John French and Sochi on their way to a blue ribbon and the Scott Wilson Perpetual Trophy in the $2,500 Pre-Green Hunter Championship 3' (ESI Photography) Thermal, Calif. - Over the past two weeks, the National Sunshine Series Hunter Rings have seen amazing competition. Friday afternoon’s Pre-Green Hunter Championships established a pleasant atmosphere that continued throughout the weekend. Familiar faces topped the leaderboards, albeit many of them aboard new horses. Alex Wilson is new...

Savanah Stuart and Andover ( The Book LLC) Upper Marlboro, Md. - In her last junior year, Savanah Stuart made the trip to the East Coast from her home in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., a worthwhile one. She and Andover won the Children's Hunter 15-17 division, sponsored by The Rizvi Family, with two firsts and a second place. Those top ribbons gave them the Grand Children's Hunter Championship, sponsored by Mary Jane King, and Stuart was presented with the Laura Pickett Memorial Trophy,...

Upper Marlboro, Md. – Ponies ruled Saturday at The Capital Challenge Horse Show, presented by The Gochman Family. Kurtz (14) of Hudson, Ohio., rode to the top of the Pony Hunters on David Gochman's Valor. They were the Large Pony Hunter champions, and with two firsts, two seconds, and a fourth under saddle, and received the Grand Pony Hunter Championship, sponsored by Ali Sweetnam and Sweet Oak Farm. They were awarded the VanderMoore Designs Trophy, donated by VanderMoore Designs....

Kelley Farmer and Mindful (Tricia Booker/USHJA Archives) Upper Marlboro, Md. - The top six hunter riders in the country went head to head over three rounds Friday at The Capital Challenge Horse Show, and Kelley Farmer took the top spot. The WCHR Pro Finals used the same three-round format as last year. Riders switched on two donated horses for the first two rounds, then brought a horse of their own for the third and final handy round. In the first round, the high score went to Sandy Ferrell on...

Lisa Goldman and Morocco sped to the top of the $10,000 Welcome Stake in 32.842 seconds during the Showplace Productions Fall Classic Championship. (Phelps Media Group) Wayne, Ill. - The air was crisp and the horses fresh as the Showplace Fall Classic Championship Horse Show got underway at the Lamplight Equestrian Center. The LUXMAX USA Grand Prix Ring was alive with action early in the morning with the Young Jumper Championships, but the heat turned up later in the day when riders faced off...

Caroline Ingalls aboard Y2K (Captured Moments Photography) Del Mar, Calif. - The Showpark Summer Classic hosted the second rounds of the California Professional Horseman's Association (CPHA) Foundation Finals on Sunday, wrapping up the three sections of competition. Divided into 22 & over, 21 & under, and 14 & under age divisions, riders of all ages brought their medal finals game to Del Mar this weekend. Esteemed judges Robin Fairclough and Scott Williamson scored, tested and...

Scott Stewart and Remarkable during their smooth winning round (A.Glavan/Phelps Media Group) Lexington, Ky. - Through three rounds of the 2014 USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Championship, the horse at the top of the pack changed, but the rider stayed the same. Winning the first round and coming back on top in the final was Scott Stewart, capturing the championship with the most eye-catching of his seven mounts, Remarkable. "I love young horses and bringing them along," Stewart said. "So I think this...

Traverse City, Mich. - When Rachel Boggus stepped into the Horse Shows by the Bay Grand Prix Ring for the first round of the HJAM Adult Medal Final on July 26, she was on a mission. Not only did she seek to do her best in the class, but she also wanted to push herself to escape her comfort zone. In the end, she accomplished both goals. Boggus, 32, of Indianapolis, Indiana, topped the three-phase final and also gained valuable experience toward her quest to win the Ariat Adult Medal Finals this...

Traverse City, Mich. - The best proved to be the last after a thrilling jump-off during the $40,000 Grand Traverse Bay Grand Prix, held as the featured jumper class on July 13 at Horse Shows by the Bay. Michael Dorman had that envious position in the 14-horse jump-off, and he used it to his advantage aboard Zephyr, the same horse he rode to top honors during the $40,000 Grand Prix of Traverse City last week. "I changed my plan a little bit after I saw the last few go," he said. "I figured...

Kaely Tomeu and Fidalgo Van Het Leliehof receive their awards from James Zulia (Cameron Green Media) Travers City, Mich. - With the United States Navy's Flight Demonstration squadron Blue Angels flying in the background during the $10,000 Great Lakes Golf Cars SHJOF High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, speed was the name of the game today at Horse Shows by the Bay. And, after 10 of the 20 entries jumped clear in the first round, Kaely Tomeu and Fidalgo Van Het Leliehof flew to the...