Joao Castro and Quarelly (Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group) Wellington, Fla. - Sometimes it can be hard for young riders to find backers, but famed equestrian Nelson Pessoa was happy to step up to the plate with 23-year-old Stephen Barcha. The talented Brazilian rode Ad Jacpote to the first place finish in the Wellington Turf Tour 1.40m Grand Prix at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. They swept away the competition with a brilliant jump off in 34.115 seconds. Out of a field of 50 riders,...

Julie Coles and Cobalt in their championship presentation (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Julie Coles of The Plains, VA, and Remarkable Farm LP's Cobalt were champions of Section B of the Camping World Adult Amateur Hunter 51 & Over division on Sunday morning at the FTI WEF. Coles and the nine-year-old Wurtemberger gelding, out of Little Lou by Cornet Obolensky, won the final two over fences rounds for the division, as well as jumping to third and second place ribbons. The pair also...

Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Divertimento (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, Fla. - Sweden's Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven finished first for the second time with Divertimento during the third week of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF), this time winning the FEI Grand Prix Special presented by US P.R.E. Association on Saturday evening. Vilhelmson-Silfven and Divertimento, a 12-year-old Westphalian owned by Lövsta Stuteri, topped the class with a score of 74.882%. The third week of the...

Ben Maher and Diva (Phelps Media Group, Inc.) Wellington, Fla. - The sun was getting low in the sky at the Ridge at Wellington as Britain's Olympic Gold Medalist Ben Maher entered the Grand Prix Field. Aboard his most recent mount Diva, Maher, the number two ranked rider in the Longines World Rankings, tackled the track and climbed to the top of the leader board for today's 1.40m Wellington Turf Tour. It was a moment that marked a solid beginning for the pair-their first win as a team....

Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Divertimento (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, Fla - Sweden's Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven continued her hot streak in Wellington on Thursday afternoon, winning the FEI Grand Prix with Divertimento during the third week of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF). Vilhelmson-Silfven took home two first place prizes with Don Auriello during the first week of AGDF and started off week three with equal success. Vilhelmson-Silfvenand Lövsta Stuteri's...

Laura Kraut and Wish (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla - U.S. Olympic Team Gold Medalist Laura Kraut earned victory on day three of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) competing with Stone Hill Farm's Wish in the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class on Friday, January 10. Alexander Zetterman (SWE) and Canora also got their second win of the circuit in the day's $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge. Week one of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian...

Kama Godek and Air Force One (Phelps Media Group, Inc. International) Wellington, Fla. - Kama Godek and Air Force One soared through the jump off in the first event of the Wellington Turf Tour on Wednesday, January 8, 2014. Their finesse through the short track allowed them to surpass 17 contenders in a solid 36 seconds. Their time proved untouchable as each consecutive rider attempted to catch their pace, but Godek's strong turns and quick pace made it an impossible feat. Godek is no...

Prohibited Practices A new category of rules referred to as Prohibited Practices has been introduced to the USEF Rule Book which will take effect December 1, 2013. The first rule to be adopted in this category is commonly referred to as the "12 Hour Rule." It was introduced in March of 2013 by the USEF Veterinary Committee and following extensive feedback from USEF Technical Committees, Working Groups, and from attendees at USEF Town Hall Meetings held in Florida in March, and via interactive...

Stephanie Sedlacko and Jennifer Alfano rode to the first place finish in the American Saddlebred Hunter Challenge (Brooke Jacobs) Lexington, Ky. - It's not every day that you see riders compete over their first hunter course during a national championship, but when four world champion American Saddlebred trainers take the reins of a hunter and grand prix and professional hunter riders take the reins of an American Saddlebred, it makes for a night of fun and excitement. It was a...

Liz Halliday-Sharp with HHS Cooley (Galway Downs Press) Temecula, Calif. - Fifteen years have passed since Liz Halliday-Sharp rode in the inaugural Galway Downs International Three-Day Event, and now she plans to ride HHS Cooley in the CCI3* on Oct. 31-Nov. 3. The Presenting Sponsors of the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event are: Equine Insurance of California, Land Rover, Professional’s Choice, the California Horse Trader and the PRO Tour. Halliday-Sharp, now 34, grew up in...