Jumper champions Sydney Shulman and Set Sail (USEF Archives/Randi Muster) Lexington, KY—It was a day of champions at the 2009 USEF Pony Finals as ribbons and top honors were handed out in the Regular Pony Hunters as well as the Individual Jumper Finals at the Kentucky Horse Park on a sun-drenched day where the competition was as hot as the weather. Beginning early in the day was the Medium Pony Hunters where there was no shortage of graceful rides and impressive rounds from the ponies....

Team Gold medalists—Zone 8—from the Team Jumper competition. (USEF Archive/Randi Muster) Lexington, KY —Last night the joint was, as they say, jumpin’. Day three of the five-day USEF Pony Finals National Championships kicked off this morning with Phase I for the Regular Pony Hunters (model and under saddle), moved on to the Small Pony over fences class, and segued by sunset into the rousing 2009 USEF National Pony Jumper Team Championship. This year’s Small Pony Hunter title...

Nicole DelGiorno and Lamborghini Dane (Flashpoint Photography) Lexington, KY—The Junior dressage riders were back in the arena this morning for the Individual medal tests. Some gusty wind and impending storms made for some excitable horses, but the riders rose to the challenge and produced some lovely tests for the judges during the USDF/Platinum Performance North American Junior & Young Rider Dressage Championships. In the end, less than one whole point separated first place from...

Corinne Ashton and Dobbin (Shannon Brinkman) Elkton, MD – The standings shuffled significantly both overall and in the USEF National Eventing CCI*** Championship at the Dansko Fair Hill International. Leslie Law (Great Britain) had been sitting in the top position after the dressage with Mystere du Val but run outs at fences 10 and 12 meant that he walked off the course at the half way point. Kim Severson, who had been the top-placed American after the dressage with Tipperary Liadhnan...

Rebecca Hart (John Stevenson) By Joanie Morris Hong Kong, China – The venue was lively today as the freestyles got underway in the main arena at Sha Tin. All kinds of music were showcased in two sessions. Two US riders went to task in the morning sessions on the penultimate day of competition at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Equestrian. In the Grade II Individual Freestyle, Rebecca Hart (Erie, PA) finally had the performance she knew she was capable with Norteassa at these Games. The...

Authentic (Shannon Brinkman) Hong Kong, China – Under the unsettled skies of the impending typhoon the individual medals were decided by not one but two jump-offs. America’s Beezie Madden and Authentic out ran six other combinations to be the fastest of the four faulters to win her first Indivdual medal. “In the Olympics there is usually a jump off for medals,” said Madden. “So we expected it. When it ended up being seven to jump off for the bronze it made for a...

Norwood, NC - Ten event horses from the USEF Short List for Eventing made the trip to Jim Cogdell's The Fork Stables in Norwood, NC for the final mandatory outing for the 2008 Olympic Games. Five horse/rider Bonnie Mosser and Merloch (Mike McNally) combinations from the Short List competed at the Barbury Castle CIC*** last weekend in England and per the selection procedures riders were allowed to choose which one to contest. The outing began with the dressage test designed specifically for...

Laura Kraut and Cedric Remain High Atop the Leaderboard at the USEF Selection Trials in Show Jumping (Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com) Wellington, FL – The third leg of the USEF Selection Trials for Show Jumping got underway between the raindrops at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL on March 5, 2008. With 30 riders left in the mix for Short List for the 2008 Olympic Games, the third of five trials was for Selection Trial horses only. Sponsored by Equine Motor...

Jeffery Welles and Armani Remain Perfect in the USEF Selection Trials for Show Jumping (Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com) By Joanie Morris Wellington, FL - The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center played host to the second leg of the USEF Selection Trials for Show Jumping sponsored by Equine Motorcoach and Hong Kong Tourism as part of the $100,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier and Zada Enterprises LLC Masters Cup. 68 horses lined up on Sunday March 2, 2008, 42 of which were vying for selection....

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) released its new positioning statement, “amazing awaits,” today in an effort to help communicate the unique values of the Olympic Brand ahead of the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games. “‘Amazing awaits’ is intended to tell the story of how Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls get to the Olympic and Paralympic Games and how that journey is the embodiment of the American spirit,” said Jim...