THERMAL, CA (February 24, 2012) – The second half of the 2012 HITS Desert Circuit is officially underway and exhibitors are flocking from all corners to Thermal, California. Entries have swelled to 2,700 stalls for the week and Thursday saw nine rings of competition buzzing all day long. Coming off an exciting win in Desert Circuit III’s $53,000 HITS Grand Prix CSI2*-W, presented by Pfizer Animal Health , Duncan McFarlane and Simone Cox’s Mr. Whoopy picked up right where they...

Wellington, FL -As the sun rose over the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL the Gold Coast Dressage Opener CPEDI3* commenced. Twenty-three para-equestrian dressage riders from seven countries vied for top scores under F.E.I. judges Carlos Lopes (POR), Hanneke Gerritsen (NED), and Marc Urban (BEL). For two weekends, beginning with the Gold Coast Dressage Opener CPEDI3* and ending with the Wellington Classic Sunshine Challenge CPEDI3*, para-equestrian dressage riders have 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...

The Gold United States Para-Equestrian Team (Pictured Left to Right: USEF Director Pam Lane, Chef d'equipe Missy Ransehousen, Rebecca Hart, Erin Alberda, Mary Jordan, and in front is Donna Ponessa). Photo: Hope Hand/USPEA. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - When the United States Para-Equestrian Team flew Down Under for the 2011 Melbourne CPEDI3* (held at Werribee Park National Equestrian Center), they were prepared to give it their all. This competition was not just about top scores but it was...

Shane Sweetnam and Little Emir. ManciniPhotos. Wellington, FL - Irish rider Shane Sweetnam and Spy Coast Farm LLC's Little Emir galloped to victory in the $31,000 G&C Farm 1.45m FEI ranking class on Friday at Equestrian Sport Production's Holiday and Horses event. The pair stopped the clock in 42.90 seconds to edge out Katie Dinan and Grant Road Partner's Nougat Du Vallet, who were the only other combination to make it to the jump-off. Dinan and Nougat Du Vallet finished second...

Richard Spooner and Cristallo won the Alltech National Horse Show $250,000 Grand Prix CSI-W. Photo: Shawn McMillen. Lexington, KY - The Open Jumper action at the Alltech National Horse Show, 128th Edition, wrapped up tonight with a fast-paced jump-off during the Alltech National Horse Show $250,000 Grand Prix CSI-W. Richard Spooner and Cristallo set the pace with tidy inside turns and a clear effort, beating Great Britain's Nick Skelton aboard Carlo 273 by just three-tenths of a second....

Bob Cacchione (far left), recipient of the 2010 EQUUS Foundation Humanitarian Award at the USEF Annual Meeting. Photo: Geoff Bugbee for USEF. Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and The EQUUS Foundation will honor the hard work and dedication of equestrians with the presentation of the third annual EQUUS Foundation Humanitarian Award to be presented during the Pegasus Awards at the USEF Annual Meeting in January 2012. In 2009, USEF and the EQUUS Foundation united to...

Bridgehampton, NY — Philip Richter of Bedford, NY, won the $25,000 Carolex Show Jumping Derby riding Ray Ray, owned by Coker Farm, Inc., at the 36th Annual Hampton Classic Horse Show in Bridgehampton, NY, on Sunday. “It’s the best win I’ve ever had in my life,” said Richter. “It’s so exciting!” The top 30 horses from Friday’s $10,000 Sotheby’s International Realty Welcome Stake qualified for the Derby and Richter rode two out of the...

Laura Chapot on course with Mary Chapot's Umberto in Friday's $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health (ESI Photography). Saugerties, NY — As excitement builds for the return of the coveted Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix and the debut of the first ever Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final next weekend, HITS show jumping action returned to Saugerties this week for the last leg of the qualifying season. Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, New Jersey, opened the Grand...

Time certainly flew by in Kentucky at NAJYRC. We arrived mid afternoon Monday and got all unpacked and settled in the best that we could. Devon got to go on a nice big hand walk and ate some delicious Kentucky Blue Grass. I probably could have just left him right outside the compound and he never would have moved a foot all week with all of the grass. Tuesday I rode twice. I got on in the morning and went for a big walk around to show him the sights. He can get a little worried about things so...