Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has selected the six Roadster Pony and Hackney Roadster Pony Championship classes that will be required to record heel measurements, pursuant to USEF rules HK116.3 and RD112.2. The required heel measurements will be taken from the first-place and fourth-place ponies in the following competitions in 2011: • Asheville Lions Charity - Fletcher, NC (May 18-21) • Midwest Charity - Springfield, IL (June 14-18) • Lexington Junior League -...

Dressage rider Caroline Roffman. (Photo courtesy of Al Guden.) Wellington, FL - February 17, 2011 – Dressage rider Caroline Roffman proved why the FEI named her the recipient of the 2010 Rising Star Award when she rode into the winner’s circle during the International Horse Sport Palm Beach show aboard Beemer, a 13-year-old, 17.2 hand bay Holsteiner. It was the first time for Roffman to compete Beemer and the pair earned a winning score of 73.023% in the Young Rider Grand Prix. "I was so...

Mark Watring and Green Sleeps Vioco. (Flying Horse Photography©.) Thermal, CA - Puerto Rico’s Mark Watring and Horseworks Etc. Inc’s Green Sleeps Vioco secured their first Grand Prix triumph of the circuit when they scored the top prize in Saturday’s $50,000 Purina Mills CSI-W Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, in the indoor arena at the HITS Desert Horse Park, in Thermal, CA. Last night’s triumph by Watring continued an impressive streak by the men competing at HITS Thermal as each...

Nick Skelton and Big Star. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - February 13, 2011 - The fifth week of competition at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival concluded on Sunday with the $25,00 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic, and it was Nick Skelton (GBR) and Big Star, owned by Beverly and Gary Widdowson, who proved victorious over a field of 65 entries. Alan Wade of Co. Tipperary, Ireland, designed today's courses and set a first-round track that 11 combinations would clear....

Thermal, CA - February 13, 2011 - Eduardo Menezes rode his own Tomba to a triumph over some of the top equestrians in the world during Saturday's $50,000 HITS CSI-W Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, in the indoor arena at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. Menezes, who now calls Carlsbad, CA, home and has been knocking on the door for the past three weeks looking for his first Grand Prix victory of the Desert Circuit. In that time, he’s enjoyed two top placings, including a...

Brooke Coleman of Texas A&M University and Striptease. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - February 11, 2011 - The 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) hosted the second annual Collegiate Equitation Championship today at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Riders from 16 universities around the country gathered to compete in a head-to-head, bracket-style format. It was Brooke Coleman from Texas A&M University who claimed victory in the championship. Invitations were...

Silvio Mazzoni and Remonta Habano. (Photo by ESI Photography©.) Ocala, FL - February 11, 2011 - After a successful two-week Pre-Circuit and a short break, show jumping resumed at HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, FL, on Tuesday with the Ocala Winter Classic, the first of six AA-rated weeks of competition. Silvio Mazzoni of Leesburg, VA, piloted his own Remonta Habano to a decisive win in Thursday afternoon’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. “It was a beautiful...

Ben Maher and Oscar. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - February 9, 2011 - Ben Maher (GBR) scored a win this morning in the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers on the opening day of week 5 of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Maher and Oscar put down a winning time of 60.806 seconds for the win over Peter Wylde (USA) on Lipton De L'Othain (62.987 seconds) and McLain Ward (USA) on Domino (64.050 seconds). The FTI Winter Equestrian Festival's fifth week of competition continues through Sunday,...

Jacobs and Leap of Joy. (Photo The Book LLC©.) Wellington, FL and East Aurora, NY - February 9, 2011 - Charlie Jacobs rode his mount Leap of Joy to two blues and the weekend's championship tricolor during in the fourth week of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The duo won both classes during the High Amateur-Owners, completing four clear efforts over the technical track. Over the 12 weeks of the circuit, Jacobs chooses to show for six weeks....

Jumping Two familiar names jumped to the top of the $50,000 Strongid C 2X Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health which served as the first of four FEI World Cup Qualifiers at Thermal in California. Rolex/FEI World Cup veterans (they were second in 2008), Rich Fellers and Flexible got back to business and won narrowly over Richard Spooner and Cristallo. Amateur Rider Karl Cook and Uno de Laubry were third. These three combinations were the only short course clears out of the field of 27 -...