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As in many sports, the US Equestrian Open of Dressage offers its own kind of home field advantage. This weekend, Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn will be riding on it. Based in Northern California, Thermal is a familiar stop on Vaughn&rsquo;s competition calendar. She opened her 2025 season with a win there. Now, she returns to finish the story.
<h2 dir="ltr">Built in California</h2>
Vaughn rides Gino, a 14-year-old KWPN gelding she&rsquo;s brought along since he was six. The two are inseparable. She is Gino&rsquo;s rider, groom, chef, travel companion, and emotional anchor.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;My world revolves around him. It&rsquo;s his world&mdash;I&rsquo;m just living in it.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
That bond has carried them from California&rsquo;s regional CDIs to the top tier of the US Equestrian Open. Vaughn is the only undefeated rider in Series qualifiers, going four-for-four with CDI wins at Thermal, Del Mar, and Devonwood. She finished the regular season ranked 7th on the leaderboard with 80 points, despite fewer starts than many of her rivals. Her Series average and personal best sit at 74.859% and 75.875%, respectively.
Her early-season winning streak earned her a ticket to the 2025 FEI World Cup Final in Basel, where she placed 14th with a 73.765%. Not bad when your lowest score of the year comes at your first major international championship. That kind of experience is exactly what prepares a rider for a grand final like the one in Thermal.
<h2 dir="ltr">Freestyle with Soul</h2>
Vaughn brings that technical know-how and a popular freestyle soundtrack to this weekend&rsquo;s event. Her test is a love letter to her roots, choreographed and set to music she selected herself. The soundtrack blends artists from her childhood: Barry White, Luther Vandross, and Earth, Wind &amp; Fire.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;I picked songs that I grew up on&mdash;artists that were close to me, and music that I really liked and felt was part of my culture. I picked a lot of African-American artists.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
That music pairs beautifully with Gino&rsquo;s expressive confidence. &ldquo;He knows when it&rsquo;s showtime,&rdquo; Vaughn said.
Their freestyle averages in the mid-70s, but over the summer, Vaughn has been working to refine the floorplan and increase the degree of difficulty&mdash;a crucial scoring factor with a 4x multiplier. Top combinations like Hendricks and Drombusch or Ebeling and Bellena consistently earn degree of difficulty marks in the high 8s and low 9s. To challenge for the win, Vaughn will need to bring the same level of technical complexity.
<h2 dir="ltr">A Family Foundation</h2>
Vaughn&rsquo;s career is powered by her family. She trains daily with her mother, Michele, who has coached her from juniors to the international Grand Prix level. Together, they run Starr Vaughn Equestrian in Elk Grove, CA. The high-performance mindset also runs through her father, a former MLB player, whose mantra still guides her:
<blockquote>
&ldquo;If you want to be above average, then you can&rsquo;t just do the average things.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
In a sport often dominated by big names, grooms, and European bases, Vaughn has carved her own path. She rides without major sponsors, without a typical team behind her&mdash;and she wins anyway. Her work ethic, resourcefulness, and bond with Gino have made her one of the most authentic contenders in the Series.
<h2 dir="ltr">Thermal, Again</h2>
This weekend, Vaughn returns to where it all began&mdash;Thermal, the site of the very first US Equestrian Open qualifier and the first win of her undefeated season. A mid-70s performance is all but assured.
But if the summer went as she&rsquo;d planned, and she&rsquo;s managed to increase the degree of difficulty in the floor plan, then a fairytale finish isn&rsquo;t out of reach.
She&rsquo;s just one win away from a perfect season.
Catch every ride of the US Equestrian Open Final live on the <a href="https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_US/usef">USEF Network</a>. Sign up for a free fan membership at <a href="https://www.usef.org/network">usef.org</a> to access the full broadcast from Thermal.
&nbsp;
<hr>
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 <a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.

Geñay Vaughn smiles while riding Gino in Thermal after their January win, both dressed in a navy winner’s blanket with US Equestrian Open branding.

Four to Follow at the US Equestrian Open Final: Geñay Vaughn

Benjamin Ebeling is emerging as one of the most exciting young dressage talents in the United States. A former youth champion, Ebeling has spent 2025 redefining himself as a serious senior international contender. He rides Bellena, a 15-year-old Hanoverian mare formerly campaigned by his father, 2012 Olympian Jan Ebeling.
Their entire international career together has unfolded within the US Equestrian Open of Dressage. Since debuting their freestyle in April, Ebeling and Bellena have finished second in the overall standings with 94 points, posted the third-highest average score in the Finals field (76.325%), and climbed steadily through the leaderboard with personal bests that just keep rising.
<h2 dir="ltr">Brick by Brick</h2>
Nearly every start this season has brought a new career high for Ebeling and Bellena. Their first freestyle win came in April at WEC&rsquo;s CDI4*, where they debuted their freestyle with a 75.740%. The next month, they returned to Ocala and upped that mark to 76.190%, besting Series leader Anna Marek.
That win secured Ebeling a spot on the U.S. team for CHIO Aachen, where he made his senior team debut. While their freestyle in Aachen didn&rsquo;t meet expectations, Ebeling rebounded quickly. He stayed in Europe to compete at the Achleiten CDI4* in Austria, where he and Bellena set back-to-back personal bests&mdash;winning the Grand Prix and scoring 76.615% in the Freestyle.
By September, they were peaking. At Dressage at Devon, they posted a 77.665% in the largest qualifying field of the season. One month later, they capped off the regular season with a new combination-best of 78.055% at TerraNova. That mark is the third-highest score of any pair entered in the Final, behind only Drombusch OLD and Fayvel.
In just seven months, Ebeling and Bellena have built a career to rival riders who&rsquo;ve spent decades in the senior division.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Style Points</h2>
Their rise has come with a soundtrack. Set to confident, crowd-pleasing hits like Femininomenon, Rich Girl, and Maneater, the pair&rsquo;s freestyle has become one of the Series&rsquo; most recognizable.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;I think in the Grand Prix, it&rsquo;s very difficult for the average fan to really connect with that,&rdquo; Ebeling said. &ldquo;But the freestyle, people really understand. Horses dancing is so exciting.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
The choreography is upbeat, punchy, and highlights Bellena&rsquo;s athleticism and responsiveness. The fiery mare, known for her expressiveness and energy, has matched Ebeling&rsquo;s confident style with patented chestnut-mare flair.
&ldquo;The mare is such a powerhouse,&rdquo; Ebeling said after their Ocala debut.&nbsp;
<blockquote>
&ldquo;I think this girl really loves to dance.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Turning Point</h2>
Ebeling didn&rsquo;t plan on a career in dressage. He began in the jumper ring, competing in his first Grand Prix over fences before ever stepping into a CDI arena. The pivot started when he asked his father to teach him a pirouette, not to win a dressage test, but to help him turn tighter in his jump-offs.
He didn&rsquo;t realize it then, but that moment marked the beginning of a new chapter. His ability to handle sensitive, high-powered horses has shaped the rider he&rsquo;s become.
At shows, Ben and Jan still carry one shared ritual: whoever finishes higher buys dinner; the other buys ice cream. After years of picking up the dessert tab, Ben finally got to pay for dinner.
<h2 dir="ltr">Poised for More</h2>
Ebeling is the highest-ranked rider in the Finals field based on FEI World Rankings (No. 34), and he&rsquo;s hit a new personal best with Bellena in each of their last three starts. If he can make it four in a row at the Final, a podium is easily within reach, but a title is on the table.&nbsp;
Catch every ride of the US Equestrian Open Final live on the <a href="https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_US/usef">USEF Network</a>. Sign up for a free fan membership at <a href="https://www.usef.org/network">usef.org</a> to access the full broadcast from Thermal.
&nbsp;
<hr>
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 <a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.

Ben Ebeling points in celebration aboard Bellena after a freestyle ride, both in full competition turnout with the US Equestrian Open of Dressage logo in the corner.

Four to Follow at the US Equestrian Open Final: Ben Ebeling

Germany&rsquo;s Felicitas Hendricks is a staple on the Wellington podium, but for the first time in her already-storied career, she&rsquo;s heading west. She&rsquo;ll make her West Coast debut at the US Equestrian Open of Dressage Final in Thermal, CA.
In 15 career Grand Prix Freestyles together, Hendricks and Drombusch OLD (by Destano) have finished outside the top three only three times. In 2024, they went undefeated through their Wellington season. This year has been a quieter one, but even Hendricks&rsquo; so-called &ldquo;off day&rdquo; was a 75 &mdash; a score most riders would celebrate.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Always in Rhythm</h2>
Across their four qualifier appearances, Hendricks and Drombusch OLD averaged a freestyle score of 76.533%. Their best outing came in January, when they won the first Adequan Global Dressage Festival qualifier with a 78.200%, dazzling judges with 20 one-tempis and an average degree of difficulty of 9.46. In just three months, they amassed 64 Series points before returning to Germany for the summer season.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;I feel like the sky really is the limit for this horse because he wants to do it, and I know he will," Hendricks said.
</blockquote>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Making of a Match</h2>
Trained by famed German coach Christoph Koschel, Hendricks has married classic schooling with contemporary flair. Her disco-inspired freestyle, set to music her mother danced to in the &rsquo;80s, is a crowd favorite. Drombusch himself lights up when the music comes over the loudspeakers.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s such a big personality,&rdquo; Hendricks laughed. &ldquo;I really believe he knows his music. When the crowd starts clapping, it&rsquo;s our favorite part.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
The pair has bonded over nearly a decade, and Hendricks says each competition season reveals new layers to his personality and ability. In addition to her recent senior success, she was the 2023 European Under-25 Grand Prix gold medalist and Freestyle silver medalist, helping Germany capture team gold at the U25 FEI European Championships. Now based in Hagen, Germany for the summer, she is making her first trip to the West Coast for the Final.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t wish for a better dance partner. Every day I think, I don&rsquo;t want him to get older. I just want to freeze him and have him forever," Hendricks explained.
</blockquote>
<h2 dir="ltr">West of Wellington&nbsp;</h2>
The Final in Thermal will be Hendricks&rsquo; first West Coast appearance and perhaps the biggest test of her career so far. Her record leaves little doubt about her ability, but this time she&rsquo;ll be outside the familiarity of Wellington. If she can channel the same precision, composure, and trust that have defined her partnership with Drombusch, the path to the title may well run straight through her centerline.
Catch every ride of the US Equestrian Open Final live on the <a href="https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_US/usef">USEF Network</a>. Sign up for a free fan membership at <a href="https://www.usef.org/network">usef.org</a> to access the full broadcast from Thermal.
&nbsp;
<hr>
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>.

Dressage rider Felicitas Hendricks smiles and celebrates while patting her horse after a ride, both wearing competition gear with the US Equestrian Open of Dressage logo in the corner.

Four to Follow at the US Equestrian Open Final: Felicitas Hendricks

With 105 points, Anna Marek became the first rider in US Equestrian Open of Dressage history to cross the 100-point mark, sealing her place as the inaugural Series champion.
<h2 dir="ltr">The Art of Almost Winning</h2>
When the season opened in January, Marek sat mid-pack while European riders like Felicitas Hendricks and Evelyn Eger traded early wins. But by Week 10, after a string of podiums in Wellington and Ocala, she overtook the leaderboard. From that point on, no one caught her.
<iframe id="datawrapper-chart-itjY6" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" title="The Points Race: Anna Marek, Ben Ebeling, Felicitas Hendricks" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/itjY6/2/" height="653" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Line chart" data-external="1"></iframe>
Across her six qualifying runs, Marek never finished lower than third and averaged over 75% in every freestyle. She also logged four second-place finishes, more than any other rider in the Series. It&rsquo;s the kind of stat that cuts both ways: a testament to her reliability, but also a question mark heading into the Final.
Can the sport&rsquo;s most consistent contender finally trade silver for gold when it matters most?
<iframe id="datawrapper-chart-MMizW" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" title="Anna Marek's Series Points" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/MMizW/1/" height="438" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Table" data-external="1"></iframe>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Power of Two</h2>
Most riders only managed one horse through the Series. Marek managed two.
<iframe id="datawrapper-chart-cOxSA" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" title="Anna Marek's Grand Prix Stable: Fire Fly vs. Fayvel" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/cOxSA/2/" height="414" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Table" data-external="1"></iframe>
Fire Fly, the high-voltage Pan Am Games medalist, brings flair with an all-time best of 78.750%. But he&rsquo;s a sensitive horse. Electric, but unpredictable under pressure.
Fayvel, by contrast, is the dependable one. A 15-year-old KWPN gelding by Zizi Top, he&rsquo;s an accurate horse, rarely dropping below 75%. Marek herself calls him &ldquo;bold but honest,&rdquo; a horse who gives her confidence to take risks.
When she needed reliability, Fayvel delivered. When she needed brilliance, Fire Fly did. That dual approach kept her ahead of riders just fielding one mount.
<h2 dir="ltr">What the Numbers Say</h2>
Heading into the Final, Marek is the only rider in the field with two proven Grand Prix Freestyle horses, both capable of scoring in the high 70s. She&rsquo;s logged seven top-four finishes this season, more than any other competitor, and her 105 points make her the most consistently high-scoring American across the year.
On paper, that consistency makes her a statistical favorite for another podium&hellip; but not necessarily for the win. Four second-place finishes have shown she&rsquo;s reliably in the mix, but rarely untouchable.
The question now is whether she can ride for first in the palm-lined arenas of Thermal, California.

Anna Marek smiles while riding during a US Equestrian Open Dressage competition, wearing a navy coat with the U.S. team badge and helmet, set against a blurred green background with the event logo in the corner.

How Anna Marek Won the Series

In a final qualifier class of just three, Tryon proved that a small field can still have Series-altering impact. Both Julio Mendoza Loor and Laine Ashker entered the weekend outside the qualification cutoff&mdash;and both left with invitations to the Final.
Mendoza Loor and his Paris mount, Jewel&rsquo;s Goldstrike, claimed victory on a 76.190%, while Ashker and Zeppelin followed with 72.955%. Their one-two finish vaulted both riders up the leaderboard: Mendoza Loor now sits in 18th, the last automatic qualifying position, and Ashker moves to 20th but has already received and accepted her invitation to the Final.
Entries for the US Equestrian Open of Dressage Final will be confirmed later this week, but several riders inside the top 18&mdash;Eline Eckroth, Evelyn Eger, and Kevin Kohmann&mdash;have already declined their spots, which created an opening for Ashker. Eckroth plans to stay in Florida to prepare for the winter circuit, while Eger and Kohmann are entered in the $350,000 World Cup event in Mexico the week before the Final. As for Mendoza Loor, we&rsquo;ll have to wait and see whether he joins the field in Thermal when entries are confirmed.&nbsp;
With the standings now set, Anna Marek officially tops the season leaderboard on 105 points, closing out the inaugural season with a $12,500 payout. Later this week, we&rsquo;ll take a closer look at her journey and how she got here. In the meantime, as we wait with bated breath for official entry announcements, one question lingers: <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/reliability-or-flash-which-will-marek-choose" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which horse will she bring to the Final</a>? With Kohmann out of the picture and Ebeling on an upward trajectory, it&rsquo;s a decision that promises to be anything but simple.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/ec351ddc-39ae-4bbb-8c20-23407423ff89.png?width=497&amp;height=684" alt="Screenshot of the final US Equestrian Open of Dressage leaderboard showing Anna Marek in first with 105 points, followed by Benjamin Ebeling with 94, and Kristina Harrison-Antell, Eline Eckroth, and Kevin Kohmann tied at 86. The top 20 riders are listed through Laine Ashker in 20th with 52 points.">

A dressage rider in formal competition attire raises his fist in celebration while riding a chestnut horse adorned with a ribboned bridle and the Ecuadorian flag on its saddle pad. The US Equestrian Open Dressage logo appears in the top right corner

Tryon Delivers the Final Twist in the US Equestrian Open Qualifiers

Taking place at Tryon International Equestrian Center, this week&rsquo;s qualifier may feature a small class, but it&rsquo;s far from insignificant.
Two familiar faces headline the final qualifier: Julio Mendoza Loor and Laine Ashker. Both sit just outside the top 18, and both could qualify for the Final by Saturday night if conditions align.
<h2 dir="ltr">Mendoza Loor&rsquo;s Mission</h2>
Mendoza Loor enters Tryon in 25th place on 37 points. Despite contesting only two qualifiers, he finished first and second in those starts. With his 14-year-old partner Jewel&rsquo;s Goldstrike, the Paris Olympian boasts a strong Grand Prix Freestyle average of 77.549%, one of the highest in the Series, and a personal best of 84.230% making him the clear favorite in Tryon.
If he wins (and it&rsquo;s hard to see him not doing so), he&rsquo;ll finish the season on 57 points, tying with Adrienne Lyle for 18th place, the final qualifying position for the Thermal Final. Even if he skips the trip west, that 18th-place finish still nets him $500, which isn&rsquo;t much, but it&rsquo;ll pay for his next FEI entry fee.
<h2 dir="ltr">Ashker&rsquo;s Chance</h2>
Ashker&rsquo;s path is a little different. A second-place finish would add 17 points to her current 35-point total, bringing her to 52 points and 19th&nbsp; overall&mdash;just outside the automatic qualifying cutoff. But there&rsquo;s still hope. When riders inside the top 18 decline their invitations, the next in line receive the call-up. With Kevin Kohmann and Eline Eckroth already confirmed as non-participants, at least two Final spots should open, likely including one for Ashker.
<iframe id="datawrapper-chart-OIbVf" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" title="Grand Prix Freestyle Stats: Tryon Fall Dressage III" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/OIbVf/1/" height="470" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Table" data-external="1"></iframe>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Leaderboard at a Glance</h2>
With Kevin Kohmann, Eline Eckroth, Benjamin Ebeling, and Kristina Kristina Harrison-Antell all sitting out this weekend, Anna Marek&rsquo;s hold on the top spot is secure. Once the dust settles in Tryon, she will officially be crowned the Series leaderboard champion, earning $12,500 for her season-long effort. The bigger check, of course, awaits in Thermal.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/f4b16253-141a-41e1-8da6-537304def5ae.png?width=1080&amp;height=1080" alt="Infographic titled &ldquo;The Series Standings Are Finalized After the Qualifiers.&rdquo; It explains how $50,000 in prize money for the US Equestrian Open of Dressage is distributed based on season-end standings. The Series winner earns $12,500; payouts continue through 18th place, which receives $500. The graphic includes icons of first-, second-, and third-place trophies and notes that riders can also qualify for the Final event.">
<h2 dir="ltr">Stay Connected</h2>
For the <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/dressage-us-equestrian-open-quick-guide">most up-to-date series calendar</a> and <a href="https://equestrian-hub-usef.pages.dev/us-equestrian-open">latest standings</a>, visit the official US Equestrian Open Series hub at <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/">usequestrianopen.org</a>.
Stay connected with the latest news and standings on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen"> Facebook</a> and<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen"> Instagram</a>, and follow US Equestrian on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USequestrian"> Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrian/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@usequestrian">TikTok</a>, and <a href="https://x.com/usequestrian">X (Twitter)</a>. Use #USEquestrianOpen to join the conversation.

A male dressage rider wearing a navy coat, white breeches, and a helmet rides a dark bay horse performing an extended trot. The US Equestrian Open of Dressage logo appears in the top left corner. Red, white, and blue stripes border the bottom edge

All Eyes on Tryon: The Last Dance Before the Desert

Every once in a while, a horse and rider come along and completely rewrite the established narrative. This weekend at TerraNova, 23-year-old Christian Simonson and Indian Rock did just that.
Their Grand Prix Freestyle score? 81.405%.
Eighty. One. Percent.
In a field of eight, the young American and his new partner not only won their first CDI-W together but did it with the highest score ever recorded in the US Equestrian Open of Dressage.
<h2 dir="ltr">A Storybook Debut</h2>
Simonson&rsquo;s freestyle debut with Indian Rock felt like something out of a storybook, each chapter unfolding with drama and delight.
TerraNova marked Simonson&rsquo;s first CDI-W appearance with Zen Elite Equestrian Center&rsquo;s 12-year-old stallion, Indian Rock (Apache x Vivaldi). Previously campaigned by the Netherlands&rsquo; Emmelie Scholtens &mdash; who rode him at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing 11th with an 81.750% &mdash; Simonson took over the ride less than a year ago. Typically, partnerships need time to settle before scores rise again. But Christian and &ldquo;Rocky&rdquo; are clearly on their own timeline.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;To compete in my first CDI-W, let alone have the placing and score that we did today, was just a dream come true,&rdquo; Simonson said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s kind of my best friend. He and I are real bros. We spend so much time together grazing and hanging out... He&rsquo;s such a cool character.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
Their test was bold yet precise, with artistry peaking at 87.600% and technical marks reaching 79.500%. The piaffe&ndash;passage work and canter pirouettes earned some of the highest marks of the season, and Rocky&rsquo;s elasticity allowed for a 9.5 degree of difficulty, a score on par with fellow rising star Felicitas Hendricks.
It was the first time since Adrienne Lyle&rsquo;s 80%+ freestyles on Helix &mdash; Indian Rock&rsquo;s half-brother &mdash; that a rider crossed the 80 percent barrier in the Series. The symmetry is hard to miss. Both horses share Apache bloodlines and are owned by Zen Elite Equestrian Center, and while Helix is piloted by Lyle herself, Indian Rock is now ridden by her student.
While Simonson has only two qualifying starts this season, his timing might be better than it looks on paper. If he competes in Tryon this weekend and repeats anything close to this form, he has a real shot at qualifying for the Final in Thermal this year, a twist that could upend even the most well-calculated Final predictions.
<h2 dir="ltr">The Contenders Close In</h2>
Behind Simonson&rsquo;s record-breaking ride, two familiar names continued their steady climb. Benjamin Ebeling rode Bellena to a new personal best of 78.055% for the mare, reinforcing his position as one of the most consistent performers of the season. His balance of athletic precision and composure under pressure has kept him firmly in the title race, inching closer to Anna Marek&rsquo;s long-standing lead.
Just behind him, Kevin Kohmann and D&uuml;nensee delivered a polished, expressive test for 77.17%. The score pushes Kohmann into a three-way tie for third on the overall Series standings &mdash; though his confirmation that he&rsquo;ll skip the Final in favor of a World Cup event in Mexico leaves podium predictions tantalizingly open.
<h2 dir="ltr">The Leaderboard Shockwave&nbsp;</h2>
When the dust settled at TerraNova, the leaderboard told a very different story than it had on Friday morning.
Anna Marek still holds the lead on 105 points, but her once-comfortable margin is shrinking. Ebeling&rsquo;s latest result vaults him solidly into second with 94 points, while Kohmann&rsquo;s performance locks him in a three-way tie for third with Kristina Harrison-Antell and Eline Eckroth, each sitting on 86 points. Jennifer Williams, on her debut with Babylon Berlin, climbs into the top 15 which is a promising development for a combination just finding its rhythm.
If Ebeling makes the trip to Tryon and continues his current trajectory, Marek&rsquo;s six-month grip on first could finally be in jeopardy.
<h2 dir="ltr">The Next Chapter Begins</h2>
Simonson&rsquo;s breakthrough performance underscores why the Open was created. It offers a stage for rising riders to prove they can shine under pressure and to compete on a large stage.
The United States has a decade-defining stretch ahead: the World Cup Finals in Fort Worth in 2026, then the LA Olympics in 2028. If this weekend was any indication, Simonson embodies what&rsquo;s next for US dressage: polish, poise, and ambition.
Even if Simonson doesn&rsquo;t make the trip to Thermal this year, his name is now firmly in the conversation. And with Open qualifiers for the 2026 season right around the corner, it won&rsquo;t be the last time we hear it.

Simonson Shakes the Series at TerraNova

Competitors will take to the idyllic TerraNova dressage arena this weekend for the penultimate qualifier of the US Equestrian Open of Dressage. At this stage, every placement and every percentage point matters. Not only will this weekend&rsquo;s performances determine who makes the cut for the Final in California, but leaderboard payouts are also on the line. Thousands of dollars could hinge on which horse decides to cross its legs in just the right way on Saturday night.
<h2 dir="ltr">Contenders in Motion</h2>
As a Florida stop, it&rsquo;s no surprise that familiar names fill the roster. Among them, Benjamin Ebeling and Kevin Kohmann are both poised for upward momentum. Each sits on four completed qualifiers, meaning any finish here directly boosts their season total.
Despite only debuting his freestyle with the 15-year-old Bellena in April, Ebeling enters the weekend as a favorite, leading Kohmann&rsquo;s average freestyle score by a slim 0.4 percentage points. It&rsquo;s a narrow gap, and one Kohmann will be eager to close aboard D&uuml;nensee, who owns the third-highest score of the season (79.240%), behind only Adrienne Lyle&rsquo;s and Helix&rsquo;s 80% performances.
With TerraNova marking their fifth qualifier, both riders will look to climb into the top five overall, a feat a freestyle win could achieve.
Adding a personal twist to the weekend, Kohmann will also face off against his wife, Devon Kane, who enters ranked 16th. Even a modest result would move her solidly into the top ten, and with one of the highest freestyle averages in the field, she could easily finish higher still.
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<h2 dir="ltr">A High-Risk Debut</h2>
On the edge of qualification sits Jennifer Williams, currently holding the 18th and final spot on the leaderboard. Rather than bringing her seasoned partner Joppe K, Williams will debut a new horse, Babylon Berlin, at the Grand Prix level this weekend.
It&rsquo;s a bold move at a critical moment. Even an eighth-place finish would improve her total, but the real intrigue lies in what this debut signals about her strategy for the Final. Joppe K, who has been in Williams&rsquo; program since his early years, carried her to U.S. team selection for Aachen earlier this season, though their outing there was below expectations.&nbsp;
Is Babylon Berlin&rsquo;s first appearance a changing of the guard? Or is this simply a curiously timed debut?&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Shaping the Final</h2>
With Ebeling and Kohmann chasing higher placements, Williams fighting to stay inside the top 18, and the Final just four weeks away, TerraNova will reshape the starting lineup for the desert showdown. Series leader Anna Marek is still safe&hellip; for now. But with Ebeling and Kohmann closing in on their fifth qualifying run, her title spot may be in jeopardy next week.&nbsp;
For now, settle in for an evening of freestyle in one of the country&rsquo;s most beautiful arenas as riders take one more swing at shaping the Series before the road turns west to California.&nbsp;
<hr>
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>.

Kevin Kohmann and Duensee half pass across the arena in trot

The Penultimate Push

Germany&rsquo;s Felicitas Hendricks has spent the past ten winters lighting up Wellington&rsquo;s Global Dressage Festival. Now, she&rsquo;s heading west to California for the US Equestrian Open of Dressage Final with her longtime partner, Drombusch OLD.
Their partnership is nearly a decade in the making. Hendricks has brought the 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding up the levels herself, from six-year-old prospect to international Grand Prix winner.&nbsp;
<blockquote>
&ldquo;Every day I think, I don&rsquo;t want him to get older,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I just want to freeze him and have him forever.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
That bond was on full display earlier this year when the pair opened their Open campaign with a 78% freestyle win, one of the highest scores in the Series. Their upbeat disco routine&mdash;set to the same &lsquo;80s hits her mother once danced to&mdash;has become a crowd favorite. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s such a big personality,&rdquo; Hendricks laughed.&nbsp;
<blockquote>
&ldquo;I really believe he knows his music. When the crowd starts clapping, it&rsquo;s our favorite part.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
Despite early hesitation about the long trip from Germany to California, Hendricks says there was no question she&rsquo;d make the journey once she qualified. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve got the perfect horse right now, and he&rsquo;s such a good traveler. I had to take the chance,&rdquo; she explained.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;[The Final] is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
Listen to the full episode of the US Equestrian Open Podcast to hear Felicitas share stories from her season, her preparations for Thermal, and what it means to bring Drombusch to one of the sport&rsquo;s most exciting new finals.
Listen to the full podcast <a href="https://sites.libsyn.com/559710/dressage-felicitas-hendricks-on-drombusch-disco-and-the-road-to-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
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New Podcast: Felicitas Hendricks Takes the Long Flight West

For six-time Olympian Steffen Peters, dressage has always been about connection. Between horse and rider, yes, but also between sport and audience. His partnership with Suppenkasper (&ldquo;Mopsie&rdquo;) captured the world&rsquo;s imagination during the Tokyo Olympics, when their electric freestyle earned millions of views and a nickname that stuck: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc92GJphMqA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Rave Horse</a>.
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&ldquo;I knew when we designed that freestyle that it would likely be my last,&rdquo; Peters shared on the&nbsp;US Equestrian Open of Dressage Podcast. &ldquo;I wanted music you&rsquo;d play at a party &mdash; something that makes people want to get up and dance. That&rsquo;s the essence I wanted to share with Mopsie.&rdquo;
And, it almost didn&rsquo;t happen. Fifteen minutes before the Olympic freestyle began, Peters realized he&rsquo;d submitted the wrong music file.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;We were calling Florida at three-thirty in the morning to get the right version sent to Tokyo,&rdquo; he laughed. &ldquo;The tower was not happy, but it worked out.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
<h2 data-start="1362" data-end="1389">The Energy of a Crowd</h2>
From Tokyo to Aachen, the crowd has become part of the performance. In a normal Grand Prix test, Mopsie, who is a fairly noise sensitive horse, would probably react. But in a freestyle? He feeds off it.
<blockquote>
"The American crowd gets so into it. They bring the score up. There&rsquo;s no doubt in my mind.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
That bond &mdash; between horse, rider, and audience &mdash; is what Peters hopes to see again when he joins the US Equestrian Open Final commentary team this fall. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m excited to be there with empathy,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;When someone has a mistake, I feel it. When someone has a great ride, I&rsquo;ll react to that emotionally. I know what it feels like to be in that moment.&rdquo;
<h2 data-start="2046" data-end="2073">The Power of the Open</h2>
Peters also sees the US Equestrian Open of Dressage as something transformative not just for riders, but for fans discovering the sport. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s such a wonderful idea to have this Series here in the United States,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s bringing dressage into the mainstream, where people who might not know the sport can suddenly fall in love with it. We saw that with Mopsie &mdash; millions of people saw him online and thought,&nbsp;this is dressage? That&rsquo;s what the Open can do, too.&rdquo;
He highlighted the Open&rsquo;s coast-to-coast reach and the significance of holding its inaugural Final in California &mdash; a reflection, he said, of the strength and depth of West Coast dressage. With world-class footing, an energetic atmosphere, and a venue built to bring fans closer to the action, Thermal represents exactly what the Series stands for: connection, excitement, and exceptional sport.
For Peters, it&rsquo;s also about community. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not the Pan Ams, it&rsquo;s not the Olympics, but it&rsquo;s still a big stage,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;
<blockquote>
&ldquo;It gives riders and horses the chance to shine under pressure and fans the chance to be part of something special. That&rsquo;s what keeps the sport growing.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
<h2 data-start="3234" data-end="3255">Words of Wisdom</h2>
As for advice to riders fine-tuning their freestyles ahead of the Final? Peters encourages balance and intuition. Success, he believes, comes from partnership rather than pressure. &ldquo;Let your horse tell you how far you can go,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t ride the scoreboard. Ride your horse.&rdquo;
Listen to the full podcast <a href="https://sites.libsyn.com/559710/dressage-steffen-peters-on-freestyle-fans-and-finding-balance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Dressage