Author Archives: Carley Sparks

Four gruelling rounds. Four foot perfect performances. King Edward and Henrik von Eckermann were at the top of their game in Riyadh. The world dominating pair didn’t just successfully defend...

Sweden's Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward retained their crown at the 2024 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final, winning every leg over three days of championship jumping in Riyadh,...

Patrik Kittel has eight times contested the FEI Dressage World Cup Finals. Eight times, since 2010, he's finished in the top 10 and with five different horses. Twice, he just...

"It was a night of tears—tears of joy and tears of loss," wrote Kc Brascomb on Facebook. The American breeder's horse died suddenly an hour after jumping to a third...

Few combinations are as exciting to watch in the ring as Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward. But this week is exceptional even by their impossibly high standards. After two...

Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward aren't giving up the crown without a fight. The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final defending champions raced to the top of the leaderboard...

Ranked 19th in the world, 30-year-old Nicola Philippaerts (BEL) has already amassed an impressive resume. He competed in his first Olympics at age 22. He's ridden for Belgium at the...

It's been a year since American Olympian Adrienne Lyle rode down the centerline in international competition. But make no mistake, the Tokyo Games team silver medalist has been hard at...

Fernando Martinez Sommer had the crowd on the edge of their seats in Mexico City. One of only two Mexican riders to compete in the third leg of the 2024...

"My best friend Jack Dodd, he died in a car crash a few years ago," shared a tearful Michael Duffy in the post-class interview from Miami. "I always said, when...

"I think somebody had an idea this might happen. It wasn't me," smiled Laura Kraut (USA) in the winners' interview for the Global Champions League Miami. Kraut's team, the Rome...

There is no shortage of phenomenal show jumping horses in the world right now. King Edward holds the most championship titles, as the current Olympic, World, and World Cup gold...

Jessica Dertell doesn't always win, but she's certainly a safe bet to get the job done. The 19-year-old Australian dressage rider has contested 111 international classes to date and won...

You know you're not having your best winter season when the server at the local coffee chain notes your diminishing win rate. "I was at Dunkin' Doughnuts the other morning...

VDL Edgar has been around the block a few times. Under the saddle of Brazil’s Marlon Modolo Zanoteilli between 2018 and 2023, the Dutch warmblood gelding (Arezzo VDL x Marlon)...

Del Mar Fairgrounds is a hallowed ground in Thoroughbred horse racing. Founded in 1937 and put on the map by crooner Bing Crosby, Del Mar was Hollywood’s summer playground in...

It's been nearly two years since Mount St. John Freestyle, a horse once dubbed "Mrs Valgero," has graced an international arena. Bred by Germany's Stephan Kurz and purchased as a...

If you were wagering on which pair would win the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Doha, Abdel Saïd and Bonne Amie wouldn't have been the favorites. The pair...

Ladies first! The Cannes Stars have a new look and a new mission for the 2024 Global Champions League (GCL) season—and it paid immediate dividends in Doha on Friday. Under...

“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.” —American basketball player and coach Jim Valvano When Dutch breeder Pieter Kersten conceived of...