Jennifer Wooten-Dafoe and The Good Witch (Mike McNally) Lexington, KY - It's that time again. Winter vanished and suddenly the 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone has arrived. Bigger than ever in 2010, the competition, which also serves as the USEF National CCI4* Eventing Championship, boasts many of the very best in the game both from the US and around the globe. The action gets underway at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington April 22, 2010. All eyes will be firmly...

Lexington, KY, April 20 -The cloud of volcanic ash that has canceled hundreds of airplane flights from Europe has forced the organizers of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone, to replace four of its officials at the last minute. Only Ulrich Schmitz of Arizona remains of the three people scheduled to be the judges for the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. Marilyn Payne, of New Jersey, will replace Anne-Mette Binder of Denmark, and Christian Landholt of Switzerland will...

On Sunday April 18, 2010 the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) lodged a formal protest against the disqualification of McLain Ward’s horse, Sapphire at the 2010 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final. Sapphire and Ward were in the lead after the second leg of the Final when Sapphire was disqualified five hours after the second class on the recommendation of the Veterinary Committee that she was unfit to compete, despite being examined before her round by FEI veterinarians and deemed fit to compete....

Mario Deslauriers and Urico (Rebecca Walton/Phelps Media Group) Lexington, KY – For the American show jumping community, the 2010 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final in Geneva, Switzerland will not be remembered for what happened on the field of play, but for a controversial decision by the Ground Jury involving the disqualification of Sapphire (ridden by McLain Ward) after the second leg. On top of the world after the first two legs, and with a variety of riders winning the majority of the classes...

Lexington, KY and Geneva, Switzerland - The Ground Jury of the 2010 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final in Geneva, Switzerland disqualified US jumping horse, Sapphire; in the early hours of April 17 (CEST) after her runner-up finish in the second leg of the competition with rider McLain Ward. The grounds for disqualification was hypersensitivity of the horse's leg. Sapphire was selected for hypersensitivity testing before she jumped in the class and according to the FEI Press Release: Following the...

McLain Ward and Rothchild (Randi Muster/Mustphoto.com) Lexington, KY - Jumping got underway at the 2010 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final in Geneva, and the horses and riders stretched their legs over the courses in the Palexpo Arena in Geneva, Switzerland before the big events got going on Thursday afternoon. The American contingent is already winning at a fairly rapid rate. McLain Ward, who has been picked as one of the favorites to with the Final after his runner-up performance in 2009 with...

McLain Ward and Sapphire Look to go One Better in 2010 (Shannon Brinkman/ USEF Archives) Lexington, KY - With 10 riders representing the United States at the 2010 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final (April 15-18), the American assault on Geneva looks very strong. Led by 2009 runner-up McLain Ward and his legendary Sapphire, the 34-year-old will look to go one better in Switzerland than they did in Las Vegas one year ago. Fortunately, they won't have the fleet-footed Shutterfly to chase as the defending...

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and Land Rover North America jointly announced today that Land Rover will be the official vehicle sponsor of the USEF for 2010. In addition to its status as Official Vehicle of the USEF in 2010, Land Rover will also be the title sponsor of the U.S. Eventing Team, set to compete at this year's Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, September 25 - October 10, in Lexington, KY. "Land Rover represents premium performance and success," says...

The inaugural $5,000 American Hunter-Jumper Foundation (AHJF) World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) Handy Hunter Classic was well received and was a highlight event on April 3rd at the Tampa Bay Classic held at the Florida State Fairgrounds. Samantha Schaefer and Bishonen, owned by Mariana Wade, led the field from start to finish winning out of a field of the top professional, emerging professional, amateur-owner, and junior hunter riders with her two-round total of 171. In her first round...

The FEI is to freeze the Rolex Rankings points for jumping riders on maternity leave, starting with the April Rankings issued on March 31 . Under the new system, female riders will now lose only 50% of their Rolex Rankings points during their absence from competition while on maternity leave. The new ruling means that former world number one Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum moves up from 31st on the March Rolex Rankings to 20th following the reinstatement of 50% of her points. The German rider, who...