Michael Leon continues his winning ways in the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby (Flying Horse Photography) Burbank, Calif. - Michael Leon, who earned a big check in the 2013 LEGIS Hunter Rider Bonus, is no stranger to winning. He started off the 2014 show year by dominating the $2,500 LAEC Opener USHJA National Hunter Derby at The LAEC Opener Horse Show (Jan 17-19), and if he and Freedom (Anna Sophia Lotman, owner) win a second derby together at LAEC this season, he’ll earn another...

Rainier, the Overall Grand Champion and Champion Best Young Horse - East in the 2013 Sallie B. Wheeler/US National Hunter Breeding Championship, with handler Richard M. Taylor (Richard Clay Photography) Lexington, KY – The top young horses from across the country displayed their qualities in hopes of claiming a title at the 2013 Sallie B. Wheeler/US National Hunter Breeding Championship. Judges Sharon Stewart-Wells of Ruidoso, NM and Deborah Sands of Encinitas, CA traveled to both coasts...

Ramiro Quintana and Bialda win the 130m Jumpers in the rain at Silver Oak. (Tony DeCosta) Hampton Falls, NH - In a rain shortened schedule on Friday at the Silver Oak Jumper Tournament in Hampton Falls, NH, Ramiro Quintana and his talented young jumper Bialda raced to his second victory in as many days, topping a field of just sixteen to win the 1.30m Jumpers Time First Round class on the grand prix field at the Silver Oak Equestrian Center. A not heavy, but steady rain fell throughout the day...

Overall Grand Champion Samantha Sommers and Small Affair at the 2013 US Junior Hunter National Championships - West (Captured Moment Photography) Lexington, KY – The top junior hunter riders on the west coast met at Showpark Facility in Del Mar, CA, July 22-23 for the 2013 US Junior Hunter National Championships – West. The riders were separated into 15 & Under and 16-17 divisions, as well as Small Junior Hunter and Large Junior Hunter, and competed in three phases: Classic...

Wellington, FL - Walk the Line and Lillie Keenan clinched the championship title in the Antarés Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division during week 10 of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Keenan and Walk the Line were a force to be reckoned with over fences, winning three of four over fences rounds. Keenan and Don Stewart's fourteen-year-old gelding were also fourth over fences during day one of competition for the division. Reserve champion honors went to Norgan,...

Quotable and Holly Orlando (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Quotable and Holly Orlando were named champions of the Sanctuary Regular Conformation Hunter division during the second day of competition for week four of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Orlando and Quotable have been a formidable pair since the beginning of the FTI WEF, collecting Green Conformation Hunter Champion titles four weeks in a row and earning championship and reserve titles in the...

Katie Dinan, Reed Kessler, and Brianne Goutal. Photo (Kenneth Kraus) Wellington, FL - The youngest rider in Saturday night's $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix was the winner as eighteen-year-old Reed Kessler and Ligist jumped to victory during the highlight event of week two at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). With riders representing fourteen different countries competing in the class, the USA took the top seven placings and the young women were...

Courtney King-Dye at the FEI Awards 2012 (Photo courtesy FEI Fédération Equestre Internationale) Istanbul, TUR - The equestrian world celebrated its heroes last night at a glittering gala evening in Istanbul, Turkey. HRH Princess Haya, President of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the world governing body of horse sport, congratulated the winners of the FEI Awards 2012. Addressing an audience of more than 300 guests, including representatives of the FEI's 132...

Breda, The Netherlands - Competition at the 2012 FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships for Singles commenced Thursday at the Outdoor Brabant in Breda, The Netherlands. All three competitors on the U.S. Team successfully completed their dressage tests and the team sits in 4th place on a score of 124.0 Veteran Diane Kastama's 57.40 was the best score of the day for the Americans and it has her tied for 13th individually. Kastama (Arroyo Grande, CA), who is driving the de Ronde's...

Syona Shah and Corhil Andante were crowned the winners of the Adirondack-Green Mountain Challenge at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, VT - Syona Shah of Lexington, MA, was crowned the winner of the Adirondack-Green Mountain Challenge at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. The six-week equestrian competition is taking place at Harold Beebe Farm from July 4 through August 12, 2012. The Adirondack-Green Mountain Challenge counts...