Del Mar, Calif. - With 43 competitors in the World Cup Qualifier, a thick competition of world-class athletes faced off on a course designed by Bernardo Cabral, from Portugal. Harrie Smolders (McCool Photography) The course for the Rancho Valencia World Cup Grand Prix was a lovely mixture of lines and combinations with many tight roll back turns. "The course looked challenging, but fun," commented a spectator of Cabral's creation. The course allowed 10 into a tough jump-off, which included...

Washington, D.C. - The 2014 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) continued on Thursday with the first day of classes for the Junior Hunters and several International Jumper and Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper classes at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The show continues through Sunday, October 26, with much more exciting action throughout the weekend, including Friday night’s $25,000 Puissance, presented by The Boeing Company, and Saturday night’s $125,000 President’s Cup...

North Salem, N.Y. - Rewind to a month ago and Kenny had yet to even show the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse. Now a few short weeks later, the pair has racked up an impressive track record, winning all four of their last four attempts. "He's an amazing horse," Kenny said. "He just keeps winning all the time. It's unbelievable." With three wins with Kenny already under his belt, today's 1.60m track, set on the beautiful grass field at Old Salem Farm, served as the next big test for...

Boyd Martin and Shamwari 4 (Shannon Brinkman Photo) Le Pin-au-Haras, France – The heart of the eventing discipline was on display Saturday at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games with the cross country phase taking center stage at Le Pin National Stud in Le Pin-au-Haras, France. The FEI World Team and Individual Eventing Championship saw 87 combinations set out on a world championship-caliber 5,982m, 33-obstacle cross country course designed by Pierre Michelet (FRA). Due to wet...

The endurance race at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games kicked off at 7:00 a.m.local time on Friday, as 165 horse-and-rider combinations headed out on the five-loop track, all hoping to be the first to finish at the end of the day. A sloppy trail from rain all week tested teams’ strategies and riding tactics, resulting in numerous problems throughout the day. On Thursday, the U.S. was represented by Ellen Olson, Jeremy Olson, Heather Reynolds, Jeremy Reynolds, and Kelsey Russell....

Sartilly, France - The endurance race at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games kicked off at 7:00 a.m.local time on Friday, as 165 horse-and-rider combinations headed out on the five-loop track, all hoping to be the first to finish at the end of the day. A sloppy trail from rain all week tested teams’ strategies and riding tactics, resulting in numerous problems throughout the day. On Thursday, the U.S. was represented by Ellen Olson, Jeremy Olson, Heather Reynolds, Jeremy Reynolds,...

This article originally published at en.hipico.gijon.es/ Gijon, Spain - American rider Quentin Judge won the first big class in the 2014 CSIO Gijón with HH Copin van de Broy on Thursday. Without penalties, the chronometer stopped at 49,55 seconds for Judge. The Venezuelan Andrés Rodriguez finished second (51,67 seconds) with Darlon van Groenhove. Meanwhile, Georgina Bloomberg and Juvina got the third position 5,137 spectators were present to witness this first class in Las Mestas....

Lexington, Ky. - The United States has high hopes of strong finishes in European CSIO5* Nations Cup competition this week, as they field teams in both Hickstead, England, and Gijon, Spain. In Friday’s Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup of Great Britain presented by Longines at CSIO5* Hickstead, the U.S. sends a veteran team into competition. McLain Ward, Reed Kessler, Margie Engle, and Beezie Madden look to showcase the form that earned them spots on the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Short List...

Glock, Austria - Those who were present Saturday at the CSI5* competition in the Glock , were able to witness a true show-jumping spectacle. 38 top athletes entered the 1.55 m high world ranking jumping competition aiming for victory. The path to it was a one-off jump off and the quality of the top-notch starting group was proven in the moment of ruling. No fewer than 23 duos were able to really speed it up once more in the shortened course. And suspense lingered till the end, since one...

The Plains, Va. - Great Meadow is set to host elite eventing combinations July 26th and 27th as the Squad for the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and alternates take part in their official Preparation Event. The U.S. combinations will be joined Canadian horses and riders as they too will use the weekend to fine tune performances in the lead up to Normandy. Dressage will take place Saturday morning, with all combinations coming back in the evening to...