McLain Ward and Dulien Van De Smeets fly to a win (©ESI Photography) Saugerties, N.Y. - When McLain Ward climbed down from the tack of Dulien Van De Smeets after winning the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix presented by Zoetis, he didn’t look for congratulations, but marched straight to the mare’s owner, his godmother. Susie Heller stood clutching a winner’s trophy and was scooped up by Ward’s embrace. Every win is special, but this was divinely special. This week marked the...

Lisa Goldman & Morocco (Tricia Booker Photography) Traverse City, Mich. - Lisa Goldman is now two-for-two in the featured jumper classes so far during Horse Shows by the Bay Series IV, July 23-27. After taking the blue ribbon yesterday with Centurion B in the $2,500 1.40m Open Jumper Speed class, sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Bertram R. Firestone, she returned today with Morocco for the top check in the $10,000 Positive Step Farm Welcome Prix. With 11 of the 23 competitors jumping first-round...

Café de Colombia and Ashton Alexander (Captured Moments Photography) Del Mar, Calif. - Directly after wrapping up the final jumper classes on Sunday of the Showpark Summer Festival, the striped poles were set aside to welcome a prestigious annual event. Decorated flower boxes, walls, rolltops and such were carefully set on the gorgeous grand prix field in preparation for the 2014 US Junior Hunter National Championship, West Coast, on Monday morning. With three phases over two days, Monday...

Gabriella Salick and Centuria 2 (Captured Moments Photography) Del Mar, Calif. - A host of talented equestrians came out to play on a crystal clear afternoon at the Showpark Summer Festival, closing out a busy week of competition. Twenty-seven entries vied for the top prize in the $30,000 Summer Festival Grand Prix, presented by Mary's Tack & Feed, on an intricate course designed by Venezuela's Leopoldo Palacios. Featuring a technical layout with many related distances that covered...

McLain Ward and HH Ashley were the top pair in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix presented by Zoetis at HITS Saugerties (ESI Photography) Saugerties, N.Y. - McLain Ward was wearing his poker face Friday at HITS Saugerties and gambled his way to win the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix presented by Zoetis on new mount, HH Ashley. Second to go in a five-horse jump-off, Ward chased down speedster Todd Minikus of Loxahatchee, Florida, who posted an immediate Great American Time to Beat at 37.15...

Wilhelm Genn (Horse Shows By The Bay) Traverse City, Mich. - Wilhelm Genn may not have planned to go all out in the $2,500 1.40m Open Jumper Speed class, sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Bertram R. Firestone, but with two efficient rides aboard his long-strided mares, he captured the top-two spots. The class was one of the featured events during Horse Shows by the Bay Series III, July 16-20 in Traverse City, Michigan. "They were both great today," said Genn, of Welcome Cor and Akida. "They are both...

Traverse City, Mich. - The best proved to be the last after a thrilling jump-off during the $40,000 Grand Traverse Bay Grand Prix, held as the featured jumper class on July 13 at Horse Shows by the Bay. Michael Dorman had that envious position in the 14-horse jump-off, and he used it to his advantage aboard Zephyr, the same horse he rode to top honors during the $40,000 Grand Prix of Traverse City last week. "I changed my plan a little bit after I saw the last few go," he said. "I figured...

Kent Farrington and Uceko (Spruce Meadows Media Service) Calgary, Alberta. - The ‘Pan American’ Tournament CSI 5* at Spruce Meadows concluded on Sunday with a fantastic win for Kent Farrington (USA) and Uceko in the $400,000 Pan American Cup presented by Rolex. The pair set an uncatchable pace in the jump-off that left McLain Ward (USA) and Rothchild to finish second. Egypt’s Sameh el Dahan and Suma’s Zorro concluded a great summer series with a third place finish....

Kelley Farmer and Unspoken down the bank to the trot jump. (AnLi Kelly-Durham) Parker, Colo. - Colorado Horse Park got underway with Week V of Summer in the Rockies-their biggest ever with a Derby Day. Spectators crowded around the Derby Field to watch the feature events of the day, the $40,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby sponsored by Serenity Farm and the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby. Derby horses from far and wide travelled to Colorado to compete. Some of the country's finest...

Richard Spooner and Uraguay (Spruce Meadows Media Service) Calgary, Alberta – It has been two days and two major victories for Richard Spooner (USA) at the Spruce Meadows ‘Canada One’ Tournament in Calgary, AB, Canada. Following a win with Cristallo on Thursday, Spooner jumped to top honors with brand new mount Uraguay in Friday’s $33,500 Duncan Ross Cup 1.50m. Eric Lamaze (CAN) also got a win on Friday with new horse Fine Lady 5 as well as taking second place honors...