Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy (Hunter Messineo) Ocala, FL - It was an incredible night for the 2012 $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the HITS VI Ocala Winter Finals. Spectators gathered together as the anticipation continued to rise, waiting to see who would take home the victory. In the end, it was SBS Farms' Jennifer Alfano who executed brilliant rides throughout the two-round event, rising to the top of the leaderboard with four horses. She and her veteran mount Jersey Boy...

If determination had a nickname it would be Steffen Peters. He knew what he had to do to win individual Gold based on the score that teammate Heather Blitz received in the Freestyle on Wednesday – and beat it. Weltino’s Magic never put a foot wrong and when you imagine someone ‘going for it’ – you are picturing Steffen at the Guadalajara Country Club. But he wasn’t alone in his brilliance, Heather and Paragon were awesome too, and that horse evokes so much...

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – The U.S. Dressage Team continued to own the Guadalajara Country Club’s beautiful dressage arena, extending their medal run at the 2011 Pan American Games. The American riders added Individual Gold, Silver and Bronze to the Team Gold they won on Sunday, as all three scored better than 80 percent in Wednesday's freestyle. Heather Blitz, Steffen Peters and Marisa Festerling share the podium. (Shannon Brinkman) (View results here ) Steffen Peters (San Diego,...

Its 6 PM and Weltino’s Magic is hungry. He has been staring at his groom Eddie Garcia Luna for five minutes nodding his head begging for a snack. Turns out, he’s always hungry. “He eats everything. Carrots, apples, chips,” said Eddie. “He really likes potato chips – I always give them to him and now he’s drinking Gatorade. He likes sugar too.” He’s picked up that habit from his addict teammate Grandioso who has been hooked on the stuff for...

Cesar Parra and Grandioso at the Jog. Anthony Trollope/stockimageservices.com. Dressage, the first equestrian discipline of the 2011 Pan American Games, begins Sunday, October 16, at the Guadalajara Country Club. The four American dressage horses were presented this morning to the Ground Jury and looked spectacular in the Mexican sunshine. All were accepted without incident. The U.S. has drawn sixth out of the 12 teams vying for Team medals. They will ride the Prix St. Georges test in the...

Katie Dinan and Belle Dame D. Photo: Phelps Media Group. Harrisburg, PA - It was an exciting night of jumper action at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show tonight, as the $15,000 USEF Prix de States Team Championship and Individual Championship Phase II took place in Harrisburg, PA. The team from USEF Zone 2 swept the top spot for the second year in a row with excellent rides by Meg O'Mara of Rumson, NJ, Katie Dinan of New York, NY, Charlotte Jacobs of Buffalo, NY, and last night's...

Lexington, KY - The weeks are growing increasingly closer until the much anticipated Alltech National Horse Show makes its debut at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. During this prestigious competition, many of the top professional hunter riders will show against one another to earn the top honors in their respective divisions. Some of this year's big names include professional riders such as Maggie Jayne, Archie Cox, Jennifer Alfano and many more. The Alltech National Horse Show...

Devon, PA – It goes without saying that the people at Dressage at Devon – competitors and spectators alike – love horses. But then there are the breeders that have chosen to specialize in a particular breed. Each breeder has their own reasons for their choice. L Hunter Wilson, owner, trainer and rider from Margaux Tip LLC, based in Martinsburg, West Virginia, loves her Cleveland Bays. The breed originated in England, where they were used for carriages and as fox hunters...

Lipica, Slovenia - The U.S. Pony Drivers had another successful day in Lipica, Slovenia, at the 2011 FEI World Pony Driving Championships. As a team they forged through difficult marathon conditions to lie third in the standings heading into Sunday’s finale. Germany leads comfortably with a combined score of 345.01, Shelly Temple and LR Ami B-Line (Photo Marie de Ronde) with The Netherlands sitting the Silver medal position on 360.39. On 382.08, the U.S has a wide margin over the...

Pam Lane and Eleanor Brimmer watch the jog. Photo: Lindsay Yosay McCall for the United States Para-Equestrian Association. Saugerties, NY - The 2011 New England Dressage Association Fall Festival of Dressage transformed the HITS on the Hudson grounds into a dressage Utopia. Within one short week, September 13-18, USDF Region 8 Dressage Championship, Breeders Championship New England, and the CDI Y/J Saugerties will take place. The event of the weekend to watch will be the 2011 United States...