All 16 Events Are Qualifiers for the 2010 $1-Million United States Grand Prix League Grand Prix HITS, Inc. is pleased to announce its grand prix schedule for the 2010 HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, CA. This year's schedule features 16 grand prix classes held over six weeks of competition, and $800,000 in total prize money will be awarded. There will be four FEI World Cup qualifying classes, and the grand finale is a $300,000 grand prix on Sunday, March 14. The 2010 HITS Desert Circuit Dates...

Dressage trainer Todd Flettrich and his mount, Otto, owned by Cherry Knoll Farm, made their competitive debut in the United States this weekend at the New England Dressage Association's (NEDA) Fall Festival, held September 9-13, in Saugerties, NY. After spending three months in Germany training with Olympic Gold medalist Hubertus Schmidt, Flettrich and Otto returned to Cherry Knoll Farm's Pennsylvania location just one week prior to the Saugerties competition, and went on to win the CDI Grand...

The National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) and the World Games 2010 Foundation announced the NRHA’s sponsorship of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. With its sponsorship, the National Reining Horse Association makes possible, for the first time in Games history, an exhibition freestyle event to the overall event schedule. NRHA Executive Director Dan Wall commented, “NRHA is proud to announce our official partnership with the Games and is thrilled to have this special opportunity to...

The Buffalo International Horse Show (BIHS) began its first day of competition on September 9 for the 63rd annual show. The BIHS is held at the Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center (BTRC) and runs from September 9-13 in downtown Buffalo, NY. The horse show will host a number of special classes in their large indoor arena, including hunter classics. The BIHS is pleased to welcome trainers Sandy Lobel and Amanda Steege and amateur rider Penelope Ayres, who have traveled the farthest to come to the...

Renowned trio of George Morris, Ian Millar, and Courtney King-Dye team for "first time" educational opportunity in Syracuse An equestrian dream team of George Morris, Ian Millar, and Courtney King-Dye will lead an educational clinic "How It's Done—Dressage and Jumping, Presented by Practical Horseman Magazine " to highlight the opening night of the 2009 Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament featuring the 126th National Horse Show, on October 28. It is the first time the three, each...

Each year endurance riders from around the U.S. and Canada gather to compete for the American Endurance Ride Conference’s (AERC) top honors in the National Championship rides. This year, tiny Greenville, CA, (population 1,150) will be the launching point for the 100-mile ride on September 11 and 50-mile ride on September 13. Midway between Redding and Reno, the Northern California location has all that riders ask of a trail: elevation changes, gorgeous views, shallow creek crossings, and...

The $25,000 Chicago Hunter Derby saw big crowds and tremendous competition Sunday afternoon of August 30 at Annali Farm in Antioch, IL. The class hosted 35 of the nation's top hunters and riders for a "Derby Day" full of festivities. The show raised money for Chicago Equestrians for a Cause, which donates to the Children's Memorial Hospital. Jennifer Alfano of Buffalo, NY, rode SBS Farms' Jersey Boy to victory in the $25,000 Hunter Derby. The courses were designed by Bobby Murphy, who also...

The American Horse Council (AHC) has launched a new effort to collect information on access issues equestrians are experiencing on federal lands. The centerpiece of this effort is an online form equestrians can use to report their personal experiences regarding trails and federal lands that have been closed to them or other access issues. Americans who use horses and pack stock enjoy a unique experience when they ride on trails and public lands. It is an experience that ties them to the...

Maxance McManamy and Beacon Hill (Brant Gamma Photographery) Lexington, KY —Both the Team and Individual medals were decided today in three-day eventing as both the CCI** and CCI* riders returned to the arena to complete their show jumping test in the USEA North American Junior & Young Rider Eventing Championships. The leader board was shuffled on the cross-country course, so the Gold medal was up for grabs. Today was the final day of competition as show jumping wrapped up at the 2009...

There was no roll of the dice for junior rider Halle Salisbury and her Casino in the Marshall & Sterling Hunter Classic during the Colorado Circuit Preview at the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, CO (June 25-28). The youngster, who rides with Libby Barrow, had two horses in the event: Casino, the class winner, and Zhivago, who finished eighth in the class of 14. However, it was aboard Zhivago that Salisbury won the Marshall & Sterling Childrens Medal Class. Amateur Joyce Baldwin was quite pleased...