Pau, France - The 2013 FEI Pony World Driving Championships kicked off Thursday with the first of two days of driven dressage. Pair Pony and Pony Team drivers took their first steps toward world titles as they performed their tests in front of the Ground Jury composed of Klaus Christ, Anne-Marie Turbe, Jennifer Matheson (Mary Phelps-phelpsphotos.com) Diana Brownlie, and Dot Wilcoxson. U.S. competitors got off to a strong start with all four drivers cruising into the top 12 in their respective...

Kent Farrington and Blue Angel (Shawn McMillen Photography) Washington, D.C. - The 2013 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) continued on Thursday with the first day of classes for the Junior Hunters and several International Open Jumper and Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper classes at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The International Open Jumpers had two classes with a win for Kent Farrington (USA) and Robin Parksy's Blue Angel in the $33,000 International Open Jumper Welcome Stake. Top...

Burbank, CA - Judges Jimmy Torano and Mandy Porter wasted no time posing questions to the 33 riders who tackled the Gymnastics Phase of the Platinum Performance/ USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals West. The course started with a canter rail to a vertical with a landing rail, and the rail fell often. Riders then had to trot into a grid comprising a trot rail to a vertical then 23 feet to an oxer followed by 21 feet to another oxer. Hannah Von Heidegger (Will Simpson, trainer) found the best...

Kent Farrington and Willow (Rebecca Walton) North Salem, NY - Kent Farrington was on fire Saturday, topping the $50,000 Hermès Classic with his talented mount Willow by besting a nine-horse jump-off with a double clear effort in 37.91 seconds. Forty-one of the country's top equestrian athletes turned out for the event at the 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W, held at Old Salem Farm, but it was Farrington who had all the answers to beat Ireland's Darragh Kenny with Prof De La Roque...

John Pearce and Chianto jump to a win in the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, making it two in a row for Pearce at HITS Saugerties this week (ESI Photography) Saugerties, NY – On the heels of a win in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix with Son of a Gun, John Pearce of Bermuda Dunes, California jumped his way to another blue on Sunday in the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented, by Zoetis, this time aboard Forest View Farm’s Chianto. Celebration, however, soon...

Team Weber on the marathon course at Caen. (Photo courtesy of Madeleine Augustsson) Ocala, FL – Nine-time U.S. national four-in-hand champion Chester Weber remains undefeated in France following his second win there in the CAI-A4 Caen August 23-25, against a field of 12 drivers and 60 horses representing seven nations. Team Weber’s win at the CAI-A4 Caen is especially significant as the competition was the test event for the 2014 World Equestrian Games. In early June, Weber had the...

Todd Minikus and Quality Girl on their way to a win in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Saugerties (ESI Photography) Saugerties, NY - Quality Girl’s feet were lightning fast and her turns were tight as she carried Todd Minikus of Loxahatchee, Florida to a win in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, Friday at HITS Saugerties. Besting a field of 47, Minikus added another grand prix to a long list of top finishes with his own Quality Girl during...

Jumping at CSIO5* Hickstead started up Thursday with U.S. horses and riders faring well. In the opening speed class, the Royal International Vase, "Master of Faster" Richard Spooner and Oscany Inc's Let's Dance 46 sped to a 2nd place finish with a clear round in 65.58s. Hot on their heels were Reed Kessler and her own Ligist. They also keep the rails in the cups and finished their round in 66.18s. Neither was fast enough to beat the scorching 63.97s effort from Great Britain's own...

Stephanie Novas and Amyra R (Ashley N. Williams) Wayne, IL - It was a soggy day at the Grand Prix Arena where Equifest I at Lamplight Equestrian Center was sure to continue rain or shine. Wet footing had competitors using caution as they assessed the jumper course for Friday's competition in the Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper divisions. It was Stephanie Novas and Amyra R who gauged the conditions well for zero errors and the fastest time to earn the blue ribbon in the High Junior/Amateur-Owner...

Katie Prudent and V (Spruce Meadows Media Services) Calgary, Alberta - Two exciting feature competitions were held on Friday under beautiful blue skies for day two of the ‘Pan American’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows. In the $33,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.60m, Katie Prudent (USA) and V led the victory gallop, while Meagan Nusz (USA) and Vesuvius took top honors in the $15,000 CIBC Junior/Amateur Jumper 1.40m. The ‘Pan American’ Tournament continues through Sunday,...