Blueberry Hill (Shawn McMillen Photography) Lexington, Ky. - The US Hunter Pony Championships presented by Sallee Horse Vans, held as part of the US Pony Finals, came to a close on Saturday under intermittently rainy skies at the Kentucky Horse Park. Regular Medium Hunter Ponies went to task in the Walnut Ring in their Over Fences phase to determine the 2014 Champion. Taylor St. Jacques and Finders-Keepers emerged victorious on Saturday afternoon but it was Thursday’s champion, Blueberry...

Chris Ewanouski and Cortina (Rebecca Walton/Phelps Media Group) Lexington, Ky. - All eyes were on the up-and-coming horses of the future in the Rolex Stadium today as they vied for winning honors in the 7 & 8-Year-Old Jumpers and the 6-Year-Old Jumpers. Chris Ewanouski captured the first blue ribbon with his 8-year-old mount Cortina, while amateur rider Joyce Green piloted Cassidy to the top prize in the 6-Year-Old Jumpers. Great Britain's Richard Jeffries designed the track for the 7...

McLain Ward and Dulien Van De Smeets fly to a win (©ESI Photography) Saugerties, N.Y. - When McLain Ward climbed down from the tack of Dulien Van De Smeets after winning the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix presented by Zoetis, he didn’t look for congratulations, but marched straight to the mare’s owner, his godmother. Susie Heller stood clutching a winner’s trophy and was scooped up by Ward’s embrace. Every win is special, but this was divinely special. This week marked the...

Aachen, Germany - Six members of the Short List for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games U.S. Dressage Team took their first steps in competition on Wednesday and Thursday, performing the FEI Grand Prix Test at the prestigious CHIO Aachen, where they are joined by Kathleen Raine. Laura Graves, Adrienne Lyle, Caroline Roffman, and Tina Konyot represented the U.S. in the Lambertz FEI Nations Cup, held as part of the CDIO5* competition, on Thursday, while Shelly Francis, Lisa Wilcox, and...

Lainie Wimberly and Choco Mousse jump to victory in the $5,000 NEHJA Hunter Derby on July 10 at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, Vt. - Lainie Wimberly rode Choco Mousse to the first hunter derby victory of the horse’s career, taking home the blue ribbon the $5,000 NEHJA Hunter Derby held Thursday evening, July 10, at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. Wimberly stood in second place following the first round of...

Amanda Hurd (Waltenberry) Lexington, Ky. - The top youth reiners in the U.S. went head-to-head on June 28 at the State Fair Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla., to stake their claim on coveted National Titles in the Adequan/USEF Youth Reining National Championship. At the competition held in conjunction with the NRHA Derby, Amanda Hurd claimed top honors in the 14-18 division, while Emmy-Lu Marsh earned the 13 & Under crown. Hurd (Wilmington, Del.) and Mark Hurd’s 11-year-old Quarter Horse...

Nicolas Pizarro Suarez of MEX riding Colasko (Spruce Meadows Media Service) Calgary, Alberta – The ‘Canada One’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows concluded on Sunday with a win for Mexico’s Nicolas Pizarro Suarez and Colasko in the $125,000 Imperial Challenge 1.55m in the Meadows on the Green. Will Simpson (USA) and Geledimar were victorious in the $33,500 West Canadian Cup 1.50m earlier in the day. Cristina Larangeiro of Portugal was the course designer for Sunday’s...

Darragh Kenny of IRL riding Alpha VDL (Spruce Meadows Media Service) Calgary, Alberta – The ‘Canada One’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows continued on Saturday featuring the $33,500 McDaniel & Associates Cup 1.55m with a win for Ireland’s Darragh Kenny and Alpha VDL. The small margin of six one-thousandths of a second separated Kenny from second place finisher Kirsten Coe (USA) aboard Czardas 30. The $8,000 Francis Family Cup 1.45m was also held in the Chinook Ring in...

Theo Genn and Asirea Fortuna led the way in the 1.30m Open Jumpers on the second day of the Showplace Spring Spectacular III.(Phelps Media Gorup) Wayne, Ill . - For the Genn family, the Showplace Spring Spectacular series is a family affair. Kicking off the second day of the third week was Theo Genn with Asirea Fortuna in the $2,500 1.30m Open Jumpers, sponsored by Canterbury Farms, taking the victory in 27.626 seconds. Shortly after, Wilhelm Genn rode to the top of the leader board in the...

Steffen Peters & Laura Graves are #1 and #2 on the Dressage Short List for WEG in 2014 (Susan J. Stickle) Lexington, Ky. - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named eight horse-and-athlete combinations to the Short List for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games U.S. Dressage Team. Mandatory Outings will be held for Short Listed combinations at CDI4* Fritzens in Fritzens, Austria, July 4-7, and CDIO5* Aachen in Aachen, Germany, July 15-20. The following eight...