In a demanding competition in which fewer than half the starters completed all three days of the event, riders sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER) and its Team Members claimed four of the top twelve spots when the final results were posted.

Karen O'Connor rode Mr. Medicott, a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, to fourth place in the event. In fourth after the dressage phase, O'Connor had a few time penalties on the cross-country course to drop to fifth at the end of the second day. Her double-clear stadium round helped her advance to a final fourth-place standing. An experienced horsewoman who has won the event in the past, O'Connor is hoping to ride for the United States in this summer's Olympic Games in London. She is sponsored by KER and also by Pennfield Equine Feed Technologies.

New Zealand rider Andrew Nicholson finished in seventh place on Qwanza, a nine-year-old CDE mare. Nicholson, who is sponsored by KER Team Member Bluegrass Horse Feeds, stood in 24th place after dressage. He rode double-clear rounds in both the cross-country and stadium phases, moving him up to seventh position.

Another rider who moved up considerably because of excellent cross-country and stadium rounds was Phillip Dutton, who placed tenth on Mighty Nice and twelfth on Fernhill Eagle. Both horses are Irish Sport Horse geldings. Though he had stadium rails down with each horse, Dutton finished with fewer penalties than many riders because of his fast and accurate rides in the cross-country phase of the event. Dutton is sponsored by KER.

Record numbers of horses are registered to compete in this year's Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event to be held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington in late April. The international field of riders includes several past Rolex Kentucky champions, Olympic Games veterans, and top national and international eventers. This year's competition will serve as a selection trial to choose the U.S. eventing team for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Phillip Dutton rides for the United States. He is a three-time Olympic veteran with two team gold medals (1996 and 2000) for his native Australia. Dutton was the 2008 Rolex Kentucky CCI**** champion. He is listed to ride Fernhill Eagle and Mighty Nice. Dutton is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER).

Karen O'Connor also rides for the United States. She is a three-time Olympic veteran with team silver (1996) and bronze (2000) medals. She was the 1999 Rolex Kentucky CCI**** champion and two-time Rolex Kentucky CCI*** champion (1991 and 1997). O'Connor is listed to ride Mr. Medicott and Veronica. She is sponsored by KER and is also a Promise Partner of Pennfield Feeds, a KER Team Member.

Bruce "Buck" Davidson, Jr. rides for the United States. Davidson was a member of the 1999 Pan-American Team and also competed at the World Equestrian Games in 2011. He is listed to ride Titanium and Absolute Liberty. He is a Promise Partner of Pennfield Feeds, a KER Team Member.

Andrew Nicholson rides for New Zealand. He is a six-time Olympic veteran with team silver (1992) and bronze (1996) medals. Nicholson is listed to ride Calico Joe, Shady Grey, and Qwanza. He is sponsored by Blue Grass Horse Feeds, a KER Team Member.

An additional attraction at the Kentucky Horse Park on Rolex weekend is the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup. This is the only three-star reining competition currently scheduled in the U.S. in 2012, and it is expected to draw horses and riders from around the globe. Lisa Coulter, a veteran of the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games who rides for Canada, will compete in the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup. Coulter is sponsored by KER.

Chester Weber drove his horses to victory at the Live Oak International Combined Driving Event in Ocala, Florida. Taking the lead on the first day of competition and holding his lead after the marathon phase, Weber finished his obstacle round in the top spot to secure a record-breaking ninth USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship title. 

Weber is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER) and is also a Promise Partner of Pennfield Equine Feed Technologies, a KER Team Member.

Two riders sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER) had a good weekend at the Red Hills International Horse Trials held in early March in Tallahassee, Florida. Phillip Dutton showed horses with varying amounts of experience and rode in multiple divisions. He finished in second, sixth, and ninth places in the Advanced division, second and ninth places in the CIC** division, and first and third places in the CIC***division. Mystery Whisper, his winning mount at this most difficult level, scored almost 15 points ahead of the runner-up rider in dressage.

Karen O'Connor, who is also a Pennfield Promise Partner, rode to first and fifth honors in the Open Intermediate division, and was fifth and tenth in the CIC***division.   

Event rider Nina Lamsam Ligon is hoping to represent Thailand at the London 2012 Olympic Games. She recently visited Bangkok, Thailand, where she and her mother were greeted by a representative of the Thailand Equestrian Federation and the Sports Authority of Thailand.

Ligon is listed among the top-40 event riders on the world Olympic ranking. If she and her horse compete in the Olympic Games, she will be the first Asian female to ride in the prestigious international competition. As part of her preparation, she and her mount Tipperary Liadhnan are currently training to enter the Fair Hill International Three-Day Event in April.

To fuel the demands of strenuous training and performance, Ligon has chosen feeds manufactured by Pennfield Equine Feed Technologies, a Team Member of Kentucky Equine Research. Ligon uses Fibregized, Cool N Lite, and All-Phase, feed products formulated to meet the needs of horses in strenuous work. These feeds provide the energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals to support performance and tissue maintenance without overloading the horse's digestive tract with large amounts of starch.

The 2012 Live Oak International, a high-level combined diving event that attracts many competitors from European and other regions, will be held March 22 to 25 at Live Oak Plantation in Ocala, Florida. The competition will include the USEF national championships for four-in-hand horses and will also feature show jumping. The Live Oak event is celebrating its twentieth anniversary.

Chester Weber, eight-time United States national four-in-hand champion, will compete at the event, which is located at his base of training and operations. Weber is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER) and is a Promise Partner of Pennfield Equine Feed Technologies, a KER Team Member.

Chester Weber and his four-horse team Splash, Boris W, Para, and Uniek won the Advanced Horse Team Four-In-Hand division at the Sunshine State FEI Combined Driving Event held in mid-February at the Florida Horse Park.

Weber is an eight-time United States National Four-In-Hand Champion sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER) and is also a Promise Partner for Pennfield Equine Feed Technologies, a KER Team Member.

Weber was also recently named Driving Horseman of the Year by The Chronicle of the Horse. The designation was listed in the magazine's annual American Horses in Sport issue.

Training and competing in Florida during the winter months, Weber trusts products from Pennfield and KER to keep his horses fit and energetic. These feeds and nutritional supplements are designed to meet the needs of horses in a strenuous exercise and performance program.

Chester Weber is a top international four-in-hand driver sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER) and its Team Member, Pennfield Equine Feed Technologies. In a newsletter wrapping up his achievements for 2011, Weber reported that he was chosen as a USEF Equestrian of Honor. He also was awarded the Becky Grand Hart Trophy given by the USEF to the best competitor in international driving, endurance, reining, vaulting, or para-equestrian competition.

Driving a team that included three new horses, Weber sewed up a victory at the 2011 Katydid CDE in Aiken, South Carolina by winning each phase of the event. In addition, he served as chef d'equipe for the U.S. drivers at the FEI Pony World Driving Championships in Lipica, Slovenia. His support helped the U.S. drivers bring home individual and team medals from the prestigious competition.

Bruce "Buck" Davidson, Jr., an eventing rider who is a Promise Partner for Pennfield Equine Feed Technologies, made history at the recent United States Eventing Association (USEA) annual meeting. Davidson was the first rider to collect Rider of the Year, Horse of the Year, Mare of the Year, Advanced Horse of the Year, and Adequan/USEA Gold Cup Series Championship honors in the same year. Davidson's father, Bruce Davidson Sr., was named USEA Rider of the Year fifteen times, and more recently Phillip Dutton, another top rider sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER), won the honor for eleven years.

To keep his horses in condition for their training and competition schedule, Buck chooses feeds formulated by KER and manufactured by Pennfield Equine Feed Technologies, a KER Team Member. These feed products contain levels of energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals that support the demands of strenuous exercise, allowing the horses to perform to their maximum potential.

Chester Weber, a combined driver who is an eight-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Champion, is one of eight U.S. horsemen and horsewomen who received the title of Equestrian of Honor earlier in 2011. Votes are now being cast to name one of these equestrians as 2011 USEF Equestrian of the Year. This rider or driver will be chosen on the basis of a vote of the USEF general membership, the USEF board of directors, and members of the media.

Weber has spent years supporting the equestrian community. He serves on numerous committees including the USEF High Performance Driving Committee, the National Driving Committee, the Safety Committee, the Hearing Committee, the Licensed Officials Committee, and the Driving Technical Committee. Weber is also the chairman of the Active Athlete's Committee and has served on the Dressage Search Committee.

To keep his competition horses in top condition, Weber uses feeds and products formulated by his sponsors, Kentucky Equine Research and its Team Member, Pennfield Equine Feed Technologies. All KER and Pennfield products are designed to support the demands of high-level training and performance. They provide maximal nutrition including the protein, energy, vitamins, and minerals necessary to keep Weber's driving horses performing at the championship level. 

If selected, Weber would be the first combined driver to win the prestigious title. To cast a vote for Weber, go to http://www.usefnetwork.com/news/7915/2011/12/14/usef_announces_the_2011_equestrian.aspx. The winner will be announced in January 2012, during the USEF Annual Meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio.