Matthew Johnson and Petersborg's Qasanova (SusanJStickle.com provided by Matthew Johnson) Lexington, Ky. - Verden, Germany is set to host the 2014 FEI World Breeding Championships for Dressage Young Horses this weekend, August 6-10. The United States will look for a strong finish in the five-year-old championship as Matthew Johnson and Petersborg’s Qasanova fly the U.S. flag. Johnson (Lake Worth, Fla.) and his Dutch Warmblood stallion (Quaterback x Kajana I/Calypso II) qualified to...

Waco, Tex. – The National Collegiate Equestrian Association has hired Rob Peterson, Consulting Associate for CarrSports Consulting, LLC, and former Senior Associate AD at South Dakota State University, as its Emerging Sports Consultant, NCEA President Meghan Cunningham announced Tuesday. Peterson’s duties will focus on assisting the NCEA achieve its goal of reaching NCAA Championship status. He will be the primary architect of the NCEA’s strategic plan and will author a...

Krisitan Roberts on Sir Charles (Lynne Owen/VaultingPhotos.com) Eugene, Ore . – The USEF/AVA Vaulting National Championships were held from July 31 – August 3 at the Oregon Horse Center in Eugene. It was the first time that the National Championships were held in the Pacific Northwest and, at the highest levels, featured athletes that could be representing the U.S. at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy (WEG) in just a few weeks. In the Individual Women’s Gold...

Lexington, Ky. - The 2014 US Pony Finals are ready to begin at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky. From August 5-10, over 700 ponies from across the country will compete with their youth riders in hunter, jumper, and equitation classes. Through Saturday, competition for the US Hunter Pony Championships presented by Sallee Horse Vans will take place. Riders will vie for championships in Small, Medium, and Large Regular Hunter and Green Hunter divisions. The Hunter Pony competitions are...

Kevin Babington jumps to his second grand prix win at HITS Saugerties VI (ESI Photography) Saugerties, N.Y. - Kevin Babington and Shorapur were on the brink of their second grand prix win in a row at HITS Saugerties as they approached the fifth fence of Sunday’s jump-off. They were on track to best 15 contenders when Babington’s martingale got caught on his rein. “Once I got my tack sorted out we had already added three strides,” said Babington. “I knew her...

Danielle Torano and Herault (David Mullinix Photography) East Dorset, Vt. - Danielle Torano of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, riding Herault won the $10,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame (SJHOF) High Junior-Amateur Owner Jumper Classic on Sunday, August 3, at the Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. The Torano family has had a banner weekend at the Vermont Summer Festival, with Danielle’s husband Jimmy Torano winning Saturday’s $30,000 Manchester & the Mountains Grand Prix. Torano also...

This article was originally published at www.useventing.com . Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch take the top prize for the second year in a row (Brant Gamma photo). Laine Ashker downplayed her chances of a winning the Advanced at Millbrook Horse Trials for the second year in a row all weekend, but she and Anthony Patch remained cool under pressure and rode a beautiful show jump round to defend her title in the Adequan USEA Gold Cup/PRO Tour Series. With less then two points separating Ashker from...

Isabel Coleman and Pistol (Rebecca Walton/Phelps Media Group) Lexington, Ky. - The Kentucky Summer Classic concluded with another day of perfect weather as riders gathered at the Rolex Stadium for the NAL/WIHS Adult and Children's Jumper Classics, sponsored by Johnson Horse Transportation. Isabel Coleman proved that age is just a number when she sped to victory in the Children's Jumper Classic aboard 22-year-old Pistol, and Sydney Crenshaw had the fastest jump-off of the day with Camera...

Luciana Diniz & Lady Lindenhof (Stefano Grasso/LGCT) Valkenswaard, The Netherlands - Before a buzzing VIP lounge and packed stands, the final CSI5* class of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Valkenswaard - the Prix VDL Groep - was won by one of the most popular riders on the Tour, Luciana Diniz (POR), with her golden mare Lady Lindenhof. Second went to the experienced combination of Marc Houtzager (NED) with Sterrehof’s Uppity and third to Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA) with Cocoshynsky....

Westport, Conn. - Thanks to Ariat International and the dedication of three volunteers in the Champions Equine Service program, three well-deserving charities devoted to horse welfare and the horse-human bond are receiving grants. Individuals who volunteer a minimum of 24 hours in a year for an equine charity on the EQUUS Foundation Equine Welfare Network are recognized as Champions and automatically entered into a drawing where the winners have the opportunity to select their charities to...