Silvio Mazzoni and Remonta Habano. (Photo by ESI Photography©.) Ocala, FL - February 11, 2011 - After a successful two-week Pre-Circuit and a short break, show jumping resumed at HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, FL, on Tuesday with the Ocala Winter Classic, the first of six AA-rated weeks of competition. Silvio Mazzoni of Leesburg, VA, piloted his own Remonta Habano to a decisive win in Thursday afternoon’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. “It was a beautiful...

Thermal, CA - February 8, 2011 - Rich Fellers of Wilsonville, OR, put an exclamation point on Desert Circuit II when he rode Harry and Mollie Chapman's McGuinness to the blue ribbon in Sunday's $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. Winning Sunday's feature class was icing on the cake for Fellers who, less than 24 hours earlier, captured Saturday night’s $50,000 Strongid C 2X CSI-W Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal...

Gladstone, NJ - February 8, 2011 - The United States Equestrian Team Foundation is pleased to announce the election of new Trustees Jenny Sutton, Chester Weber and Jack Wetzel. They will aid and assist the USET Foundation in its mission to support the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America's elite and developing international, high-performance horses and athletes in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation. Jenny Sutton, of Naples, FL, has been...

Winning the Palmenblute Award is Stiletto *Ps*. (Photo by Shannon Brinkman/USEF ) Newark, OH - The American Trakehner Association is pleased to announce its 2010 merit awards, which recognize Trakehner horses registered with the association and having superior performance careers, and those individuals who have made significant contributions to the organization. Winning the Palmenblute Award is Stiletto *Ps* (by Martini *Pg*E* out of Suprecocious by Abdullah *Pg*E*), a stallion bred and owned...

Wellington, FL - February 7, 2011 - The fourth week of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) has concluded at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, and it brought thousand of people to enjoy the best that the sports of show jumping, hunters, and equitation have to offer in 12 rings of competition. $78,000 Adequan Grand Prix, CSI 2* In Sunday's $78,000 Adequan Grand Prix, CSI 2*, Laura Kraut (USA) and Happy Hill Farm's Cedric jumped to victory over 48 starters in a talent-packed...

Endurance The first American CEI of 2011 took place at the Dupuis Equestrian Center near Indiantown, FL, January 28-29. The event featured two days of Endurance competition. In the CEIJY 1* (80km), Forest Green and PL Nino took top honors in a time of 3:55:30 beating Kelsey Russell and Tryssta by 30 seconds to the wire. In the CEI 1* (80km) Amy Atkins crossed the finish line in 5:03:40 on SA Zacks Comet, one second ahead of Daryl Downs and Blaze Star. In another desperately close race, Kathy...

Gunners Special Nite (Shannon Brinkman/USEF) Lexington, KY - The city of Lexington was largely defined by the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010, so it proved a fitting setting to crown the 2010 Farnam/Platform USEF Horse of the Year. And the winner couldn't be more all-American. The only multiple Gold medal-winning horse for Team USA, Gunners Special Nite, a six-year-old American Quarter Horse brought the sport of reining to the forefront of the American equestrian community. People...

Dressage The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) ran a High Performance dressage observation session at Mary Anne and Walter McPhail's High Meadow Farm in Loxahatchee, FL over the weekend of January 8-9. Eleven horse/rider combinations participated in the observation session with U.S. Dressage Technical Advisor, Anne Gribbons. Arlene 'Tuny' Page rode two horses and found the insight from Gribbons invaluable. "It was a nice opportunity for Anne to become familiar with my horses," said...

Kelley Farmer and Rosalynn. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - January 13, 2011 - The 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival continued Thursday as professional riders sought championship honors in various hunter divisions. This year, the High Performance Working Hunter division, sponsored by The Sanctuary at PBIEC, has been added to the list of divisions for competition. The new division is open to all riders and horses, and includes fences ranging in height from 4' to 4'6". While eight horse...

Dressage rider Leah Winston and Lusitano stallion Amintas Interagro. (Photo courtesy of JRPR.) Jacksonville, FL – The Lusitano breed was in the spotlight at the recent United States Dressage Federation (USDF) Annual Convention in Jacksonville, FL, when an award-winning Lusitano took part in the symposium and two lucky audience members won tickets to the upcoming 2011 Lusitano CollectionTM International Horse Auction. The auction, which will be held at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in...