a guest blog post fom Mary Cox The following three ideas may take being somewhat adventuresome but trust me, the result will make it all worth it ! First, research a local stone fabricator in your area. A fabricator makes the template and cuts the stone for granite, marble or stone countertops. Once you’ve located one, pay them a visit and remember to put on your best “I’m a Tack Hoarder – help me” face. Then ask them very sweetly if you can do some “Dumpster...

Del Mar, CA- For a second night Marina Azevedo built a demanding course at the Del Mar National Horse Show for the 20 entries to jump in the $100,000 Hermes Grand Prix of Del Mar presented by Intuit. Six of the entries contesting the 13 obstacle course were members of the USEF Long List for the U.S. Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games. These combinations were contesting the first of four 2012 US Show Jumping Team Observation Events. And in the second and final class of the Del Mar...

Kraut Wins $100,000 FTI Consulting Rider Challenge, Skelton Takes $50,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Bonus, Lamaze Triumphs In $32,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Final Wellington, FL - March 31, 2012 - Twenty-two-year-old Daniel Bluman, of Colombia, jumped to an exciting victory on Saturday night in the $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI 5* at the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Over 7,000 fans filled the stands to see the best...

The 2012 USEF National Show Jumping Championships and Selection Trials for the U.S. Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games concluded on Saturday evening with an exciting fourth and final round under the lights at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. It was a full house of over 7,000 spectators as veteran competitor Margie Engle and young rider Reed Kessler tied for the championship title and shared the victory gallop. The competition this week was held as both the national...

Wellington, FL - Both youth and experience prevailed at the 2012 USEF National Show Jumping Championship at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and with three horse/rider combinations tied at the end of the third round - the race for the overall title was wide open. It was standing room only for the second to last Saturday night of the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, and Alan Wade’s courses continued to prove influential and challenging in the fourth and final...

Wellington, FL - Eight was the magic number for clear rounds at the 2012 USEF National Show Jumping Championships at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Of the 37 starters, eight managed clear rounds over Alan Wade's course during Week 11 of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. This event also serves as the USEF Selection Trials for the US Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games. There is plenty on the line over the four rounds of jumping at the end of which a...

The teams in the 2012 FEI Nations Cup presented by G&C Farm (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Germany earned victory in Friday night's 10th annual $75,000 FEI Nations Cup, presented by G&C Farm, at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. Teams representing ten different countries participated in the evening's competition and this was Germany's first time winning the class. Ireland finished second and Canada was third. Week eight of the FTI WEF, sponsored...

Erynn Ballard and Timber Ridge Heat Up the Hunter Ring Eric Lamaze and Coriana van Klapscheut (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Canada's Eric Lamaze and Coriana Van Klapscheut, owned by Artisan Farms LLC, emerged victorious in Thursday afternoon's $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 8 at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). With 82 starters and a ten horse jump-off, the pair beat out Nick Skelton (GBR) and Beverley Widdowson's Carlo 273, who finished second and David Will...

Samantha Senft Secures the Ariat National Adult Medal Victory Aberdeen and Andres Rodriguez (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Venezuela's Andres Rodriguez had a great morning at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) on Friday, earning the top two prizes in the $1,500 Adequan Seven-Year-Old Young Jumper Qualifier. Week four of the FTI WEF runs February 1-5, and is sponsored by Adequan. The Budweiser Clydesdales will be making two appearances at the FTI WEF this week. The first will...

West Palm Beach, FL - The 2012 World Dressage Masters Palm Beach CDI4* presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach ended as it began with American dressage superstar Steffen Peters and Ravel storming to their second consecutive sweep of the event. Their dramatic freestyle was very difficult and they were rewarded by the judges with a score of 83.70% and recognized with a standing ovation from the crowd. It was a narrow victory, Great Britain's Charlotte Dujardin gave Peters and Ravel a...