Avery Hinson and Rio's Reflection (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Avery Hinson of New Albany, OH, bested a class of 29 junior riders during Saturday's Taylor Harris Insurance Service's (THIS) National Children's Medal class during week five of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Hinson led the class with her twelve-year-old Warmblood gelding, Rio's Reflection, with a score of 87 points. Maria Moore finished second aboard Angela Moore's...

A big weekend of NCEA competition had its share of upsets and near misses. At the end of it a few things seem certain: there will be a change at the top of the next NCEA Coaches Poll, and there will be plenty of competitive drama leading up to the NCEA National Championship in April. No.3 University of Georgia def. No.1 South Carolina University 11-8 The Gamecocks stole one from the Bulldogs in Bishop during the fall season. On Saturday the Bulldogs stole one back on the South Carolina home...

Francie Steinwedell-Carvin and Lapsus du Lavoir were in competitive company yesterday, but rose to the top of the $33,000 HITS Desert Classic, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. The class introduced the first of the FEI class at HITS Desert Horse Park this season, which continues this weekend with the $54,500 Strongid® C 2X Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health (Flying Horse Photography) Thermal, CA - It was an explosive start to the HITS FEI series at Desert Circuit II, as Francie...

Samba and Jessica Ungerer (Anne Gittins Photography) Samba and Jessica Ungerer were awarded championship honors for the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunter division during week three of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Ungerer and her eight-year-old German Warmblood gelding are trained by Robert Bielefield and Jeff Ayres. The pair won both over fences classes during day one of competition for the division and were second and fourth over fences before winning the under saddle...

The Western Dressage world is abuzz with dressage talk. The hot topic of the moment seems to be progressive training, especially as it has to do with pyramids and scales. Pyramids are extremely stable structures that rely on strong, broad foundations and which rise to a point, a pinnacle if you will that represents a point of focus. Without the foundation, the pyramid loses strength. The intrinsic nature of the structure itself necessitates culmination in a point. The pyramid is the perfect...

Todd Flettrich and Danseur Wellington, FL - The field for World Dressage Masters (WDM) CDI5* Palm Beach is almost set, and it is full of top dressage riders from around the globe. Thursday's Wellington Classic Dressage Sunshine Challenge Grand Prix CDI3* represents the last opportunity to join the field: 13 horses will vie for the remaining two spots. But after Wednesday's jog for the CDI3*, one of those 13 may have already lost his chance. Hopeful competitors presented the horses...

Aaron Vale and Palm Sunday were two-for-two during the first week of competition at HITS Ocala and capped their streak with a win in the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. (ESI Photography) Ocala, FL - Week I of the 2013 HITS Ocala Winter Circuit is in the history books with Aaron Vale leading the way. After a win last Thursday in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, aboard Palm Sunday, owned by Amen Corner Farm, LLC, the duo kept the...

Two-time World Driving Championship silver medalist Chester C. Weber of Ocala, FL, won the FEI Four-in-Hand division at the 2012 Live Oak International (www.PicsOfYou.com) Ocala, FL - Live Oak International, the only equestrian event in North America to feature both world-class driving and show jumping, returns to Ocala, FL, from March 20 to 24, 2013. For more than 20 years, Live Oak International has been known for its international driving competition. This year, it will offer the highest...

The U.S. Five-Gaited Section Gold medalists (R. Millin) Parys, South Africa - On Saturday, December 8, the Saddle Seat World Cup sponsored by Impondo Mining and Live 2 Learn concluded with second round performances from the Three-Gaited sections of the Saddle Seat World Cup teams. After a stellar presentation of rail work, the U.S. Three-Gaited team set the stage for leading pattern work scores in both groups. With strong performances all week, hopes were high that both the U.S. Three- and...

The U.S. team following the Opening Ceremonies (R. Millin) Parys, South Africa – On Thursday, December 6, competition got underway at the Saddle Seat World Cup. Riders in the Three- and Five-Gaited sections of the U.S. team competed in the initial stages of the rail and pattern work. Both sections of U.S. riders had strong performances on the first day of competition. The Five-Gaited section riders Hunter Chancellor (Evansville, IN), Angela Darrow (Hartland, WI), Drew Taylor Hewitt...