Lexington, KY - August 14, 2010 - Saturday was yet another hot and humid day at the Kentucky Horse Park as junior riders competed in day five of 2010 United States Equestrian Federation Pony Finals National Championships. The Large Pony Hunter over fences class started out this morning’s competition with 102 entries to compete over Bobby Murphy’s course in the Walnut Arena. Riders competed in reverse order of the point standings after the model and under saddle phases. During the class,...

Tina Konyot and Calecto V (SusanJStickle.com Photo) Gladstone, NJ – Tina Konyot closed out the 2010 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Grand Prix National Dressage Championship in impressive fashion to sweep the four legs of competition and stamp herself and Calecto V and win her very first National Grand Prix Championship. Konyot (Palm City, FL) and Calecto rocked to music by KT Tunstall and brought the full house down to Black Horse and the Cherry Tree at the USEF Foundation Headquarters. Over four...

Kayce Redmond and Latino (SusanJStickle.com Photo) Gladstone, NJ – The final championship of the 2010 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions showcased some of the most exciting up-and-coming Grand Prix riders in the country. The ‘Brentina Cup’ for riders between the ages of 22-28 was designed to bridge the gap between the Young Rider ranks and the Grand Prix. Named for the legendary US Team horse, Brentina and donated by her owners Peggy and Parry Thomas, this division is designed to...

Jamie Pestana and Winzalot (SusanJStickle.com) Gladstone, NJ – The USEF National Junior Dressage Championship was the second Championship to be completed during the two weekends of the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions and the top three places remained unchanged from the first leg of the championship. That meant that Jamie Pestana (Livermore, CA) and Winzalot defended their lead and swept both tests to score another convincing victory. This pair has won across the...

Randi Muster (Meredith "Maddy" Darst and Highlands Make Believe were named Medium Pony Grand Champions.) Lexington, KY - August 13, 2010 - It was another hot day at the Kentucky Horse Park, but that did not slow down the exciting competition at the 2010 United States Equestrian Federation Pony Finals National Championships. The top ponies and riders gathered at the Walnut Ring to showcase their talent. The pony action began with the Large Pony Hunter model and under saddle phases, and was...

Meagan Davis and Bentley (SusanJStickle.com Photo) Gladstone, NJ – The second Saturday of the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions proved to be one of the busiest days of the six day championship. Three different USEF National Championships took place in the Dick and Jane Brown Dressage Arena at the USET Foundation Headquarters. The National Young Rider Dressage Championship kicked it off and three superstar Young Riders swept into the top three places after the first half...

Jamie Pestana and Winzalot (SusanJStickle.com Photo) Gladstone, NJ – Tina Konyot (Palm Beach City, FL) had a lock on the National Grand Prix Dressage Championship over the first weekend, winning both the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special handily. She made it very clear in the Grand Prix on Friday of the second weekend that she wasn’t going to give up her top spot without a fight. Her score of 71.319% with her beloved Calecto V was a reward from another consistent performance for the pair...

Randi Muster (Meredith "Maddy" Darst and Elation.) Lexington, KY - August 13, 2010 - The third day of competition got underway Thursday in the Walnut Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park during the 2010 United States Equestrian Federation Pony Finals National Championships. The event began with the model and under saddle phases for the Medium Pony Hunter division and was followed by the over fences phase for the Small Pony Hunter division to determine the Overall Small Pony Hunter Grand Champion....

David Mullinix Photography (Hillary Dobbs of Sussex, NJ, riding Marengo won the $30,000 Manchester & The Mountains Grand Prix, Presented by Hand Motors, on Sunday, August 8) East Dorset, Vermont — Hillary Dobbs, 22, of Sussex, NJ, and her mount, Marengo, capped off week five at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT, by successfully defending their title in the $30,000 Manchester & The Mountains Grand Prix, Presented by Hand Motors, on Sunday, August 8. The win by Dobbs and Marengo...

Randi Muster (Victoria Colvin and Seven Steps) Lexington, KY - August 11, 2010 - Competition continued Wednesday at the 2010 United States Equestrian Federation Pony Finals National Championships held at the beautiful Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. The Green Pony Hunter divisions came to a close as they wrapped-up their two days of competition with the over fences phase under the hot August sun. Later in the day, the Small Pony Hunter division got underway with their model and under...