Thalia with Gin-N-Tonic. (Photo by Mary Ellen Payne.) Albuquerque, NM - Dr. Ruth Wilburn, President of the Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America (WPCSA) announced a special lifetime achievement award to Thalia Gentzel for her significant contributions to the WPCSA, the pony hunter world, and the lives of many young riders throughout the course of her life. From the time she was 12, Thalia rode at the old Cornell University Stables, where she was later a member of the intercollegiate team. When...

Wellington, FL - At the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, the eighth week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival came to a close. The FTI WEF hosts the best that the sports of show jumping, hunters, and equitation have to offer in 12 rings of competition. The 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival hosted its 10th annual $75,000 FEI Nations Cup on Friday evening, presented by G&C Farm, with an exciting victory for Team USA. Made up of Mario Deslauriers riding Urico, owned by Jane F....

Flying Horse Photography©. (Lucy Davis and Nemo 119.) Thermal, CA — Lucy Davis, one of the youngest Grand Prix riders on the HITS winter circuit, captured her biggest win of the season when she won Saturday night’s $50,000 HITS CSI-W Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, aboard Old Oak Farm’s Nemo 119 to highlight Desert Circuit V at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. Davis (Los Angeles, CA) got the best of the 26 starters that challenged International Course Designer Olaf...

Gulfport, MS A very positive-minded 23-year-old Sarah Mechlin of Cincinnati, OH, partnered with Yes Indeed took the top spot over 50 competitors in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby during the fourth week of the Gulf Coast Winter Classics. Fifty equine athletes were being braided before dawn and began lunging at 5:30 Friday morning in preparation for their first big test, the official presentation and jog before the panel of judges- Mike Rosser, Ray Francis, Betsy Perry, Tucker...

The US Team Celebrates (Sport Fot) Wellington, FL – Four of the United States’ classiest veterans represented the United States in the $75,000 FEI Nations Cup presented by G&C Farm and did not disappoint a packed house of fans. They dominated the field of eight teams to win on a score of eight faults over Canada on 16. Three teams tied for third: Great Britain, Australia and Ireland, all on 37 faults. Under the lights in the International Ring at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Club,...

McLain Ward and Pjotter van de Zonnehoeve. (Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - Saturday night at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival featured an exciting victory for McLain Ward (USA) and Pjotter Van De Zonnehoeve in the $78,000 Fidelity Investments® CSI 2* Grand Prix. The class was held on a beautiful Florida evening under the lights at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Riders representing 12 different countries made up the international field this evening, showing over a course...

Richard Spooner and Cristallo. (Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - The FTI Winter Equestrian Festival's seventh week of competition continued on Thursday afternoon with round seven of the $31,000 WEF Challenge Cup Series. Held in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, the class saw a total of 59 entries with 16 jumping clear to return for the jump-off. After arriving in Wellington just three days ago, California's Richard Spooner and his top mount Cristallo...

Bjorn Ikast and Colorado. (Horseinsport© ) Tucson, AZ — The midway point of the six week HITS Arizona Winter Circuit was highlighted by big victories for Bjorn Ikast in the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, and Gretchen Lof in the $2,500 Devoucoux Hunter Prix. Ikast, originally from Kolding, Denmark and now a Colorado resident, is a regular at the HITS Arizona Winter Circuit and has been knocking on the door for a Grand Prix win all season. He finished third two weeks...

Ocala, FL - What do you get when you mix beautiful weather, talented horsemen, first-class facilities, exciting events and fabulous prize money? The answer is simple: HITS Ocala. The Ocala Winter Festival marked the second AA rated week of show jumping in the 'Sunshine State'. The two Grand Prix and weekly Devoucoux Hunter Prix saw record-breaking entries this week. In Thursday's $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, Kent Farrington of Chicago, IL, emerged as the...

Ocala, FL - February 15, 2011 - It wasn't just an illusion when Taylor McMurtry and her own Just An Illusion won Sunday's $50,000 EMO Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. The horse-and-rider combination celebrated their first Grand Prix win ever to conclude the Ocala Winter Classic. "I'm so happy!" exclaimed McMurtry, 18, who found her way to the top on a beautiful sunny day at HITS Post Time Farm. "I'm overwhelmed. Especially since it was my goal to win a Grand Prix this year, I am...