Lisa Slade

Lexington, Ky.—Aug. 10  

Keely Laughlin might have been anxious before the first round of tonight’s USEF Pony Finals individual jumper championship, but Laughlin was all business when she went back for the jump-off. Guaranteed at least silver, she’d already accomplished her main goal.

Lexington, Ky.—Aug. 9

By the end of the night, the four riders from Zone 4 had given themselves an apt new group nickname: “We’re the clean team!” joked Lindsey Toothman.

Sam Griffiths and Happy Times will represent Australia in eventing at the Olympic Games in London. Griffiths was called in to replace Megan Jones and Allofasudden this morning.

Jones was a late addition to the team, added after Shane Jones withdrew Taurus for veterinary reasons on July 22. Allofasudden sustained a soft tissue injury to his left foreleg, according to The Australian.

Lexington, Ky.—July 21

To say that Brandi Roenick is on a roll is a bit of an understatement.

First Roenick won the National Young Rider Championship at the USEF Dressage Festival Of Champions in Gladstone, N.J., with her own Pretty Lady.

Lexington, Ky.—July 21

Kilian McGrath and Salerno started the individual show jumping day at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships in fifth in the young rider division. But a day full of felled rails for other competitors bumped the pair up to the gold with a final score of 18.92.

McGrath picked up 1 time penalty in the first round and 2 in the second. Callie Smith, 18, on Upstaire took silver (24.00), and Lydia Ulrich, 18, grabbed bronze on Santos Utopia (27.28).

Lexington, Ky., July 20

The young riders on the team from Zone 2—Meg O’Mara, Lydia Ulrich, Callie Smith and Mattias Tromp—spend most of their seasons competing against each other. But they made the transition from individuals to team seamlessly, banding together for team gold on a score of 21 faults.

“You’re also thinking about riding as an individual as well as trying to do well for the team,” said O’Mara. “But tonight was all about the team, and it was really great. I love these four. They saved me a lot.”

Tamra Smith sustained a broken fibula after falling off her CIC* ride, Rafflasia Z, during cross-country at the Event At Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Mont., on July 14. Rafflasia Z kicked out after Smith hit the ground.

“I don’t know if the sound of my air vest going off spooked her, but she kicked out and happened to land her stud into my right fibula. The stud shattered my fibula,” said Smith.

Rafflasia Z had spooked before jumping up a bank.

Four years ago, Alma Perkins was getting ready for a Century Club ride with her 25-year-old Arabian gelding, Tommitosk. But when “Tommy” passed away shortly before the ride, Perkins had to put her plans on hold.

Fast-forward a few years, and Perkins found another Century Club partner in a ¾ Arabian mare, Charisma. To be eligible for The Dressage Foundation’s Century Club, the combined age of a horse and rider must equal at least 100. When Perkins, 79, realized that she and Charisma, 26, were more than qualified, she started putting together the perfect freestyle.

Franklin, Tenn.—July 1

Before today, Erin McCabe and Castlewellan hadn’t competed in a USHJA International Hunter Derby together since last August. Qualified for the 2012 $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals (Ky.), McCabe and owner Nancy Gordon had a decision to make. Winning the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Brownland Summer horse show helped them make up their minds.

The partnership between Lauren Sammis and Sagacious HF has ended as of June 16. Sammis won team gold and individual silver with Sagacious, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Welt Hit II—Judith, Cocktail) gelding owned by Al Guden of Hyperion Farm, at the 2007 Pan American Games (Brazil). She’s had the ride on the horse since he was 6.