Lucador and Peter Pletcher (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Peter Pletcher and Lucador claimed victory for the second week in a row in the Fumero Law Pre-Green Level 2 Hunter division during week nine of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). The five-year-old Oldenburg gelding, owned by Brian and Sophie Baldwin of Sagamore Farm, dominated day one of competition, winning the under saddle and both over fences classes. Pletcher and Lucador wrapped up the division on...

Lars Petersen and Mariett Loxahatchee, FL - Lars Petersen of Denmark scored a personal best for the season aboard Mariett to win the Grand Prix Freestyle at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W against a field of tough competition on a chilly and windy South Florida day. Petersen and Mariett earned a 76.400% with the judge at C, Axel Steiner, awarding them a 77.875%. The victory capped an impressive weekend for the pair at the 30th anniversary of the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, set at the...

Caroline V. Roffman and Her Highness O Wellington, FL - The 30th Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W kicked off with all the horses passing the FEI jog on the beautiful International Horse Sport Showgrounds in Loxahatchee, FL. There was a friendly camaraderie in the air as well as a bit of welcome relief from the heat on a sunny South Florida day as the competitors settled into their routines and vendors arranged their wares for a busy shopping weekend. There was concern about the recent positive...

I am thrilled to say the Cowboy Dressage Judges Orientation was a huge success on Friday, February 15th in Medford, OR. A stellar cast of presenters spoke on various topics to fifty plus attendees, most of whom were women. I was surprised there were not more men since it is Cowboy Dressage, but was very happy to see that at least seven states were represented including two individuals from as far away as Wisconsin. Beginning with the video called “From Then to Now” and proceeding to...

Condor and Tracey Mack-Gorin (Anne Gittins Photography) Lexington, KY - It may only be his third show on American soil, but Condor is settling in nicely at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Tracey Mack-Gorin piloted Stepping Stone Farm's five-year-old Warmblood gelding to championship honors in the Adult Amateur Hunter 18-35 Section A division during week six of the FTI WEF. Condor has also competed in Pre-Green and Performance Hunter divisions with Christine Kear in...

Lori Sawyer-Lyons and Senna M (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Lori Sawyer-Lyons edged out the competition to win the Ariat National Adult Medal class during week five of competition for the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Sawyer-Lyons, of Fort Lauderdale, FL, rode Jimmy Torano's Senna M to first place. Sawyer-Lyons had a narrow margin of victory in a competitive class with the top three finishing only one tenth of a point apart. Sawyer-Lyons and Senna M...

Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star. (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Week four of the2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) continued on Thursday with a win for Charlie Jacobs and CMJ Sporthorse, LLC's Flaming Star in the $33,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 4. In a 23-horse jump-off, Jacobs and Flaming Star topped an all-star field with second place honors going to Conor Swail (IRL) riding Lansdowne and third place awarded to Brianne Goutal (USA) aboard Nice de...

Katie Dinan, Reed Kessler, and Brianne Goutal. Photo (Kenneth Kraus) Wellington, FL - The youngest rider in Saturday night's $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix was the winner as eighteen-year-old Reed Kessler and Ligist jumped to victory during the highlight event of week two at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). With riders representing fourteen different countries competing in the class, the USA took the top seven placings and the young women were...

Alexandra Lawson is a 19-year-old freshman at Purdue University from North Salem, Indiana. She is a member of the three-gaited section of the 2012 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team. I've spent most of my life in the small farm communities of Danville and North Salem, Indiana. My parents and maternal grandparents are grain farmers - farming about 5,000 acres in the surrounding area. When you grow up in farm country, you just naturally get involved with FFA and 4-H, and it was through 4-H that...

Madison Goetzmann and Sirius Black . (Al Cook) Madison Goetzmann, of Skaneateles, NY, piloted Sirius Black, owned by Christina Gellos, to victory in the $10,000 North American League Children's Hunter Finals at the 67th Annual Pennsylvania National Horse Show on Monday. Lily Blavin of Scottsdale, AZ, and Pringle were the Reserve Champions. The competition was fierce. Goetzmann was worried about Blavin, who came to the NAL Finals as the year-end division leader. "I was thinking ever before...