A groundswell of support for U.S. breeding and development of young horses has been steadily growing. The Young Horse Show Series Qualifier and Final on Nov. 8-9 at Spy Coast Farm in Lexington, Ky., brought North American sport horse breeding quite literally into the limelight.

More than 65 entries vied for top honors in under-saddle, at-liberty, free jumping and under-saddle jumping classes for yearling to 5-year-old sport horses.

Sapphire, the great mare who jumped to team gold at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games and team silver at the 2006 World Equestrian Games with McLain Ward, is living out her retirement in Walkill, N.Y., at part-owner Tom Grossman’s Blue Chip Farm. She’s reveling in getting hairy and dirty, finally.