Brooke Banks and Brodeur (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - While it's far from Brooke Banks' maiden season in Wellington, she is jumping her first fences as an amateur rider this week. When the clock struck 12 on New Year's Eve, she shed her junior status and set her sights once again on the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival, this time as an amateur. Not letting her new title faze her, however, Banks jumped her own eight-year-old Mecklenburg gelding Brodeur to the championship in Section...

1. Do ALL the Paperwork. We are going to get this over with first a) because it’s required and b) because it’s the least exciting step. International level reining in the U.S. is supported by three organizations: USA Reining, United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), and International Equestrian Federation (FEI), all of which foster participation, support competition, and establish the rules that ultimately lead to the pinnacles of reining sport – the FEI Reining World Cup...

Geoffrey Hesslink and Canny Windsor Z (The Book LLC) Gladstone, N.J. - The 2014 Platinum Performance/USEF Talent Search Finals East came to an exciting conclusion Sunday at the USET Foundation Headquarters as Geoffrey Hesslink was crowned champion. Following the completion of Phase III, Andre Dignelli-trainees Hesslink with Peacock Ridge LLC's Canny Windsor Z, Lillie Keenan with Isabelle Caccamise's Catwalk 19, and Caitlin Boyle with Chansonette Farm LLC's Zentina B, joined Stacia...

Jason Berry guides Upswing to success in the Hunter ring (ESI Photography) Culpeper, Va. - Earlier this year, Upswing was imported as a dressage prospect at three-day eventer Phillip Dutton’s barn. Quickly proving that piaffes and passage weren't his calling, Upswing left them in the dust for an over-fences career. Pamela Deslauriers purchased the eight-year old Mechkenburg gelding and handed the reins to Jason Berry (Verona, Virginia) less than three months ago. “He has come...

Izsak, Hungary – The United States had mixed fortunes on Saturday’s marathon and now stand 14th in team standings on a total of 301.7 at the 2014 FEI World Driving Championships for Singles. Jacob Arnold led the way for the U.S. as he proved unbeatable to win the marathon and climb into the top 15 individually. Jacob Arnold and Hotspur's Red Rowl (Janos and Zoltan Varaljai) In his World Championship debut, Arnold (Snow Camp, N.C.) drove Karen K. Chandor and John C. Merritt’s...

Leslie Burr Howard and Tic-Tac (Cealy Tetley) Calgary, Canada - The Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team clinched a second-place finish in the BMO FEI Nations Cup on Saturday afternoon before a packed house. The U.S., led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland, sent a veteran squad composed of Lauren Hough, Leslie Burr Howard, McLain Ward, and Beezie Madden into Spruce Meadows CSIO5* ‘Masters’ Tournament’s team competition to jump Leopoldo Palacio’s 12-obstacle track....

Lisa Wilcox and Denzello (Peter Martin-Turner/Spidge Photo for Shannon Brinkman Photography) Hickstead, United Kingdom - The United States produced improved performances in the Grand Prix Special on Saturday at CDIO3* Hickstead to earn a fourth-place finish in FEI Nations Cup competition. The team of Lisa Wilcox, Brian Hafner, Katherine Bateson-Chandler, and Susie Dutta finished on score of 414.611 in the competition that combined scores from the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special. To find...

Chester Weber in Saturday's Marathon (Shannon Brinkman Photo) Aachen, Germany - A fantastic four-in-hand driving season for American star Chester Weber got even better on Saturday with a hard-earned win at CHIO Aachen. The CAIO4* field full of international talent and former world champions, and the crowd of spectators at the historic show, made the weekend’s win one of the biggest of Weber’s career. With his and Jane Forbes Clark’s team of KWPN geldings, Weber (Ocala, Fla)...

Will Connell (teamgb.com) Lexington, Ky. - United States Equestrian Federation Chief Executive Officer Chris Welton announced today the culmination of an expansive search for the USEF Director of Sport Programs by naming Will Connell to the post. From 2003 to present, Connell served as the British Equestrian Federation Performance Director with responsibility for the coordination and delivery of the UK Sport-funded World Class Program for disciplines of eventing, dressage, jumping, and...

Caroline Russell Howe's Caramo won the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Friday night with High Performance Hunter Rider, Harold Chopping (Flashpoint Photography) Conyers, Ga. - Harold Chopping of Southern Pines, North Carolina made his way to the winner's circle in the irons of Caroline Russell Howe's 12 year old Danish gelding, Caramo. The pair turned in a strong Classic Hunter Round with a score of 183 and a score of 180 for the Handy round. Their combined overall score of 363...