McLain Ward and his two-time Olympic Gold medal partner Sapphire claimed their second grand prix victory in a row Saturday night by winning the $200,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix CSI**** presented by CN at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center during the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). In an exciting six-horse jump-off before a near-packed stadium under lights at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, Ward, of Brewster, NY, and the 14-year-old mare owned by Ward and Blue Chip...

The National Horse Show Association of America announced new information for their rules and regulations, as well as the declaration form for the 2009 ASPCA Maclay equitation classes. ASPCA Maclay classes are held nationwide and count as qualifiers for the ASPCA Maclay Regionals and the ASPCA Maclay National Championship. The new information for the rules and regulations section for the ASPCA Maclay classes reads as follows under the "Conditions Governing Regional Final Competition" heading:...

The Bates Year-End Awards were presented at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament featuring the 125th National Horse Show on Saturday, November 1. Jessica Springsteen took the Gold, Chelsea Moss the Silver and Victoria Birdsall the Bronze. The top ten riders as of the end of the ranking year (October 31, 2008) are as follows: Rank, Rider, Points, City, State, Trainer 1. Jessica Springsteen, 28,324, Colts Neck, NJ, Stacia Madden 2. Chelsea Moss, 27,425, Medford, NJ, Stacia Madden 3....

Equestrian Sport Productions announced Tuesday that its Fall Circuit shows will be held at the South Grounds of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The "A"-rated three-star Jumper Fall Circuit 2 for this Friday through Sunday will be held at the South Grounds, as will Fall Circuit 3, which is scheduled for October 31-November 2 and the Fall Circuit Finale scheduled for November 7-9. Major reconstruction around the International Arena, installation of new footing at several...

An abundance of high-performance riders will call HITS Culpeper home this week as show jumping for the United States Grand Prix League (USGPL) Finals began on September 24 with the $100,000 USGPL Invitational Grand Prix taking the stage on Sunday. Headlining the feature class is Canadian Olympian Jill Henselwood who comes to the USGPL Finals with the Silver medal she earned as a member of Team Canada during the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Hong Kong. The well-decorated grand prix rider won the...

More changes are being announced for the 2009 HITS Desert Circuit, including a new entry policy. The HITS Desert Circuit will run from January 20 to March 22 with eight weeks of competition at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. After meeting with the Thermal Advisory Committee, which consists of riders, trainers and owners who compete at the HITS Desert Circuit, one consistent theme raised by the members was the challenge that trainers and exhibitors face when attempting to enter their...

The 42nd Annual U.S. National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (U.S. Nationals) makes its debut in Tulsa, OK, at Expo Square on October 17-25, 2008. The move comes after years of the show alternating venues between Albuquerque, NM, and Louisville, KY. This year is the first of a three-year contract with the city of Tulsa that was four years in the making. Expo Square staff and leadership worked diligently with the U.S. Nationals Show Commission to provide an upgraded, functional...

A new round of major improvements focused on footing in the competition arenas has begun at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in preparation for 2008/2009 circuits including the showcase Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Footing created by Olympic provider Bart Poels that was installed in PBIEC's International and DeNemethy arenas last year will be extended to the DeNemethy warm-up ring and the Mogavero arena. Footing in Rings 7 and 8 and the arenas at the South Grounds...

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) announces the winners of the 2008 Emerson Burr Horsemanship Awards sponsored by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, along with the winner of the Buttons and Bows Sportsmanship Award and the winner of the Short Stop Perpetual Trophy. All of these special awards took place at the 2008 USEF National Pony Finals at the Kentucky Horse Park. With pony riders competing in each age division, the winners of the Emerson Burr Awards were Madeline...

Content provided by the Arabian Horse Association Albuquerque, NM— The Youth National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show (Youth Nationals) is under way through Saturday, August 2, in Albuquerque, NM, at the Expo. The Arabian Horse Association (AHA) of Aurora, CO, produces the week-long event, which is in its 16th year, and features top-level horse show competition, a shopping expo, the annual Youth Convention—all of which bring in an estimated $11.2 million to Albuquerque. The...