The Open Weekly: Weekend wins and Greya is officially the greatest

Eventing: Two FODs from two winners, and a leaderboard that's moving fast

Next Qualifier: Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S (April 22) | The Final: Morven Park 4*-L, October 8th

It was a weekend that produced two winners, leaderboard movement, and a statistical rarity that happened twice in the same weekend across two different venues. The double-header delivered.

Fair Hill: Pamukcu & HSH Double Sixteen catch the clock

Caroline Pamukcu & HSH Double Sixteen won the Fair Hill CCI4*-S by doing what almost nobody does at this venue, making the cross-country time. They were only the second combination in Fair Hill history to do so across 143 starters, and they finished on their dressage score (FOD) of 37.7 as a result. It was the second FOD of the 2026 Series, following Lucienne Bellissimo & Dyri at Stable View a fortnight ago.

Read the full review of Caroline's win here.

Ocala: Smith steers Jump To Day D to a win in just his second 4*

Down in Florida, Tamie Smith & Jump To Day D won the Ocala CCI4*-S and they did it with an FOD of their own, finishing on their dressage score of 31.5. Just three combinations had ever finished on their dressage score in this event’s history, all before the move from the Ocala Jockey Club. Smith becomes the fourth and the first at this venue (Ocala Festival of Eventing). She also placed fifth with Spiro P on his four-star debut. 

Read more on EquiRatings' prediction that Tamie Smith will win the 2026 Series here.

The Leaderboard

Caroline Pamukcu extends her lead to 185 points, while Boyd Martin moves into second on 160 after finishing second and third at Fair Hill. Tamie Smith jumps to third on 155 and heads to Kentucky with three horses entered. With neither Caroline nor Boyd competing in the US Equestrian Open qualifier this week, this could be Tamie’s chance to get ahead.

What's Next

This is it... the countdown to the "Best Weekend All Year" is nearly over. As the horse trailers roll (and planes land!) into the Kentucky Horse Park, everyone is buzzing from a weekend of dual-coast qualifiers that dramatically shifted the leaderboard. There will be plenty of content across the week from previews, predictions, form guides, and more. So stay tuned on usequestrianopen.org, socials and the US Equestrian Open Podcast

Jumping: Greya becomes the highest-rated horse in the world

If you have noticed how often we have mentioned Greya this year, we're not sorry. When a horse becomes the highest-rated in the world, it's worth talking about. We have been calling her Greya the Great for a number of month but the numbers have now made it official.

After winning both the $1M Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix and the FEI World Cup Final at Fort Worth, the EquiRatings Elo rankings have a new world number one. Greya sits at 787 - two points clear of Point Break and United Touch S, who are both on 785. The best horse in the world right now is Kent Farrington's mare.

The climb has been rapid and recent. Greya moved from 777 to 781 after the Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix in Wellington. The World Cup Final in Fort Worth pushed her from 781 to 787. Two major wins in the space of three weeks, and a global ranking to show for it.

Toulayna sits fourth in the world on 783 after her role in Thursday's speed class at Fort Worth. Farrington now holds two of the four highest-rated horses globally.

It also makes her the highest-rated US horse of all time since EquiRatings began tracking in 2010, clearing the previous US record of 784 held by McLain Ward's HH Azur at her peak in 2018. HH Azur set that bar as a World Cup champion herself, winning on home soil in Omaha in 2017 and claiming multiple WEF five-star Grand Prix including the Week 12 final in 2019. She was the standard for what a US horse could be. Greya has now surpassed it.

Dressage: Schwartsman Sets a Personal Best at Del Mar

Next Qualifier: WEC Ocala (April 24) | The Final: Desert Dressage, Thermal CA (November)

Nadine Schwartsman & Royal Flash R won Saturday's CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle at Del Mar with a 73.675%, marking a personal best for both horse and rider. Almost exactly a year ago, their freestyle debut together produced a 67.990%. Nearly six points of separation in twelve months is no small achievement.

Günter Seidel & Equirelle finished second at 71.455%, their second freestyle score of the season after withdrawing from the March qualifier. Kristina Harrison-Antell & Finley were third at 70.730%, a step back toward form after the 68.835% in March that raised questions. Cyndi Jackson & Florisson, who won this class a month ago, were fourth at 68.700%.

Schwartsman moves to 12th with 31 points and Jackson to 13th with 29, both with three of four qualifying scores banked. Those are good positions to be in with only seven qualifiers left. The window for anyone outside the top 18 to mount a late campaign is narrowing as the schedule thins into summer. For these two, one more west coast stop remains on the calendar—the Ginny Rattner Memorial in Oregon—and that's a straightforward opportunity to solidify or improve upon their leaderboard position.

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The US Equestrian Open was born from a strategic Board of Directors decision in 2023 to build a permanent legacy for US Equestrian sport. Its mission is to grow and foster a deeper connection to equestrianism by delivering a premier, unified championship series in the Olympic disciplines.  With top-level competition, storytelling, and a dynamic, entertaining experience, the vision is to transform disparate events into a cohesive, narrative-driven season. The series is anchored by core values which include fan-first accessibility, competitive integrity, storytelling, and a dynamic entertaining experience onsite.