Shane Sweetnam and Bijzonder (Rebecca Walton/Phelps Media Group) Lexington, Ky. - Ireland's Shane Sweetnam is well known for helping produce top young mounts, and Thursday he showed how it is done with the 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Bijzonder. When seven horses go double clear in the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic, the only way to win is with speed, and although Bijzonder is just learning to go fast, he clearly has a knack for it. Sweetnam sped across the finish line two seconds...

Lisa Goldman set the pace with Centurion B to win the $5,000 Welcome Class at Lamplight's Equifest II (Andrew Ryback) Wayne, Ill – The feature class at Lamplight Equestrian Center’s Equifest II today was the $5,000 1.40m Welcome class in the newly remodeled Grand Prix ring. Fourteen entries vied for the prize over the Manuel Esparza designed course. Esparza of Mexico City, Mexico, was the Assistant Designer for the Olympic Games from 1996-2008. His time allowed on today’s...

Anna Cardelfe and Dollar Van't Eigenlo DH (Rebecca Walton/Phelps Media Group) Lexington, Ky. - Rising talent took center stage today at the Kentucky Horse Park as the High Junior and Amateur-Owner Jumpers competed in the Rolex Stadium during the Kentucky Summer Horse Show. Anna Cardelfe proved that a new partnership can be just as successful as a veteran pairing when she won the High Amateur-Owner Jumpers aboard Dollar Van't Eigenlo DH. Meanwhile in the High Junior Jumpers, it was Meredith...

Ashton Alexander & Cafe de Colombia (Captured Moments Photography) Lexington, Ky. – The best junior riders attended the 2014 US Junior Hunter National Championship West Coast July 21-22 in hopes of being crowned the Overall Grand Champion. Over two days of tough competition at the Del Mar Horsepark in Del Mar, Calif., riders competed in three phases: Classic Round, Under Saddle, and Handy Hunter. The Under Saddle phase counts for 20% of the rider's overall score, while both the...

Pablo Barrios and Zara Leandra (Rebecca Walton/Phelps Media Group) Lexington, Ky. - Pablo Barrios will soon be crowned king of the Kentucky Horse Park, and Zara Leandra will be his queen. Tonight, the dynamic duo notched yet another $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic victory. The Venezuelan native won both of the events during the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows, and that was following his domination of the series in 2013. It appears to be a repeat year, as Barrios grabs a firmer hold on the 2014...

Amanda Flint riding Newlight VDL (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, Vt. - Amanda Flint of Long Valley, N.J., took the top two spots to dominate the $10,000 Open Welcome, presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, held Thursday, July 3, at the Vermont Summer Festival. The six-week equestrian competition runs through August 10 at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, Vt.. A total of four horses advanced to the jump-off over the track set by Irish course designer Alan Wade. Two of those horses...

Saugerties, N.Y. - Quality Girl is no stranger to clean rounds with Todd Minikus of Loxahatchee, Florida and at the top of her game as of late. Highlighted by their Open Jumper success at Devon last weekend and Friday, winning the HITS $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix the 11-year-old Oldenburg mare continues to shine. Todd Minikus and Quality Girl were the top pair in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix presented by Zoetis at HITS Saugerties (©ESI Photography) “She’s turning into a...

Janet Hischer and Cutler (Phelps Media Group) Parker, Colo. - Janet Hischer decided to change up her summer plans and come to the Colorado Horse Park this year, and it's already paying off. She and Cutler blazed through a speedy jump-off round in 39.935 seconds and took home first place in the $2,500 Open Jumper 1.30/1.40m on Friday morning in the Kathy and Brad Coors Family Grand Prix Arena. The first to make the jump-off was Nicki Wilcox on J.E.S. Quito, sixth in the order, who ticked a...

Gladstone, N.J. – The final day of the George H. Morris Gladstone Program came to a conclusion today at the USET Foundation Headquarters at Hamilton Farms. Legendary horseman, George Morris, pushed the 10 riders to their fullest potential in the flat and gymnastics phases, being as forward as the seat he advocates. The riders were tested through training in classical dressage, as well as over a full course featuring a water jump, liverpool, airy verticals, and a dodgy triple combination....

North Salem, N.Y. – Jumpers competed on the beautiful grass field on the final day of the first week of the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows. Held at Old Salem Farm, the $50,000 Old Salem Farm Grand Prix, presented by The Kincade Group, Merrill Lynch saw Brianne Goutal of New York, NY, take home the win with Nice de Prissey over McLain Ward on Zander and Quentin Judge riding HH Dark de la Hart. Topping the junior hunters for the Grand Junior Hunter Championship was Caroline Dance of...