Valkenswaard, The Netherlands - U.S. star Laura Kraut is the new ranking leader after a Grand Prix full of drama was won in triumphant style by Alvaro de Miranda on AD Rahmannshof’s Bogeno. The shake up sets the stage for a thrilling final stage of the championship series at next month’s leg in Lausanne. The Brazilian champion set the arena on fire shaving a full four seconds off the time of Frenchman Simon Delestre. Dutch home rider Gerco Schroder had the capacity crowd on the edge...

Lexington, KY - The United States heads into the CSIO5* Dublin on top form after claiming second place honors in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup of Great Britain presented by Longines last week at CSIO5* Hickstead. Four members of the Hickstead squad head to the premiere Irish competition; Beezie Madden, McLain Ward, Reed Kessler and Katie Dinan will look to secure another set of top finishes for the U.S. They will be joined by Kent Farrington who was the Chef d’Equipe of the winning U.S....

Ammeretto and David Beisel (Tricia Booker Photography) Traverse City, MI - David Beisel and Ammeretto saved their best for last. After winning the first class they contested during the 2013 Horse Shows by the Bay Series on July 4, they finally picked up their second blue ribbon today during the $30,000 D-Braider Cherry Capital Classic Grand Prix. "It was worth the wait, for sure," said Beisel, who also notched his first grand prix win aboard the 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion (Numero...

Frances Land raises her first trophy in the International Ring with Ken Morgan, Vice President, Sales Support of Pepsico Beverages Canada (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, Alberta - Out of a starting field of 77 entries, 11 went to the jump-off, but no one was able to catch Frances Land (USA) and Vieanne. They blazed around the shortened course in 37.99 seconds for victory. Land was only thinking speed when she entered the ring for the jump-off. “A class like this you have Eric...

Calgary, Canada - The United States sent two teams into competition Thursday afternoon in the $100,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup at the CSIO5* Spruce Meadows ‘Continental’ Tournament. Not only was the U.S. eyeing top finishes but qualification for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Season Series Final as well as a chance to win the North American, Central America and Caribbean League of Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Series were all on the line. In its inaugural season...

I guess the beginning is a great place to start. I grew up in Maine, the oldest of five, to a father who was in the military and a mother who was a housewife until the youngest of my siblings was in Junior-High school. We grew up on the other side of middle-class, OK, we were poor. I grew up watching spaghetti westerns in black and white on Saturday afternoons. I always loved the intrigue of being a Cowboy, pushing cattle up the Chisholm Trail, fighting bad guys and Indians. Next to the pony...

Petra Warlimont and Lorenzo in the Markel USEF/ Young Horse 5-Year-Old Qualifier (Sue Weakley) Parker, CO - High Prairie Dressage III at the Colorado Horse Park held a series of Markel/USEF Young Horse Qualifying classes Sunday, part of a program using special dressage tests for 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old horses to help scout out potential outstanding talent for future careers at the FEI level or participation in U.S. High Performance Teams. A key component of the classes is personalized feedback...

Lauren Hough and Ohlala (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Thursday's busy competition schedule also featured a $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m speed class with the roster of top finishers including Lauren Hough (USA) and Ohlala, Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) and HH Let's Fly, and Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Wang Chung M2S. Course designer Alan Wade saw 52 entries with 16 clear rounds for the one round speed class. Once again, the rounds got faster and faster as some of the best went late in the line-up. Lauren...

Lillie Keenan and Clearway (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Fifteen-year-old Lillie Keenan rode to victory in the 6th Annual George Morris Excellence in Equitation Championship, presented by Alessandro Albanese, during week eleven of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Keenan, of New York City, piloted Heritage Farms' Clearway to a score of 89 during round one before upping the ante in round two with an astounding 98.5. Keenan was in second with a total score of 187.5 going...

Del Mar, CA - The 2013 Rancho Valencia Dressage Affaire CDI-YJ3* launched into action at the Del Mar Horse Park on Thursday, March 7th. The main Rancho Valencia arena maintained a constant horse-in horse-out repetition and the exciting FEI Jog marked the official start of the CDI competition. With an eerie sky threatening rain throughout the morning, the FEI Jog was moved ahead of schedule. Eighteen horses stepped forward passing without hesitation preparing them for Friday’s (CDI) FEI...