Marilyn Little and RF Demeter made a steady, if unexpected, climb to the top of the leaderboard at the Carolina International CIC3* and Adequan USEA Gold Cup/PRO Tour Series. Little and “Demi” (Rubin-Royal/Patricia) weren’t the pair to beat until they clocked one of only two double-clear rounds on Hugh Lochore’s cross-country course, where time was of the essence. “I planned to start the course on both horses [including RF Smoke on the Water] as if I was going for...

Chester Weber and his team on course in the marathon. (Photo courtesy of PicsofYou.com) Ocala, FL - The motto on its show program, Chase Perfection, Catch Excellence perfectly encapsulated this year’s Live Oak International, March 20-23, at Live Oak Plantation in Ocala, FL, as history was made in U.S. National Four-in-Hand competition, Olympic Show Jumping champions converged, and Superbowl stars of both the commercial TV screen and stadium met in one superlative week of competition in...

Chester Weber and his team during the cones phase. (Photo courtesy of PicsofYou.com) Ocala, FL - From a record 11th national title for four-in-hand’s Chester Weber to two-time NFL Superbowl linebacker Max Montoya scoring a win in the Intermediate Pair Horse division, this year’s Live Oak International Combined Driving had it all. Ocala, Florida, known as the ‘Horse Capital of the World’ saw hometown hero, Chester Weber drive Jane Clark’s KWPN geldings to an...

Chester Weber (Picsofyou.com) Ocala, Fla. – A warm, sunny morning at Live Oak International set the stage for the USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship sponsored by Ariat. The competitors had a large undertaking guiding their teams of horses through the seven-obstacle marathon course designed by Hartmut Kaufmann of Germany. The Ocala, Fla., venue saw a huge turnout of spectators present to see an exciting day of competition. Chester Weber maintained his lead in the FEI Four-in-Hand...

Waco, Texas. - There’s a new look to the latest National Collegiate Equestrian Association national team rankings announced Wednesday, as a number of changes are seen in this week’s installment. South Carolina remains the nation’s top team, following a win against Southeastern Conference foe Texas A&M last weekend in Blythewood, S.C. Auburn checks in at No. 2, following a loss to Georgia last weekend. Auburn and South Carolina square off on Saturday to determine the No. 1...

Nayel Nassar and Lordan jump to a win in the $33,500 FEI HITS Desert Classic, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Thermal (Flying Horse Photography) Thermal, Calif. - It all came down to the gallop in the $33,500 FEI HITS Desert Classic, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Thermal on Thursday. With only two horses in the jump-off, Nayel Nassar put the speed of his nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding Lordan to the test and bested Bliss Heers by fractions of a second. Nassar of Santa Clara, California represents...

Thermal, Calif. - With three mounts to jump around, not a single onlooker would know that John Pearce of Bermuda Dunes, California was battling the flu during the $50,000 Go Rentals Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Thermal on Sunday. He and Son of a Gun, owned by Forest View Farm, were one of only four pairs to jump clear against a very tight first round time allowed of 81 seconds. Pearce first appeared on trusted partner Chianto, owned by Forest View Farm and Allison Moore, and was...

Lars Petersen and Mariett (Susan J. Stickle) Wellington, Fla. - Lars Petersen (DEN) and Mariett have become familiar faces in the winner's circle at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF), and Thursday evening was no exception. Petersen topped the FEI Grand Prix 4* presented by The Dutta Corp. with Marcia Pepper's 16-year-old Danish Warmblood mare with a score of 70.960%. For his win in Thursday's class, Petersen was also presented with the Champion Equine Insurance Dressage...

Jeffery Welles and Gummi Van Oz Wellington, Fla. - Jeffery Welles rode to the top of the leader board during today's Wellington Turf Tour 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers at Wolfstone Stables. Not only did he take the early lead in the first class aboard Gummi Van Oz, but he also rode to the top rank during the second class with Antaris S. Today also marked the second week of the five-week Young Jumper Championship Series, where Kevin Babington piloted KEC Pineapple Swirl to the first place finish in...

Ronan McGuigan and Capall Zidane (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Ireland's Ronan McGuigan and Capall Zidane were double clear and blazing fast for the win in Saturday night's $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 2*, the highlight event of week two at the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Riders representing nine different countries showed under the lights in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) with top...