Ravel Settles for Second (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, FL – Having convincingly won the Grand Prix at the 2010 Exquis World Dressage Masters on Thursday afternoon, the pressure was on Steffen Peters to continue his winning tear with Ravel. But unfortunately for the US fans, it was a repeat of 2009 and he still couldn’t eclipse Anky van Grunsven and her Olympic champion Salinero. The reigning Gold medalist wowed the fans with a classic fault-free performance and a score of 84.4% for the...

Gulch, the six-time Grade 1-winning son of Mr. Prospector, has moved to Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement facility in Georgetown, KY, where he will permanently retire. The 25-year-old stallion has stood at William S. Farish’s Lane’s End Farm near Versailles, KY, since leaving racing in 1988. He was pensioned from stud duty just this year. Gulch (Mr. Prospector x Jameela, by Rambunctious) was owned and bred by Peter M. Brant and trained by Hall-of-Famers LeRoy Jolley and D. Wayne Lukas....

Photo by Ken Braddick (Steffen Peters and Ravel) Lexington, KY – Talk about busy. 2009 has been a whirlwind, new champions of all kinds, title defenders, legends and innovators made headlines this year. The line between winning and losing has become increasingly fine as all the USEF competitors in every discipline continue to up their game, hone their skills and make the US Team proud both locally and across the globe. With the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) looming on the...

The international sport of reining will host the world’s premiere event for reiners—the 2009 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show, November 26 through December 5, at Oklahoma State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, OK. The $1.9-million show features the NRHA Futurity—the premiere event for three-year-old reining horses. At the end of the Open Finals on Saturday, December 5, one entry is guaranteed a check for $125,000 as...

The turn of the fall season marks not just the beginning of winter, but the time of year when the world’s most talented and colorful Appaloosas head to Fort Worth, TX, for the most prestigious event in the Appaloosa industry—the 2009 World Championship Appaloosa Show. Exhibitors, owners, trainers, equine enthusiasts and nearly 900 Appaloosas participated. The Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) counted the event a continued success, as the number of open and non-pro entries was identical to last...

American Quarter Horse Racing World Champion Be A Bono has moved to the Kentucky Horse Park’s Hall of Champions. Be A Bono earned American Quarter Horse racing’s top honor when he was named the World Champion of 2004. He also earned champion three-year-old and champion three-year-old gelding honors for 2004. Owned and bred by the late Spencer Childers of Fresno, CA, the sorrel gelding was trained by Dan Francisco. Be A Bono was foaled February 22, 2001, and retired from racing as a...

October Hill Farm, a prominent breeder of Warmblood Sporthorses in the United States, announces the 2009 Candy Store Sporthorse Auction, a one-of-a-kind auction to be held at October Hill Farm's facilities in Hudson Oaks, TX, just 23 miles west of Fort Worth. The Candy Store Sporthorse Auction is presented by Texas Select Sporthorse Sales, LLC, and will be held Saturday, November 21, 2009, at 2:00 p.m. Featuring pedigreed Holsteiners, Hanoverians, Oldenburgs, Zweibruckers and other registered...

On Saturday, the best horses and riders from the hunter divisions competed for the top prize in the $15,000 WIHS Hunter Classic Derby at the Washington International Horse Show. After two rounds of competition it was Scott Stewart, of Ocala, FL, and Way Cool that led the victory gallop after they earned a total score of 170.9. Earlier in the day the Washington Pony Equitation Classic Finals were held, with Madeyln Keck and Tango receiving the top call and earning the blue ribbon. The champions...

On October 22, the Junior Hunter divisions began competing at the Washington International Horse Show (WIHS), held at the Verizon Center through Sunday, October 25. Kelsey Thatcher took an early lead in the Older Junior Hunter divisions, winning the first class of the Small Junior 16-17 Hunter division. Earlier in the day, Hasbrouck Donovan stole the show, earning two blue ribbons in the Younger Junior Hunter classes. The Older Junior Hunter divisions got under way late that morning, and it was...

Though the mantra of the day seemed to be "rain, rain, go away," eventers proved once again that they were more than fair-weather fans. The horses were beautifully turned out, rid of the manure stains they incurred overnight, and the crowd was bubbly in spirit. The day started out with the in hand portion for the four- and five-year-olds competing in the United States Eventing Association (USEA)/Spalding Labs Young Event Horse (YEH) Competition. The handlers were told by judge Charles Musco to...