In the lead-up to the 2016 SVAG FEI World Reining Championships, the United States Equestrian Federation will feature a four-part series that highlights the athletes, horses, and their owners that make up the U.S. Team. The following is part four. Read parts one , two , and three . Nick Valentine considers Dun It At Dawn or “Dan” his once-in-a-lifetime horse. The most memorable rides occurred on the Quarter Horse stallion. For Valentine, Dan was incredibly easy to work alongside; he...

Saturday Nights Lights events at the main International Arena at TIEC have attracted a large following. Mill Spring, N.C. - Mark Bellissimo, managing partner of Tryon Equestrian Partners, confirmed today that the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) in Mill Spring, N.C. is working with United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) to ensure that the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) remain in North America and USEF has communicated its support of the initiative to the FEI for the 2018...

Part I We have a green light and Mission Control has pressed the big red, white and blue button. Afterburners have been ignited and phase one of the move to Rio is under way. Ok, so a bunch of Team clothing arrived after we had left, we do not know how we are going to get some 60 bags from USOC Team Processing in Houston to Rio, we are not entirely sure where our containers are in Rio, and the delivery of Coca Cola product to the Venue in Rio didn't go quite as smoothly as we had hoped....

The Canadian Team in the Opening Ceremony Led by a Member of the Casanova-Warrenton Pony Club (www.22gates.com) The Plains, Va. - History was made on Friday as the Land Rover Great Meadow International, presented by Adequan® officially began with a poignant opening ceremony kick-starting the first-ever North American FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ . Athletes from five nations paraded in the Fleming Arena showcasing the teams and individual competitors who will participate in the historic...

Taylor Land and Nepal (Flying Horse Photography) Mill Spring, N.C. - Taylor Land of Atlanta, GA, and Nepal collected a first place finish in the $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) today, completing the jump-off in 40.795 seconds for the win. Luis Larrazabal of Wellington, FL, finished in second place aboard Quintus Fabius, crossing through the timers in 41.623 seconds, while Bryn Sadler of Santa Fe, NM, and Cezarro earned third with a time of 42.012...

Laura Chapot and Thornhill Kate on their way to a $10,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome win. (ESI Photography) Saugerties, N.Y. - HITS Saugerties at HITS-on-the-Hudson is back in action as the first week of the series kicked off with the $10,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome. The team to beat was Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, New Jersey, aboard Thornhill Kate, co-owned by Mary Chapot. A clear jump-off round had yet to be seen in the course designed by Marina Azevedo of Campinas, Brazil, until Chapot...

Todd Minikus and Quality Girl won the $130,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix CSI3* at the Kentucky Spring Classic. (Taylor Renner/Phelps Media Group) Lexington, Ky. - The Kentucky Spring Classic's main event, the $130,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix CSI3*, was an unforgettable one as Todd Minikus (USA) and Quality Girl pulled off their third FEI win for the week. The win was extra meaningful to Minikus as it honored his dear friend and horsewoman Mary Rena Murphy. "I've been coming to the...

Devon Bridges and Amadeus (CapturedMomentPhotography.com) Del Mar, Calif. - After fifty entries galloped on course in the $25,000 Markel Insurance 1.40m Welcome Grand Prix, twenty negotiated the track without fault. Second to last to go in the jump-off, Devon Bridges and ACE Equestrian's Amadeus topped some of the nation's most talented and experienced riders for a sweet and emotional victory. FEI course designer Oscar Soberon (MEX) took on an interesting challenge in today's class,...

Mill Spring, NC - May 7, 2016 - Kent Farrington (USA) piloted the talented Gazelle to another FEI victory at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), as the pair finished atop the leaderboard in the $130,000 Kent Farrington and Gazelle (SharonPackerPhotography) Asheville Regional Airport Grand Prix CSI 3* in front of a large crowd of spectators. Farrington and Gazelle demonstrated their efficiency, finishing the short course in 37.367 seconds. Fernando Cardenas (COL) and Quincy Car rode to...

Lexington, Ky. - The excitement of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover is about to begin at the Kentucky Horse Park. Seventy-two horses were presented at the first horse inspection, of which three were held but all passed upon re-inspection. Following the first horse inspection, horse-and-rider combinations from nine nations will vie for top honors at America's only CCI4* event, which also serves as the Rolex/USEF National CCI4* Championship. With the 2016 Olympic...