Lexington, KY - To reach the highest level of excellence in equestrian sport takes talent, perseverance, a tremendous spirit and often, unwavering courage. In 2011, six horses have shown the world those qualities and more. And on January 13, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) will bestow two of them with the prestigious title of Horse of the Year, the highest honor the USEF awards a horse. This year - a change from years past - both a national and international horse will win. The...

Saugerties, NY – Jumper action got underway at the 2011 Marshall & Sterling League National Finals at HITS-on-the-Hudson on Wednesday as the top qualified competitors made their way to the Strongid® C 2X Grand Prix Stadium yesterday to ride for national titles. $7,500 Junior/Amateur Jumper Low Classic The Junior/Amateur Jumper Lows is the newest to this year’s Marshall & Sterling League. Twelve qualified horse-and-rider combinations started the day off on a course...

Caroline Roffman and Beemer. Photo: SusanJStickle.com. Gladstone, NJ - Just over 3/10ths of a point decided the Young Adult 'Brentina Cup' champion - the first Championship awarded at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions at the USET Foundation Headquarters. Caroline Roffman and Beemer edged out Olivia LaGoy-Weltz for the top spot with a two-day combined score of 65.822% to LaGoy-Weltz' 65.518%. Roffman has had a very successful Young Rider career and...

Liza Boyd & Brunello (Flashpoint Photography). Conyers, GA - There’s more than one reason exhibitors use the phrase “I’m showing in Hotlanta.” Just ask Elizabeth Boyd, who picked up some “hot” cash in Friday evening’s $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby or Chasen Boggio who’ll be depositing a big check from Sunday’s $35,000 Adequan Grand Prix. Kicking off a huge week at the Georgia International Horse Park, the Hunter riders took...

Ken Borden with his mare Shirly and site-champion foal Sir Flemmingh, now a licenced stallion, at Little Bit Farm's 2007 ISR/Oldenburg inspection (Fire & Earth Photography). Wilmington, IL – Turn the drive through the green gate and there’s the pink crabapple tree, in bloom against the white-and-gray siding of the barn. To the left is the front pasture, soon to be home to a group of mares and foals. To the right is the approximately 100-year-old farmhouse – from its...

Canadian Olympian Jill Henselwood couldn't have imagined a better way to finish the 2010 HITS Desert Circuit than to win the blue and a first-place check of $90,000 in the $300,000 Lamborghini Grand Prix of the Desert, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, aboard Bradon Construction's Bottom Line. The decorated grand prix rider has won a Team Silver medal at the Olympics, a Gold medal at the Pan Am Games, and now she can call herself the champion of the richest grand prix in the history of...

Six USEF National Driving Championships Draw Quality Competition to the Kentucky Horse Park Lexington, KY – For the first time ever, all six USEF National Driving Championships are running con Chester Weber Leads USEF National Four-in-Hand Driving Championship (Picsofyou.com) currently, and the first day got off to a fantastic start at the 2009 Kentucky Cup and Lexington Driving Classic which is also serving as a test event for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. All six FEI...

Maxance McManamy and Beacon Hill (Brant Gamma Photographery) Lexington, KY —Both the Team and Individual medals were decided today in three-day eventing as both the CCI** and CCI* riders returned to the arena to complete their show jumping test in the USEA North American Junior & Young Rider Eventing Championships. The leader board was shuffled on the cross-country course, so the Gold medal was up for grabs. Today was the final day of competition as show jumping wrapped up at the 2009...

Individual show jumping medalists Joelle Froese, Jennifer Waxman and Lucy Davis (Sportfot.com) Lexington, KY—The audience was in for a treat as both Junior and Young Riders laid it all on the line and put on a show during the CN North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by USHJA. In the juniors, it took two separate jump-offs to decide the winners of the Individual show jumping medals and all four horses and riders jumped their hearts out in an attempt to reign...

Norwood, NC - There were no ribbons and no winners, but today was as important as any competition day in the lives of the 10 horses preparing for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team in Eventing. The horses, along BallyNoe Castle RM (Mike McNally) with five who have been preparing in England, are on the USEF Short List for Eventing, from which the Team for the 2008 Olympic Games will be selected on Monday. The Fork Stables graciously opened its gates to the USEF to allow the horses and riders a...