Gladstone, N.J. - The 2013 Platinum Performance/USEF Talent Search Finals East officially got underway on Saturday at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation Headquarters with competitors completing the first two phases of competition. In the morning, judges Ronnie Beard and Anne Kursinski tested riders on the flat in the Dick and Jane Brown Arena and in the afternoon competitors returned to demonstrate their skill over a gymnastics course. At the end of the first day of competition, Lillie Keenan...

Armani and Madeline Schaefer (Shawn McMillen Photography) Upper Marlboro, MD – Saturday of Capital Challenge Horse Show highlights the country's young rider talent with championships for pony, junior and children’s pony hunters. The Grand Pony Hunter Championship was awarded to Madeline Schaefer on Armani. Ashley Foster on Sin City and Samantha Sommers riding Small Affair picked up the top tricolors in the Small and Large 16-17 Hunters, respectively, while Sienna Pilla was the...

Woodside, California -D ebbie Rosen and The Alchemyst overtook Lauren Billys and Ballingowan Ginger to win the CIC3* at the Woodside International Horse Trials, presented by Professional’s Choice, Equine Insurance of California and Sunsprite Warmbloods. Rosen incurred 4.0 time penalties, for a final tally of 58.5, while Billys finished with 8.4 time penalties, for a final tally of 59.4, to relinquish the lead she’d gained in the first two phases on Friday. Helen Bouscaren rode Ben...

Chester Weber in the Bowl hazard at the Kentucky Classic CDE (Pics of You) After a narrow victory in the marathon, Chester Weber is poised to earn a record setting tenth National Championship. Weber (Ocala, Florida) was first four-in-hand driver on the marathon course with the team of his own and Jane Clark's Boris, Splash, Boy W, and Ultra. To the delight of a flock fans following him from hazard to hazard, he proved to be the day's best. Weber's 98.40 gave him a slight edge over...

Leslie Berndl (Pics of You) Lexington, KY – A good crowd turned out at the Kentucky Horse Park Saturday to watch the marathon phase of the Kentucky Classic CDE. When the driving was done and the spectators had left Leslie Berndl had taken a big step into the lead in the single horse division. Berndl (Newcastle, California) started off hot Saturday morning with Dutch Warmblood gelding Umico and her consistent driving over the entire course helped her take the lead in the division. Berndl...

Liza Boyd and Crack On (Shawn McMillen Photography) pper Marlboro, MD – Professional riders gain points all year in order to be the top six in the country and qualify for the WCHR Professional Finals, sponsored by the John R. Ingram Fund, at the Capital Challenge Horse Show. This year, the top six were Liza Boyd, Kelley Farmer, John French, Peter Pletcher, Amanda Steege, and Scott Stewart, and it was Liza Boyd who finished the competition with top honors. In the afternoon session, Haleigh...

Haleigh Landrigan and Acovibu (Shawn McMillen Photography) Upper Marlboro, Maryland - The ARIAT National Adult Medal Finals welcomed 29 competitors in today's competition. Since it's inception in 1994, the ARIAT National Adult Medal has given adult riders the opportunity to compete in a competitive equitation class over fences 3' in height. The classes are held at select shows across the country and riders collect points to qualify for the Finals. The top 10 from the first round...

Woodside, California - Lauren Billys, of Sanger, Calif., guided Ballingowan Ginger to a four-fault show jumping round to grab the lead (51.0) in the CIC3* at the Woodside International Horse Trials. Debbie Rosen, of Calabasas, Calif., stands second on The Alchemyst (54.5), and Jolie Wentworth, of Crockett, Calif., stands third on Good Knight (58.2). The Woodside International Horse Trials are the first event in the 2013/2014 season of the Adequan/USEA Gold Cup Series. Billys, 25, and...

Porto Alegre, Brazil - The U.S. jumped to a joint third place finish on Friday afternoon in Porto Alegre CSIO4*’s FEI Nations Cup. The team of Catherine Pasmore, Meghan Nusz, Derek Braun, and Kent Farrington completed the first round in third place on 13 faults and held their position in round two finishing on a total of 29 faults to tie with the team from Argentina. Finishing in first place was Brazil, with Venezuela collecting second place honors and Canada finishing in fifth. Leading...

Lexington, Ky - The following pony-and-driver combinations have been named by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) to represent the U.S. at the 2013 FEI Pony World Driving Championships in Pau, France, October 31-November 3. Single Pony The following two combinations will represent the U.S. in the Single Pony division: Paul Maye (Fairfield, Va.) will drive Harmony Sporthorses’ Markus Markus is a 2001 American Sport Pony stallion Tracey Morgan (Beallsville, Md.) will drive her...