Christine McCrea and Avenir on their way to a two-for-two weekend at HITS Saugerties. (©ESI Photography) Saugerties, NY – Christine McCrea finished the first week of spring competition at HITS Saugerties with a hot hand. After piloting Candy Tribble & Windsor Show Stables’ Avenir to the blue in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, McCrea rose to the occasion again for Sunday’s $50,000 EMO Grand Prix and cashed another winner’s check....

Current Standings The third qualifier at Showpark's Ranch & Coast Classic hosted thirty-seven horse and rider combinations - the largest group of entries to date. With almost half the class going clean, sixth to go in the jump-off, Nick Haness aboard the fabulous mare Zeppelien (Kendall Perrin, owner), set a blazing time that couldn't be beat. "We decided to give it a try at the first qualifier - it was definitely the biggest course she had done since we imported her. She was...

Kristen Bumpus and Cupid (Phelps Media Group) Halifax, MA - The first day of the Fieldstone Spring Festival welcomed the top riders in the nation to the new and improved Fieldstone Show Park. After an overhaul, the Fieldstone Show Park kicked off the first day of the weeklong show with thrilling hunter and jumper competition. David Oliynyk rode to the top of the 1.15m Jumpers, while Kristen Bumpus piloted Cupid to the top of the ranks during the 1.25m Schooling Jumpers as she tackled the course...

Note to Self: 1. Prepare classical instructor that you will be appearing before him in western tack and riding an Appaloosa stallion, NOT your third level Westfalen import and 2. Don’t ride in a clinic without a photographer A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…. I got a book from the library called The Schooling of the Western Horse by John Richard Young. It was published in 1945 (practically the dark ages) and outlined progressive training for western horses. Critically...

Beezie Madden Holds the Rolex/FEI World Cup Trophy High (Rebecca Walton/Phelps Media Group) Gothenburg, Sweden - The 2013 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final came to an exciting yet familiar conclusion Sunday in front of a packed house in the Scandinavum Arena. In the first of two rounds Course Designer Uliano Vezzani tested 23 horse and rider combinations over a demanding track composed of 12 obstacles that did not yield a single clear round. The number of competitors was then whittled to 17 for the 11...

Heather Blitz and Paragon (Susan J. Stickle) Wellington, FL - Blitz and Paragon finished first in the FEI Grand Prix Special CDIO 3* with a 72.313%, narrowly beating fellow American Cesar Parra and Van the Man who finished second with a 72.208%. Shelly Francis (USA) and Doktor rounded out the top three with a final score of 70.646%. Judges for the class were: Linda Zang at E, Anne Gribbons at H, Mirabel Alonso at C, Joan Macartney at M, and Evi Eisenhardt at B. The three-day, three-test format...

Shelly Francis and Danilo (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, FL - Shelly Francis (USA) and Danilo clinched another FEI Prix St Georges victory on Friday afternoon with a score of 72.579% in the class presented by Peacock Ridge. Francis and Danilo were the only pair to break 70% in the class of nearly twenty competitors. Judges for the class were: Cesar Torrente at E, Stephen Clarke at H, Anne Gribbons at C, Lilo Fore at M, and Raphael Saleh at B. Brittany Fraser (CAN) and All In secured a second...

Daniel Bluman and Apardi (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - The $20,000 Adequan 8-Year-Old Jumper Classic Final was the last class of the day with a win for Colombia's Daniel Bluman and Apardi, a KWPN stallion by Corland x Kannan, owned by Ricardo & Alberto Simhon. Sixty-seven entries showed in the class with 12 clear rounds to advance to the jump-off where only three were able to jump double clear. Bluman and Apardi completed the short course in the winning 39.640 seconds. Laura Kraut and...

Lillie Keenan and Clearway (Sportfot) Wellington, FL - Fifteen-year-old Lillie Keenan rode to victory in the 6th Annual George Morris Excellence in Equitation Championship, presented by Alessandro Albanese, during week eleven of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Keenan, of New York City, piloted Heritage Farms' Clearway to a score of 89 during round one before upping the ante in round two with an astounding 98.5. Keenan was in second with a total score of 187.5 going...

Rachel Boggus and Cassino Z (Anne Gittins Photography) Wellington, FL - Rachel Boggus and Cassino Z finished first in the Ariat National Adult Medal class during week eleven of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). The pair was ranked fourth with a score of 79 going into the test but secured their victory with a final score of 88. The top four called back for the test included week ten winner Sara Ballinger aboard Wanderprinz, who finished second with a final score of 87....