News

WEF expands to 215 acres

Details: June 18, 2026; By Staff Writers

WELLINGTON, Fla.--Wellington International, home to the Winter Equestrian Festival, the Global Dressage Festival and Annual Series horse shows, announced the expansion of its equestrian footprint to 215 acres with the development of 98 acres into Wellington International South.

new Wellington area Set to open for competition in the fall of 2026, Wellington International South is being designed as a world-class venue for equestrian sport in North America, featuring green space, landscaping, ample shade for horses and spectators, and state-of-the-art competition facilities.

The new venue will serve as the future home of the Global Dressage Festival while also hosting FEI show jumping, hunter derbies, Under 25 jumping competitions, and seasonal events.

“This project represents the next chapter for equestrian sports in Wellington,” said Michael Stone, President of Wellington International. “We are building a venue that prioritizes the experience for horses, riders, owners, grooms, and spectators alike while continuing to elevate Wellington International as the premier horse sports destination in the world.”

Wellington International South has been planned to create an elevated and welcoming environment that blends elite equestrian sport with park-like surroundings.

Dr. Marvin Beeman, former President of MFHA, died June 14

Details: June 16, 2026; By SARA CAVANAGH

KIOWA, Colo.--Dr. Marvin Beeman, former President of the Masters of Foxhounds Association, veterinarian and huntsman at Arapahoe Hunt in Colorado died June 14.

Dr. Beeman"Dr Beeman passed away today when his horse tripped and fell on him," said Jeanne Sharpe, a longtime reader of and contributor to The Horse of Delaware Valley. "He was out with hounds."

The Masters of Foxhounds Association sent out a notice to its members:

"It is with great sadness that the MFHA announces the passing of its beloved and respected Dr. Marvin Beeman.

Dr. Beeman was President of this Association from 2008 to 2011.

He served for many years and up to the present as Chairman of the Veterinary Committee.

As such he was the chief proponent of the award winning MFHA funded research concerning leishmania and tick-borne diseases that has had a profound effect on hound as well as human health.

We sendour deepest sympathy to his cherished wife, Eunice.

We will miss Marvin's strong and quiet leadership that led u to achievements beyond our imagination.

Details to follow on how Dr. Beeman's life will be celebrated."

U.S. team for Rotterdam Nations Cup

Details: June 15, 2026; By Staff Writers

LEXINGTON, Ky,--US Equestrian announced the riders selected to represent the Jumping Team for the Longines League of Nations Rotterdam CSIO5*, hosted in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, from June 18-21.

Rotterdam team The team will be led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland and supported by Team Leader Lizzy Chesson, with horses to be confirmed the week of the event.

The following riders have been selected to represent the U.S. Jumping Team and are listed in alphabetical order.

Karl Cook of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

Katie Dinan of New York, N.Y.

Marilyn Little of West Palm Beach, Fla.

Callie Schott of Wellington, Fla.

Competition Information

Competition in Rotterdam will begin on Thursday, June 18, with the first class of the week.

The Longines League of Nations Rotterdam CSIO5* two-round team competition will begin on Friday, June 19, with the first round beginning at 4:30 p.m., which is 10:30 a.m. Eastern, while the second round will start at 8:30 p.m., which is 2:30 p.m. Eastern.

The competition will conclude with the Longines League of Nations Rotterdam CSIO5* on Sunday, June 21, starting at 2:30 p.m., which is 8:30 a.m. Eastern.

Judy Cousins, a reporter who covered point-to-point racing, died June 3

Details: June 11, 2026; By Staff Writers

WEST CHESTER, Pa.--Judith (Freehafer) Cousins, 94, of West Chester, Pennsylvania and Bernard, Maine, passed away peacefully in her home on June 3..

Judy CousinsCousins was a well known. well liked and respected figure on the point-to-point circuit.

For many years, she covered point-to-point racing for The Chronicle.

She was predeceased by her husband Samuel Cousins with whom she shared 56 years of marriage.

She was born on April 12, 1932 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania,

She graduated from Baldwin School, Mount Holyoke College, and completed graduate school at Bryn Mawr College.

She later earned a degree from Longwood Gardens Horticultural School.

She worked at the family business, Thermal Pipe Systems with headquarters in Wilmington, Del., and a manufacturing plant in Durant, Okla.

She was a dedicated member of the Pocopson township planning committee for many years and was passionate about preserving open space.

Teams for Rotterdam, third leg of the League of Nations series

Details: June 10, 2026; By Staff Writers

The Longines League of Nations returns to CHIO Rotterdam next week for the third qualifying leg of the 2026 season.

Karl Cook on Caracole de la Roque, shown here at the Olympics, will lead the U.S. teamAt the halfway point of the qualifying campaign, Germany is leading on 190 points, giving them a 35-point cushion over France with 155 points and a 40-point lead over Ireland with 150 points.

Anchored by reigning FEI Jumping European Champion Richard Vogel, Germany' team in Rotterdam includes Rene Dittmer, while Mario Stevens and Michael Jung make their series debuts.

Winners of the opening leg in Abu Dhabi, France's team of Antoine Ermann, Jeanne Sadran, Nina Mallevaey and Kevin Staut offer a blend of youth and experience.

Ireland's chef d'equipe Jessica Kürten has Shane Sweetnam, Jordan Coyle, Michael Duffy and Niamh McEvoy.

Back competing in the League of Nations for 2026 and currently fourth in the standings with 130 points, Brazil's team includes Rodrigo Pessoa, whose family has a remarkable connection with CHIO Rotterdam.

U.S. team for La Baule Nations Cup

Details: June 9, 2026; By Staff Writers

LEXINGTON, Ky,-- US Equestrian announced the riders selected to represent the U.S. Jumping Team at the Nations Cup La Baule CSIO5* to be hosted in La Baule-Escoublac, France, from June 11-14, 2026.

La Baule Nations Cup teamThe team will be led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland and supported by Team Leader Lizzy Chesson, with horses to be confirmed the week of the event.

The following riders have been selected to represent the U.S. Jumping Team and are listed in alphabetical order.

Natalie Dean of Wellington, Fla.

Lillie Keenan of New York, N.Y.

Laura Kraut of Royal Palm Beach, Fla.

Jessica Springsteen of Los Angeles, Calif.

McLain Ward of Brewster, N.Y.

Competition Information

The competition at Jumping International de La Baule will begin on Thursday, June 11 at 8:30 a.m. , which is 2:30 a.m. Eastern

The two-round €250,000 Nations Cup CSIO5* is set to take place on Friday, June 12 at 1:30 p.m., which is 7:30 a.m. Eastern.

The €500,000 Rolex Grand Prix Ville de La Baule will begin on Sunday, June 14 at 2:30 p.m., which is 8:30 a.m. Eastern.

U.S. team for St. Gallen Nations Cup

Details: June 1, 2026; By Staff Writers

LEXINGTON, Ky.-–US Equestrian announced the riders selected to represent the U.S. Jumping Team at the Jumping Nations Cup St. Gallen CSIO5* to be hosted in St. Gallen, Switzerland, from June 4-7.

St. Gallen Nations Cup team The team will be led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland and Team Leader Lizzy Chesson, with horses to be confirmed the week of the event.

The following riders have been selected to represent the U.S. Jumping Team and are listed in alphabetical order.

Katie Dinan of New York, N.Y.

Mimi Gochman of Palm Beach, Fla.

Charlotte Jacobs of Wellington, Fla.

Paris Sellon of Los Angeles, Calif.

Aaron Vale of Williston, Fla.

This is an observation competition for those on the short list for the World Championships , and Aaron Vale and Katie Dinan are on the short list, the other three are not on the short list.

Competition Information

The Jumping Nations Cup St. Gallen CSIO5* will begin on Thursday, June 4, and will feature the two-round €250,000 Range Rover Nations Cup of Switzerland CSIO5* on Friday, June 5, at 3:30 p.m., which is 9:30 a.m. ET.

The €500,000 Longines Grand Prix of Switzerland CSIO5* will start at 2:30 p.m., which is 8:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 7.

Grant to Thorncroft funds purchase of two lesson horses

Details: May 28, 2026; By Staff Writers

MALVERN, Pa.--Thorncroft Equestrian Center has announced a first-time grant awarded from Foxwynd Foundation partners designed to fund the purchase and first-year care of two specially trained adaptive lesson horses, Bentley and Flash, helping expand access to its renowned Adaptive/Therapeutic Horsemanship Program.

Thorn 1 BentleyThrough a partnership with Thorncroft, the Foxwynd Foundation will directly support the acquisition, veterinary care, training, feeding, and first-year maintenance of Bentley and Flash, two carefully selected horses chosen for their temperament, health, training, and suitability for riders with physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges.

Bentley is a versatile, beginner-friendly horse whose calm temperament and strong foundational training make him an ideal partner for riders beginning their horsemanship journey.

Flash’s smooth gait, balanced build, and specialized training make him uniquely suited for riders living with neurological and mobility challenges, including Cerebral Palsy, traumatic and non-acquired brain injuries, and Multiple Sclerosis.

Both horses will also serve individuals with developmental disorders, neurodivergent learners, and riders with a wide range of support needs.

Bentley and Flash possess the steady disposition and advanced training required to safely support adaptive riders alongside instructional teams.

“The growing demand for adaptive riding services continues to outpace available lesson horses,” said Tiffany Meyer, President of Thorncroft Equestrian Center. “The addition of Bentley and Flash will allow us to reduce waitlists and provide more riders with access to the life-changing benefits of adaptive horsemanship.”

Bunny Meister honored at Radnor Hunt Races

Details: May 19, 2026; By Staff Writers

MALVERN, Pa.--Carl J. "Bunny" Meister was presented with the Stalwart of Steeplechasing Award in between races at the Radnor Hunt Races on Saturday, May 16.

Stalwart of Steeplechasing Award (Photo by Jim Graham)Following his passing in 2022, Skip Achuff's family created the Stalwart of Steeplechase Award to recognize those who epitomize the qualities Skip brought to the sport.

Nominees for the award represent the sport of steeplechase with professionalism, integrity, and dedication; uphold the rules of the sport; and prioritize the safety of horses and jockeys.

On behalf of the Achuff family, Radnor Hunt Races announced Carl J. "Bunny" Meister as this year's recipient of the fourth annual Stalwart of Steeplechase Award.

Bunny is a lifelong Brandywine Valley resident, landowner, race rider, foxhunter and volunteer.

He started riding before the age of 10, winning his very first maiden timber at Radnor in 1956 on John Strawbridge's Teddy Million, who was trained by Bob Tindle.

U.S. team for Langley 4* Nations Cup

Details: May 14, 2026; By Staff Writers

LEXINGTON, Ky.--US Equestrian to announced the riders selected to represent the U.S. Jumping team at the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Langley CSIO4*, hosted at Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, from May 26-31.

Langley N C The team will be led by Chef d’Equipe Anne Kursinski and Team Leader Erin Keating, with horses to be confirmed the week of the event.

The following riders have been selected to represent the U.S. Jumping Team and are listed in alphabetical order.

Lucy Davis Kennedy of Venice, Calif.

Tali Dejong of Golden, Colo.

Hallie Grimes of Houston, Texas

Katherine Huffstutler of Austin, Texas

Brooke Kemper of Reddick, Fla.

Competition Information

Competition in Langley will begin on Wednesday, May 27, with the opening day of CSIO4* competition.

The $117,000 Grand Prix CSIO4* will start at 1:00 p.m. PT, which is 4:00 p.m. Eastern on Friday, May 28.

The two-round $75,000 FEI Jumping Nations Cup CSIO4* competition will begin at 11:00 a.m. PT, which is 2:00 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, May 31, to conclude the week.

Laura Kraut leads Nations Cup team for Rome

Details: May 11, 2026; By Staff Writers

LEXINGTON, Ky.--US Equestrian announced the riders selected to represent the U.S. Jumping Team at the Nations Cup of Rome CSIO5* hosted at the Piazza di Siena in Rome, Italy, from May 27-31.

N C team forRome The team will be led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland and Team Leader Lizzy Chesson, with horses to be confirmed the week of the event.

The following riders have been selected to represent the U.S. Jumping Team and are listed in alphabetical order.

Natalie Dean of Palo Alto, Calif.

Laura Kraut of Royal Palm Beach, Fla.

Marilyn Little of West Palm Beach, Fla.

Callie Schott of Wellington, Fla.

Competition Information

Competition at the renowned Villa Borghese will begin on Thursday, May 28, with the opening day of CSIO5* competition.

The two-round Jumping Nations Cup CSIO5* will begin at 2:30 p.m. GMT, which is 8:30 a.m. Eastern, on Friday, May 29.

The Rolex Grand Prix of Rome CSIO5* will start at 12:30 p.m. GMT, which is 6:30 a.m. Eastern, on Sunday, May 31, to conclude the prestigious competition.

William J. Solomon VMD died May 5

Details: May 8, 2026; By Staff Writers

NEW FREEDOM, Pa.--It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of William Joseph Solomon VMD who died peacefully on May 5, at the age of 84.

Dr. William Solomon Dr. SolomonDr. Solomon was born on Jan. 20, 1942, the youngest of four siblings.

He grew up in Johnstown, Pa., where he attended Catholic school, played baseball and basketball, and closely followed Notre Dame football.

In 1956, when he was 14, the family moved to Gettysburg to a beautiful farm with a stone home that had been a Civil War hospital.

The family raised Arabian horses and during these years Dr. Solomon developed a deep love for horses and farm life.

He and his siblings played ice hockey on the pond and went pheasant hunting with his favorite dog, Katie.

He attended Delone Catholic High School and then Georgetown University, where he was a pre-med student, played varsity baseball, and made lifelong friends.

After Georgetown, Dr.Solomon pursued his love of animals and farming at the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School.

After he completed his veterinary training and served as the resident veterinarian at distinguished farms in both Kentucky and Pennsylvania, he movedto New Freedom, Pa., and started what would become both the great work and love of his life: Pin Oak Lane Farm and Equine Clinic.

Kent Farrington back at world number one

Details: May 6, 2026; By Staff Writers

Kent Farrington, who was untouchable at last month’s Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final in Fort Worth, Texas after winning the first two legs of the three-part seasonal highlight and holding on to claim the title with his two superstar mares Toulayna and Greya, is back out in front in the Longines Rankings.

Kent Farrington on Greya WorldCup Kent Farrington on Greya winning the World Cup (Photo by Shannon Brinkman)The two-time Olympian and Team USA silver medallist at Rio 2016 has squeezed ahead of former world number one Scott Brash 0f Great Britain by the slimmest of margins, with just 19 points between the two rivals for the top spot.

Chicago-born Farrington, who now bases himself in Wellington, Florida, has been nipping at Brash’s heels ever since the Scotsman overtook him at the helm in February, closing the gap between them to 196 points in the end-March rankings after winning the $1,000,000 Wellington feature with Greya on the last weekend of the month.

Moving into April, and Farrington’s sensational run in Texas allowed the 45-year-old to lift the magnificent Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™trophy for the first-time ever.

And he then capped off an incredible month by topping the feature Kentucky Invitational in Lexington on 25 April with the Mexican-bred 5* Grand Prix first-timer Descartes SR, who went on to finish third in the Monterrey 5* feature a week later.

U.S. team for Lisbon 3* Nations Cup

Details: May 5, 2026; By Staff Writers

LEXINGTON Ky.--US Equestrian announced the riders selected to represent the U.S. Jumping Team at the Al Shira’aa CSIO Lisboa CSIO3*.

U S Lisbon team The competition will take place at Sociedade Hípica Portuguesa in Lisbon, Portugal, from May 22-24.

The team will be led by Chef d'Equipe Anne Kursinski and Team Leader Erin Keating.

The following riders have been selected to represent the U.S. Jumping Team and are listed in alphabetical order:

Kady Abrahamson of Georgetown, Ky.

Elisa Broz of Freedom, Calif.

Elena Haas of Oakland, Calif.

Carlee McCutcheon of Aubrey, Tex.

Competition Information

The FEI Jumping Nations Cup of Lisbon competition is set to begin on Friday, May 22, at 3:00 p.m. GMT which is 9:00 a.m. ET.

The €56,800 Grand Prix of Lisbon CSIO3* will take place on Sunday, May 24, at 3:00 p.m. GMT which is 9:00 a.m. ET.

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Skylar Wireman is third in U25 World Ranking

Details: April 30, 2026; By Staff Writers

With the U25 World Rankings, the U.S. seems well poised to continue to do well in Jumping, while in Eventing and Dressage, the future doesn't look as rosy.

Skylar Wireman on Tornado High Desert Sport Photo Skylar Wireman on Tornado (Photo by High Desert Sport Photo)In Jumping, the U.S. has two in the top 10 and five in the top 20 , while in Eventing the U.S. has only one in the top 20 and in Dressage none in the top 20.

Jumping chef d'equipe Robert Ridland has spent years building up depth, which has clearly paid off.

Eventing and Dressage need to encourage participation and build up depth.

In Jumping, The only other country with two in the top 10 is France, and in the top 20 Belgium is closest to the U.S. with four.

The U.S. has 13 in the top 50 in Jumping.

Skylar Wireman, a terrific talent who could use more top horses, is third, and Mimi Gochman is fifth.

Elisa Broz is 12th, Brian Moggre is 18th and Elena Haas is 19th.

Belgian Thibeau Spits, who took over at the head of the end-February U25 Jumping Rankings with the slimmest advantage of just seven points, has extended his lead to 117 points after some solid results in March, as well as celebrating turning 25 in the middle of the month.

Spits placed second in the mid-March Dutch Masters at ‘s-Hertogenbosch behind European champion Richard Vogel on United Touch S, and the he was just off the Paris podium a week later when finishing fifth in the final day’s feature.

Spits now has 2,060 points, leaving him comfortably clear of Antoine Ermann of France on 1,943.

The nightmare of any farm owner

Details: April 18, 2026; By Staff Writers

Barn fire destroys Jim Paxson’s Pennsylvania stable

No horses or hounds were hurt, but well-known huntsman and ‘chase outrider ‘lost everything’ in blaze lthree weeks ago.

This article by by Betsy Burke Donley is reprinted with thanks to the Temple Gwathmey Steeplechase Foundation.

At the bottom of this story is a way through the Foundation that tax fee donations can be made to help Jim Paxson,

Paxson has spent his life helping other people, so anything that can be done to help Paxson now would be hugely appreciated.

By Betsy Burke Donley

KIRKWOOD, PA.--Just after lunch on an otherwise ordinary Tuesday, the rhythm of chores and quiet routine at Funnel Lake Farm were broken by a phone call that would change everything.

Jim PaxsonJim Paxson had been taking a midday pause inside his farmhouse, Chinese takeout on the table and the low-volume hum of the Weather Channel in the background. Outside, preparations were already in motion for the next day’s River Hills Foxhounds closing meet – a favorite fixture along Fishing Creek near the Susquehanna. The hound truck was staged. The van was ready. The post-lunch break was, as Paxson would later describe it, classic "universal downtime in the horse world."

The phone rang.

“My Amish neighbor called,” Paxson recalled. “She says, you got flames shooting out the top of your barn.”

What followed unfolded in minutes but will linger for a lifetime.

Race against the fire

Paxson ran from the house in work boots, longjohns, and a T-shirt to find his 18th-century bank barn fully engulfed. The structure – stone-foundation, timber-framed and rooted into the hillside – had stood since the 1700s. Now, it was an inferno.

His first thoughts were for the animals.