Eventing
Tamra Smith stormed to victory with Mar de Amor by nearly 14 points in the CIC3* at the Twin Rivers Ranch in California. The pair won the dressage and never looked back, adding just a few time faults on both the cross country and the show jumping. Their final score was 53.6. Barbara Crabo and Eveready II were second on a score of 67.3 after picking up 13.6 time faults on the cross country, and Pam Fisher and Sea Lion rounded out the top three on the strength of a clear show jumping round.
Jolie Wentworth and Governess scored a win in the CIC1*, capitalizing on a clear show jumping round to win by three-tenths of a point over Olympic Silver medalist Gina Miles, who was second on her dressage mark of 50.9 with Sunspite Patronus. Erin Kellerhouse and Parfait were third with a score of 52.4 after one rail in the final phase kept them from the top spot.
In the Revere CCI2*, the Gold medalist from the 2009 Adequan FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North won another close division on the colorful paint, Project Runway. Their final score of 54.4 gave them a narrow lead over Anna Collier and Uppercrust D, who finished on a score of 54.9. Dressage winner Lauren Billys on Ballingowan Ginger were third after picking up time faults on the cross country.
Results are available here: http://eventingscores.com/eventsr/twinriver/ht0411/
Across the country, Young Rider Nina Ligon, jumped her way to the top of her first CIC3* with Fernhill Fearless to win the Fair Hill International CIC3* on a score of 78.6. Colleen Rutledge was second in her final preparation for the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone on Dillon with a score of 86. Despite facing the soggy conditions that have plagued much of the United States, Rutledge and Dillon made light work of the jumping efforts but time faults were in order for all the competitors. Laura Vello and Winning Facts were third.
In the CIC2*, Lisa Marie Fergusson was the only rider of the 30 starters to make the optimum time on the cross country. She backed it up with a clear round in the show jumping on Smart Move to win on a score of 53.10. Alison Springer and her new ride, Alcatraz, were second on 57.70 and Phillip Dutton rode Young Man to third place on 59.2.
The CIC1* was won by the narrowest of margins. Kristen Parris and No Halo Here were second after the cross country - the only pair to finish on their dressage score (which was 51.2). Julia Wolfert added .8 time fault on the cross country and a rail in the show jumping to wind up second with Buenos Aires on 52.1, and Betina Strini rounded out the top three with Petit Filou II.
Complete results from the busy weekend are available here: http://www.evententries.com/livescoring/14648.html
Across the pond, the U.S. was represented at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials by three riders. Buck Davidson led the charge with an excellent effort - he ended up tied for 21st on BallyNoe Castle RM in a star-studded field at one of the toughest CCI4* events in the world. He added 10 time faults and one rail to his dressage score of 47.3. Kiwi legend Mark Todd won the event 31 years after he won the competition for the first time. NZB Land Vision got a classy veteran ride from Todd in the horse's first try at the level.
California rider Jennifer Wooten-DaFoe retired The Good Witch at The Head of the Lake after the veteran mare determined she didn't want to get her feet wet. U.S. veteran Karen O'Connor, after a great dressage test with Mandiba, had her day end early at the 11th jump, when she fell off after the horse stopped at the rail on top of the bank.
Results and information is available here: http://www.badminton-horse.co.uk/
Todd heads to the Rolex Kentucky CCI4* presented by Bridgestone this week to attempt to win the second leg of the Rolex Grand Slam. He will ride Grass Valley, who went well at the Kentucky Horse Park during last year's Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The U.S. riders will also be vying for National CCI4* Championship honors.
Please visit: http://www.usefnetwork.com/Rolex3Day2011/ to watch the competition live and visit the event website at www.rk3de.org.

Reining
At the Katy CRI2*, Wimpy's Little Buddy, owned by Madalyn Roberts and shown by Martin Muehlstaetter (AUS), scored a 228 ½ to win the Katy, TX reining competition on April 22.
Tom McCutcheon and Darlins Not Painted, owned by Turnabout Farm, finished with a score of 220. Craig Schmersal, riding Whizs Katrina, owned by San Juan Ranch, and The Sweet Spot, owned by Mary Jo Greiff, delivered two solid performances with scores of 221, assuring the athletes the opportunity to compete for the USA at the World Reining Finals in Malmo, Sweden, May 21, 2011.
The USA earned the right to send two entries to the FEI World Reining Finals by winning the Team Gold medal at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games last October - both McCutcheon and Schmersal were part of that victorious medal win.
Also at the Kentucky Horse Park this weekend, all four of the American Team Gold medalists from the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will contest the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup, the first CRI5* in the United States.
Tom McCutcheon, who also won Individual honors, will be back in the Alltech Arena, along with teammates Craig Schmersal, Tim McQuay and Shawn Flarida.
Watch this live on: http://usefnetwork.com/2011KYCupReining/ or visit the event website at: http://www.kentuckyreining.com/.

Vaulting
American Vaulter Annalise van Vranken was fifth in the Individual Women's competition in a very competitive field at the CVIO2* Saumur in France. Van Vranken scored 7.628 for her efforts with Idefix de Braize. The horse was lunged by Marina Dupon Joosten. The 19-year-old New Jersey veteran from the Gold medal-winning Team USA at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games held her own in tough competition as the only American representative in France.
2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Individual Gold medalist Joanne Eccles won the division convincingly, averaging a score of more than eight in both rounds for technical and artistic. The British vaulter completed a dominating effort for Team Great Britain, who also won the Nations Cup.
Complete details are available here: http://www.saumur.org/cvio/actualite-listes-et-resultats-fr.html.

For more information about the U.S. High Performance programs click here. To submit High Performance news, please e-mail: Joanie Morris.