North Salem, NY - Patricia Griffith had a new mount this year for the $10,000 USHJA Hunter Derby at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, but the result was the same as last year, a win. Sienna, the horse that Griffith piloted around the two rounds of competition this year, is a lovely 16.2 hand chestnut mare, owned by Lexi Maounis of Jupiter, FL, herself a junior rider and student of Griffiths. “We got her in August of last year,” said Griffith. “She had won a Derby in Texas...

Louise Serio and Phillipa at the Kentucky Spring Classic (Photo by Holly Whiteman). Lexington KY - Hunter riders at the Kentucky Spring Classic enjoyed a day without rain at the beautiful Kentucky Horse Park. Today was the second day of the Kentucky Spring Classic, which is the second week of the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows. This week features the World Champion Hunter Rider Week, which gives riders the opportunity to earn fabulous prize money along with quality points toward year end awards...

Kate Levy and Vent Du Nord. (Classic Communications). North Salem, NY – Mother Nature gave us beautiful weather for the first week of competition at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, but she could not make it happen on the morning of the Grand Prix, where she gave us some torrential rain in the early hours. Taking it all in stride, both show management and competitors made adjustments and as the rain came to a close, competition went on as usual. The only concession to the rain was...

North Salem, NY - Katie Dinan, of New York, NY, and her mount Vancouver, bested a field of 36 to win the $25,000 New York Welcome Stake at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, held on the stunning Grand Prix field at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, NY. Dinan, 17, and the 13-year-old New Zealand Warmblood/Thoroughbred gelding, owned by Grant Road Partners LLC, were the 30th pair to enter the ring. Dinan had the advantage of already turning in a clear round with her first mount, Amoroso, and...

Stephanie Riggio and Compliment. (Photo by James Leslie Parker). North Salem, NY – The Hunter ring was a picture perfect backdrop to the Adult Hunter Divisions that completed today at the Old Salem Farms Spring Horse Shows. Stephanie Riggio, New York, NY, rode her Compliment to victory in the Amateur Adult Hunters 18-35 division. Winning the under saddle class as well as two of the jumping classes, she dominated the competition with the 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding. Fresh off...

Photo by PMG/Ken Kraus (Jennifer Waxman and Venturo) The United States Equestrian Team Foundation (USET) is pleased to announce that 18-year-old Jennifer Waxman of Chagrin Falls, OH, has been awarded the Lionel Guerrand-Hermès Trophy, recognizing a Junior/Young Rider who exemplifies the USET Foundation's ideals of sportsmanship and horsemanship. The award was established in 1983 by Patrick Guerrand-Hermès in memory of his son Lionel, an Olympic hopeful trained by U.S. Eventing...

Imagine the scenario. Sitting under a shaded tent facing a perfectly manicured and maintained hunter ring. Free food abounds. Dozen upon dozen of pony riders are mounted upon the most gorgeous ponies you have ever seen in your life. You get to kick back, relax and take in this awesome environment, free of stress or cares. Just another day in the life of this very lucky journalist and editor. Yes…the 2009 USEF Pony Finals is under way at the Kentucky Horse Park, and for the first time in...

Gladstone, NJ – After a four day battle, the rain finally won at the 2009 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions, and collectively the Ground Jury and the management decided that, in the best interest of the horses, the competition was suspended after the Young Riders rode first thing Sunday morning. This meant that Leslie Morse was crowned USEF National Grand Prix Champion for the fifth time. Morse GP Raymeister (SusanJStickle.com) and her beloved 15-year-old Swedish...

My Boy Bobby and Buck Davidson, Best for the US (Stockimageservices.com) By Joanie Morris Lexington, KY – The American riders had some catching up to do after the first day of dressage at the 2009 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. The European riders swept the top three places after Thursday and the US riders returned on Friday to find only a little bit of room at the top of the leaderboard. Germany’s Bettina Hoy wasn’t going to be bested in the main stadium at the Kentucky...

Wellington, FL – The second and final leg of the Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Championship presented by Equine Motorcoach showcased some of the country’s best horses and riders. Todd Minikus won the first leg on Friday night with Pavarotti but Sunday brought a whole new challenge. 35 riders went to task in Sunday’s $60,000 Holiday & Horses FEI World Cup Qualifier which included riders from six nations and featured the final USEF National Championship of 2008. Veteran...