Jimmy Torano and La Bonita putting on a show in the final round of the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final (©ESI Photography) Saugerties, NY – Jimmy Torano of SW Ranches, Florida admits that he and Kathryn Haefner, who owns La Bonita, gambled on the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final, entering the five-year-old German-bred Warmblood mare in the highest stakes hunter class in the world. Lady Luck, however, was on their side at HITS Saugerties this week. Or, perhaps, La Bonita is...

Saugerties, NY - Sunny Drescher of Hinesburg, Vermont put on a dominating performance in the National PHA Junior Medal Final at HITS Saugerties this weekend. Piloting her own Sting, a seven-year-old Westfalen gelding, to the top score of 86 in the first round, Drescher led the class from start to finish, mastering the test and clinching the blue ribbon. The National PHA Junior Medal Final highlighted the Friday of HITS Championship Weekend at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York and...

Victoria Press and Mayfair won the $50,000 Hampton Classic Hunter Derby on the opening day of the show (Shawn McMillen photo) Bridgehampton, NY - Victoria Press, of New York, N.Y., rode her horse Mayfair to victory in the $50,000 Hampton Classic Hunter Derby, presented by Meadow View Farms, on the opening day of the Hampton Classic Horse Show. Press-at 14 the youngest rider in the 42-horse starting field-confidently guided Mayfair to the best score of the second round to claim the blue ribbon...

David Oliynyk and Generous rode to the top of the $15,000 NEHJA 3'3" Hunter Derby Finals during the Fieldstone Summer Showcase II (Kendall Bierer/PMG) Halifax, MA - Under sunny skies and beautiful New England conditions the $15,000 NEHJA 3'3" Hunter Derby Finals, presented by GGT Footing, featured the top horse and rider combinations from across the country. Besting a field of 40 competitors during the Fieldstone Summer Showcase II, David Oliynyk and Generous led the field from start to...

Pablo Barrios and Zara Leandra (Phelps Media Group, Inc.) Lexington, KY - Pablo Barrios and Zara Leandra returned to the Rolex Stadium with a vengeance after a close second place finish in Friday's $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic. They edged out Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run's Eternal by less than .2 seconds in the jump-off to claim the title in today's $40,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix, sponsored by Audi of Lexington. Eight riders from the field of 31 starters advanced to...

Reed Kessler and Soraya l'Obstination (Global Champions Tour) 2012 US Olympian and history-maker Reed Kessler was determined to shake off Friday's second place finish, and knowing the young 19 year old's competitive drive, Saturday was an opportunity to beat Friday's winner Patrice Delaveau and land a Longines Global Champions Tour winning title. Reed was aboard her new mare Soraya l'Obstination and won with an impressive time of 55.99 seconds; almost a whole second faster then...

Jennifer Tate and Florestan led the first day of Pre-Green Hunters at the Fieldstone Summer Showcase (Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group) Halifax, MA - Strikingly set courses greeted hunter riders for the first day of the Fieldstone Summer Showcase I. The professional hunter divisions kicked off the competition in the Main Hunter Ring, where Jennifer Tate rode Florestan to the top of the Pre-Green Hunter division. Competitors were thrilled to return to the Fieldstone Show Park, noting the new...

Shane Sweetnam and Solerina (Phelps Media Group, Inc. International) Lexington, KY - For the second week in a row, the Irish had all the luck, specifically Shane Sweetnam during the $50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix, sponsored by Audi of Lexington, at the Kentucky Summer Classic. This time he was aboard Solerina for the win, shaving valuable seconds off his jump-off time to beat fellow countryman Richie Moloney and Carrabis Z, who placed second. Sweetnam's winning mount from last...

Brittini Raflowitz cleaned up Chicago on the final day of Equifest I with the $7,500 Cavalor High Junior/Amateur-Owner victory aboard Zacca Zoeloe, riding to the second place with KT Undercover (Ashley N. Williams) Wayne, IL - The final day of Equifest I opened to cloudless skies and strong jumper competition as the Junior and Amateur-Owner Jumpers took the spotlight in the Grand Prix Arena at the Lamplight Equestrian Center. Brittini Raflowitz rode to her fourth major win of the week, this...

Molly Mcadow and Barina captured the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby victory at Equifest I (Kendall Bierer/PMG) Wayne, IL - It was a day to remember for Molly Mcadow as she laid down the winning rounds during the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby. The Lamplight Equestrian Center was packed with exhibitors and spectators for the third day of Equifest I, and although the skies were gray and torrents of rain poured down from above, the derby contenders were not deterred. Mcadow led the victory...