Temecula, Calif. - With the top-scoring dressage test and a four-fault show jumping round, Kristi Nunnink and R-Star have claimed a substantial lead in the CIC3* at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials. Their score of 51.9 faults gives the pair a 5.1-fault lead over second-place Jolie Wentworth on GoodKnight (57.0) and John Michael Durr on Esprit De La Danse (57.6). With first place in the CIC3* worth $2,500, course designer Sarah Dubost set a course with a very tight optimum time....

Chester Weber and his team during the Yellowframe Farm FEI Driven Dressage. (Photo courtesy of PicsofYou.com) Ocala, FL - The 2014 Live Oak International is underway, bringing the best competitors in show jumping and combined driving to Live Oak Plantation in Ocala, Florida. The prestigious competition, considered the premier combined driving event in North America, was favored with flawless weather and a strong showing of appreciative spectators as the equestrian extravaganza began. Wednesday...

John French and Comex Gold lead the West Coast in the $50,000 East Meets West Hunter Challenge (Flying Horse Photography) Thermal, Calif. - The West Coast came out on top this year as they swept the top five spots in the $50,000 East Meets West Hunter Challenge. John French of Woodside, California was the inevitable winner when he piloted Comex Gold to scores of 90 and 94 for amateur rider Lee Kellogg Sadrian. “Comex Gold is a great, quiet, beautiful mover and he actually goes better for...

Kelley Farmer and Quotable (Shawn McMillen Photography, www.shawnmcmillen.com) Washington, D.C. – Day two of the 2013 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) featured the presentation of championship honors in the professional and amateur-owner hunter divisions at Verizon Center in downtown Washington D.C. on Wednesday. Kelley Farmer was named Leading Hunter Rider after earning the overall Grand Hunter Championship with Quotable. Romance won the Grand Green Hunter Championship with...

Boekelo, The Netherlands - The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team experienced mixed fortunes on Sue Benson’s cross country course on Saturday at the Military Boekelo CCIO3*. As is customary at Boekelo, the Dutch weather and deep going proved extremely influential as the leaderboard saw an utter Boyd Martin and Trading Aces (Libby Law Photography) shake-up. Following the conclusion of the second phase, Boyd Martin and Trading Aces lead the way for the United States. Martin (Cochranville, Pa.)...

Leslie Berndl (Pics of You) Lexington, KY – A good crowd turned out at the Kentucky Horse Park Saturday to watch the marathon phase of the Kentucky Classic CDE. When the driving was done and the spectators had left Leslie Berndl had taken a big step into the lead in the single horse division. Berndl (Newcastle, California) started off hot Saturday morning with Dutch Warmblood gelding Umico and her consistent driving over the entire course helped her take the lead in the division. Berndl...

Los Angeles, California - Following the completion of Phases I and II of the Platinum Performance/USEF Talent Search Finals West Olivia Champ (La Canada Flintridge, California) holds the lead heading into Saturday’s final two phases. Phase I After a demanding Flat Phase where USEF Talent Search Final judges Jimmy Torano and Mandy Porter worked the riders in groups of eight, Olivia Champ (Karen Healey Stables, Trainer) took the lead with a strong score of 90. On her heels was Jayme Omand...

Sinead Halpin and Manoir De Carneville (Jenni Autry) Unionville, PA - All three CIC divisions saw exciting conclusions to dressage on the first full day of competition at Plantation Field Horse Trials. In the CIC3*, Sinead Halpin and Manoir De Carneville set an incredibly high benchmark toward the end of the division, scoring 37.8 to hold a commanding lead. Halpin and Manoir De Carneville were meant to compete in Europe this fall, but a freak injury in July at Chattahoochee Hills kept Halpin...

Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot (Jenni Autry) Unionville, PA - Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot lead the Advanced dressage on a score of 27.5 at Plantation Field Horse Trials after the first day of competition. Thursday saw the entire Advanced division complete their dressage tests, as well as about one-third of the larger CIC2* division. Burnett and Harbour Pilot, owned by Jacqueline Mars, represented the United States overseas at the Saumur CCI3* in France earlier this year and most...

Pablo Barrios and Zara Leandra finished second in the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show's $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic. (Rebecca Walton) Lexington, KY - Pablos Barrios and his talented mare Zara Leandra have been almost unstable thus far in the 2013 Hagyard Challenge Series. The pair kicked things off by winning the first class in May, and they then garnered wins in both the third and fourth classes of the series. Most recently, Barrios and Zara Leandra finished second in the $25,000 Hagyard...