Upper Marlboro, MD - The Grand Pony Hunter Championship, sponsored by Lochmoor Stables/Mindy and Greg Darst, went to Hillcrest Blue Halo, owned by Bill Schaub and ridden by 11-year-old Daisy Farish of Versailles, KY. They won three out of four classes in the small pony hunter division and placed second in the remaining class. Daisy Farish and Hillcrest Blue Halo. (Shawn McMillen Photography) They were awarded with the VanderMoore Designs Trophy, donated by VanderMoore Designs. Farish was named...

Kelley Farmer and Act of Valor won the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show of Kentucky Summer Series. (Ashley N. Williams/PMG) Lexington, KY - Along the fence line of the Stonelea Arena, people watched as the first competitor entered the ring for the $5,000 Hallway Feeds National Hunter Derby. In the fourth week of the Kentucky Summer Series, the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show welcomed riders of all experience to a challenging course, and a...

Reisenbeck, Germany - Heading into the 2012 FEI Four-in-Hand Driving World Championships the United States was looking to be amongst the leaders following the dressage and they have done just that. The U.S. currently stands in Bronze medal position less than a point behind the Germans in second. Reigning World Champions, The Netherlands, currently lead the Team Championship. The U.S. leads the Individual Championship as no one was able to top Chester Weber’s remarkable score of 33.41 from...

Ireland’s Darragh Kenny won the $10,000 Open Jumper High Score Awards, Presented by Sir Ruly, Inc., at the 2012 Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. Pictured, from left to right, are Maria Teresa Torano, Darragh Kenny, Danielle Torano with daughter, Natalia, and Mary and Antonio Albertini. (Shawn McMillian Photography) East Dorset, VT – For the second year in a row, Ireland’s Darragh Kenny was the winner of the $10,000 Open Jumper High Score Awards, presented by Sir Ruly, Inc....

Jeffery Welles and Laracon (Tammy Hardy Photography) Hampton Falls, NH – There were four exciting show jumping classes hosted Saturday at The Jumper Classic®, presented by Fidelity Investments® and Audi of America. In the $12,000 Speed Derby, Jeffery Welles of Brewster, NY, and Laracon, owned by Amanda Gunthel, were fastest for first place. Located in the beautiful town of Hampton Falls, NH, at the Silver Oak Equestrian Center, The Jumper Classic is New England’s premier...

Walking up the steps from the mixed zone to the athlete seating takes 20 seconds. I have done it 29 times, after each ride. 29 times without a medal. Each time - the climb becomes more painful. We are trying, we are working, we are willing - we just aren’t winning. It is immensely frustrating. Our horses look great, our riders are well-coached, you can feel and hear their frustration when they make mistakes. My heart breaks for them when they don’t make mistakes and their best still...

Shawn Casady Bolero won the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby at the Kentucky Summer Classic. (Ashley N. Williams/PMG) Lexington, KY - The Stonelea Arena was bustling today as it saw six divisions stretching the length of the day. Lined with sponsor bulletins, the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby turned out a crowd as well as promised top riders and steep competition. Out of 29 riders, Shawn Casady once again emerged as victor, this time upon Bolero, scoring 178....

Greenwich, UK - Clear rounds were the order of the day in the First Individual Qualifier for Jumping in the main arena at Greenwich Park. Of the 75 starters in the Olympic Show Jumping Competition, 32 jumped clear rounds. Of those, two belonged to American riders Rich Fellers and McLain Ward. Reed Kessler added just one time fault at her first Olympic Games meaning the USA heads to the Team Competition with a strong start. Team Competition begins Sunday, August 5. Chef d'Equipe George...

New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson takes over lead in HSBC Rankings. Image: (Kit Houghton/FEI) Andrew Nicholson (NZL) has taken over as world number one in the HSBC Rankings after the London 2012 Olympic Eventing competition in Greenwich Park. Nicholson, captain of New Zealand’s bronze medal-winning team at London 2012, is now 46 points clear of William Fox-Pitt (GBR) who had led the HSBC Rankings since April. London 2012 is Andrew Nicholson’s sixth Olympic Games. New Zealand’s...

Lexington, KY- The U.S. will be represented by two horses this week at the FEI World Dressage Championships for Young Horses held August 1-5, 2012 in Verden, Germany. Sanceo, ridden by Sabine Schut-Kery, and Florentinus V, ridden by Jennifer Hoffman, will both compete in the six-year-old championship. Both horses were deemed sound and fit to compete at today’s Horse Inspection and begin competition Friday in the Prize of Mrs. Madeleine Winter—Schulze. Friday’s test will...