Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP), the manager of the Winter Equestrian Festival, has released the finalized dates for the competitions commencing on January 13 and running through April 4, 2010. As in the past two years, the Festival will feature 12 weeks of AA USEF competition showcasing some of the world's top Olympic riders and awarding major prize money at one of the premiere equestrian facilities in the world. Once again, the Festival will feature the Battle of the Sexes, the Nations Cup...

Spectators were treated to a spectacular display of harmony between athlete and rider with a one day equestrian vaulting demonstration competition during the 2009 Adequan FEI North American Junior/Young Rider Championsip Presented by Gotham North. Top Equestrian Vaulters from the US and Canada competed for honors with their Freestyle and Technical routines in the Van Lennep Indoor Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. This marks the first time that Equestrian Vaulting was included in the...

The United States contingent was a force to be reckoned with at the Exquis World Dressage Masters finale in Hickstead, Great Britain. The CDI*** and CDI***** events took place July 23-26, running concurrently with the Longines Royal International Horse Show. Thursday saw the start of grand prix action with the CDI*** Grand Prix taking center stage. The U.S.’s Catherine Haddad and Kenneth Dryby put in dominant performances, finishing first and second respectively. Haddad’s winning ways continued...

Marydell Farm is pleased to announce that its stallion Don Principe will now be trained and ridden by Olympian Courtney King-Dye. The 10-year-old Hanoverian by Donnerhall out of a Prince Thatch xx dam, SPS Papagena, has been trained and ridden by Jim Koford of Raleigh, NC, since his arrival in the USA at age six. Throughout their partnership, Don Principe and Koford gathered many honors along the way, including several championships, both regional and BLM, including a triple at the 2008 BLM...

HITS, Inc., is pleased to announce the dates for the 2010 HITS Desert Circuit, held at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, CA. The horse show circuit will run for six weeks and will also include an off week. There will be four World Cup qualifiers during the circuit, and it will feature special classes for riders of all levels in equitation, hunters, and jumpers. An added bonus for exhibitors this year is special circuit pricing packages, which will help exhibitors make their showing plans....

Team USA- North Central put in a comanding performance to take the Gold medal (Sportfot.com) Lexington, KY—Don’t let the “Free Hugs” sign pasted on the front of the team golf cart for the Reining Team USA-North Central fool you, this team came to the SmartPak™ FEI North American Young Rider Reining Championships to win - and win big they did. Securing the Team Gold in a very strong field, Team USA- North Central edged their rivals out for the top podium position....

Nicole DelGiorno and Lamborghini Dane (Flashpoint Photography) Lexington, KY—The 2009 Adequan FEI North American Junior Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North went out rocking with the Junior freestyle dressage tests. The top 15 Juniors came back to perform their choreographed routines in the USDF/Platinum Performance North American Junior & Young Rider Dressage Championships, and the crowds cheered them on under sunny Kentucky skies. After the scores were tallied, Nicole...

Lexington, KY —Equipped with a new indoor facility, six strong teams and some of the most outstanding reining horses in North America, the SmartPak™ North American Young Rider Reining Championships came to an emotional and suspenseful close today with the prestigious Individual competition. For only the second time in history, the championships has declared an Individual Gold medalist in Darcy Wilson of Glenwood, Ontario, Canada, who stood on guard for her beloved Canada while...

Maxance McManamy and Beacon Hill (Brant Gamma Photographery) Lexington, KY —Both the Team and Individual medals were decided today in three-day eventing as both the CCI** and CCI* riders returned to the arena to complete their show jumping test in the USEA North American Junior & Young Rider Eventing Championships. The leader board was shuffled on the cross-country course, so the Gold medal was up for grabs. Today was the final day of competition as show jumping wrapped up at the 2009...

Individual show jumping medalists Joelle Froese, Jennifer Waxman and Lucy Davis (Sportfot.com) Lexington, KY—The audience was in for a treat as both Junior and Young Riders laid it all on the line and put on a show during the CN North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by USHJA. In the juniors, it took two separate jump-offs to decide the winners of the Individual show jumping medals and all four horses and riders jumped their hearts out in an attempt to reign...