Michael Leon continues his winning ways in the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby (Flying Horse Photography) Burbank, Calif. - Michael Leon, who earned a big check in the 2013 LEGIS Hunter Rider Bonus, is no stranger to winning. He started off the 2014 show year by dominating the $2,500 LAEC Opener USHJA National Hunter Derby at The LAEC Opener Horse Show (Jan 17-19), and if he and Freedom (Anna Sophia Lotman, owner) win a second derby together at LAEC this season, he’ll earn another...

Todd Minikus and Quality Girl (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Week three of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by Fidelity Investments®, continued on Thursday afternoon with a shared victory for Todd Minikus (USA) and Quality Girl and Tiffany Foster (CAN) and Victor in the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 3. Held in a "California Split" due to the large number of entries, the competition awarded two sets of placings, each with $34,000...

Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Divertimento (SusanJStickle.com) Wellington, Fla - Sweden's Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven continued her hot streak in Wellington on Thursday afternoon, winning the FEI Grand Prix with Divertimento during the third week of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF). Vilhelmson-Silfven took home two first place prizes with Don Auriello during the first week of AGDF and started off week three with equal success. Vilhelmson-Silfvenand Lövsta Stuteri's...

Bacardi in his winning presentation with owner Caroline Moran and ringmaster Gustavo Murcia (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Havens Schatt and Bacardi are already off to a good start in 2014. In the seven-year-old KWPN gelding's first show of his second green year, Bacardi and Schatt were champions of the Equine Tack & Nutritionals Second Year Green Working Hunter at FTI WEF on Thursday afternoon. Schatt piloted Bacardi to four blue ribbon rounds over fences and placed third in the under...

Shane Sweetnam and Cyklon 1083 (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) began its third week of competition, sponsored by Fidelity Investments®, on Wednesday, January 22, with a win for Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Spy Coast Farm LLC's Cyklon 1083 in the $34,000 G&C Farm 1.45m FEI world ranking class. Week three continues through Sunday, January 26. The week will feature the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 3 on Thursday,...

The Palmer Sisters will be one of four pas-de-deux at the FEI World Cup Final in Bordeaux (Kate Revell/VaultingPhotos.com) Lexington, Ky. - The FEI World Cup Vaulting qualifying season ended on Sunday and U.S. pas de deux vaulters Kimberly and Cassidy Palmer (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) have qualified for the FEI World Cup Vaulting Final in Bordeaux, France. Only the four best pas de deux pairs from qualifying go to the FEI World Cup Vaulting Final (six qualify in the male and female individual...

Holly Shepherd pilots Skymiles over an oxer in the covered arena in Pensacola to the Nutrena Grand Prix win Pensacola, Fla. - TThe Pensacola community flocked to the Escambia Equestrian Center last night to watch world class show jumping action in the $25,000 Nutrena Grand Prix last night during the second week of the Gulf Coast Winter Classic Pensacola shows. A seasoned group of grand prix riders as well as newcomers to the scene made up the order of go. Allen Rheinheimer of Zionsville,...

Jordan MacPherson and Piccobello du val de Geer (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Week two of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) concluded at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Sunday with a win for Jordan MacPherson (CAN) and Piccobello du val de Geer in the $34,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. The Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Series, Presented by The Dutta Corp. in Association with Guido Klatte, also kicked off with its...

Ronan McGuigan and Capall Zidane (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Ireland's Ronan McGuigan and Capall Zidane were double clear and blazing fast for the win in Saturday night's $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 2*, the highlight event of week two at the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Riders representing nine different countries showed under the lights in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) with top...

Alvaro de Miranda and AD Uutje (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Week two of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) continued on Thursday with with a busy schedule of competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL. The afternoon featured Round 2 of the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Series, which was held in a "California Split" due to the large number of entries. The competition awarded two sets of placings, each with...