The 2009 Capital Challenge Horse Show was a great success this year with fantastic competition in hunters, jumpers, and equitation. The show was held at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD. Equitation Weekend Highlights, presented by BigEq.com Cayla Richards of Calabasas, CA, was a big winner on the first day of Equitation Weekend after she took the 15-Year-Old Equitation Championship and outlasted top riders to win the Flat Championships. Richards won the North American Junior Flat...

Chris Hickey and Cabana Boy (Photo by Mary Phelps ) Wayne, IL – Crowds hurried to the entrance of Lamplight Equestrian as the day started early with the first phase of the USEF National Developing Horse Dressage Championship presented by the Dutta Corporation and Performance Sales International. Christopher Hickey and “Cabana Boy” did not disappoint, and were rewarded by judges Linda Zang, Hilda Gurney and Maryal Barnett for their efforts. This two-time Young Horse National...

Gladstone, NJ – After a four day battle, the rain finally won at the 2009 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions, and collectively the Ground Jury and the management decided that, in the best interest of the horses, the competition was suspended after the Young Riders rode first thing Sunday morning. This meant that Leslie Morse was crowned USEF National Grand Prix Champion for the fifth time. Morse GP Raymeister (SusanJStickle.com) and her beloved 15-year-old Swedish...

Lexington, KY – It was tight at the top of the leaderboard at the 2009 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event but the first three places remained unchanged, as Lucinda Fredericks, Bettina Hoy and Buck Davidson each jumped immaculate clear show jumping rounds. Fredericks, who took over the lead from Hoy after the cross country, had all kinds of horse left in the brand new main arena at the Kentucky Horse Park and Headley Britannia bounded around Richard Jeffrey’s track, giving the pair their...

My Boy Bobby (Mike McNally) Lexington, KY – The top two places shuffled but the names on top of the leaderboard remained the same after the cross country at the 2009 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. Australia’s Lucinda Fredericks had a lightning fast round on her chestnut mare Headley Britannia. Trying to duplicate her husband Clayton’s winning feat in 2007, Fredericks blazed around and made the optimum time of 11 minutes despite having to go the long way at the Head of the...

The Champ (Shannon Brinkman) Las Vegas, NV – The Dressage world has changed. American rider Steffen Peters and Ravel are at the center of the universe. The suspense built throughout the night at the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Final in the Thomas & Mack Arena, and with only one American horse remaining in the competition, the crowd had to wait until the third to last horse in the ring. With $102,000 USD on the line and a Rolex watch, the competition was fierce. Ravel, in first World Cup...

Wellington, FL – The second and final leg of the Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Championship presented by Equine Motorcoach showcased some of the country’s best horses and riders. Todd Minikus won the first leg on Friday night with Pavarotti but Sunday brought a whole new challenge. 35 riders went to task in Sunday’s $60,000 Holiday & Horses FEI World Cup Qualifier which included riders from six nations and featured the final USEF National Championship of 2008. Veteran...

Jennie Brannigan and Cooper (Kenneth Braddick) By Joanie Morris Parker, CO - Despite another very busy day of competition at the 2008 CN FEI North American Junior/Young Ride Championships at the Colorado Horse Park presented by Gotham North, only one medal was decided. The North American Individual Young Rider Gold Medalist Katie Johnson rode a stellar test on Millenium to take top honors on a score of 69.050%. The 19-year-old rider from El Cajon, CA was a member of the Region 7 Gold medal...

The First Ever Reining Gold Medalists at NAJYRC Celebrating (Kenneth Braddick ) By Joanie Morris Parker, CO - California's Zone 10 impressively swept the two Team Jumping Championships at the 2008 FEI CN North American Junior/ Young Rider Championships at the Colorado Horse Park presented by Gotham North. The juniors got the ball rolling and jumped to the top of the Junior Jumping Team Championship with three impressive clears in the second round to move up from third. The team, made up of...

Lexington, KY ­– Becky Holder made it very clear that she was not relinquishing her grasp on the top spot at the 2008 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event as she flew around the cross-country course with Courageous Becky Holder and Courageous Comet (Mike McNally) Comet. “He was foot perfect.” said Holder after her round. “He was just absolutely on his game for every minute of it.” The 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding flashed the turn of foot that made him a success...