Emily Hertz and Outspoken (Alison Hartwell) Gulfport, Miss. - Although the weather turned chilly Friday, the competition heated up when twenty nine horse and rider teams tackled the course in the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by Tucci at the Gulf Coast Winter Classic Circuit in Gulfport, Mississippi. The course was designed by Glenn Moody, renowned hunter course designer. Moody has designed and built the courses for Upperville, the Middleburg Classic, the Washington...

Mark Bluman and VDL Vinzell (Shannon Bower/Phelps Media Group) Wellington, Fla. - The Ridge at Wellington's Turf Tour saw some of its biggest classes today travelling to the inaugural event at The Wanderers Club. Mark Bluman was the second ride in the first 1.30m-1.35m class on VDL Vinzell and posted the first double clean of the day, with at time of 29.412. His time held up for the entirety of the day, despite many close attempts to catch him. Alex Granato continued his winning streak...

Andy Kocher and Land Rebel sail over the CWD oxer on their way to the win Saturday night (A&S Photography) Pensacola, Fla. - Andrew Kocher of Lake St. Louis, Missouri has had a very successful run during Week II of the Gulf Coast Winter Classics in Pensacola. After scoring a trifecta win in Friday's $5,000 HorseFlight Open Welcome class, he went on to win the $25,000 Nutrena Grand Prix with his own Land Rebel under the lights in the covered arena on Saturday night. "The course looked...

Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, Fla. - Friday morning, the FEI Prix St. Georges class sponsored by the Chesapeake Dressage Institute concluded, as it continued over two days due to the large number of entries. Sabine Schut-Kery (USA) topped the large class of 48 aboard 2006 Hanoverian stallion Sanceo, scoring a 71.184%. She was followed by Kasey Perry (USA) riding Goerklintgaards Dublet receiving a 70.947% and Tina Konyot (USA) taking third aboard Wyoming with a 70....

Peter Pletcher and Thanks for the Gold (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Peter Pletcher and Thanks For The Gold kicked off hunter action for WEF 3 in the Shapley's Grooming Products Green Conformation Hunters. Thanks For The Gold, owned by Rancho De Los Arboles of Oak Point, TX, topped two of the over fences classes, along with the model and under saddle, to finish the day as champions. Also turning in consistent performances over the two days were Having Said That ridden by Kelley Farmer. The...

Kelli Cruciotti and Chamonix H (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Kelli Cruciotti hasn't graduated from high school yet, but has already asserted herself as one of the most competitive young riders at the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival and a contender in the Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Series, presented by the Dutta Corp. in association with Guido Klatte. From an original order capped at 68, Cruciotti and Chamonix H, owned by Serenity Equestrian Ventures, joined an 18-horse jump-off...

Andy Kocher and Land Rebel sail over the CWD oxer on their way to the win Saturday night (A&S Photography) Pensacola, Fla. - Andrew Kocher of Lake St. Louis, Missouri has had a very successful run during Week II of the Gulf Coast Winter Classics in Pensacola. After scoring a trifecta win in Friday's $5,000 HorseFlight Open Welcome class, he went on to win the $25,000 Nutrena Grand Prix with his own Land Rebel under the lights in the covered arena on Saturday night. "The course looked...

Scott Stewart and A Million Reasons (SportFot) Wellington, Fla. - For the second week in a row Dr. Betsee Parker's A Million Reasons, ridden by Scott Stewart, has taken home championship honors in the Wrenwood Farms High Performance Working Hunters. This was A Million Reasons second show in the High Performance Working Hunters, having done the Second Year Green Hunters last year. "She [A Million Reasons] is a really good jumper, a great mover, beautiful, big stride. She's like the...

U.S. Riders Dominate Four out of the Five Para-Dressage Grades. U.S. Riders (Left to right ) Derrick Perkins, Dale Dedrick, Roxanne Trunnell, Elliie Brimmer, Angela Peavy, Rebecca Hart, MAry Jordan, and Sydney Collier(Lindsay Y. McCall) Wellington, Fla. - The 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival CPEDI3* commenced with 13 horse and rider combinations showcasing the Para-Equestrian Dressage Team Test. Para-Dressage athletes from Grades Ia, Ib, II, III, and IV, competed in the Van Kampen Arena at...

Eric Lamaze and Rosana du Park (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - The 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) hosted it second day of competition on Thursday at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, with the second win of the circuit for Canadian Olympic gold medalist Eric Lamaze. After winning the first class of the circuit in Wednesday’s 1.45m speed class with Check Picobello Z, Lamaze topped Thursday’s $25,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round...