F.A.C.E. Team Vaulters (Photo by Carole Dwinell) Santa Barbara, CA - Cool weather, a facility with more than 50 years of experience hosting championship horse shows, and the top vaulters in the United States came together at the site of the famed Santa Barbara National Horse Show to wow spectators with the classic and historical beauty of equestrian vaulting. Long the basic training for those entering the military cavalries...from early Macedonians to the Romans in the fourth century, to...

Photo by Terri Miller In this economy, businesses are looking for unique ways to reach new markets and expand their presence with their existing customers—all in a very cost-effective manner. For niche industries, like premiere equestrian events, the challenges businesses are facing have resulted in an interesting opportunity. This year Dressage at Devon (DAD), the premiere dressage show in North America, celebrates its 35th anniversary at the Devon Horse Show Grounds. Historically the...

The US wins big in Rotterdam (Erin Cowgill) Lexington, KY – The US Show Jumpers bounced back from two disappointments on the Meydan FEI Nations Cup to storm to the win at CSIO Rotterdam. The second tour of riders for the US, jumping in their first Meydan Nations Cup of the year, they delivered with phenomenal jumping and stopped the French sweep finishing on a score of zero. Their win was convincing over the British who finished on 7 faults. Lauren Hough proved a dominant pathfinder for the US...

Fifth Third Bank has joined the sponsorship ranks of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, as both the presenting sponsor of the Kentucky Experience and the Official Community Bank of the Games. Fifth Third Bank, as presenting sponsor of the Kentucky Experience, is supporting the showcase of the state’s tourism destinations to hundreds of thousands of Games visitors. The Kentucky Experience will be a series of spectacular pavilions encompassing over 25,000-plus square feet in the heart...

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...

Michelle Parker made the most of her two weeks at the 2010 HITS Arizona Desert Circuit. Parker finished with three in the money in the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix during week V and followed that performance with a victory aboard Tula Pinnella's Reina in the $25,000 Strongid® C 2X Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, on Sunday, March 14, to close out the 2010 season during the Arizona Desert Finals in Tucson, AZ. Canadian Danny Foster designed the course for the featured class, which...

The second week of show jumping at HITS Ocala wrapped on Sunday with warm weather and exciting action, proving that the "Horse Capital of the World" is also the "Land of Opportunity," as the Grand Prix Arena saw some new faces emerge in the winner’s circle. In Thursday’s $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, Lacy Morrone-Cramer from Pittstown, NJ, earned her first grand prix win of the season riding Ulysses Van De Krekebeke, owned by Equi Sport, LLC. The duo bested 36...

Photo Courtesy HITS (The beautiful Grand Prix arena at the HITS-on-the-Hudson show grounds in Saugerties, NY.) As riders gear up for the 2010 grand prix season, qualifying for the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix on September 12 in Saugerties, NY, is topping the list of priorities. Kent Farrington, Jimmy Torano, and McLain Ward were among those announcing intentions to become one of only 46 potential riders to vie for a top prize of $350,000 in September. With a limited number of spots available on...

McLain Ward and his Beloved Sapphire at the 2009 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final (Shannon Brinkman for USEF) Gladstone, NJ -The USET Foundation is pleased to announce that the Whitney Stone Cup has been awarded to McLain Ward of Brewster, NY. The Whitney Stone Cup is awarded annually by the USET Foundation Executive Committee to an active competitor who displays consistent excellence in international competition, high standards of sportsmanlike conduct, while also serving as an ambassador for the...

Arenus-sponsored rider Kassandra Barteau of Maple Park, IL, and her horse GP Raymeister have topped the United States rankings for the FEI World Cup® Dressage Final for Young Riders. As a result, both have been invited to compete in Frankfurt, Germany, for the FEI World Cup Dressage Final for Young Riders, December 17-20, 2009. Barteau and her horse earned the sole United States Young Rider slot for the FEI competition in Frankfurt by averaging 73.375% in their two best test rides in the FEI...