Tommy Greengard: The West Coast Contender Who Could Win It All

The Numbers Game - Why He Might Be An Outside Contender

In the US Equestrian Open of Eventing, riders count their best six scores toward the final total. So far, Greengard has posted just two:

• 40 points for his wire-to-wire win at Aspen Farms with Joshuay MBF
• 35 points for second place at Galway Downs with That's Me Z

Current leader Phillip Dutton, who has already used all six of his qualifying results totaling 215 points. Dutton can only improve by replacing his lowest score (30 points). Tommy has everything still to play for. Phillip goes to Maryland International next weekend with Denim before a trip to Aachen. 

That leaves four scores still to be added, and with at least two horses who are at the level, and three West Coast events on the calendar (including Twin Rivers which he has a good record at) we expect his final total to look very different to what we see now. 

The West Coast Advantage

Of the seven remaining qualifiers, three are West Coast events that play directly into Greengard's hands:

• The Event at Rebecca Farm (Aug. 16)
• Twin Rivers Fall International (Sept. 19)
• Woodside Fall International (Oct. 3)

Yes, they are geographically convenient but Tommy Greengard is also able to travel if needed (2024 saw runs at Cornbury and Bicton in the UK in addition to the Young Horse World Championships in Le Lion d'Angers)—they're venues where Greengard has proven form. He took That's Me Z to Rebecca last year and finished 6th in the CCI3*-S. He won the CCI4*-S at Woodside with Joshuay MBF in 2023 and has earned multiple podium finishes at Twin Rivers in recent years. Also importantly, West Coast events have smaller but competitive fields, making (the required) top placings both achievable and valuable.

Conservative math: Three podium finishes could net 90-120 additional points. But Greengard has shown he's willing to bring multiple horses to big events. If he doubles up—as Jessica Phoenix did earlier this year at TerraNova—a single weekend could yield 70+ points. If Balladeer Kilbrickens Lad, winner of the CCI3*-S was to move up to CCI4*-S before the end of the season, it gets more possible still. 

From Malibu to the Top

Born in Malibu and raised in the sport by his mother Liddy Morrin, Greengard took an unconventional path to this moment. After graduating UC Berkeley with a degree in environmental science in 2021, he made the decision to go all-in on horses, basing himself at Andrea Pfeiffer's Chocolate Horse Farm in Petaluma.

The investment is paying off. He's been part of the US Equestrian Emerging Athlete Program, received the prestigious Amanda Pirie Warrington Grant in 2024, and represented the United States at the FEI Young Horse World Championships in France. His philosophy is simple but effective: "Horses have good and bad days, and you have to love who they are every day."

What It Would Take

To catch Dutton's 215 points, Greengard would need roughly 140 more points from four scores. It's ambitious but not impossible: two wins (80 points), one second (35 points), and one third (30 points) would put him at 220 points and in the driver's seat heading to the $200,000 Final at Morven Park.

Even a more conservative run—consistent podium finishes without needing to win—could land him in the top three and serious prize money: $25,000 for first, $15,000 for second, $10,000 for third.

The Bigger Picture

The US Equestrian Open Series was designed to connect the CCI4*-S classes across the country and provide a platform to tell stories about horses and riders, east coast and west.  We are still learning about the best way to win the thing, early points, volume or maybe strategic, well-timed runs. Tommy Greengard embodies so much about the Open is there to achieve. He's playing the timing game—picking his spots, bringing the right horses, and executing when it matters most.

So far, it's working. And with three West Coast events still to come, the 25-year-old from Malibu just might pull off the upset of the year.

Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing

Check out the full Series calendar below and stay connected with the latest news and standings on Facebook and Instagram. Use #USEqOpen to join the conversation.

Also follow US Equestrian on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X (Twitter). 

For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at USEquestrianOpen@usef.org.

For media inquiries about the US Equestrian Open Series, please contact Carly Weilminster at cweilminster@usef.org. 

For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at lgriffin@usef.org.