There were no rabbits this Easter at the Tampa Equestrian Festival during the $50,000 Grand Prix of Tampa CSI**-W. When four riders were unable to complete Sunday's jump-off round without bringing down a rail, Margie Engle and Indigo were determined to have a steady, clear ride. The pair left all the jumps standing, and despite accruing two time faults, Engle and Indigo claimed the day's top prize. Canadian Hugh Graham was the first to attempt the shortened course with Executive Privilege 3E,...

Photo by Robbi Meisel (Catherine Rinehart and Primera) While Hollywood may be buzzing about Oscar nominees’ skills on the big screen, the fourth week of the 2010 Gulf Coast Winter was dedicated to honoring the talent and elegance of show hunters with two big events held at the Harrison County Equestrian grounds. Friday morning began with the $10,000 Chronicle of Horse /United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Hunter Derby presented by Dietrich Insurance. It all started with...

Randi Muster (Leah Schwendeman and Gisele.) The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) had a great fifth week of competition on February 10-14. The week featured the $150,000 FEI World Cup, CSI*** presented by Spy Coast Farm, along with a full schedule of hunter, jumper, and equitation classes. The week five title sponsor was Spy Coast Farm. Along with their week five title sponsorship, Spy Coast Farm was the presenting sponsor of the $150,000 FEI World Cup, CSI*** on Saturday, February 13,...

Photo Courtesy JRPR (Lauren Sammis, left, won the FEI Test of Choice aboard High Field’s Casimirov, owned by Paula Runnells.) Courtney King-Dye and Grandioso III, owned by Hampton Green Farms, turned in an award-winning ride in the Intermediaire II class at the Wellington Classic Dressage Spring Challenge CDI. The class was sponsored by Sho Clothes, and King-Dye and Grandioso rode away with a beautiful scrim from the upscale dressage boutique in Wellington that specializes in the latest and...

Photo by Sport Fot/Thierry Billet (Louis Jacobs on Kachina in the 1.45m.) The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) had a successful third week of competition on January 27-31. The week featured the $75,000 Nespresso Grand Prix, CSI** and the $55,000 Nespresso Battle of the Sexes, along with a full schedule of hunter, jumper, and equitation classes. The week three title sponsor was Nespresso. In order to provide the best coffee to riders at the FTI WEF, Nespresso is the official coffee at...

Photo by Robbi Meisel (Aaron Vale and Platinum) The $25,000 Jacksonville A-Z Grand Prix sponsored by North Florida Hunter Jumper Association on January 30 closed out Week IV of competition with one of the most successful riders in show jumping, Aaron Vale, adding another win to his illustrious career. After a week of observation, course designer Allen Rheinheimer put all he learned about the starting field into a lengthy and technical 13 obstacle-16 effort test with a time allowance of 96 tight...

Maxance McManamy, 2009 USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year, shown during the 2009 North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (USEF Archives) Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) announces that Maxance McManamy has been selected as the 2009 USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year. McManamy will be honored at the USEF’s Annual Meeting, January 13-17, 2010 in Louisville, KY, as part of the Pegasus Awards held Saturday evening. The Ruth O’Keefe Meredith...

Classic Company President Bob Bell is feeling pretty special thanks to the kind folks of the Georgia International Horse Park, City Manager Tony Lucas, and Randal Mills, the Mayor of Conyers, who proclaimed Friday, November 7 as “Bob Bell Day” in the city of Conyers. The proclamation was an expression of appreciation to The Classic Company for 15 years of quality hunter/jumper events held at the former Olympic venue. Mayor Mills shared how Classic Company was the first major equestrian event to...

In an exciting three-horse jump-off, Todd Minikus and Alaska were the fastest clear round to win the $100,000 President's Cup Grand Prix World Cup qualifier presented by The Boeing Company. Kate Levy and Lirving du Volsin finished second, while Mario Deslauriers and Vicomte D were third. Earlier in the evening, Samantha Schaefer was victorious in the WIHS Equitation Classic Finals. Saturday night's courses were designed by Guilherme Jorge of Brazil, and out of the 29 entries in the class, only...

Minikus, Farrington, Johnson, and Kessler in Winner's Circle for Jumpers The 2009 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) CSI****-W is one of the most exciting equestrian competitions in the country, and it is one of only two shows in North America that offer a puissance, or "high jump" class. Friday night's $25,000 Puissance presented by Chevron Corporation saw a very familiar face for the awards presentation. Seven-time winner McLain Ward of Brewster, NY, was victorious in the class on...