Shane Sweetnam and Solerina (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - - The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) kicked off its week of CSIO competition on Wednesday with a $5,000 Welcome Stake, held as two classes, with afternoon and evening sessions. The day session saw a win for Ireland's Shane Sweetnam aboard Solerina. The night session was won by Chile's Samuel Parot and Al Calypso. FTI WEF week eight, sponsored by G&C Farm, runs February 26-March 2, 2014, featuring...

Ben Maher and Diva (Phelps Media Group, Inc.) Wellington, Fla. - The sun was getting low in the sky at the Ridge at Wellington as Britain's Olympic Gold Medalist Ben Maher entered the Grand Prix Field. Aboard his most recent mount Diva, Maher, the number two ranked rider in the Longines World Rankings, tackled the track and climbed to the top of the leader board for today's 1.40m Wellington Turf Tour. It was a moment that marked a solid beginning for the pair-their first win as a team....

Adrienne Sternlicht and Quidam MB (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla - Equestrian Sport Productions hosted the first day of competition for the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) on Wednesday with a full schedule of hunter, jumper and equitation competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, Fla. The day kicked off with a win in the International Arena for 20-year-old Adrienne Sternlicht (USA) of Greenwich, Conn., riding Quidam MB in the...

Buck Davidson and Petite Flower, winners of the CCI3* at the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event. (Amy McCool photo) Temecula, Calif. - Almost nothing about the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event worked out like Buck Davidson expected. Except that he came here from Pennsylvania to win the CCI3*, and he did, on Petite Flower, scoring 59.2 penalties. Jolie Wentworth rode GoodKnight to second place (59.7) and Liz Halliday-Sharp rode HHS Cooley to third place (61.6). Davidson also...

Emma Kurtz and True Love (Shawn McMillen Photography) Washington, D.C. - Young riders competed in the WIHS Pony Equitation Finals at the Washington International Horse Show Sunday afternoon with a win going to 13-year-old Emma Kurtz of Hudson, OH, riding True Love. Trained by Amanda Lyerly and Mike Rheinheimer, Kurtz scored an 86 over fences and moved from second to first with her ride in the work-off under saddle to take the lead. She was presented The Jane Marshall Dillon Memorial Perpetual...

Woodside, California -D ebbie Rosen and The Alchemyst overtook Lauren Billys and Ballingowan Ginger to win the CIC3* at the Woodside International Horse Trials, presented by Professional’s Choice, Equine Insurance of California and Sunsprite Warmbloods. Rosen incurred 4.0 time penalties, for a final tally of 58.5, while Billys finished with 8.4 time penalties, for a final tally of 59.4, to relinquish the lead she’d gained in the first two phases on Friday. Helen Bouscaren rode Ben...

The Southern Methodist and New Mexico State teams opened their seasons on Thursday at SMU’s home field, BuckBranch Farm. It was SMU’s first ever competition with a western team, and that squad held its own. SMU took horsemanship 3-2 while the Aggies earned a 4-1 win in reining. The four points that they earned helped the Mustangs earn a season opening 10-9 win. "The win means a lot in our debut as a united team (with western and hunt seat),"said interim SMU head coach Natalie Burton....

Shane Sweetnam and Solerina (The Book LLC 2013) North Salem, NY - The 2013 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W returned to the picturesque Old Salem Farm Wednesday to kick-off the week-long international jumping competition featuring the world's top athletes. Thanks to phenomenal reviews from 2012, a large number of entries created a section split for the day's main event on the Grand Prix Field: the $8,000 Danbury Porsche Audi 1.40m Open Jumper class. During the first section, it was...

David Oliynyk and Generous rode to the top of the $15,000 NEHJA 3'3" Hunter Derby Finals during the Fieldstone Summer Showcase II (Kendall Bierer/PMG) Halifax, MA - Under sunny skies and beautiful New England conditions the $15,000 NEHJA 3'3" Hunter Derby Finals, presented by GGT Footing, featured the top horse and rider combinations from across the country. Besting a field of 40 competitors during the Fieldstone Summer Showcase II, David Oliynyk and Generous led the field from start to...

Brittini Raflowitz cleaned up Chicago on the final day of Equifest I with the $7,500 Cavalor High Junior/Amateur-Owner victory aboard Zacca Zoeloe, riding to the second place with KT Undercover (Ashley N. Williams) Wayne, IL - The final day of Equifest I opened to cloudless skies and strong jumper competition as the Junior and Amateur-Owner Jumpers took the spotlight in the Grand Prix Arena at the Lamplight Equestrian Center. Brittini Raflowitz rode to her fourth major win of the week, this...