Thermal, Calif.—Nov. 7

There's plenty to see at a horse show that's not going on up at the main rings. We wandered back through the barns during the National Sunshine Series II to check out the fantastic tack room set ups decked out in their fall best, and meet a few horses outside the show ring.

All photos by Mollie Bailey.

Thermal, Calif.‚ Nov. 7

Look out John French. Step aside Jenny Karazissis. You’ve got a new contender in today’s $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby during the HITS National Sunshine Circuit II: Lauren Hough.

The Olympian and world No. 31 decided to give this evening’s class a go on a whim aboard Reconnaissance.

Thermal, Calif.—Nov. 6

If you’re going to fly across the country for a horse show, you may as well win.

And that’s exactly what McLain Ward and Rothchild did in today’s $100,000 Coachella Valley Classic, besting the other 28 riders to take the top check for Sagamore Farms.

Ward opted to bring his individual gold medal mount from this year’s Toronto Pan American Games to California for the HITS Sunshine Series II CSI*****, while he’s left two other top horses back east. He’ll ride them next week during the Royal Winter Fair CSI-W (Ontario).

Saugerties, N.Y.—Sept. 6  

It doesn’t matter where you are.

You could be in Las Vegas for the World Cup Finals, in Wellington, Fla., for the Nations Cup, or in Saugerties, N.Y., at the CP $1 Million Grand Prix.

Whenever Beezie Madden’s name is announced the crowd goes wild.

Even if you don’t follow horse sports religiously you’ve heard of Beezie. Young girls grow up hoping to someday be just like her—ride in the Olympics and win gold medals. And now those girls have something else to aspire to: winning a $1 million grand prix.

Saugerties, N.Y.—Sept. 6

As soon as last year’s Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix finished last year, Don Stewart and Aaron Vale started planning. They knew they wanted the now 6-year-old gelding Dress Balou to come back to defend his title this year.

So they set a plan and kept to it. Show the gelding minimally and have him peak at just the right time. All that careful planning paid off when they accomplished exactly what they set out to do—take home the top prize for the second year in a row.