For the first time in 2026, the US Equestrian Open of Dressage runs coast to coast. Wellington, on the east, hosts one qualifier. Del Mar hosts the other, bringing the Series spotlight back to California and widening the leaderboard race in a single weekend.
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<h2 dir="ltr">Del Mar Dressage Opener</h2>
It&rsquo;s the first West Coast Open qualifier of 2026, giving California-based combinations their first real chance to make a mark this season &mdash; unless, like Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn, they headed east to Wellington to get their campaign underway.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/fc7e0ecc-e947-4379-9704-0a991c05a6d4.png?width=1408&amp;height=1066" alt="Nq I Z0 Grand Prix Freestyle Stats Del Mar Dressage Opener ">
Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn and Gino arrive at Del Mar as the clear favourite. Their FEI freestyle average of 74%&nbsp;is five points clear of the next combination in a five-horse field. Their personal best of 76.415% is also the highest entered.
Vaughn and Gino have been together since he was six. They've gone from regional shows to the world stage side by side, and they've done it the hard way - Vaughn is rider, caretaker, groom, and travel companion rolled into one, running a family business in California with her mother.&nbsp;
Vaughn sits fifth on the 2026 leaderboard with 30 points. A win here is worth 20, which would move her to the top of the standings and, if the result follows the data, likely secure a World Cup qualification. Last year marked her first appearance. This weekend could book her second.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/275c4b1f-9268-4fdb-b93c-66c1be8b798b.png?width=1240&amp;height=714" alt="Tbu9b Current Leaderboard of the Us Equestrian Open of Dressage ">
Behind Vaughn, the field is closely grouped. Yet, the most intriguing entry is Cyndi Jackson and Florisson, who carry no FEI freestyle record but have averaged 73% across three national freestyle starts with a personal best of 75.600%. National scores carry a different weight, but a combination averaging 73% at any level is capable of making this weekend's contenders uncomfortable.
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<h2 dir="ltr">Palm Beach Dressage Derby</h2>
Wellington's freestyle card is the lighter of the two this weekend, with most of the Grand Prix talent at Global opting for the Special. Three combinations have entered.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/6af28d24-406e-47e0-b9bf-4ce9fed24fec.png?width=1408&amp;height=798" alt="F B44p Grand Prix Freestyle Stats Palm Beach Dressage Derby ">
Susan Dutta and Don Design DC are the favourite with a freestyle average of 71.5% and a personal best of 73.950%. Dutta sits just outside the current top 10 on the leaderboard, and a strong result here likely moves her into that bracket.&nbsp;
Michael Klimke and Harmony's Fado enter on a single FEI freestyle result of 71.445%. Klimke's pedigree is impeccable but having only one score makes him relatively difficult to place.&nbsp;
Adriane Alvord and Selfmade carry an FEI average of 67.06%, though a national personal best of 76.750% suggests there's more ceiling there than the international record shows.
In a three-horse field with the Series' smallest points allocation, Dutta has the clearest case for the win. Whether Klimke's experience closes the gap is the question that only Palm Beach can answer.
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Genay Vaughn and Gino cantering with a rug and sash

Coast to Coast: The US Equestrian Open of Dressage Delivers a Double-Header

1. Jumping

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Wellington CDI5* Grand Prix

2. Eventing

Morven Park CCI4*-L

3. Dressage

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Main

Brooke Burchianti sat down with Annie Bishop on this week's episode of the US Equestrian Open Podcast. Find the full episode <a href="https://pod.fo/e/396daa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
<h2 dir="ltr">In Her Blood</h2>
Some riders find horses. For Brooke, it was never really a question. Her mother competed through the intermediate and three-star level, producing thoroughbreds up through the levels. Her grandmother rode too. By the time Brooke was three, sitting on her mother's big dressage horse, it was already decided.&nbsp;Pony Club and Welsh ponies led to a single-minded certainty that this was to be Brooke&rsquo;s job and not a phase.
<blockquote>
"Ever since then I was like 'This is this is for me, there's nothing else that I want to do.' Ever since I was a kid, I was like 'I want to ride horses my whole life. That's the job I want. That's it. And that's what I ended up doing.'"
</blockquote>
From there she went to James Madison University, where she studied sports management; a degree that, it turns out, maps almost directly into running an equestrian business. With a degree in her back pocket for if the horses didn&rsquo;t work out, she returned home to Pennsylvania, took over the farm her mother had run, and began building something of her own.
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<h2 dir="ltr">Family Dynamics</h2>
The farm her mother Karin owns is also where Brooke trains which means her first and most important coach is also her mother. That dynamic, as Brooke is quick to admit, has not always been smooth.
<blockquote>
"When I was a kid, I was a bit defiant and I didn't necessarily take instruction super well from her. I take it well from other people."
</blockquote>
The turning point came when Brooke recognised that there weren't many people in the area who had competed to the level her mother had. She decided to stop being a daughter at the barn and start being a student. Brooke has learned to listen to her mother&rsquo;s advice because she knows her, and more to the point, knows Astro, better than anyone.
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<h2 dir="ltr">The Second Choice</h2>
Brooke made the trip to Cooley Farm in Ireland looking for a horse. She had her eye on one horse in particular but horses being horses, that one failed the vetting.
Cooley Space Gray or Astro to his friends, was next on the list. She sat on him twice over two days and they just clicked.
<blockquote>
"I think we just kind of matched each other. I think he knew that I wasn't going to get in his way too much. I was just there to be his friend more than anything and that's honestly what he needs."
</blockquote>
He was only 6 and had come from a show jumping barn meaning he had no eventing experience and Brooke would have to build everything from scratch. But she bought him anyways, brought him home to Pennsylvania, and got to work.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/9cc2648a-c6bb-4677-ac8f-dceaea847484.jpeg?width=1600&amp;height=1066" alt="Whats App Image 2026 02 25 at 12.05.34">
Fast forward 7 years and Brooke has produced Astro all the way from his first 2* to their 5* debut at Kentucky last year.
His name came from Brooke's interest in astrology and from the feeling, looking back, that the whole thing was written in the stars. The first horse wasn't meant to be hers. Cooley Space Gray was.
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<h2 dir="ltr">Everything His Way</h2>
Astro is not a complicated horse to ride. He is, however, completely on his own terms.
The mare Brooke had before him was a hot chestnut thoroughbred that she describes as a dragon. Astro is the opposite. He runs in a snaffle across all three phases. Brooke could take a breath and he would slow down. On cross-country, his ears come up, he looks for the next fence, and he goes.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/a1839783-2f92-4aae-bb94-a018067c7b46.jpeg?width=1440&amp;height=960" alt="Whats App Image 2026 02 25 at 12.06.00">
What he does not do is take instruction he hasn't agreed to. This extends to basic yard management. One morning this winter, Brooke went to catch him in the field and he simply declined.
<blockquote>
"He's like 'I don't think I want to come in right now - you're not going to catch me,'&nbsp; and so I literally will just open the gate and just be like 'Just come in when you can buddy.'"
</blockquote>
The same quality that makes him hard to catch (occasionally) is what makes him so effective on course. He does not get in his own way. He does not need to be managed into submission. He jumps because he wants to jump and the results show it. Last year, he and Brooke were one of just four combinations to finish on their dressage score at an Open qualifier.&nbsp;
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/7647d547-5141-4d9f-bc02-a30798b32865.png?width=1748&amp;height=614" alt="W A0 Jf the Four Fod S From the 2025 Series Qualifiers Nbsp ">
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<h2 dir="ltr">The String Behind Brooke</h2>
Brooke doesn't have one type of horse, she has every type.
Cooley Constellation, known as Aries, is the almost-exact opposite of Astro: nearly 17 hands, long, gangly, and in Brooke's words &ldquo;the sweetest horse in the barn&rdquo;. He stepped up to the 3*L at Maryland last season and Brooke believes he has a five-star in him when the time comes.
Then there is KHH Lanesboro or Bart. Also from Ireland, Bart is smaller and more similar to Astro. He is competing at the CCI1* with aims to step up in the spring.
A third Cooley horse is incoming but her name is undecided. It will, Brooke confirms, be on the astrology theme.
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<h2 dir="ltr">The Future</h2>
Astro is on a well-earned break after the season. A few minor strains&mdash;nothing serious, but enough to justify some rest&mdash;mean he&rsquo;ll return this summer, with autumn plans still taking shape.&nbsp;
Aries is aiming for Carolina to kick off the year, with a long-term goal of stepping up to Advanced in the autumn.&nbsp;
Bart is set to move up to 2* in the spring, Virginia is a possibility, though plans remain flexible.
When Brooke first went to Cooley and sat down with Richard Sheane, she nearly kept her biggest goals to herself. But she said it anyway: she wanted to ride at Advanced, and one day at five-star. She&rsquo;s achieved these goals now... so the next chapter is hers to write.
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<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr">Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</h2>
Check out the full Series calendar below and stay connected with the latest news and standings on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Facebook</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Instagram.&nbsp;</a>Use #USEqOpen to join the conversation.
Also follow US Equestrian on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USequestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrian/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@usequestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/usequestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X (Twitter)</a>.&nbsp;
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For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.
For media inquiries about the US Equestrian Open Series, please contact Carly Weilminster at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cweilminster@usef.org">cweilminster@usef.org</a>.&nbsp;
For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.

Brroke Burchianti and Cooley Space Grey jumping cross country

Family, Fate, and Five-Star: The Brooke Burchianti Story

There wasn&rsquo;t much time to catch a breath after Boyd Martin lifted the trophy at Morven Park. Just two weeks later, the 2026 US Equestrian Open of Eventing Series was already underway, with two qualifiers completed before the winter break.&nbsp;
As the Series resumes at Bouckaert International on March 5, now is the perfect moment to catch up on the story so far.
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<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr">Qualifier 1: Bouckaert International (October 24, 2025)</h2>
The 2026 Series opened at Bouckaert Farm in Fairburn, Georgia, with nine combinations chasing a maximum 40 points. This venue is one of the toughest time tracks on the calendar. In 13 years of the CCI4*, only four combinations had ever made the cross-country time (just 2% of all starters).
After a difficult start to 2025 for Lucienne Bellissimo and Dyri, with two unlucky runs prompting a tactical step back, Bellissimo rebuilt Dyri&rsquo;s confidence at lower levels. Four consecutive wins at 2* and 3* followed. Bouckaert marked their return to 4*, and they delivered.
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">A 33.0 put them in the dressage lead</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">A clear show jumping round kept them there</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">A clear cross country round to add 8.0 time penalties - the fastest of the day</li>
</ul>
It was their <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/bellissimo-and-dyri-make-it-five-in-a-row-at-bouckaert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fifth consecutive international victory</a> and Bellissimo&rsquo;s eighth win of 2025. That win made her the British rider with the most international wins this year, ahead of Paris Olympian's Laura Collett, Ros Canter, and Tom McEwen (more on Bellissimo&rsquo;s British flag later!)
<a href="https://podfollow.com/the-us-equestrian-open-podcast/episode/a3215b228cb986aba67a1ffed04560f1a7a9da59" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kate Sand and Top Shelf</a> finished second with a double clear while Bruce Davidson Jr. and Cerafino D completed the podium in third.
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<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr">Qualifier 2: The Event at TerraNova (November 14, 2025)</h2>
TerraNova served as both the second qualifier of the series and final FEI eventing competition in the US for 2025. The headline arrival was Will Coleman and Diabolo -&nbsp; the star combination returning to 4* competition after injury had kept them out of the Paris Olympics and most of the 2025 season.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/d738f3c8-578c-4542-ad5f-abfb66e1a7b2.jpeg?width=1600&amp;height=1388" alt="Copy of C E5 A8393">
Diabolo returned to the level with a dressage score of 26.1 which tied the second-best test ever recorded at the venue - beaten only by Coleman's own Chin Tonic HS in 2023. A double clear across the remaining two phases <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/terranova-closes-the-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">maintained their lead from start to finish.</a>&nbsp;It was Diabolo's third 4* win in a row, following victories at Cosequin Kentucky and Plantation Field (both in 2024). Coleman finished the event with 60 series points thanks to an additional fifth place with Fahrenheit Addict.
Lucienne Bellissimo and&nbsp;Dyri came second and Kitsch Couture HPK finished 8th to add an additional 40 points to her score to maintain the lead.
Waylon Roberts and Fernhill Salt Lake completed the podium in third. Roberts had entered with the highest EquiRatings Top Speed Percentage (TSP) in the field, and Fernhill Salt Lake proved the stats right. He produced the fastest cross-country round of the weekend and he was the only horse to make the time. It was also the first completion at four-star level for the pair after two previous starts at the level.
The other standout story of the weekend was Meg Pellegrini, who made her four-star debut with three horses. Dondante finished 7th with a double clear, Falcon Crown Z delivered the second-best dressage test in the field (26.9) before finishing 9th, and Cooley Wish Upon a Star added a 12th. Pellegrini and her string of horses will almost certainly be a story to follow as the season unfolds.
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<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr">A New Flag at the Top</h2>
After TerraNova, the Series paused for the winter break. While competition was quiet, the leaderboard still saw a significant change at the top of the standings.
After officially becoming a United States citizen in late 2025,<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/new-flag-for-the-frontrunner" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Lucienne Bellissimo now represents Team USA</a>. Bellissimo had opened the Series as a British rider. She will resume it in 2026 as an American: still leading the standings, but under a new flag.
<a href="https://us.equestrian-hub.com/public/championship/eventing/2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/c23492d7-840b-47ef-9003-9f9fdbe46459.png?width=1240&amp;height=714" alt="E Fens Current Leaderboard of the Us Equestrian Open of Eventing (1)"></a>
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<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr">What's Next: Bouckaert International (March 5, 2026)</h2>
The Series resumes at Bouckaert Farm next week for Qualifier 3, and the field is shaping up to be one of the venue&rsquo;s strongest so far. Bellissimo leads the standings, but several big names are set to line up. The added twist? This will be the first qualifier of the 2026 Series to attract 25 or more combinations, unlocking the higher points allocation.&nbsp;
Read more about the key contenders in last week&rsquo;s edition of The Open Weekly &rarr; <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/the-open-weekly-werth-breaks-records-while-ward-wins-at-wef" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/the-open-weekly-werth-breaks-records-while-ward-wins-at-wef</a>
With 18 qualifiers to go and the final at Morven Park on October 8-11, 2026, there is still everything to play for.&nbsp;
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<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr">Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</h2>
Check out the full Series calendar below and stay connected with the latest news and standings on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Facebook</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Instagram.&nbsp;</a>Use #USEqOpen to join the conversation.
Also follow US Equestrian on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USequestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrian/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@usequestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/usequestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X (Twitter)</a>.&nbsp;
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For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.
For media inquiries about the US Equestrian Open Series, please contact Carly Weilminster at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cweilminster@usef.org">cweilminster@usef.org</a>.&nbsp;
For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.

A collage of photos from the US Equestrian Open of Eventing

The Story So Far of the US Equestrian Open of Eventing

Rolex US Equestrian Open Final | Wellington, Week 12 | Countdown: 4 Weeks
Four weeks out from the Rolex US Equestrian Open Final and the 2026 challengers are becoming more clear. High Star Hero produced yet another McLain Ward Wellington win in what has been a difficult week after the loss of Imperial HBF. "My team has rallied and put their heads down - it's been a grind, and I'm proud of them, proud of the horse, and proud to bring this home tonight." The Winter Equestrian Festival has now crossed its halfway point and Saturday night's CSI5* $500,000 Modon Grand Prix helped sharpen the focus around the key challengers for the final.&nbsp;
Only five combinations made it through to the jump-off. The spread of nations they represented&mdash;USA, Colombia, Ireland, Germany, France&mdash;told its own story about the international character of Week 7 at WEF.&nbsp; The US Equestrian Open of Dressage the night before was won by Germany&rsquo;s<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/isabell-werth-sets-new-us-equestrian-open-of-dressage-record-in-wellington" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Isabell Werth</a> and the top six placings were shared across six different nations.
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<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>The Winner: McLain Ward &amp; High Star Hero <img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/81f507dd-c992-4a37-a315-1274112ff517.jpeg?width=1600&amp;height=1326" alt="Img L7339"> </h3>
Ward went first in the jump-off, set the target, and nobody caught him. His time of 39.14 seconds proved untouchable despite the best efforts of four who followed. He took an extra stride to the final fence and still won which bodes well for US fans hoping to see High Star Hero's raw footspeed in a month.
"You always feel pressure, and all these guys are super-fast riders with very fast horses &mdash; I knew they were going to risk everything to win," said Ward afterwards. "I had to do what I thought was the winning plan, and the horse responded beautifully."
This was the fourth time Ward has won the WEF Week 7 Grand Prix &mdash; his previous three victories all came with HH Azur (2016, 2017, 2020). (Note: HH Azur remains the highest rated horse over the last 15 years in the US - they reached a peak Elo of 784 aged 12 in 2018. Greya is closing in on this). McLain attributed his pattern of strong Week 7 results to a deliberate seasonal strategy:&nbsp;
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/d7a13cc3-1db5-40bd-8b22-bc1fa1542c60.png?width=2000&amp;height=2000" alt="Example 1a. Front">
The man with more top level Wellington wins than any other rider will arrive at Week 12 with momentum, with a number of his horses in form, at a venue that he knows how to win. He will be one of the main hopes of keeping the Open title on home soil.&nbsp;
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<h3 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 dir="ltr">Mark Bluman &amp; Landon de Nyze</h3>
Second place went to a pair with no 5* 1.60m jump-off record - because Saturday night was their first 5* Grand Prix together. Bluman and Landon only became a combination in December, less than two months ago, and this was already their third top-three finish (two wins at 155 level since taking over the ride from Daniel).&nbsp;
They came within half a second of Ward.&nbsp;
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/e547760a-f4ca-4358-aa24-749cb9d2cfa7.png?width=2000&amp;height=2000" alt="Example 1a. Front (1)">
Landon de Nyze&mdash;a 13-year-old son of Comilfo Plus Z x Quadrillo&mdash;was previously ridden by his brother Daniel Bluman and before than Kent Farrington (with whom he won team gold and individual silver at the 2023 Pan American Games for the USA).&nbsp;
"I've never ridden a horse like this one in my life," said Bluman. "I come from Colombia, and it's not a country with a horse background, so to be sitting here with people that I grew up watching riding horses, it means the world."
Very few 160 partnership debuts produce results this quickly. He has two wins at 155 level (4* and 5*). Nothing about Saturday night suggested this 160 debut was a ceiling.
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<hr>
<h3 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 dir="ltr">Shane Sweetnam &amp; James Kann Cruz</h3>
A podium felt almost routine for the Kentucky-based, Irish combination. Their jump-off conversion borders on statistical anomaly: 18 clears from 21 rounds (86%), translating into 19 podium finishes from those jump-off appearances. Lets that sink in - 21 jump offs at 5*160 level and now 19 podium finishes.&nbsp;
The 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Kannan x Cruising) is in impressive form. "He hasn't knocked a fence in a Grand Prix since Dublin (August), and that's ridiculous," said Sweetnam. "I'm blessed to have a horse that good - he really loves his job."
Like Bluman, he was disappointed not to win. He was candid about his own role:&nbsp;
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/7f74b363-44d9-4b99-8c57-3fadea74f785.png?width=2000&amp;height=2000" alt="Example 1a. Front (2)">
Shane Sweetnam is loved in Ireland as a reliable, humble, and supremely talented, rider. There is huge belief that he knows exactly where to find more for the final. When this pair make it to a jump-off at this level, a top-three finish has become the expectation. Now, time for the win.
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<hr>
<h3 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 dir="ltr">Dont Miss: Richard Vogel &amp; Gangster Montdesir</h3>
Vogel and Gangster Montdesir posted the fastest jump-off time of the night (37.34 seconds) but had four faults to go with it.They finished fourth. They won the season's opening 5* Grand Prix at Week 5 - the $500,000 Fidelity Investments CSI5*.&nbsp;
Gangster is only just turned 10. Their 5* 160 record now reads: five starts, five clear rounds, two wins (the first coming in Lyon last October).&nbsp;
Vogel also expressed exactly why this venue matters to his preparation: "Wellington is our home in the winter months. It's my fifth circuit here, and it has always been good to us, good to our horses. Every year, we can step up a couple of new, younger, exciting horses, and Gangster is the one this year."
History says that riders who win the Week 5 Grand Prix at WEF have historically gone on to exceptional seasons - Farrington and Greya's 2025 victory preceded a nine-win year; Fuchs and Clooney used their 2019 success as a springboard to seven 5* Grand Prix. The pattern around this class is hard to ignore, and Vogel has backed up the Week 5 trend this weekend.&nbsp;
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<h3 dir="ltr">Nina Mallevaey &amp; Dynastie De Beaufour</h3>
Mallevaey finished fifth in the Grand Prix with four faults in the jump-off at 39.53 seconds. The top-ranked u25 rider in the world and the breakout star of 2025 has continued an unbelievable run of form with Dynastie De Beaufour.
This was their TWELFTH consecutive clear jumping round at CSI5* 1.60m, becoming only the fifth horse since 2010 to reach this run of consecutive clears. If she is clear next time out, she joins Big Star who made it to 13 in-a-row.&nbsp;
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/38556da7-03fd-4132-8572-4e8f26aacaf6.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Us Open Dressage Grid Post">
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The absence of last year&rsquo;s winner Kent Farrington from the Grand Prix start list this week is also significant. Farrington, the world No. 2, is a name whose entry will reshape the complexion of any field they enter. If Farrington and Greya canter into the ring at Week 12, they will be carrying the weight of their elite record on their shoulders.
The broader point is this: the US field for Week 12 is not Ward and a supporting cast. It is Ward, Farrington, Kraut, Keenan, and a bench of depth that few nations will match. The international field will arrive with serious credentials. So will the Americans.
The Rolex US Equestrian Open Final takes place during WEF Week 12, Wellington, Florida. Four weeks remain.
<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/the-open-weekly-werth-breaks-records-while-ward-wins-at-wef" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/797de4a4-a9fd-4ef8-8f83-7253791613fc.png?width=4048&amp;height=577" alt="Us Open Blog Inserts"></a>

Ward Wins in Wellington (Again)

<h2 dir="ltr">Dressage: Werth Rewrites the Record Books in Wellington</h2>
Next Qualifier: Palm Beach Derby 2/25 + Del Mar Dressage Opener 2/26 | The Final: Desert Dressage, Thermal CA (November)
Isabell Werth returned to Wellington for the first time in 16 years and immediately rewrote the record books. The World No. 2 and Special Blend 3 scored 82.660% &mdash; the highest mark in US Equestrian Open of Dressage history &mdash; on the partnership's FEI Grand Prix Freestyle debut, backed by a 90.120% artistic score and 10s from three judges for music.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/8d90e1c0-c60c-404d-b125-e3c0f01ccc41.jpg?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Snap Insta.to 640935575 17936794482171204 7782157409439030159 N">
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and Jaccardo earned second on 79.250% in the 12-year-old's first Friday night, and Julio Mendoza Loor and Jewel's Goldstrike rounded out the podium at 78.165%.
"This freestyle is really, really difficult and I was not sure what Special would do because he's not experienced in these kinds of atmospheres, but he was very focused," said Werth. "This crowd was so supportive and started to clap, which is something special. That end to a test is a feeling I really enjoy, and it's how you know why you're still in the saddle in a competition."
Read the full AGDF 7 recap &rarr; <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/isabell-werth-sets-new-us-equestrian-open-of-dressage-record-in-wellington">https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/isabell-werth-sets-new-us-equestrian-open-of-dressage-record-in-wellington</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://equestrian-hub-usef.pages.dev/us-equestrian-open" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/275c4b1f-9268-4fdb-b93c-66c1be8b798b.png?width=1240&amp;height=714" alt="Tbu9b Current Leaderboard of the Us Equestrian Open of Dressage "></a>
<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/dressage" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/df3afaab-1f25-4fab-a1dc-c46c608169fb.png?width=1080&amp;height=171" alt="Read More Dressage"></a>
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<h2 dir="ltr">Show Jumping: McLain Ward and High Star Hero Light Up WEF Week 7</h2>
The US Equestrian Open Final: Wellington, Week 12 | Countdown: 4 Weeks
The Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) has passed its halfway point, and the picture at the top of the sport is coming into sharper focus. Saturday night's CSI5* $500,000 Modon Grand Prix produced a winner who needs no introduction on home soil and results that will echo all the way to Week 12.
<h3 dir="ltr">McLain Ward &amp; High Star Hero&nbsp;</h3>
McLain Ward claimed the Week 7 Grand Prix aboard High Star Hero, a result that lands him in rare company even by his own exceptional standards. This is the fourth time Ward has won this exact Grand Prix with his previous three victories all coming with the iconic HH Azur (2016, 2017, and 2020). As a combination, this was Ward and High Star Hero&rsquo;s fourth CSI5* 1.60m win together, following previous victories at the World Cup of Arcada and two Grand Prix Qualifiers in the Hamptons.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/c3eee625-2e89-4d77-bc2d-c701ab0ef05e.jpeg?width=1600&amp;height=1326" alt="Img L7339">
With just over four weeks until the Rolex US Equestrian Open Final, Ward will be defending momentum and arriving with a horse in form. Home advantage, a proven track record at this event, and a clear jump-off performance on Friday night: this combination are going to be major contenders for a home win.
<h3 dir="ltr">Mark Bluman &amp; Landon de Nyze</h3>
Second place went to Mark Bluman and Landon de Nyze and the story behind it makes the podium even more impressive. Bluman and Landon only became a combination in December, less than two months ago. They have already won two 1.55m classes together. Friday night was their first 5* Grand Prix together, and they walked away with a podium finish.
New partnerships at the 5* level rarely produce results this quickly. The jump from building a partnership to landing a top-two finish in a Grand Prix of this calibre in under two months warrants close attention heading into the back half of the WEF season.
<h3 dir="ltr">Shane Sweetnam &amp; James Kann Cruz</h3>
The bronze position went to Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz. Friday&rsquo;s result was their 20th individual 5* 1.60m podium finish together, with eight of those arriving in the past twelve months alone.
Their jump-off record borders on the extraordinary: 18 clears from 21 rounds at the 5* 1.60m level (86%), translating to 19 podium finishes from those jump-off appearances. When Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz make it to a jump-off at this level, a top-three finish has become the expectation rather than the exception.
<h3 dir="ltr">The Bigger Picture</h3>
There are four CSI5* Grand Prix during the WEF season: Weeks 5, 7, 9, and 12. With Weeks 5 and 7 now complete, there are just two more chances to win big before the Final. Saturday night marked another pit stop but Week 12 remains the ultimate destination.
<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/jumping" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/eeee484b-ef16-4e10-9de3-6d72b0a7f0c7.png?width=1080&amp;height=161" alt="Read More Jumping"></a>
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<h2 dir="ltr">Eventing: The Countdown to Bouckaert Begins</h2>
Next Qualifier: Bouckaert Equestrian | Countdown: 1 Week
The first qualifier of the 2026 US Equestrian Open of Eventing is one week away, and the anticipation building around the CCI4*-S at Bouckaert Farm is well earned. The entry list has been confirmed<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/the-open-weekly" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> (check out our deep dive in last week Open Weekly)</a> and with 28 combinations set to line up in Georgia, this is already shaping up to be one of the stronger editions of this event.
Bouckaert Farm has been hosting the CCI4*-S since 2013. Across 15 previous runnings of the class, exactly 280 horses have started. That means the venue is set to welcome its 300th (and beyond) CCI4*-S starter in the coming days. For an event that describes horses as being at its heart, it is a milestone worth marking.
The 28-entry field clears the 25-combination threshold required for a high-scoring qualifier and provides some cushion against the inevitable pre-event withdrawals. Last year&rsquo;s running of this event drew 19 starters, which means this year the field is deeper and the stakes are correspondingly higher.
No name carries more significance into this weekend than <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/new-flag-for-the-frontrunner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lucienne Bellissimo.</a> The Series leader arrives at Bouckaert with two horses and a lead to defend.&nbsp;Bellissimo brings Kitsch Couture HPK and four-star debutant Qatar M. It is a debut that Bellissimo herself has been building toward, and her excitement ahead of the run has been visible.&nbsp;
<div style="max-width: 540px; margin: 1rem auto;"><iframe src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVCKJupkVIN/embed" width="100%" height="780" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen">

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lucienne_bellissimo?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@lucienne_bellissimo </a>'Qatar M' gearing up for his first run of the season this week, looking forward to trying to get him to his first <a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@usequestrianopen</a> this April.&nbsp;
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Just over one week out, and the road to the 2026 US Equestrian Open of Eventing Series title picks up speed from here.
<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/eventing" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/254e09dd-d92e-4194-986b-baf0dbd8460b.png?width=1080&amp;height=158" alt="Read More Eventing"></a>
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<h2 data-path-to-node="4">Stay in the Loop with The Open Weekly</h2>
Thanks for joining us for this week's edition! Don't forget: a fresh update of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/the-open-weekly" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Open Weekly</a>&nbsp;drops on this site every Tuesday.
<h3 data-path-to-node="9">Join the Conversation</h3>
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<h3 data-path-to-node="6">Go Beyond the Article</h3>
Catch the latest insights and expert interviews on the&nbsp;<a href="https://sites.libsyn.com/559710" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US Equestrian Open Podcast</a>.
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The Open Weekly: Werth Breaks Records While Ward Wins at WEF

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