Lexington, KY – Somehow Sapphire keeps getting better. Already the owner of two Olympic Team Gold medals from 2004 and 2008 with rider McLain Ward, the 14-year-old Belgian mare continues to add Sapphire and McLain Ward (Anthony Trollope/stockimageservices.com ) accolades to her sparkling resume across the globe. This time it was the CN International at the Spruce Meadows Masters. One of the most prestigious (and richest – worth $1m CAD) Grand Prixes on the planet, Sapphire and Ward...

The success continued more than 1000 miles away in Belgium where, as the lone American, she swept the CSI-YJPCH-A Nieuwpoort, August 21-23. Kessler won two classes each day. On Friday she was the fastest of three clear rounds in the Speed Class. With Ice d’Ancoeur she zoomed to victory, almost six seconds faster than Julian Kok from Holland. She then had another convincing win in the 1.30m class with Ligist, where she was again lightning fast and was only one of two clears in the four horse...

Lexington, KY – The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials is renowned as the toughest cross country track in the world. 2009 didn’t disappoint. Phillip Dutton and TruLuck (Kit Houghton/FEI ) Capt. Mark Phillips course required both bravery and accuracy, there were problems around the track and the most troublesome fence: Land Rover Discovery Valley (fence 6) caught out more than 20 horses and riders. American pair Phillip Dutton and TruLuck weren’t among them. The most dependable...

On September 18, 2009, the Kentucky National Indoor Horse Show will make history with the $50,000 CSI-W Lexington Grand Prix. This World Cup Qualifier will be the very first grand prix held in the new indoor arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. The arena was constructed for the upcoming 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, as well as many future equestrian competitions at the park. The $50,000 CSI-W Lexington Grand Prix will kick off at 7:30 p.m., and general admission tickets are free to the...

The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) website will once again provide a live streaming video webcast of the 2009 All American Horse Classic (AAHC), set to take place beginning Tuesday, September 8, through Saturday, September 12, in Indiana, at the Indianapolis State Fairgrounds. Registration to view the webcast may be completed via the ASHA website at www.asha.net/video . The fee to view the Webcast is $15 per day/location. A discount is available to ASHA members, resulting in fees...

The 2009 World's Championship Horse Show (WCHS), held annually in conjunction with the Kentucky State Fair, was held at Louisville's Freedom Hall from Sunday, August 23, through Saturday, August 29. There was plenty of excitement at WCHS this year, as new World's Grand Champions were crowned in the Five-Gaited and Fine Harness World's Grand Championships, while the 2008 Three-Gaited World's Grand Champion repeated as such in 2009. Among a formidable field of competitors, as in each class,...

Next month the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute and the Markey Cancer Foundation will host the first annual gala in honor of Betsy Fishback, a beloved member of the sport horse community. Scheduled for September 18, 2009, the gala will be held during the $50,000 CSI-W Lexington Grand Prix, a World Cup Qualifier and the final class in the Hagyard Challenge Series. This grand prix show jumping event will be the very first grand prix held in the new indoor arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. General...

There is a rare opportunity to rent permanent stalls on the North Grounds for the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL. As a result of two customers purchasing barns in Wellington, there are approximately 35 permanent stalls now available from November 23, 2009-April 5, 2010. The fee is $6,500 plus tax per stall for this time period, and they can be rented all together or separately on a first-come, first-served basis with a completed stabling form and 50% deposit by October 1. A...

Tickets for the Seventh Annual Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament featuring the 126th National Horse Show are now on sale to the public and available at the Oncenter Box Office in Syracuse, NY, and through Ticketmaster. Dates for this year's five-day event are October 28-November 1 at the War Memorial and Oncenter Complex. One of the nation's premiere international equestrian events, the Syracuse Invitational features top-ranked riders from around the world competing for $400,000 in...

Jeffery Welles Claims $7,500 Prudential Douglas Elliman 1.45m Open Jumper Win Jeffery Welles did it again, winning his second major class this week at the Hampton Classic Horse Show. Welles, of Wellington, FL, piloted Tango to top honors in the $7,500 Prudential Douglas Elliman 1.45m Open Jumper class. On Tuesday, he won the $7,500 1.40m Open Jumper Class aboard his veteran mount, Armani. The 34th Hampton Classic, one of the nation's premiere show jumping competitions hosted hunter/jumper...