Lars Petersen and Mariett claimed first place in the Grand Prix (Susan J. Stickle) Loxahatchee, FL - Lars Petersen and Mariett are making a habit of winning top honors at the International Horse Sport (IHS) show grounds. This time, the pair clinched today's Grand Prix at the International Horse Sport Champions Cup CDI-W with a 73.745%. Just two weeks ago, they were double winners in the same venue at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W, collecting first place in both the Grand Prix and...

Lauren Hough and Ohlala (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Week eleven of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by Artisan Farms, featured the $33,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45m speed class on Wednesday with a win for Lauren Hough (USA) and Ohlala. Earning points on the Longines FEI world ranking list, the pair beat Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Solerina, Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Wang Chung M2S, and McLain Ward (USA) and Zhum CW, all within nine one-hundredths of a second...

Johannes Ehning and Cayenne 162 (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Week ten of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by Horseware Ireland, featured the $33,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45 speed class on Wednesday with a win for Germany's Johannes Ehning and Cayenne 162. Earning points on the Longines FEI world ranking list, the pair won over Alise Oken (USA) riding Kaid Du Ry and Beezie Madden (USA) aboard Mademoiselle, with a lightning fast round. Week ten's FTI WEF...

Lars Petersen and Mariett Loxahatchee, FL - Lars Petersen of Denmark scored a personal best for the season aboard Mariett to win the Grand Prix Freestyle at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W against a field of tough competition on a chilly and windy South Florida day. Petersen and Mariett earned a 76.400% with the judge at C, Axel Steiner, awarding them a 77.875%. The victory capped an impressive weekend for the pair at the 30th anniversary of the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, set at the...

Josephina Nor Lantzman and Chello Z topped a field of 52 to win $30,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Thermal before the HITS Desert Circuit takes a week off and returns with four more weeks of competition February 19 (©Flying Horse Photography) Thermal, CA - A week of thrilling show jumping competition culminating in the $30,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, brought HITS Desert Circuit III to wrap Sunday, concluding the first half of the 2013 winter circuit. The...

Kalvin Dobbs and Winde (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Sunday's competition began in the morning with a win for 17-year-old Kalvin Dobbs, of Carmel, IN, aboard Treesdale Farms' Winde in the $15,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix. The class, presented by the Dutta Corporation in association with Guido Klatte, saw 39 entries jumping the course set by Bob Ellis. Nine went clear to advance to the jump-off, and Dobbs and Winde breezed through the short course in 41.928 seconds for the...

Facebook is an unending super highway of material for use in a myriad of applications. I am always amazed by several things. First, how we can consider people we have never seen or maybe even spoken to directly as “friends.” Second, how we are able to use social networking to very positive effects from fund raising for good causes to arranging emergency transportation for rescue horses. Third, how easy it is to learn from so many people who are willing to share really great...

Lexington, KY - To reach the highest level of excellence in equestrian sport requires talent, perseverance, a tremendous spirit and often, unwavering courage. In 2012, six horses have shown the world those qualities and more. On January 18, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) will bestow two of them with the prestigious title of Horse of the Year, the highest honor the USEF awards a horse. Again this year both a national and international horse will win. The six champions have earned...

Rachel Kolb and Stanford's Ronny (Stanford Univ/IHSA) Fairfield, CT - Stride for stride, solid horse sense leads to scholarly achievement. For the second time in two years, the Rhodes Trust has awarded a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship to an Intercollegiate Horse Show Association college equestrian athlete to pursue post-graduate study at Oxford University. This year’s recipient is IHSA hunter seat rider, Rachel Kolb, of Los Ranchos, NM, who is in her second year as president of the...

McLain Ward and Antares F (Rebecca Walton/PMG) Lexington, KY - It was a very emotional night at Alltech National Horse Show as McLain Ward piloted his top mount Antares F to victory during the Alltech $250,000 Grand Prix, benefitting the United States Equestrian Team Foundation. The win comes just days after the passing of his father, Barney Ward, who had been Ward's most important supporter. Ward rode through his grief to beat six others in the jump-off, as the first to compete on his...