Piber Köflach, Austria – The U.S. Driving Team of Donna Crookston, Sterling Graburn, and Suzy Stafford, along with individual Leslie Berndl, made a valiant effort at the 2016 FEI World Driving Championships for Singles, which proved to be a true championship test. The strong international field consisted of 75 combinations from 23 countries, and after four days of competition, the U.S. team finished 14th. Sterling Graburn and Mannkato (Krisztina Horváth/Hoefnet.com) Graburn (Paris,...

Early nights all round for the dressage and eventing teams; and I bet there are a ton of people out there that wish they could turn in to their slumber pits early as well. Overnight equine arrivals plus the huge amount of work that the equestrian experts supporting the Rio 2016 Organising Committee have had to undertake, has ensured that there are many tired people out there. But these experts have done an excellent job getting the venue ready and whilst there remain frustrations and areas...

This is stressful. Sitting in the Team tack room watching a procession of athletes destroying our supplies of snacks, drinks, and other culinary delights: Clearly they do not get fed at home and this is an enjoyable adventure for them. Ok, I get it, they and the grooms are who matter most but all the bottles and snacks were lined up in regimental rows and now a tornado has destroyed the illusion of order. Rewind. Monday morning (Europe time) Clan Dressage deployed to Rio; horses from Liege...

This may not be a photo likely to win any photographic competitions but it was taken at 2:30 a.m. from my bedroom. No, I am not some weird stalker or peeping tom but this is a photo of the merry bunch of selfish insomniacs that decided to have a very loud speaker (top right quarter of the photo) playing until about 3:30 a.m. Yes, I kinda wish I had something more persuasive to hand than a Canon camera… in fact a canon would have done very nicely. The eventing horses have settled in very...

Giavanna Rinaldi and Dulf Van Den Bisschop (Devaney Iglesias/Phelps Media Group) Wayne, Ill. - Giavanna Rinaldi was the last of four riders to qualify for the jump-off in the Finish Line $50,000 Grand Prix Saturday afternoon. When she entered the SmartPak arena aboard Dulf Van Den Bisschop she was aiming for a double-clear round, but did not anticipate having a two-second advantage over the top time to earn the victory. "I knew there was only one other double clear," Rinaldi explained. "I was...

Christian Heineking and Calango (Sportfot) Parker, Colo. - Christian Heineking of Hudson Oaks, TX, and Calango concluded the 2016 Summer In The Rockies Series at The Colorado Horse Park (CHP), capturing the final grand prix win of the season as the pair took home the $100,000 Adequan® Grand Prix in front of a packed house. The duo crossed through the timers in 42.755 seconds to secure the win, while Matt Cyphert of Northlake, TX, and Lochinvar, rode to second place honors with a time of 45....

Mill Spring, NC - July 23, 2016 - Todd Minikus (USA) and Quality Girl rode to victory in the $216,000 Tryon Estates Grand Prix CSI 4* at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC), taking the final tour around the jump-off course and finishing as the only pair to earn a double clear effort on the night. Minikus and Quality Girl crossed through the timers in 41.093 seconds to secure the win, while Marilyn Little (USA) and Clearwater collected second place, finishing the track in 41.473 seconds...

Aachen, Germany – Members of the U.S. Olympic Show Jumping Team performed in the Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup at CHIO Aachen Thursday, which served as their final Nations Cup competition prior to the Rio Olympic Games. Led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland, the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team of Lucy Davis, Laura Kraut, Beezie Madden, and McLain Ward put in valiant efforts in a very competitive field to tie with France for the Silver medal on four faults. Germany won the Gold medal...

Natascha Gates and Quickie (Sportfot) Parker, Colo. - Colorado local and German native, Natascha Gates of Elizabeth, CO, and Quickie soared to a win in the $40,000 Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Super 8 Grand Prix presented by Trapper's Chop House on Saturday, June 18, at The Colorado Horse Park (CHP), during week two of the Summer in the Rockies Series (SIR). Quickie lived up to his name, showcasing his speed in the biggest class of the week, and finished the short course in 41.25...

Eric Lamaze and Check Picobello Z (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, AB, Canada – The Spruce Meadows Summer Series continues with the ‘Continental’ CSI 5* Tournament, and it was Eric Lamaze (CAN) who took home the first big win of the week in the Husky Energy Classic 1.50m with Check Picobello Z. Second place went to Tiffany Foster (CAN) on Brighton, while Sameh El Dahan (EGY) riding WKD Diva finished third. In the Wipro Cup 1.45m, Ray Texel (USA) rode Baldira to victory....