This article was originally published at www.useventing.com . Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch take the top prize for the second year in a row (Brant Gamma photo). Laine Ashker downplayed her chances of a winning the Advanced at Millbrook Horse Trials for the second year in a row all weekend, but she and Anthony Patch remained cool under pressure and rode a beautiful show jump round to defend her title in the Adequan USEA Gold Cup/PRO Tour Series. With less then two points separating Ashker from...

Pablo Barrios & Antares (Rebecca Walton/Phelps Media Group, Inc.) Lexington, Ky. - If the $50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix sponsored by GGT Footing is any indication of how the Venezuelan team will perform at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy France, then they look very strong. Pablo Barrios' rule of the Rolex Stadium at the Kentucky Horse Park continued as he piloted Antares to blazing double clear victory, while fellow Venezuelan rider Angel Karolyi took home the second...

Gijon, Spain - For the second time in two days the U.S. romped to victory in Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup competition, on Friday the setting was CSIO5*Hickstead and on Saturday the American success came on the turf field at CSIO5* Gijon. Chef d’Equipe DiAnn Langer brought a team of rising stars to Gijon’s Nations and Ashlee Bond-Clarke, Catherine Pasmore, Quentin Judge, and Georgina Bloomberg delivered with strong performances throughout the day over Avelino Rodríguez...

Ronan McGuigan and Capall Zidane on their way to a blue in the $75,000 HITS Grand Prix presented by Zoetis. The pair topped an impressive field to take first and $22,500 (ESI Photography) Saugerties, N.Y. - Of the six jump-off contenders in Sunday’s $75,000 HITS Grand Prix presented by Zoetis, four boasted the colors of Ireland. Ronan McGuigan, Darragh Kerins, with two horses, and Jonathan McCrea made their home country proud as they bested a field of 29 starters. Try as they might,...

Kent Farrington & Voyeur (Shannon Brinkman Photo) Aachen, Germany - Five members of the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Short List for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games qualified for the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachenon Sunday and the U.S. horses and riders held their own with some of the best in the world. Kent Farrington led the way with a double clear aboard Voyeur. In the jump-off, he and Amalaya Investments' 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding were excruciatingly close....

McLain Ward and Zander (Spruce Meadows Media Service) Calgary, Alberta. - Spruce Meadows held its $83,000 Investors Group Cup 1.50m competition on Saturday afternoon with another win for USA’s McLain Ward at the ‘Pan American’ Tournament CSI 5*. Ward took the top two places, winning aboard Zander and finishing second with HH Carlos Z. The rider has had a fantastic tournament to conclude the summer at Spruce Meadows and looks forward to competing Rothchild in Sunday’s...

Will Connell (teamgb.com) Lexington, Ky. - United States Equestrian Federation Chief Executive Officer Chris Welton announced today the culmination of an expansive search for the USEF Director of Sport Programs by naming Will Connell to the post. From 2003 to present, Connell served as the British Equestrian Federation Performance Director with responsibility for the coordination and delivery of the UK Sport-funded World Class Program for disciplines of eventing, dressage, jumping, and...

Melissa Orlick-Zbierski and Viekie won the $20,000 SJHOF High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic at Showplace Spring Spectacular III, presented by LUXMAX U.S.A (Phelps Media Group) Wayne, Ill. - The fifth day of the Showplace Spring Spectacular III opened to blue skies and strong jumper competition as the Junior and Amateur-Owner Jumpers took the limelight in the LUXMAX U.S.A Grand Prix Ring at the Lamplight Equestrian Center. Seventeen horse and rider combinations faced off in the $20,000...

Rotterdam, The Netherlands - The Hermès U.S. Jumping Team produced a two-round total of 27 in Friday’s Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup presented by Longines at CSIO5* Rotterdam to finish in eighth place. Katie Dinan and Nougat du Vallet (Shannon Brinkman) Led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland, members of the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Short List for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, Lucy Davis, Jessica Springsteen, Katie Dinan, and Lauren Hough composed the American...

Lexington, Ky.- The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named ten horse-and-athlete combinations to the Short List for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games U.S. Endurance Team. Additionally, three combinations have been named as alternates. The following horse-and-athlete combinations have been named to the Short List (in ranked order): Heather Reynolds (Dunnellon, Fla.) and her own Chanses Chanses is a 2005 Arabian gelding. Ellen Olson (La Motte, Iowa) and Farzad...