Tessa Downey and Hallelujah (Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography) Lexington, Ky. - On Sunday, the Marshall & Sterling/USEF Pony Medal Final closed out a week of competition at the 2018 USEF Pony Finals presented by Collecting Gaits Farm (Pony Finals). With 184 riders vying for top honors in front of judges Jeffrey Ayers and William Ellis, Tessa Downey, trained by Peter Pletcher, claimed gold in the most coveted award of the championship. Tessa Downey and Hallelujah (Photo by Shawn McMillen...

Rotterdam, The Netherlands - The NetJets® U.S. Show Jumping Team placed third in the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Netherlands on Sunday, June 24, at the CHIO Rotterdam. Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland led the team of Beezie Madden and Breitling LS, Adrienne Sternlicht and Cristalline, Laura Kraut and Zeremonie, and McLain Ward and Clinta. “We come in expecting to medal and hoping to win, and of course it doesn’t always work out that way,” said Chef...

Langley, Canada – The NetJets U.S. Show Jumping Team secured a spot in October’s Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup Final with a challenging, yet persevering performance in the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Canada at the Langley Odlum Brown BC Open on Sunday. Under the guidance of Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland, the U.S. team of Kent Farrington, Jamie Barge, Lucy Deslauriers, and Richard Spooner placed fourth with 34 faults. “We always come seeking a podium finish, but we just...

Lexington, Ky. – Participants in the US Equestrian (USEF) Emerging Athlete Eventing 25 Program (E25) and the Emerging Athlete Eventing 18 Program (E18) completed their winter training sessions last month. The Emerging Athletes List designates athletes with the potential to evolve into future team candidates. Tayler Stewart, E25 (Christina Vaughn) Over the course of intensive three-day training sessions, the groups rode in mounted lessons with the USEF Eventing Emerging Athlete Coach...

Lexington, Ky. – The US Equestrian (USEF) Eventing High Performance Committee has approved the following athletes for the Emerging Athlete Eventing 18 program for 2018. The Emerging Athletes List designates athletes with the potential to evolve into future team candidates. “We look at each rider’s resume and videos, and in many cases we have seen them ride in person,” said Mike Huber, Chairman of the USEF Eventing Sport Committee and Emerging Athlete Working Group....

Harrisburg, Pa. - Leading through all three rounds of the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Finals, 18-year-old Taylor St. Jacques (Glen Allen, Va.) proved herself to be just what judges Tamara Provost (Westfield, Ind.) and Jack Towell (Camden, S.C.) were looking for as they awarded her first place and the gold medal for her performance. Taylor St. Jacques, the 2017 Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Finals Champion (© Al Cook – www.alcookphoto.com) A total of 257 of the...

Tryon, N.C. - For the first time in history, the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Final was run with cross-country as the last phase. When severe weather hit the USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Land Rover and Nutrena ® in Mill Spring, N.C. earlier in the week, the cross-country phase had to be postponed from Friday afternoon to Sunday morning due to the emergency vehicle access and allowing the footing time to dry out. This put a new twist on the Final as the top 10 pairs ran...

Ocala, Fla. – The four USEF Combined Driving National Championships kicked off competition on Thursday with the dressage phase at Live Oak International. After a great day of competition, Tracey Morgan, Katie Whaley, James Miller, and Chester Weber lead their respective divisions following the first phase. Tracey Morgan and Fuego 88 (Picsofyou.com) USEF Single Pony Combined Driving National Championship Morgan (Beallsville, Md.) and Fuego 88 had an excellent test that demonstrated quality...

Manuel Torres and Christofolini H on their way to a $30,000 Purina Animal Nutrition win. (ESI Photography) Culpeper, Va. - Riders and horses descended on the Grand Prix Ring at HITS Commonwealth Park for the main event of the Winston National, the $30,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix. Only one horse and rider could go home with the win, but in this case, one deserving equestrian took home both the first and second prize. There was no slowing down Manuel Torres during the fourth week of...

Saugerties, N.Y. - The final week of spring shows in Saugerties, New York, kicked off with Wednesday’s $10,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome at HITS-on-the-Hudson III. After snagging the win in last week’s $15,000 KindredBio Open Jumper Prix, Jeffery Welles of Wellington, Florida, returned to the Grand Prix Stadium to capture another victory. This time, the winning title came aboard Freestyle 3, owned by Juan Bancalari. “This was my fourth time showing this horse, so I was very...