Diana DeRosa (Karen O'Connor aboard Theodore O'Connor (left) lead the Gold-medal U.S. team in eventing at the 2007 Pan American Games.) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil—Going into the third and final day of the eventing portion of the XV Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the top three riders (all member of Team USA) were separated by less than two points. With all the remaining U.S. horses passing the final horse inspection, the U.S. support team had a busy afternoon on Sunday, July 22,...

Juan Manuel Luzardo and Stan (Anwar Esquivel Photo) Valle de Bravo, Mexico – History was made this week as Valle de Bravo hosted the biggest FEI event in Latin America. With 175 horses, 81 international riders and 14 countries represented in this CSI4*, the competition reached new heights south of the border. In the inaugural Longines FEI World Cup Jumping qualifier, twenty-eight horse and rider combinations galloped through the Longines arch at the entrance to the arena attempting to...

Freddie Vazquez and Esprit De Vie win the $30,000 Showplace Grand Prix at the Showplace Fall Classic Championship. (Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group) Wayne, Ill. - It was only two months ago that Freddie Vazquez and Esprit De Vie were paired up for a whirlwind journey to Toronto, Canada for the 2015 Pan American Games. The 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare gave him all her heart, never saying "no" to Vazquez, and although they did not medal at the Pan American Games, Vazquez came away with a...

Kent Farrington and Uceko (Spruce Meadows Media Service) Calgary, Alberta. - The ‘Pan American’ Tournament CSI 5* at Spruce Meadows concluded on Sunday with a fantastic win for Kent Farrington (USA) and Uceko in the $400,000 Pan American Cup presented by Rolex. The pair set an uncatchable pace in the jump-off that left McLain Ward (USA) and Rothchild to finish second. Egypt’s Sameh el Dahan and Suma’s Zorro concluded a great summer series with a third place finish....

Susan Hutchinson and Sig Excel (Captured Moment Photography) Del Mar, Calif. - Large turn-outs for jumper classes kept the Del Mar Arena busy, and riders had to be exceptionally fast and accurate to finish in the ribbons in these highly competitive classes. Performance Working Hunters at both 3.3 and 3.6 also saw large classes and exacting competition. As the 1.35m Jumper Classic got underway this evening, 42 riders including veteran show jumping stars Will Simpson, Rich Fellers, Hugh Mutch,...

Mandy Porter and Con Capilot (Flying Horse Photography) Sacramento, California - October 5, 2013 - Audible gasps, cheers and applause were heard throughout the night as Murieta Equestrian Center hosted the 6th annual Sacramento International Grand Prix. Mandy Porter and Con Capilot were the only double clear out of a field of 35 horse and rider combinations. Heiko Wahler of Germany designed a challenging and highly technical course that asked some tough questions of both riders and horses. Out...

Ashlee Bond (Flying Horse Photography) Sacramento, California - Gusty winds threatened tents, show set-ups, and anything not tightly secured during Day Two of Sacramento International's World Cup Week. The stakes were high in the $33,000 Welcome Grand Prix as 55 entries including international stars Will Simpson, Nayel Nassar, Susan Hutchinson, Duncan McFarlane, Ashlee Bond, and Harley Brown as well as local favorites Joie Gatlin, Macella O'neil and Carol Wright navigated a formidable...

Alicen Divita (barnysphotoshop.eu) Lexington, KY – Vaulting competition at CHIO Aachen began Friday with compulsory and technical male and female individual test. Four U.S. Vaulters were in action, and with two of three phases complete 24-year-old Alicen Divita (Redwood City, CA) is within striking distance of a top finish. The day began with Female compulsory tests. Divita vaulted on her mother Julie Divita’s Pino del Rio to a score of 7.208. Finishing just below her in the...

Abigail McArdle of the Zone 5 Team on Cosma 20. (Al Cook) Harrisburg, PA - The Zone 5 team captured the gold medal in the $15,000 Randolph College/USEF Prix de States Team Championship at the 67th Annual Pennsylvania National Horse Show on Friday evening. The team members were: Kalvin Dobbs of Tallahassee, FL riding Winde; Abigail McArdle of Barrington Hills, IL on Cosma 20; Lillie Ross of Wheaton, IL aboard Pako; and Catherine Tyree of Chicago, IL on Wetter. Following a modified Nation's...

Hans-Dieter Dreher & Magnus Romeo (Alan Davidson/GCT) Chantilly, France - The race for the overall Global Champions Tour 2012 championship intensified Saturday with three top riders closing in on series leader Edwina-Tops Alexander. The dramatic finale to the Grand Prix in Chantilly was a dramatic display of top-level show jumping in front of a huge crowd only days before the start of the Olympic Games. The competition was a testament to the exceptionally high calibre of GCT events with...