Nancy Jaffer

He and his fellow finalists raise the equitation bar.

Matt Metell, the runner-up in the 2008 Platinum Performance/U.S. Equestrian Federation Talent Search Finals—East, was hoping he wouldn’t have to settle for second again as he led through three phases of the 2009 edition.

“My goal was to get to the top four and ride as best I could,” said the 19-year-old Falmouth, Mass., rider, who turned in stellar trip after stellar trip on a new equine equitation star, Pioneer, in Gladstone, N.J., Oct. 3-4.

Michael Pollard’s Icarus, the winner of May's Jersey Fresh CCI*** (N.J.), has tested positive for traces of an anabolic steroid that the rider said was given nearly four months earlier for therapeutic purposes.

Pollard, Chatsworth, Ga., was suspended July 1 by the Fédération Equestre Internationale, and following a confirmatory test of the B sample last week, is preparing an explanation of the situation for an FEI Tribunal that will decide the length of his suspension and whether he must forfeit his victory.

College brought the California rider East, where she topped the demanding equitation final in New Jersey.

He chalks up his third grand prix win in as many weeks aboard Ultimo Van Ter Moude.

Todd Minikus knew he didn’t have to go flat-out to win the $50,000 Budweiser Beacon Hill Grand Prix. But that didn’t stop the speed demon from shaving 3 seconds off the leading time to take the top check on Ultimo Van Ter Moude.

A lot has changed since this veteran equestrian journalist attended her first AHSA Convention 28 years ago.

Unless you’re on your honeymoon, it’s never fun to spend five days in a hotel, not knowing, or caring, what the weather is like outside because you’re so wrapped up in the business at hand.

After the battle for the Wellington show grounds concluded, it’s full speed ahead to improve U.S. equestrian sports.

Mark Bellissimo’s dream of a new and spectacular  showgrounds in Wellington, Fla., is dovetailing with his new and spectacular vision for the sport as well.

The two grand prix classes that comprise the Rolex/U.S. Equestrian Federation National Show Jumping Championship are just about the only ones Kent Farrington and Up Chiqui have entered and not won this year. 

But second place in the $25,000 National Horse Show Jumper Classic and fourth in the $100,000 National Horse Show Grand Prix CSI-W brought them the national title on Dec. 5-9 at the National Horse Show in Wellington, Fla.

They were all in contention until the future professional pulled out all the stops.

Competition for the U.S. Equestrian Federation Show Jumping Talent Search Finals-East was as hotly contested as ever.
   
The field of 82 was the largest in years, and by the time it was whittled down to the final four, the riders were neck-and-neck. In fact, in the second round of that phase, all four were tied with 176 points and those on the sidelines were discussing whether a tiebreaker would be necessary.

The Connecticut driver improves his record to three-for-three at a Gladstone that has changed over the past 25 years.

The Gladstone Driving Event, once the most prestigious competition of its kind in the United States, marked its 25th anniversary Sept. 20-23 with a no-frills show and a printed program that harkened back to its glory days.

"This is different than the other finals," U.S. show jumping coach George Morris explained after judging the U.S. Equestrian Federation Show Jumping Talent Search Finals-East. "This," he emphasized, "is jumper preparation."

And while a major equitation final win eluded Charlie Jayne in his junior years, he made up for it with victory in the USEF Talent Search Finals-East, held at the historic U.S. Equestrian Team headquarters in Gladstone, N.J., on Oct. 7-8.