Photo by Diana DeRosa (Liza Boyd and Brunello) "He is my Olympic hunter," commented Liza Boyd after she nailed her third victory in the 14th Annual American Hunter-Jumper Foundation (AHJF) Hunter Classic Spectacular in Wellington FL, aboard her seasoned mount, Brunello. She won the very first one riding Monday Morning in 1997 and then in 2008 tasted victory again on Fiyero. Now just 3½ months after the birth of her first child (Ellen) it was important to prove she still had what it takes. Yet,...

Photo by Flying Horse Photography (McLain Ward and Goldika 559 on course in the $30,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health.) Canadian Olympian John Anderson sealed the first half of the HITS Desert Circuit with a kiss on Valentine's Day when he captured the blue ribbon aboard Terrific in the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, on Sunday afternoon at the HITS Desert Horse Park, in Thermal, CA. The win marked the second victory of the circuit for Anderson...

The Los Angeles National Preview, November 4-8, hosted the Los Angeles Hunter Jumper Association’s (LAHJA) Medal Finals for junior, senior, and pony riders. In addition, the West Coast Pony Finals, one of the largest gatherings of ponies outside of the USEF Pony Finals, is in its ninth year of championships for both hunter and jumper ponies. "Many West Coast riders can't make the trek to Kentucky for the National Championship, so we started this event in 2000. It has grown into one of...

Brazilian superstar Rodrigo Pessoa headed the winning line-up of international riders in Sunday's $75,000 Grand Prix de Penn National on the final day of the 64th Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Pessoa, Olympic Gold medalist and three-time World Cup winner, aboard Let's Fly, was the eighth rider on course and the first to navigate the course designed by Steve Stephens without a rail down. "I have been riding him for a little over a year and a half," said Pessoa. "I started him in the bigger...

Chris Hickey and Cabana Boy (Photo by Mary Phelps ) Wayne, IL – Crowds hurried to the entrance of Lamplight Equestrian as the day started early with the first phase of the USEF National Developing Horse Dressage Championship presented by the Dutta Corporation and Performance Sales International. Christopher Hickey and “Cabana Boy” did not disappoint, and were rewarded by judges Linda Zang, Hilda Gurney and Maryal Barnett for their efforts. This two-time Young Horse National...

Lexington, KY—Suzy Stafford has won the Individual Bronze medal in the Single Pony class at the FEI World Combined Pony Driving Championships in Greven-Bockholt, Germany. Team USA finished fourth in the nations competition, which was won by host nation Germany. Stafford was in second position after the dressage and the marathon, but the very difficult cones course kept her from keeping the Silver medal. Stafford passed the finish line just a fraction too late to make the time allowed, but...

Lexington, KY – Ashlee Bond continued her winning European ways with a fantastic victory in the Warsteiner Prize, one of the featured events at the World Equestrian Festival - CHIO Aachen. The Hidden Hills, CA rider flew to the win on Little Valley Farm’s fleet-footed Cadett 7 Ashlee Bond and Cadett 7 (Ken Braddick) . The talented duo bested 50 of Europe’s best horses and riders in an impressive effort, which involved the fastest round of 14 in the jump-off. “I’m...

Lexington, KY - Gold medals from this summer’s CN FEI North American Junior/Young Riders Championship at the Colorado Horse Park Presented by Gotham North spelled good things for competitors Sir Neel and Sophie Benjamin (Jennifer Wenzel/Rein Photography) in the 2008 Platinum Performance/USEF Talent Search Finals. Talent Search Final-East winner Sophie Benjamin followed in her teammate Hannah Selleck’s (who won the West Coast Final two weeks ago) footsteps by winning the East Coast...

Manerbio, Italy – It was a close finish but with a total of 667.5 points Team Italy took the gold medal in the very first FEI World Reining Championship on Friday, September 12. Team USA took the silver medal with 663.5 points closely followed by Team Germany which finished only a point behind the United States. Sixteen countries were represented in the World Reining Championship and in order to determine who would step on the podium for the bronze medal, reining enthusiasts had to wait...

Hong Kong, China – The first medals were handed out at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Hong Kong tonight, and although the US anthem wasn’t played, the Team is looking firmly to the future. They will ride their freestyle tests over the next two days and then focus on the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games where they will be riding on their home turf. Barb Grassmyer kicked it off with Mibis. She put in a steady performance in the Grade III Individual Test. From Placerville, CA the...