Las Cruces N.M. - No. 1 South Carolina opened the spring portion of its schedule on Saturday with a 12-8 win over No. 4 New Mexico State at the New Mexico State Equestrian Center. South Carolina improves to 7-2 overall, while the Aggies fall to 7-3. Both the hunt seat and western teams won, 6-4, respectively. "This was a tough win for us today, so I was really proud to see that we kept fighting, especially late in the meet," South Carolina head coach Boo Major said. "New Mexico State proved...

Lexington, Ky. - Jay Land of Alpharetta, GA has been named the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Rider of the Month for January. Land earned the award by having top finishes during the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival with his mount Napal. Land leads the series after January with 175 points narrowly ahead of Adrienne Sternlicht with 170 points and Ali Wolff with 160 points. Land's daughter, Frances, just earned the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Rider of the Month award in November after winning the...

Layla Choate Scottsdale, Ariz - University of South Carolina junior Layla Choate won the 2014 Sun Circuit Shootout Championship on Sunday at the Arizona Sun Circuit horse show. Choate defeated opponents from South Dakota State, West Texas A&M, and Baylor to win the title. "This is a great accomplishment for Layla and we are all thriled for her today," South Carolina head coach Boo Major said. "Layla has proven herself to be one of the best, if not the best reiner at the college level so...

Hardin Towell and Man in Black (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Week four of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) concluded with the exciting $50,000 Ariat® Grand Prix CSI 2* on Sunday afternoon held on the grass derby field at The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). An exciting eight-horse jump-off finished with a win for Hardin Towell (USA) and Man in Black, with Andres Rodriguez (VEN) and Caballito in second and Lauren Hough (USA) aboard...

The winning presentation with ringmaster Gustavo Murcia, riders Ian Millar, Emily Kinch and Kelly Soleau, Greg Weiss, Kristin Solomon and Diana Reese for Speak Up for Kids, and Equestrian Sport Productions' CEO Mark Bellissimo (Sportfot) Wellington, Fla. - Canada's Ian Millar, Kelly Soleau and Emily Kinch were the winning team in the fifth annual FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments® (FTI GCC) on behalf of their charity, Speak Up for Kids, on Saturday...

Cross Plains, Wis. - The American Driving Society (ADS) is pleased to announce plans for a new head-to-head driven North American Championship, in addition to the popular calculated Intermediate Championship offered since 2009. The North American Preliminary and the North American Intermediate Championships will be driven championships, each taking place over a single competition weekend. The original Championship will be renamed The North American Calculated Intermediate Championship and...

Lexington, Ky - The Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show in Blowing Rock, N.C. has been honored with the United States Equestrian Federation’s designation as a USEF Heritage Competition, the highest honor currently held by any Federation horse show. The designation of a USEF Heritage Competition is reserved for competitions that have been in existence for a quarter-century or more, promoted and grown equestrian sport, and made contributions to the community outside the gates of the horse show...

Lexington, Ky. - The USEF launched a pilot "high performance" training program in 2012/2013 with approximately twenty drivers attending one or more clinics held in Kentucky, Florida, and North Carolina. Since there are limited training opportunities for driving at the USEF/FEI levels, the opportunity to train with an International Four-in-Hand driver and coach was overwhelmingly positive. To further this program, it is the intention of the USEF to roll out the 2014 Developing Driver Program...

Lexington, Ky. - The United States Federation (USEF) has named Kai Handt as the U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Chef d’Equipe/Technical Advisor. The Search Committee, chaired by Eric Straus, USEF Para-Equestrian Eligible Athlete Committee, and USEF Para-Equestrian High Performance Kai Handt (USEF Archive) Committee recommended Handt for this position. Handt (Wylie, Texas) has a great depth of experience in the equestrian world as a competitor, trainer, and coach. Since August of 1985, Handt...

Lexington, Ky. - At the USEF Year End Awards Gala Saturday night Abigail Wexner's Simon and Janet Peterson and Liza Boyd's Brunello were named International Horse of the Year and National Horse of the Year respectively. Voting was open to the public in December and both horses, already fan favorites, were rewarded for their tremendous results throughout 2013 with support from voters. International Horse of the Year Simon (Mr. Blue x Naline) 1999 Dutch Warmblood gelding Owner: Abigail...