Lexington, KY - Twenty-seven of the United States' best show jumping riders will take over the International Ring at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center March 21-24 to vie for the 2012 USEF National Show Jumping Championship. The championship runs concurrently with the USEF Selection Trials for the US Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games, meaning there is plenty on the line at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. The USEF National Show Jumping Championship has...

Nick Skelton and Big Star Repeat Victory in $80,000 Pennfield Feeds CSI 3* Grand Prix The tenth week of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) concluded with a day full of jumper competition at The Stadium on the beautiful grass field. Nick Skelton (GBR) and Beverly Widdowson's Big Star earned yet another victory at the FTI WEF in the $80,000 Pennfield Feeds CSI 3* Grand Prix. Skelton and Big Star beat out Cian O'Connor (IRL) and KEC Alligator Alley and David McPherson...

Holly Bergay aboard Rubino Bellissimo with Mette Rosencrantz (Lindsay McCall) Del Mar, CA - As the Del Mar Horse Park began to clear of flower boxes and white arena borders, Para-Equestrian Dressage riders prepared for a hands-on clinic with Mette Rosencrantz. Each rider was given 45 minutes with Mette allowing a large amount of time to work on short-term and long-term goals. During each session riders demonstrated specific parts of their tests that they performed during the 2012 Rancho...

Charlotte Jacobs and Promised Land helped the Zone Two team claim their victory (Rebecca Walton/PMG) Wellington, FL and East Aurora, NY - The third leg of the four-part Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Series was held on Thursday of Week IX of the Winter Equestrian Festival. Amidst rough weather with rain and thunderstorms, eight teams of four gathered to compete under the looming storm clouds hanging over the International Ring for the $20,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Team Event. Team E...

Richard Spooner and Billy Bianca (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - California's Richard Spooner and Billy Bianca led the victory gallop in Friday afternoon's $32,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). California native Ashlee Bond followed in a close second with her mount Apache, while Great Britain's Scott Brash and Bon Ami finished third. The ninth week of competition at the FTI WEF, sponsored by the Bainbridge Companies , will continue...

Funding Neede for the FHWA Recreational Trails Program The Senate transportation bill (MAP-21) severely weakens programs for trails, walking, and biking. Amendment #1661 proposed by Senator Klobuchar (D-MN) and co-sponsored by Senators Burr (R-NC), Shaheen (D-NH), Risch (R-ID), and Udall (D-CO), would restore dedicated funding for the Recreational Trails Program (RTP), consistent with language that is already in the House bill. Equine Land Conservation Resource is already signed on and is...

Likely V and Nina Zollo Top Smartpak's Low Hunter 2'6 Division Kent Farrington and Uceko (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - It was a great afternoon for grand prix riders Kent Farrington (USA) and Richie Moloney (IRL) at the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) as each took home the top share of prize money in a split class for round five of the WEF Challenge Cup Series. Held in a 'California Split', the class awarded two sets of placings, each with $32,000 distributed...

Christel Weller and Kallaway Secure Tricolor in Horseware Ireland Adult Amateur 3'3 Hunters in One Day Alejandro Karolyi and Vichy (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - The Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge had a class full of competitors going against the clock, but the fastest by almost six seconds was Alejandro Karolyi (VEN) on Vichy, owned by Torrey Pines Stable. Week three of the FTI WEF runs Wednesday, January 25, through Sunday, January 29, and is sponsored by Horseware Ireland . The...

Valegro arrives at the JIm Brandon Equestrian Center (Susan Stickle) Wellington, FL - Four European horses arrived at the venue for the 2012 World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach on Sunday afternoon, following their release from quarantine in Miami. Charlotte Dujardin's Valegro (GBR), Carl Hester's Wie Atlantico (GBR), Anja Plönzke's Le Mont D'Or (GER) and Minna Telde's Deinhardt (SWE) all came off the transport truck looking...

Wellington, FL -As the sun rose over the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL the Gold Coast Dressage Opener CPEDI3* commenced. Twenty-three para-equestrian dressage riders from seven countries vied for top scores under F.E.I. judges Carlos Lopes (POR), Hanneke Gerritsen (NED), and Marc Urban (BEL). For two weekends, beginning with the Gold Coast Dressage Opener CPEDI3* and ending with the Wellington Classic Sunshine Challenge CPEDI3*, para-equestrian dressage riders have the...