Andy Fraser President, Finning Canada, presenting the winners trophy to Jerome Hurel. (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, Alberta - Opening day of the 2012 Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament lived up to all expectations. Fifty-three horse/rider combinations from 9 nations took to the International Ring for top spot in the 1.50 meter Akita Drilling Cup. Over the 500 meter course designed by Leopoldo Palacios (VEN), with 14 jumping obstacles, it was Richard Spooner (USA) that...

Taylor Land and Nepal. (Sue Weakley) Zionsville, IN - The final day of the competition continued today at the 2012 Traders Point Hunt Charity Horse Show and Country Fair. Once again, perfect weather drew in a large audience from the Indianapolis area for an exciting day of show jumping at Wild Air Farms in Zionsville, IN. Veteran course designer and judge, Phil DeVita, produced a challenging course for the competitors for the highlight of Traders Point, the $60,000 Grand Prix of Indianapolis....

Kelley Farmer and Taken win both rounds to take the USHJA International Hunter Derby Zionsville, IN - Kelley Farmer and Taken stole the show on the Grand Prix Field at the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Traders Point Hunt Charity Horse Show held on the grounds of Wild Air Farms. Not only is Taken a pro when it comes to the Derby, he took his owner, Jessica Stitt of Elburn, IL, to the championship win in the Amateur 3'3" class in Traverse City, MI, just one week ago....

Keely Laughlin and Larger Than Life set a blazing fast time during the US National Pony Jumper Championships at the 2012 US Pony Finals. The pair was named champion, and were awarded the gold medal for their outstanding efforts. (Ashley N. Williams/PMG) Lexington, KY - There was a sense of electricity as the wrap up of the US National Pony Jumper Championship got underway at the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park with the Individual Competition Finals. Riders from around the country spent...

Yasmin Rizvi and Roxbury Crowned Overall Medium Pony Hunter Grand Champions Lili Hymowitz and Trillville claimed the Overall Medium Pony Hunter Grand Reserve Championship Yasmin Rizvi and Roxbury won the Overall Medium Pony Hunter Championship at the 2012 US National Pony Hunter Championship. (Shawn McMillen Photography) Lexington, KY - The young riders and their miniature mounts lined the ramp leading to the Walnut Ring Thursday morning at the Kentucky Horse Park. The third day of the 2012 US...

August 3, 2012 (Blairstown, NJ) – The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), the only globally recognized organization providing standards for identifying legitimate animal sanctuaries, awarded Verified status to Saddlebred Rescue, Inc. as of August 1, 2012. Verification means that Saddlebred Rescue meets the criteria of a true equine sanctuary/rescue and is providing humane and responsible care of the animals. To be awarded Verified status, an organization must meet GFAS’s...

Caitlyn Shiels and S&L Downtown finished first in the Six, Seven and Eight-Year-Old Young Jumper class during the opening week of the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, VT – The next generation of grand prix horses took center stage during the first three weeks of the 2012 Vermont Summer Festival horse show, running July 4 through August 12 at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT. Five-Year-Old, Six-Year-Old and Seven and...

Weber’s individual dressage score of 33.54 set an Aachen record and put him in the lead during the first and second phases of the CAIO Aachen. (Franz Steindl) Aachen, Germany – The 2012 CAIO Aachen was a rollercoaster of ups and downs for US driver Chester Weber, who with a team of horses owned by himself and Jane Forbes Clark is competing on the European tour this summer with his sights set on the World Championships in Reisenbeck. Despite an excellent start, Weber met with a string of...

Kristen Smith, the winner of the 2012 USEF Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal Final, riding Who Needs Mama (Howard Schatzberg) Lexington, KY - Kristen Smith of Smithfield, KY rode Stephens College's Who Needs Mama through heavy downpours to the championship win in the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal Final, under the tutelage of Zubrod Stables. The Final took place Friday the 13th as part of the Lexington Junior League Charity Horse Show at the...

The sun was shining strong on Spruce Meadows for the second day of the 2012 ‘Canada One’ Tournament. With 75 horse/rider combinations saddling up for the 1.45 meter West Jet Cup, course designer Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA) created a difficult and technical track for the riders. After 16 jumping efforts over 540 meters, a scant 6 combinations moved on into the jump off. Among them, Shane Sweetnam (IRL) beat out his competitors with double clear rounds aboard his 8 year old Belgian...