Dressage CDI Verden in Germany hosted the 2011 FEI World Breeding Championships and the U.S. was represented in this prestigious event by dressage rider Jennifer Hoffman. Hoffmann and Florentinus V were eighth in the first qualifying competition for 5-year old horses with a score of 8.42, with Ratzinger Z, Hoffmann was tied for eighth in the 1st qualifying competition 6-year old horses with a score of 8.36. Hoffman qualified for the Finals in both the 5-and 6-year-old divisions, which was a...

Canada's YR Reining Gold team, l-r: Lisa Hiebert, Kylie Wasiuta, Jessica Green, Nancy Pratch (Photo: Diana De Rosa). Lexington, KY - High-quality runs and terrific scores from a field of top-quality reining horses and the continent's most elite junior and young rider athletes made for a spectacular night at the 2011 SmartPak Reining Team Championships at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North. Canada reclaimed the top of the...

Oklahoma City, OK - Twelve college-age riders competed in the 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Collegiate Reining Championship during the recent NRHA Derby Show in Oklahoma City, OK. Jesse Gentile of The Ohio State University won the championship title and NRHA Lawson trophy with a score of 218. When asked what advice he would give young reiners, Gentile who rode Out Dun the Son from Gary Sanders of Steele, MO, said, “Have fun, and even though it’s (reining) is a lot...

Dressage At the CDI Milton in Canada, David Marcus came in seventh and eighth in the Prix St. Georges. He rode Don Kontes to a 64.035% for seventh and Chevri's Capital to a 63.860% for eighth. Marcus had strong finishes once again at Intermediaire I, finishing in third with Chevri's Capital with a score of 70.000% and sixth with Don Kontes with a score of 68.026%. Don Kontes came back once more for Marcus in the Intermediaire I Freestyle to score a 68.050% for a sixth place finish....

Mario Deslauriers and Cella. (Photo by Sportfot.) Wellington, FL Week 11 of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival concluded on Sunday afternoon with a victory for Mario Deslauriers (USA) and Cella in the $30,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic Finale. Deslauriers and Cella, owned by Jane F. Clark, were the only pair to master the course with double clear rounds for the win. Guilherme Jorge of Brazil designed the courses in the International Arena this week and concluded the...

Beezie Madden and Danny Boy. (Photo by Sportfot.) Wellington, FL - The final round of the $31,000 WEF Challenge Cup Series was held on Thursday afternoon with a victory for Beezie Madden (USA) and Abigail Wexner's Danny Boy at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Week 11 of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival is sponsored by FTI Consulting Inc. The week's feature events will include the final Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday at 2:30 p.m., and the feature event of the...

Steffen Peters and Ravel at the FEI 5* horse inspection. (Marie Cobb/Susan J. Stickle.) Wellington, FL - The World Dressage Masters Palm Beach CDI5* presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach got off to an auspicious start on Wednesday, March 9, as all 15 horses were presented to the FEI Ground Jury and passed the mandatory inspection. They will go on to compete in the Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special and Grand Prix Freestyle over the next two days. The highlight of the WDM Palm Beach is...

California's Steffen Peters with his new star "Weltino's Magic". (Photo by Jennifer M. Keeler.) Burbank, CA - Riders who dream of competing at the Pan American Games began their quest at the Mid-Winter Dressage Fair CDI*/Y/J in Burbank, CA, February 24-27, 2011. As the first official qualifying competition on the West Coast, horses and riders vied for scores in front of FEI judges Jayne Ayers ("I" USA), Natalie Lamping ("I" USA), and Lorraine MacDonald ("I" CAN). In addition, this competition...

Beezie Madden and Prima. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - Two-time Olympic gold medalist Beezie Madden scored her second win this week at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival in the $50,000 G&C Farm Palm Beach Jumping Derby. She and Prima, owned by Neapolitan Holding Co., LLC, were the fastest over a challenging derby course on the grass field at The Stadium. The FTI Winter Equestrian Festival's sixth week concluded today and was sponsored by Fidelity Investments. The 2011 WEF will continue...

Ben Maher and Oscar. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - February 9, 2011 - Ben Maher (GBR) scored a win this morning in the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers on the opening day of week 5 of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Maher and Oscar put down a winning time of 60.806 seconds for the win over Peter Wylde (USA) on Lipton De L'Othain (62.987 seconds) and McLain Ward (USA) on Domino (64.050 seconds). The FTI Winter Equestrian Festival's fifth week of competition continues through Sunday,...