Brian Walker and Tamara 296 (ESI Photography) Culpeper, Va. - Brian Walker and Tamara 296 claimed victory in the first Grand Prix at HITS Culpeper in the Commonwealth National Show on April 19, going last in the four-rider jump-off to complete the course three seconds faster than second-place finisher Filip De Wandel on his Gentley. "The course was difficult enough [Sunday] with only four clear, but that worked in my favor," said Walker, after his win. "The jump-off, with long gallops between...

Intermediaire I Freestyle winners Tracy Roenick & Apassionata. (Terri Miller) San Juan Capistrano, Calif. - Until earlier this season, Tracy Roenick hadn't cantered down centerline in a dressage competition since 2005. But on Saturday she showed no sign of being out of practice as she and her elegant black Oldenburg mare Apassionata (Sir Donnerhall x Amelie by Friedensfuerst) decisively claimed the CDI Intermediaire I Freestyle victory with 72.625% over second-placed Susan Martin and...

David Beisel celebrates after a speedy round on Ammeretto (A. Glavan/Phelps Media Group) Lexington, Ky. - He may be the smallest horse in the class, but do not let his size fool you. The just barely 16 hand stallion Ammeretto is a fierce competitor with rider David Beisel, and he makes up for what he lacks in height and galloping speed with nimble turns. It was just such a turn that clinched the top spot in Sunday's $40,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix, sponsored by Audi. Beisel was able...

Todd Minikus (Tom Von Kap-Herr) Bromont, Canada - The 2014 International Bromont’s final event, the World Cup Qualifier, ended with American riders dominatin, as they took seven of the top ten places, including the Top 5. Victory for Todd Minikus Designed for testing both the technical and athletic abilities of participating riders, the course created by Venezualian Leopoldo Palacios, comprised 13 obstacles for 16 efforts in a time allowed of 93 seconds. Only five pairs entered...

Adrienne Lyle & Wizard (Shannon Brinkman Photo) Aachen, Germany - Adrienne Lyle and Laura Graves closed out a strong American effort in dressage competition at CHIO Aachen by tying for 10th in Sunday’s CDIO5* Deutsche Bank Prize. The two members of the Short List for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games U.S. Dressage Team both score 76.900%. Lyle (Ketchum, Idaho) and Peggy Thomas’ 15-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Wizard, earned high marks for their music and interpretation...

Lexington, Ky. - A team of three U.S. drivers and two individuals are set to take on the challenge at the 2014 FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships for Singles. Taking place at The Royal Estate in Sandringham, England, the championships will run from June 27-29. Virginia "Boo" Fitch, Bob Giles, and Diane Kastama will represent the U.S. in the team competition, while Mary Gray and Giles with a second horse will compete as individuals. Marie de Ronde will serve as Chef d'Equipe,...

Darragh Kenny and Prof de la Roque (The Book LLC) North Salem, N.Y. - It's been a good week for Darragh Kenny. He captured his third victory at the 2014 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows in the $35,000 New York Welcome Stake, this time on Postage Stamp Farm's Prof de la Roque. The pair went first in a 14-horse jump-off to win over McLain Ward, who placed second and third on Zander and HH Cannavaro, respectively. The $35,000 New York Welcome Stake had 48 entries, and 14 were clear to the...

Lexington, Ky. – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce that Boyd Martin has been awarded a Land Rover Grant to compete at the Luhmuhlen CCI4* in Luhmuhlen, Germany, June 12-15, 2014. Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) will ride the Shamwari 4 Syndicate LLC’s Shamwari 4. Shamwari 4 is a 2002 Hanoverian gelding. Martin, the winner of the 2003 Adelaide CCI4*, relocated to the U.S. in 2007 from his native Australia and in 2009 began riding under the American flag....

Ben Maher and Cella (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - he world's best battled it out at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Saturday night with a one-two finish for Great Britain in the $125,000 Fidelity investments® Grand Prix CSI 3* at the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Ben Maher and Scott Brash, the top two ranked riders in the world, finished on top of an impressive field of horses and riders in an exciting ten-horse jump-off. Maher, the...

Susan Hutchinson and Sig Excel (Captured Moment Photography) Del Mar, Calif. - Large turn-outs for jumper classes kept the Del Mar Arena busy, and riders had to be exceptionally fast and accurate to finish in the ribbons in these highly competitive classes. Performance Working Hunters at both 3.3 and 3.6 also saw large classes and exacting competition. As the 1.35m Jumper Classic got underway this evening, 42 riders including veteran show jumping stars Will Simpson, Rich Fellers, Hugh Mutch,...