John Perez and Utopia (Captured Moments Photography) San juan Capistrano, Calif. - On an idyllic Southern California afternoon, the $30,000 1.40m Markel Insurance Grand Prix, presented by Davidson Communities, welcomed twenty entries. With a mixed field of veterans, young horses and rookie grand prix riders, Jackie Leemon's expansive course challenged but didn't over face the competitors. In a jump-off of eleven horse and rider combinations, seasoned partners John Perez and Utopia rose...

Kevin Babington and family watch the Carling King tribute. (Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports) Halifax, Mass. - As the 2014 Silver Oak Jumper Tournament drew to a close on the final Sunday, Irish rider Kevin Babington celebrated one of the most special days in what has been a long and highly decorated career. First, during the pre-game ceremonies, his great mount Carling King, who recently passed away, was honored with a wonderful video production on the big video screen ringside. Put together by Jeff...

CPHA Junior Medal Final Winner Abby Jorgensen with family, trainers and CPHA representatives (Captured Moments Photography) San Juan Capistrano, Calif. - Kicking off the medal finals season, Blenheim EquiSports hosted the California Professional Horsemen's Association (CPHA) Junior and Adult Finals at the Blenheim Summer Classic. An impressive crowd gathered at Blenheim Farms' indoor ring for the Final Round. Three experienced female equestrians made up the judging panel, Stacia Madden,...

Lexington, Ky. - Tori Colvin and Inclusive claimed victory in the Classic Hunter Round of the $180,040 USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship. Their scores of 92, 90 and 95 for a 289 total was unmatched after a field of 75 horses contested today's course in the Kentucky Horse Park's Rolex Stadium. Jimmy Torano, the busiest rider with eight mounts in the class, saved the best for last as he guided Mindful to second place with 90, 92 and 94 for 288 total points. Liza Boyd and...

Gotham and Hunt Tosh during their winning trip in Round 1 of the Pre-Green Incentive (Amanda Oppold/Phelps Media Group) Lexington, Ky. - The second annual 2014 USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Championship kicked off with an opening round Tuesday at the Kentucky Horse Park. While there were many new riders and horses competing in the round, it was the championship's 2013 winner, Hunt Tosh, who took top honors in the opening class, showing the field of 130 how it is done aboard the Douglas Wheeler...

Lexington, Ky . – A week of competition at the 2014 US Pony Finals came to a close Sunday with the most coveted award of the championship. The Marshall & Sterling/US Pony Medal Finals took place in the Alltech Arena with 159 riders vying for top honors in front of judges Karen Healey and Stacia Madden. After riding Finders-Keepers to the Regular Medium Hunter Pony Championship title the day before, Taylor St. Jacques earned a Championship title of her own on Sunday. Taylor St....

Alissa Kinsey closed out the 2014 Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT, by winning the $15,000 Child/Adult Jumper Classic, presented by Ariat, on August 10 with Grisset (Photo by David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, Vt. - Alissa Kinsey of Danville, NH, and Grisset saved the best for last to win the $15,000 Child/Adult Jumper Classic, presented by Ariat, on the final day of the Vermont Summer Festival. The six-week equestrian competition ran from July 2 through August 10 at Harold...

U.S. Olympic gold and silver medalist Leslie Howard guided Tic Tac to victory in the $100,000 CSI2* Synoil Energy Services Cup on August 9 at the CSI2* Summer Festival at the Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park in Palgrave, ON. (Ben Radvanyi Photography) Palgrave, Ontario – U.S. Olympic gold and silver medalist Leslie Howard topped an international starting field to win the $100,000 CSI2* Synoil Energy Services Cup at the CSI2* Summer Festival held August 6 to 10 at the Caledon Pan Am...

U.S. Pony Club Chef D'Equipe Richard Lamb and riders (l to r) Lizzy Simonian, Genevieve Muson, Magdalene Mann, and Julianna Empie (Shawn McMillen Photography) Lexington, Ky . - Team Championship in the US National Pony Jumper Championship was at stake Friday evening as teams competed in the two-round Nations Cup format. Following the first round, the top teams came back to jump the same course in round two, with a total of 36 combinations jumping for individual classification. The team from the...

Kevin Babington jumps to his second grand prix win at HITS Saugerties VI (ESI Photography) Saugerties, N.Y. - Kevin Babington and Shorapur were on the brink of their second grand prix win in a row at HITS Saugerties as they approached the fifth fence of Sunday’s jump-off. They were on track to best 15 contenders when Babington’s martingale got caught on his rein. “Once I got my tack sorted out we had already added three strides,” said Babington. “I knew her...