The Open Weekly: Freestyle Wins, West Coast Returns, and Momentum Builds

A weekly update across dressage, jumping, and eventing, covering results, early leaderboard shifts, and the next Open qualifiers.

By USEF Media

February 3, 2026

Dressage: Osborne Claims Ocala Freestyle

Next Qualifier: Adequan® Global Dressage Festival 5 - CDI4* | The Final: Desert Dressage, Thermal CA (November)

The Grand Prix Freestyle at World Equestrian Center–Ocala drew a three-horse field, limiting the points on offer. The weekend’s most notable result came from Charlotte Osborne (GBR) and Fruhlingszauber, who produced the highest score of the class.

Osborne and Fruhlingszauber won on 70.775 percent, setting a new personal best in just the pair’s second FEI Grand Prix Freestyle together. They finished narrowly ahead of pre-show favorites Claire Darnell and Harrold S on 70.560 percent. Darnell and Harrold S entered the weekend with the strongest statistical profile in the field, averaging 73.569 percent across four freestyle starts with a personal best of 77.015.

Sylvia Gugler and Vulkano 14 completed the podium on 66.600 percent. While the small field capped points, Gugler’s second Open appearance of the season was enough to move her from within the top 20 to seventh on the Series leaderboard following her earlier start at Gold Coast.

Next week brings the return of Geñay Vaughn and Gino, who will have an opportunity to challenge for the top leaderboard spot with Christian Simonson and Indian Rock not contesting the freestyle.

S Ichi Current Leaderboard of the Us Equestrian Open of Dressage

Eventing: The West Coast Awakens at Galway Downs

Next Qualifier: Bouckaert Farm | Countdown: 4 Weeks

We are now just one month away from the action returning! While the national season kicked off in Florida two weeks ago, the West Coast officially joined the fray this weekend at Galway Downs. The Temecula tracks provided the first real opportunity of 2026 for California-based Open contenders to shake off the cobwebs and put their off-season homework to the test.

Tamie Smith made an emphatic statement to start her year, campaigning a massive string of seven horses. Of particular interest for the Open is Lillet 3. The 10-year-old mare, who successfully stepped up to the four-star level last year, currently sits as the second-highest rated US ten-year-old. Only the recently returned Jaguars Duende (Sharon White) sits higher in that age bracket. Smith and Lillet 3 secured a win in the Open Intermediate division, finishing on a score of 32.4. With six Open Qualifiers on the West Coast in 2026, Lillet 3 is very likely a horse that will secure big points for Smith this season.

Another pair lining up for a big 2026 is Galway Downs-based Erin Kellerhouse and Bon Vivant GWF. After an impressive 2025 campaign that included four podium finishes in five international starts at the 3* level, this pair look primed for a four-star step-up. They won the Intermediate/Preliminary division, finishing on their dressage score of 33.1.

While these results set a high bar for form and fitness, West Coast riders must remain patient until Galway Downs International at the end of March to officially put points on the board when the US Equestrian Open of Eventing finally arrives on the West Coast.

E Fens Current Leaderboard of the Us Equestrian Open of Eventing

Show Jumping: A big weekend in Desert and a British challenger emerges

The US Equestrian Open Final: Wellington, Week 12 | Countdown: 7 Weeks

At the Desert International Horse Park, the CSI5*-W $340,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Thermal turned into a masterclass for the home nation. In a seven-horse jump-off, American riders locked out the podium. Kyle King claimed the top spot aboard Kayenne Z, followed closely by Karl Cook on the ever-consistent Foxy de la Roque in 2nd. Kaitlin Campbell rounded out the top three with Karius.

Irish riders were again the ones to beat at Wellington International and the leaderboard featured some familiar faces from last year’s Open Final. The MARS Equestrian CSI4* Grand Prix win went to Shane Sweetnam (IRL) with a first big win for Coriaan van Klapscheut Z. Bertram Allen (IRL) finished second with Qonquest de Rigo - a combination which finished fifth in last year’s final.

Scott Brash (GBR) doesn’t often go to Wellington. In fact, it has been over 10 years since we saw him and Hello Sanctos win a 160 Grand Prix there in 2014 during Week 12. All eyes will be on the Kent Farrington v Scott Brash story if we do see an entry emerge.

Brash is in remarkable form. He extended his Doha run with victory in Sunday’s CSI5* 1.60m Grand Prix aboard Hello Jefferson, marking his fifth Grand Prix win of the 2026 season (three at 5* level) and capping a January that simply does not happen in modern show jumping.

Backed by a string that includes Hello Jefferson, Hello Folie, Hello Mango and Hello Chadora Lady, Scott Brash sits world number two with real momentum in the rankings race. If he does choose to return to Wellington, it will set up a huge battle to keep the trophy on home soil.