How can you practice anything on your horse when there’s six inches of snow on the ground, it’s below freezing, the wind is blowing, and you’re not blessed with an indoor arena? Here in Colorado, we often have beautiful, sunny days where we can exercise our horses outdoors for hours. On other days, not so much. As a friend of mine said, "it’s not how you ride your horse; it’s how you live your life." He was referring to work you can do off your horse, such as...

The U.S. team following the Opening Ceremonies (R. Millin) Parys, South Africa – On Thursday, December 6, competition got underway at the Saddle Seat World Cup. Riders in the Three- and Five-Gaited sections of the U.S. team competed in the initial stages of the rail and pattern work. Both sections of U.S. riders had strong performances on the first day of competition. The Five-Gaited section riders Hunter Chancellor (Evansville, IN), Angela Darrow (Hartland, WI), Drew Taylor Hewitt...

Kent Farrington and Uceko speed to victory in Saturday's $75,000 Ricoh Big Ben Challenge to close out the 90th Royal Horse Show. Farrington earned the prestigious Leading International Rider title for 2012. (©BenRadvanyi.com) Toronto, ON – America’s Kent Farrington (Wellington, FL) took top honours for the second night in a row at the 90th Royal Horse Show, closing out the International jumper division with a win in the $75,000 Ricoh Big Ben Challenge. Farrington was awarded the...

Meg O'Mara and Vancouver Jacksonville, FL - The highly-anticipated third and final day of the first Southeast Medal Finals featured the ASPCA Mclay Region Three Finals. A group of 37 skilled riders determined to master Alan Rheinheimer's course competed for today's top prize. Traveling away from the in gate, the course opened with a bold oxer to oxer line. The track turned to the left and over a vertical on the far short end of the arena. From here the riders were asked to rollback to...

Felix Vogg (FEI/Jean Morel) Switzerland’s Felix Vogg has won the FEI World Cup™ Eventing 2012 title. The 22-year-old finished the World Cup season on 86 points, level with Belgium’s Karin Donckers, but under the series rules, in the event of equality, the rider with the highest placing is declared the winner and Vogg’s second place finish in Strzegom (POL) has secured him the title and the winner’s cheque of €9,000. Felix Vogg competed at three World Cup...

Taylor Land and Nepal. (Sue Weakley) Zionsville, IN - The final day of the competition continued today at the 2012 Traders Point Hunt Charity Horse Show and Country Fair. Once again, perfect weather drew in a large audience from the Indianapolis area for an exciting day of show jumping at Wild Air Farms in Zionsville, IN. Veteran course designer and judge, Phil DeVita, produced a challenging course for the competitors for the highlight of Traders Point, the $60,000 Grand Prix of Indianapolis....

Peter Leone and Tuvalu (Tammy Hardy Photography.) Hampton Falls, NH – Speed was the word of the day at The Jumper Classic®, presented by Fidelity Investments® and Audi of America. In the $3,500 DG Ventures Speed Derby, Olympian Peter Leone piloted Tuvalu, owned by Alison Finger, to the fastest clear round for victory. Located in the beautiful town of Hampton Falls, NH, The Jumper Classic is New England’s premier equestrian event. This elite level competition attracts the...

Meg O'Mara and Sinatra IV were awarded the High Junior Jumper Championship for their efforts throughout the week, as well as the blue ribbon for their impressive double-clear victory in the Show Jumping Hall of Fame High Junior Jumper Classic at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show. (Kendall Bierer/PMG.) Lexington, KY - The final day of the Kentucky Summer Horse Show was afoot with the top amateur-owner and junior riders in the country gathering to compete at the Rolex Stadium. It was a day of...

Laura Chapot and Umberto glide effortlessly over a Liverpool in Friday's $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS Saugerties. (ESI Photography) Saugerties, NY - Just five days after an exciting win in last week’s $50,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, Laura Chapot found herself holding another blue ribbon thanks to an impressive victory in today’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS-on-the-Hudson....

Molly Wolfe and ZZ Top won the $5,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic at the Brandywine Valley Summer Series. (AnLi Kelly-Durham/PMG) Devon, PA - It was a beautiful evening as the jumper riders took center stage this evening at the prestigious Devon Show Grounds during the Brandywine Valley Summer Series, presented by Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS). The $5,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic was tonight's highlight event, and following the two-horse jump-off it was Molly...