Harrie Smolders & Regina Z (Stefano Grasso/LGCT) Valkenswaard, The Netherlands - The evening CSI5* 1.50m class at Longines Global Champions Tour of Valkenswaard was won by the master of faster Harrie Smolders (NED) and his feisty mare Regina Z, who raced to the top of the class from early in the draw finishing in an unbeatable time of 38.19s. Second went to Constant van Paesschen (BEL) who is hitting form again this season having collected a 3rd this morning. This time the young star rode a...

The Plains, Va. - A successful weekend at the Preparation Event for the Squad and Alternates for Squad for the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games wrapped up Sunday morning with 11 U.S. combinations completing David O’Connor’s cross country. Crowds of 3,500 people came from throughout the United States to watch many of the best combinations in North America compete at the renovated Great Meadow on a beautiful Virginia weekend. Phillip Dutton...

Laura Graves & Verdades (Shannon Brinkman Photo) Aachen, Germany - Four members of the Short List for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games U.S. Dressage Team competed for the U.S. at the CHIO Aachen on Saturday. Laura Graves, Adrienne Lyle, and Caroline Roffman rode in the CDIO5* Grand Prix Special, while Shelly Francis rode in the CDI4* Grand Prix Freestyle. Laura Graves (Geneva, Fla.) and Verdades led the U.S. effort with an eighth-place finish aboard Verdades in the Meggle-Prize...

Kathleen Raine and Breanna (Shannon Brinkman) Aachen, Germany - The U.S. riders continued to show strong form in CDI4* competition on Friday at CHIO Aachen as both riders landed in the top seven. The United States was represented by Kathleen Raine and Lisa Wilcox in the Lindt-Prize where 10 entries from seven countries performed the FEI Grand Prix Special. Raine (Murrietta, Calif.) and Jennifer Mason, Kathleen Raine, and David Wightman's 14-year-old Hanoverian mare, Breanna, earned a score...

Jan Ebeling and Rafalca (Provided by Ebeling) Lexington, Ky. - Jan Ebeling has withdrawn Beth Meyer, Ann Romney, and Amy Ebeling’s Rafalca from the CDI4* Aachen and contention for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games U.S. Dressage Team. Ebeling (Moorpark, Calif.) decided that the welfare of the 17-year-old Oldenburg mare was paramount and that it would be in the best interest of World Cup and 2012 Olympic Games veteran to retire from competition. “With mixed emotions, we...

Laura Chapot and Quointreau Un Prince (The Book LLC) Lake Placid, N.Y. - Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, NJ, and Quointreau Un Prince won the $100,000 Woodlea Farms Adirondack Grand Prix Saturday to culminate the inaugural Adirondack Horse Show, Presented by Sea Shore Stables. Chapot was one of four entries from the starting field of 19 to reach the jump-off by riding without penalty over the 16-jump, first-round course designed by Pierre Jolicoeur. Julie Welles went first over the...

Lexington, Ky. - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce the riders for the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team at CSIO5* Aachen. Robert Ridland will serve as Chef d'Equipe in Aachen. The following riders will compose the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team at Aachen CSIO5* in Aachen, Germany, July 15-20 (listed in alphabetical order): Lucy Davis (Los Angeles, Calif.) Margie Engle (Wellington, Fla.) Kent Farrington (Wellington, Fla.) Lauren Hough(Wellington,...

Richard Spooner and Cristallo (Spruce Meadows Media Service) Calgary, Alberta - Competition continued in the Meadows on the Green on Saturday at the Spruce Meadows 'Continental' Tournament with the $85,000 Talisman Energy Cup 1.50m. Richard Spooner rode Cristallo to victory and was second with Chivas Z. The ‘Continental’ CSIO 5* Tournament concludes on Sunday with the $210,000 CP Grand Prix. There were 55 entries in the competition, and they contested a course set by Anthony...

Burbank, Calif. - Kristin Hardin had all of the answers to Mauricio Garcia-Ballesteros’ (PUR) $30,000 Memorial Day Grand Prix course, placing first and third on Aran (Pamela Levin, owner) and Bert (Emily Cohodes, owner), respectively. “I’m just really excited. This win is huge, particularly for Aran’s owner. She bought Aran herself and surprised me with her a couple of years ago,” Kristin recalled. “Pamela is a great horsewoman and saw the potential in her....

Saumur, France - Land Rover Competition Grant recipient Doug Payne closed out a successful weekend with Crown Talisman at the Saumur CCI3* on Sunday with near faultless performance in the show jumping to earn a sixth-place finish. Doug Payne and Crown Talisman (Les Garennes) The excitement began early in Saumur as France’s overnight leader Propriano de l’Ebat ridden by Luc Chateau was not accepted at the Final Horse Inspection. A total of 41 combinations went forward into the show...