McLain Ward and Phillipa) Two-time Olympic Gold medal winner McLain Ward raised the roof during the $50,000 Strongid® C 2X CSI-W Grand Prix when he rode Sagamore Farm's Phillipa to the triumph before an enthusiastic crowd that filled the indoor arena at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. Ward traveled from Brewster, NY, to get a jump start on qualifying for the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix that will take place at HITS-on-the-Hudson, in Saugerties, NY,...

Photo by Randi Muster (Pablo Barrios and La Gran) The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) began their competition on Wednesday, January 14, with opening jumper classes in the International Arena. The first week of the FTI WEF is sponsored by G&C Farm and runs through Sunday, January 17. The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of competition that conclude on April 4, 2010, and almost $6 million in prize money will be awarded through the circuit. This week's course designer is...

Mikala Munter Gundersen and Festivo Win Equilite Sponsored Class International dressage trainer and competitor Mikala Munter Gundersen was in the ribbons at the Wellington Classic Holiday Challenge, winning the USEF Third Level Test 3 with Christine DeHerrera’s Westphalian gelding Festivo. The class was sponsored by Equilite, makers of Sore No More, Herbal Blends and Botanical Animal Flower Essences, and Gundersen took home a giant tote filled with Equilite products. “Christine, who owns...

The program for the USET Foundation Holiday Gala Fundraiser is shaping up to be big as many of the country’s top riders have now signed on to participate. A pioneer among women in the equine industry, Lynn Palm Pittion-Rossillon, has announced that she will perform her famous Bridleless Musical Exhibition during the weekend’s events. German vaulter Kai Vorberg has also been added to the list of participants and will perform an exciting vaulting demonstration. SUCCEED® and Wellington Classic...

Young Rider National Champions from 2008: Kassandra Barteau and Gabriella (Amy McCool ) Lexington, KY – The 2009 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Dressage Champions will return to the USET Foundation Headquarters, June 18-21, 2009 in Gladstone, NJ. This competition serves as the USEF National Dressage Championships in five different divisions. The Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Dressage Champions features the highest levels of dressage in the US, from FEI Juniors (aged 14 to...

Ravel, Brentina, Harmony's Mythilus (Amy McCool) By Joanie Morris Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has approved the following nominated entry for the dressage team for the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong. Final entries will be made to the USOC on July 15, 2008. The following riders are ranked based on their performance after the USEF Selection Trials for Dressage: Name/Age/Hometown/Horse/Age/Breed/Sex/Owner 1. Steffen Peters/44/San Diego, CA/Ravel/10/Dutch...