Tampa, FL - The Tampa Equestrian Series began their two-week horse show this morning at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center with the Tampa Bay Classic, bringing in many of the top jumper riders to vie for the coveted championship honors. The competition was intense as competitors raced against the clock beneath the shade of the Covered Arena, attempting to prove themselves in the 1.30m Open Jumper class, but it was Leslie Howard aboard Goed Zo who posted a target time that proved resilient. The...

Lexington, KY - Preparations continue for the 2012 Olympic Games for the United States' top dressage riders with USET/USEF pre-Olympic Games George Williams, Anne Gribbons, Steffen Peters and Betsy Juliano (Photo by Brigitte Voelk) Training Sessions conducted by USEF Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons and Olympian Steffen Peters. The training session schedule in Florida, which kicked off January 6-8, also included sessions February 10-12 at Walter and Mary Anne McPhail's High Meadow Farm...

Lexington, KY - Twenty-seven of the United States' best show jumping riders will take over the International Ring at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center March 21-24 to vie for the 2012 USEF National Show Jumping Championship. The championship runs concurrently with the USEF Selection Trials for the US Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games, meaning there is plenty on the line at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. The USEF National Show Jumping Championship has...

Holly Bergay aboard Rubino Bellissimo with Mette Rosencrantz (Lindsay McCall) Del Mar, CA - As the Del Mar Horse Park began to clear of flower boxes and white arena borders, Para-Equestrian Dressage riders prepared for a hands-on clinic with Mette Rosencrantz. Each rider was given 45 minutes with Mette allowing a large amount of time to work on short-term and long-term goals. During each session riders demonstrated specific parts of their tests that they performed during the 2012 Rancho...

Charlotte Jacobs and Promised Land helped the Zone Two team claim their victory (Rebecca Walton/PMG) Wellington, FL and East Aurora, NY - The third leg of the four-part Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Series was held on Thursday of Week IX of the Winter Equestrian Festival. Amidst rough weather with rain and thunderstorms, eight teams of four gathered to compete under the looming storm clouds hanging over the International Ring for the $20,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Team Event. Team E...

The teams in the 2012 FEI Nations Cup presented by G&C Farm (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Germany earned victory in Friday night's 10th annual $75,000 FEI Nations Cup, presented by G&C Farm, at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. Teams representing ten different countries participated in the evening's competition and this was Germany's first time winning the class. Ireland finished second and Canada was third. Week eight of the FTI WEF, sponsored...

Lyn Pedersen and Tivoli Take Tricolor in FarmVet Amateur-Owner 36 & Over 3'3" Hunters Nick Skelton and Big Star (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - The seventh week of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival concluded today with an exciting 11 horse jump-off in the $32,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. Nick Skelton (GBR) scored yet another big win with Big Star, owned by Beverley Widdowson. Second place went to fellow British rider Ben Maher on Quiet Easy 4, owned by Mrs....

Funding Neede for the FHWA Recreational Trails Program The Senate transportation bill (MAP-21) severely weakens programs for trails, walking, and biking. Amendment #1661 proposed by Senator Klobuchar (D-MN) and co-sponsored by Senators Burr (R-NC), Shaheen (D-NH), Risch (R-ID), and Udall (D-CO), would restore dedicated funding for the Recreational Trails Program (RTP), consistent with language that is already in the House bill. Equine Land Conservation Resource is already signed on and is...

Lexington, KY – The Alltech National Horse Show, following its debut at the Kentucky Horse Park last November, on Tuesday evening was awarded the North American Riders Group’s highest ranking for any American horse show. The North American Riders Group (NARG), representing the riders and owners in North America, is comprised of the top horsemen from the United States, Canada and Mexico and was formed with the goal of improving the sport of show jumping. In their presentation of the...

Ken Berkley and Prestige Win Sanctuary First Year Green Working Hunter Championship Wellington, FL - Nick Skelton (GBR) accumulated another win at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) today in the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup 2, this time taking the top prize with Beverley Widdowson's Carlo 273. The Irish took the next two places, with Richie Moloney on Slieveanorra, owned by Equinimity LLC/Richie Moloney in second and Cian O'Connor on Ashkirk Ltd. & Cian...