Elizabeth Benson and San Remo VDL. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - The 4th Annual George Morris Excellence in Equitation Championships, presented by Artisan Farms, were held on Friday evening in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. A feature event for the junior riders at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, the class saw an exciting win for 16-year-old Elizabeth Benson of Whitehouse Station, NJ, trained by Stacia Madden of Beacon Hill Show Stables....

Oklahoma City, OK – Two of the nation’s top NRHA Processionals are coming to Colorado for the 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Regional Clinic Series May 21-22. NRHA Professionals Randy Paul and Tracer Gilson will once again share their expertise to benefit Reiners of all ages and experience levels at Skyline Ranch in Carbondale, CO. NRHA Professional Randy Paul reached one of the industry’s great milestones by becoming a Million Dollar Rider in 2008. Paul has had a long and...

Lucy Davis and Old Oak Farm's Hannah. (Flying Horse Photography©.) Thermal, CA — Horsepower Weekend at the HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, CA, shifted into high gear when Lucy Davis rode Old Oak Farm’s Hannah to the top placing in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. It was a perfect Friday afternoon of show jumping in the majestic Strongid C 2X Stadium. Under bright blue skies, while nearly five dozen horses tested the course, the berm surrounding the Oasis VIP...

Oklahoma City, OK – The 2011 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Regional Clinic Series is coming to Santa Fe, NM, May 14-15. NRHA Professionals Stefano Massigan and Marco Ricotta will hold a clinic for reiners of all ages and experience levels at the Santa Fe Equestrian Center. Massignan, an NRHA European Futurity finalist and multiple Italian Reining Horse Association (IRHA) Futurity, Derby and Maturity finalist, recently relocated to the Southwest with his wife Ky. Their new operation...

Sandy Ferrell and Moshi. (Photo by Sportfot©.) Wellington, FL - The eighth week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, which runs through April 3, is well into its second day of competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The sun was shinning along with strong gusts of wind as the Green Conformation Hunters made their way into the E.R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring on Thursday morning. Sandy Ferrell was aboard the new entry from Stephanie Riggio, Moshi, for the championship...

Grand Prix Ring at Horse Shows by the Bay. (Photo courtesy Horse Shows by the Bay.) Traverse City, MI - Flintfields Horse Park, home of the Horse Shows by the Bay Equestrian Festival, is pleased to report that plans are well underway for the new footing that is being installed this spring in the main competition arenas and warm ups. Footing that stays safe and consistent throughout the course of the competition, no matter the weather, is very important to management and Flintfields Horse Park...

Wellington, FL - Last week's Dressage Under the Stars was a crowd favorite, as four former dressage young riders competed to fantastic popular music in exciting dress. Riders last week were Mica Mabragana from Argentina, Kasi Barteau who did a rendition of the Lion King, winner of the evening Jocelyn Wylese, and Mary Lauthorio who made her horse into a rocket ship in honor of the final NASA spaceship launch. Neil Hirsh, owner of the Player's Club which hosts the evening remarked "It was...

Jim Brandon Equestrian Center. (Phelps Media Group. ) Wellington, FL - Preparations are under way at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in West Palm Beach, FL, as the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach, the American leg of the world's premier dressage series, draws nearer. The Jim Brandon Center will welcome a group of the most successful international dressage riders and horses from North America and Europe on March 9-11, as they compete for 100,000 Euros in prize money at the WDM Palm Beach...

Hadji and Palmer-DuRoss. (Steven Bradley Photography.) Aurora, CO - Hadji Halef Omar (Centavo x ZA Sabbaths Joy), a 1992 grey gelding, owned by Stephanie Palmer-DuRoss of Queen Creek, AZ. has been named the 2010 AHA Distance Horse of the Year. The 10-year veteran of endurance competition has taken Palmer-DuRoss over 5,810 miles, a journey for which she is very grateful. “I am nominating Hadji for the Distance Horse of the Year Award in appreciation for all the beautiful places he has taken me...

Last March I made my inaugural visit to Wellington, FL and the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center for CSIO week, which included the USEF Selection Trials for the US Show Jumping Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and the $75,000 FEI Nations Cup presented by CN. My partner in crime, Melissa Davis, and I set-up our Merchandise “Fort” and sold-out of nearly all the USA and patriotic coats, polos and hats we’d shipped down. Unseasonably chilly temperatures for Palm Beach...