Four-for-Four: Vaughn’s Streak Continues at Devonwood

Genay Vaughn closed the spring season the same way she started it: on top. She extended her perfect record in the US Equestrian Open to four wins in four starts, making her the only undefeated rider in the Series so far. She also did it with flair, earning a career-best freestyle score of 75.875%.

Consistency: Vaughn’s Sharpest Weapon 

Vaughn may be the undisputed queen of West Coast dressage, but she’s quickly becoming a name to watch across the country. Four wins in four starts is impressive, but it’s her consistency that’s most telling. With each outing, she’s either matched or exceeded her average, quietly pushing it higher over time. 

She’s now undefeated in five of of her last six competitions, with the only exception being her debut performance at the FEI World Cup Final in Basel, where she finished a respectable 14th.

Her scores this season:

- Desert Dressage II, January 2025 – 75.150% (previous PB)
- HITS Del Mar Dressage Opener, February 2025 – 74.370%
- FEI Dressage World Cup Final, April 2025 – 73.765% (14th overall)
- Pacific Coast CDI, May 2025 – 74.040%
- Ginny Rattner Memorial Dressage, May 2025 – 75.875% (new PB)

Vaughn now sits fifth on the overall leaderboard with 80 points. She is well within reach of the Series leaders as the fall season approaches.

Devonwood Delivers Three Top-10 Riders

Nadine Schwartsman finished second with a score of 68.835%, followed by Brittney Simpson in third with 63.685%. Despite the small field, second and third place both earn 17 Series points, which moves Schwartsman and Simpson into a tie for eighth on 66 points.

All three riders from Devonwood now sit inside the Series top 10. While it’s unlikely any of them will fall out of Finals qualification range (top 18), their leaderboard positions remain in play heading into the final stretch.

The East Coast Conundrum

With the Ginny Rattner Memorial Dressage Show marking the end of the spring season, the US Equestrian Open now pauses for summer break. The Series returns September 23 with the prestigious Dressage at Devon, followed by TerraNova Dressage II (October 16) and Tryon Fall Dressage 3 (October 23).

All three remaining qualifiers are on the East Coast, which greatly favors riders based in the region. That’s important because it’s actually the East Coast combinations who are most at risk of falling out of Finals qualification. West Coast regulars like Vaughn, Schwartsman, Simpson, Harrison-Antell, and Seidel are now securely inside the top 11, and while movement is still possible, they’re trending safely toward Thermal.

While the top 11 riders are likely safe, positions 12 through 18 remain vulnerable. The leaderboard remains close in that range, and movement from just one or two riders could easily shift others down—or out.

Adrienne Lyle, tied for 14th on 57 points, represented the US at the World Cup Final this spring and holds the two highest freestyle scores in the Series—both above 80%—and remains the only rider to break that barrier this season. She should qualify, but her position isn’t locked in.

She’s tied with Benjamin Ebeling, a late arrival to the Series who’s made a rapid impact since his April debut. With strong results and upward momentum, he’s emerged as a potential podium contender in Thermal if he can secure his ticket there.

Kevin Kohmann, another of the US’s World Cup Final competitors, currently sits in 17th. He likely needs another outing to stabilize his position. Jan Ebeling, currently holding the final qualifying spot at 18th, is similarly vulnerable and could easily be pushed out if anyone below him returns to the arena this fall.

As the Series heads into its summer break, many riders will turn their focus to training, rest, and—possibly—overseas competition, either to gain experience in deeper fields or build momentum ahead of the Final. The leaderboard will hold for now, but three fall qualifiers are more than enough to bring upheaval. For riders hovering near the edge, September will arrive with both opportunity and pressure.