Christian Kukuk, who is coming off an incredible 2024 competition season with Checker 47, hoisted the US Equestrian Open trophy atop the podium in the inaugural US Equestrian Open Jumping Final, etching their names into history. Laura Kraut (USA) and Bisquetta finished as the highest-placed U.S. combination on the podium, earning second overall, while Ashlee Bond (ISR) and Donatello 141 rounded out the top three.
The beautiful course design by Guilherme Jorge (BRA) showcased the athleticism, scope, and smarts of the 40 qualified combinations, putting top sport on full display in the final major grand prix of the winter season at Wellington International. A total of 14 different nationalities were represented in the class list attesting to the range of international participation during the winter season in Florida. &ldquo;Checker and I have known each other for five years. We&rsquo;ve created a relationship full of success and disappointments." said Kukuk, "It&rsquo;s been two years now since I have learned every single one of his 'buttons' you could say.&nbsp;I know exactly what I can ask of him and what I cannot. He knows me, he trusts me, and we trust each other. To be consistent in this level of competition, it&rsquo;s all about creating a deep relationship with your horse.&rdquo; The class saw rails fall throughout the track, with combinations challenged by the technical precision demanded by the course design. Early in the order, Ashlee Bond (ISR) and her longtime partner, Donatello 141, earned the first clear round of the night, followed quickly by Carly Anthony (USA) and Heavenly W, who also notched a clear round within the first four rides of the class to guarantee an exciting jump-off right from the start of the evening. The first half of the order saw some class favorites drop from contention with world number one-ranked Henrick Von Eckermann (SWE) and King Edward adding an early four faults, while U.S. talents Karl Cook (USA) and Caracole de la Roque just nudging&nbsp;out the B element of the Rolex triple combination late in the class to also add four to their score. Jordan Coyle (IRE) guided Chaccolino to a clear round as the thirteenth combination to test the track, followed shortly by Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) also pushing his name forward into the jump-off with his Paris Olympic mount, Major Tom. &ldquo;To have the quality of riders we have now &ndash; Olympic champions, world champions, world number one - and to draw the crowds we have,&nbsp;it just shows this sport is a spectator sport and there are fans that want to be a part of this,&rdquo; said Michael Stone, President of Wellington International. &ldquo;
"To see the kids get so excited to get autographs and photographs with athletes like Laura [Kraut] and Christian [Kukuk] is special. It&rsquo;s so important that we bring the sport to everyone. We want to help in growing the sport and this event has set an incredible mark for how we can do that and the kind of people and passion we can get behind it.&rdquo; Following the ring maintenance break halfway through the class, U.S. veteran Laura Kraut stamped her mark aboard the quick and feisty Bisquetta, producing a fast clear ensuring two U.S. combinations would move forward to the jump-off. Just on the foot of Kraut&rsquo;s clear, Bertram Allen (IRL) and Qonquest de Rigo, produced another efficient effort, bringing the jump-off total to six&nbsp;combinations. &ldquo;I have to say the crowd here has been amazing all season, but tonight was just extra electric,&rdquo; said Kraut. &ldquo;When we did the autograph signing after the awards, I was thanking everyone &ndash; they were just the best fans tonight. We all felt it and it&rsquo;s fantastic show jumping. Gui [Jorge] did an incredible job with this course and there were just tremendous combinations out here tonight. This was really a highlight class for all of us.&rdquo; The second half of the class proved to challenge many of the seasoned favorites coming later in the order with McLain Ward (USA), Kent Farrington (USA), and Ben Maher (GBR) all finishing with a heartbreaking four faults in the first round. After a drought of clears midway through the order, Olympic individual gold medalists Christian Kukuk (GER) and trusted partner Checker 47, also the winners of last year&rsquo;s Rolex Grand Prix in Wellington, produced a valiant and impressive clear&nbsp;as they looked to match McLain Ward as the only other athlete&nbsp;in history to win the class twice. The final pair to move on to the jump-off came with a spectacular round from Daniel Coyle (IRL) and his Paris 2024 mount, Legacy, pushing the second round to a total of eight combinations to return for the fast track. In the jump-off, Bond and Donatello 141, a 2011 Westphalian gelding (Diarado x Lamoureux I) owned by Ashlee Bond Show Jumpers, LLC, and cared for by Zoe Hatgi, set a fast pace as the first combination out of the gates, crossing through the timers in 40.41 seconds. Anthony and Heavenly W, a 2011 KWPN gelding (Calvaro F.C. x Quidam de Revel) owned by Portfolio Horses LLC, and cared for by Pauline Homer, hit heartbreak in their course, as they were matched with Bond up until the last fence, when the pair encountered a miscommunication at the final oxer and ultimately needed to reapproach. As the first Irish combination back for the jump-off, Coyle and Chaccolino, a 2011 Australian Warmblood gelding (Chacco Blue x Heartbreaker) owned by Elan Farm &amp; Jordan Coyle, and cared for by Jorge Jimenez, rode tight to Bond&rsquo;s pace-setting performance, but finished just three-hundredths of a second behind, crossing through the timers in 40.44 seconds to move into second. In the last opportunity for a U.S. combination to take the win, crowd-favorite Laura Kraut and Bisquetta, a 2014 Belgian Warmblood mare (Bisquet Balou C x Takashi van Berkenbroek) owned by Cherry Knoll Farm Inc. and cared for by Margo Thomas, gave their all, with Bisquetta showing off her determination and fight, marking the fastest time yet and dashing through the finish in 39.49 seconds. Bertram Allen and Qonquest de Rigo, a 2016 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Fantomas de Muze x Indoctro) owned by Ballywater Stables LTD, and cared for by Lovisa Munter, had an early rail in their jump-off, but finished as the fastest four-fault combination to take fifth overall. Christian Kukuk and Checker 47, a 2010 Westphalian gelding (Comme Il Faut 5 x Come On) owned by M.H. &amp; Partner Gbr, and cared for by Sofie Karlsson, showed the depth of their incredible partnership together. The pair put on a masterful navigation of the short track to just nudge Kraut from the top of the leaderboard and stopping the timers in 39.2 seconds, earning them the win. Daniel Coyle and Legacy, a 2010 Zangersheide mare (Chippendale Z x Bon Ami) owned by Ariel Grange and cared for by Sue Braund, set out at a quick pace, but ultimately added 12 to their score to finish in eighth overall. "It is a pleasure to ride Checker. There is something special between him and this arena. Every time I come into the ring with him, I get the feeling that he has an extra gear, he feels so comfortable here [in Wellington.] Sophia takes care of him every day &ndash; she and Checker have such a great relationship &ndash; and all this combined has made me the happiest man on the planet tonight.&rdquo; Kukuk also noted that he and his wife, Veronica, welcomed their first child, a daughter named, Lila, into the world in the early morning hours of Saturday before the class, which is a moment that will memorialize this victory. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m really happy about the win today, but what happened this morning was a little more special. All of it together made this day something I will never forget.&rdquo; Learn more about the US Equestrian Open by visiting the&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://usef-website-gold.vercel.app/">US Equestrian Open microsite, powered by EquiRatings,</a>&nbsp;to follow all of the qualifying and story-telling action throughout the year. The US Equestrian Open Jumping Final is the first of the three finals to be hosted as part of the new innovative US Equestrian Open Series. The next final will be the US Equestrian Open Eventing Final hosted at Morven Park International in Leesburg, Va. from October 9-12, followed by the US Equestrian Open Dressage Final to be hosted at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, Calif., from November 13-16. The US Equestrian Open is proudly supported by Great American Insurance Group (GAIG), the official equine insurance agency of the US Equestrian Open Series. <a href="https://wellingtoninternational.com/showgrounds/classes/detail?cid=200005338&amp;sid=200000013">Results</a> Stay Connected For the most&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/dressage-us-equestrian-open-quick-guide">up-to-date series calendar</a>,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://equestrian-hub-usef.pages.dev/us-equestrian-open">latest standings,</a>&nbsp;podcasts, original content and more, visit the official US Equestrian Open Series hub at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.usequestrianopen.org/">www.usequestrianopen.org</a>. Stay connected with the latest news and standings on&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen">Instagram</a>, and follow US Equestrian on&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.facebook.com/USequestrian">Facebook,</a>&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.instagram.com/usequestrian/">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.tiktok.com/@usequestrian">TikTok</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://x.com/usequestrian">X</a>. Use #USEquestrianOpen to join the conversation. US Equestrian Open Technology &amp; Content Partners The US Equestrian Open Series is proudly supported by industry-leading technology, utilizing data-driven insights and real-time results to enhance the fan experience. In collaboration with&nbsp;<a title="https://www.equiratings.com/" href="https://www.equiratings.com/">EquiRatings</a>, the premier data and analytics firm in the industry, and&nbsp;<a title="https://blackhorse-one.com/" href="https://blackhorse-one.com/">Black Horse One</a>, one of the pre-eminent technology and scoring providers across the equestrian disciplines, the US Equestrian Open is revolutionizing the way audiences view, interact with, and follow equestrian sport.

Individual Olympic Gold Medalists Christian Kukuk and Checker 47 Capture $750,000 Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix CSI5*

Main

Wellington&rsquo;s winter circuit drew to a close this weekend, marking a turning point in the US Equestrian Open of Dressage. While the Series standings held mostly steady, the podium featured fresh faces and standout performances. Kasey Perry-Glass led an all-female top three with power and poise&mdash;each rider showcasing a partnership built on feel, finesse, and growing trust.
2016 Rio Olympian Kasey Perry-Glass sat atop the podium on Heartbeat W.P.&mdash;a mount she debuted at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival a year ago. Although their final score of 75.915% was not a PB, it was three points above their average, showing that the pair is starting to figure one another out. She and the 13-year-old KWPN gelding rode to a cinematic soundtrack featuring a heartbeat motif that nodded to the horse&rsquo;s name. The heroic music fit Heartbeat&rsquo;s powerful movement. At 17.1hh, he is a large horse for any rider, but especially for 5&rsquo;4&rdquo; Perry-Glass.
&ldquo;To be able to make him a small woman&rsquo;s ride has been a journey. There was a lot of power and a lot to contain, but I&rsquo;m starting to be able to manage it,&rdquo; explained Perry-Glass. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s about figuring out what works for him, but once I get in the ring, he&rsquo;s a true showman.&rdquo;
The idea of learning to speak a horse&rsquo;s language&mdash;and figuring out what works for them&mdash;was a thread that connected all three riders on this week&rsquo;s podium.
&ldquo;[Hawtins San Floriana] is really the first trained horse I&rsquo;ve taken over the ride on, and I found that a bit tricky,&rdquo; said Ashley Holzer, a four-time Canadian Olympian who now rides for the United States. Despite riding to freestyle music they received just three days before the class, they earned on a combination-best score of 74.840%. Although Holzer initially struggled to find a bond with the mare, she felt they started to find their groove in recent weeks.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve started to feel that she&rsquo;s speaking my language,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;She really tries so hard, and it&rsquo;s special when you feel a horse start to become your teammate.&rdquo;
Camille Carier Bergeron and 15-year-old mare Finnl&auml;nderin&rsquo;s strengthening partnership came third on a score of 73.370%. The 25-year-old rider explained last month that after the Paris Olympics, this year has been all about fine-tuning the freestyles and having fun in the process. She&rsquo;s been a steady presence in Wellington this season, consistently scoring well. She currently sits seventh on the US Equestrian Open of Dressage leaderboard with 54 points from four out of six possible qualifying results.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/5f272c11-abe5-4d5a-b837-ccd222a08c3f.png?width=496&amp;height=522" alt="Screenshot of the leaderboard for spots 1 thru 10.">
<h2 dir="ltr">What&rsquo;s Next</h2>
April kicks off its weekly qualifiers at TerraNova, an equestrian facility in Myakka City, Florida. The CDI3* follows last weekend&rsquo;s US Equestrian Open of Eventing qualifier, also held at the venue.
With just three combinations entered in the freestyle, it&rsquo;s a smaller field&mdash;but not an irrelevant one. A strong result could vault a lesser-known rider into the top five of the overall Series standings. And with Wellington now behind us, the second half of the season begins under a new set of conditions&mdash;shaped less by winter circuit regulars and more by who keeps showing up throughout the rest of the season.

Dressage horse and rider riding an extended trot

Perry-Glass Closes AGDF with a Win on Heartbeat

Tonight's highlight competition will begin with the first horse on course at 8:15 p.m. and the inaugural winner of the US Equestrian Open Jumping Final crowned at the conclusion of the evening. The event will stream live for free on USEF Network, as well as air on ESPN3 and ESPN Player. Numerous world-class combinations including Paris 2024 Olympic individual gold medalist Christian Kukuk (GER), reigning world number one-ranked Henrick Von Eckermann (SWE), and U.S. stalwarts Kent Farrington, Laura Kraut, and McLain Ward will all contest the highly anticipated feature class of the season. Several young and upcoming talents such as Alex Matz (USA), Mimi Gochman (USA), and Alessandra Volpi (USA), will also throw their names into the pot, as they look to secure one of the biggest wins of their career under the lights. Ben Maher (GBR) and Point Break were victorious in the first qualifying opportunity of the week, notching a major win in the $116,000 Adequan WEF Cup Challenge, besting a jump-off of 16 combinations to secure their spot in Saturday evening&rsquo;s main event. Kent Farrington (USA) and Touylana stopped the timers in 38.75 seconds to finish second overall, while Daniel Coyle (IRL) and Legacy booked their spot in the final with a third-place finish. The top 30 combinations from the class secured a starting position for the Grand Prix on Saturday. The final qualifying opportunity finished this afternoon in the International Ring, with the $62,500 Bainbridge Companies 1.50m Classic CSI5* determining the remaining combinations who would move forward to contest the Grand Prix. Abdel Said (BEL) and Calvaro earned their ticket, topping the speed class in 62.71 seconds to take the win. Combinations who were not previously qualified via Thursday&rsquo;s class and finished inside the top ten of the 1.50m Classic were booked into the finale class, while the remaining four slots were allocated to the next four best finishers from the WEF Challenge Cup. In total, 14 different countries will be represented in tomorrow&rsquo;s highlight event. The start list for the class is determined by the order in which combinations qualified into the class, meaning Nayel Nassar (EGY) and Esi Ali will lead off the evening as the first combination, while Ben Maher and Dallas Vegas Batilly will conclude the first-round. The US Equestrian Open Jumping Final is the first major discipline Final for the new championship concept launched in 2024. The US Equestrian Open Series is designed increase viewership and fan participation around the three Olympic equestrian disciplines of dressage, eventing, and jumping, while building a stronger mainstream presence and championship-like product for top horse and athlete combinations in the U.S. and on the road to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.&nbsp; The US Equestrian Open Jumping Final is the first of the three finals to be hosted as part of the new innovative US Equestrian Open Series. The next final will be the US Equestrian Open Eventing Final hosted at Morven Park International in Leesburg, Va. from October 9-12, followed by the US Equestrian Open Dressage Final to be hosted at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, Calif., from November 13-16. The US Equestrian Open is proudly supported by Great American Insurance Group (GAIG), the official equine insurance agency of the US Equestrian Open Series. Tune in to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_US/events/15330/csi5-wef-week-12-rolex-us-equestrian-open-qualifiers-and-grand-prix-a-rolex-series-event">USEF Network powered by ClipMyHorseTV</a>&nbsp;to watch all of the action live with a free fan membership. Learn more about the US Equestrian Open by visiting the&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://usef-website-gold.vercel.app/">US Equestrian Open microsite, powered by EquiRatings,</a>&nbsp;to follow all of the qualifying and story-telling action throughout the year. <a href="https://digital.equiratings.com/view/64858650/">View Fan Guide</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://wellingtoninternational.com/showgrounds/classes/detail?cid=200005338&amp;sid=200000013">Start List</a>&nbsp;|<a href="mailto:https://wellingtoninternational.com/showgrounds/classes/detail?cid=200005338&amp;sid=200000013?cid=200005338&amp;sid=200000013">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://wellingtoninternational.com/showgrounds/classes/detail?cid=200005338&amp;sid=200000013">Results</a> Stay Connected For the most&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/dressage-us-equestrian-open-quick-guide">up-to-date series calendar</a>,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://equestrian-hub-usef.pages.dev/us-equestrian-open">latest standings,</a>&nbsp;podcasts, original content and more, visit the official US Equestrian Open Series hub at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.usequestrianopen.org/">www.usequestrianopen.org</a>. Stay connected with the latest news and standings on&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen">Instagram</a>, and follow US Equestrian on&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.facebook.com/USequestrian">Facebook,</a>&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.instagram.com/usequestrian/">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.tiktok.com/@usequestrian">TikTok</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://x.com/usequestrian">X</a>. Use #USEquestrianOpen to join the conversation. US Equestrian Open Technology &amp; Content Partners The US Equestrian Open Series is proudly supported by industry-leading technology, utilizing data-driven insights and real-time results to enhance the fan experience. In collaboration with&nbsp;<a title="https://www.equiratings.com/" href="https://www.equiratings.com/">EquiRatings</a>, the premier data and analytics firm in the industry, and&nbsp;<a title="https://blackhorse-one.com/" href="https://blackhorse-one.com/">Black Horse One</a>, one of the pre-eminent technology and scoring providers across the equestrian disciplines, the US Equestrian Open is revolutionizing the way audiences view, interact with, and follow equestrian sport.

White horse jumping US Equestrian Open fences

Field Set for $750,000 Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix Following Two Intense Qualifying Competitions at Wellington International

Greya is the favorite &mdash; just. After running a 20,000-simulation prediction model, EquiRatings has Kent Farrington and Greya as the narrow favorites with a 12% win chance. That&rsquo;s no small feat in a field like this. Add in the pressure, the lights, and the moment &mdash; and we might just see something special. Tune in to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_US/events/15330/csi5-wef-week-12-rolex-us-equestrian-open-qualifiers-and-grand-prix-a-rolex-series-event">USEF Network powered by ClipMyHorseTV</a>&nbsp;to watch all of the action live with a free fan membership. <img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/a68b111e-50d9-45b5-a37b-63a69937686b.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Jumping Us Equestrian Open Final Graphics (5)"> For more information on all the combinations, the fan guide is available <a href="https://digital.equiratings.com/view/64858650/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/e72f829f-dd8d-41d5-92e2-4ffb64954c1b.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Kent Greya Web">
<h3 class="" data-start="2125" data-end="2142">👀 Final Word</h3>
With 40 combinations lining up &mdash; and 30 of them serious contenders &mdash; this is a Grand Prix final you won&rsquo;t want to miss. The stats say Greya. The stories say it could be anyone.
<iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/35917800/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/1a305b/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
The US Equestrian Open Jumping Final is the first of the three finals to be hosted as part of the new innovative US Equestrian Open Series. The next final will be the US Equestrian Open Eventing Final hosted at Morven Park International in Leesburg, Va. from October 9-12, followed by the US Equestrian Open Dressage Final to be hosted at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, Calif., from November 13-16. The US Equestrian Open is proudly supported by Great American Insurance Group (GAIG), the official equine insurance agency of the US Equestrian Open Series. Tune in to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_US/events/15330/csi5-wef-week-12-rolex-us-equestrian-open-qualifiers-and-grand-prix-a-rolex-series-event">USEF Network powered by ClipMyHorseTV</a>&nbsp;to watch all of the action live with a free fan membership. Learn more about the US Equestrian Open by visiting the&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://usef-website-gold.vercel.app/">US Equestrian Open microsite, powered by EquiRatings,</a>&nbsp;to follow all of the qualifying and story-telling action throughout the year. <a href="https://digital.equiratings.com/view/64858650/">View Fan Guide</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://wellingtoninternational.com/showgrounds/classes/detail?cid=200005338&amp;sid=200000013">Start List</a>&nbsp;|<a href="mailto:https://wellingtoninternational.com/showgrounds/classes/detail?cid=200005338&amp;sid=200000013?cid=200005338&amp;sid=200000013">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://wellingtoninternational.com/showgrounds/classes/detail?cid=200005338&amp;sid=200000013">Results</a> Stay Connected For the most&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/dressage-us-equestrian-open-quick-guide">up-to-date series calendar</a>,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://equestrian-hub-usef.pages.dev/us-equestrian-open">latest standings,</a>&nbsp;podcasts, original content and more, visit the official US Equestrian Open Series hub at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.usequestrianopen.org/">www.usequestrianopen.org</a>. Stay connected with the latest news and standings on&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen">Instagram</a>, and follow US Equestrian on&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.facebook.com/USequestrian">Facebook,</a>&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.instagram.com/usequestrian/">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.tiktok.com/@usequestrian">TikTok</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://x.com/usequestrian">X</a>. Use #USEquestrianOpen to join the conversation.

🎙️ Preview Podcast: Greya is Favorite in a Field of Superstars

The $750,000 Rolex US Equestrian Open CSI5* Grand Prix is set to deliver one of the most exciting show jumping spectacles of the year. As part of the prestigious Rolex Series, this marquee event draws the sport&rsquo;s elite to the spotlight with a huge prize fund, a technical course, and career-defining prestige. But who has the edge heading into Saturday night?&nbsp;
<a href="https://digital.equiratings.com/view/64858650/">View Fan Guide</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://wellingtoninternational.com/showgrounds/classes/detail?cid=200005338&amp;sid=200000013">Start List</a>&nbsp;|<a href="mailto:https://wellingtoninternational.com/showgrounds/classes/detail?cid=200005338&amp;sid=200000013?cid=200005338&amp;sid=200000013">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://wellingtoninternational.com/showgrounds/classes/detail?cid=200005338&amp;sid=200000013">Results</a>
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/a68b111e-50d9-45b5-a37b-63a69937686b.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Jumping Us Equestrian Open Final Graphics (5)">
<h2>Kent Farrington &amp; Greya</h2>
Kent Farrington &amp; Greya will be among the favourites flying the US flag in the Rolex Grand Prix of Wellington. The pair have already made history this WEF season, with Greya becoming the first horse ever to win two five-star Grands Prix in a single Wellington season. They&rsquo;ve started 2025 with a flawless five-star 160 record &ndash; 2 clears from 2 starts, both wins &ndash; and Greya ranks inside the Top 10 rated horses in the world. They top the prediction model this week with a 12% win chance and a 60% chance of jumping clear. <img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/e72f829f-dd8d-41d5-92e2-4ffb64954c1b.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Kent Greya Web">
<h2>Ben Maher &amp; Dallas Vegas Batilly&nbsp;</h2>
Set to go last on Saturday night after a win in the WEF Challenge Round 12, Ben Maher brings Olympic mount Dallas Vegas Batilly to the US Equestrian Open Jumping Final. This pair has jumped clear in their last two five-star Grand Prix appearances at WEF and were instrumental in helping Team GB secure Olympic Team Gold last summer in Paris. Their 7% win chance places them firmly among the top contenders.
<h2>Henrik von Eckermann &amp; King Edward</h2>
Henrik von Eckermann has been the World #1 for 32 consecutive months and arrives with the best-rated horse in the world: King Edward. On a staggering Elo of 814, King Edward is unmatched, and their 2025 form speaks for itself &ndash; Top 5 in all three five-star Grands Prix they've contested this year, maintaining a perfect five-star 160 record in 2025. In 2024, they jumped 19 clears from 26 rounds at 160 level (73%). A position as favorite this week is no surprise.
Latest Podcast Preview:&nbsp;
<iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/35917800/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/1a305b/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<h2>Karl Cook &amp; Caracole de la Roque&nbsp;</h2>
Karl Cook &amp; Caracole de la Roque were breakout stars in 2024, capturing wins in the Rolex Grand Prix of Rome and World Cup of Arcadia. Key to the U.S. Team Silver in Paris, they&rsquo;ve returned to the top level after a brief break. Cook was on the podium here last year with a different mount &ndash; and has a 6% chance to improve on that result this weekend.
<h2>Christian Kukuk &amp; Checker 47</h2>
The reigning Olympic Champions return to Wellington, the site of one of their greatest wins just 12 months ago. Since then, they&rsquo;ve taken the LGCT Grand Prix of Madrid and Olympic Individual Gold in Paris. They&rsquo;ve already notched a Grand Prix win here this season and hold a 6% win chance with a 49% chance of making the jump-off.
<a href="https://www.greatamericaninsurancegroup.com/about-us/business-operations/contacts/equine-morta[&hellip;]m=Sponsorship&amp;utm_campaign=4328-CO&amp;utm_content=USEF" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/4def42c5-5a3c-4d2d-a9c5-7b6f757148ec.png?width=1080&amp;height=1080" alt="Great American Advert"></a>
<h2>McLain Ward &amp; Ilex&nbsp;</h2>
A legend at WEF, McLain Ward has over 60 international victories at this venue. Partnered with Olympic mount Ilex, they were key to the U.S. Team Silver in Paris and recently jumped a double clear to help the U.S. win the Longines League of Nations in Ocala. They are among the favourites for the home nation on Saturday night.
<h2>Laura Kraut &amp; Bisquetta</h2>
Laura Kraut rides Bisquetta, a combination that jumped to eighth in last year&rsquo;s Rolex Grand Prix of Wellington. Bisquetta has been incredibly reliable, jumping nine rounds at 150 level or above in top company without touching a pole. They're a potential surprise package this weekend.
Tune in to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_US/events/15330/csi5-wef-week-12-rolex-us-equestrian-open-qualifiers-and-grand-prix-a-rolex-series-event">USEF Network powered by ClipMyHorseTV</a>&nbsp;to watch all of the action live with a free fan membership. Learn more about the US Equestrian Open by visiting the&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://usef-website-gold.vercel.app/">US Equestrian Open microsite, powered by EquiRatings,</a>&nbsp;to follow all of the qualifying and story-telling action throughout the year. Stay Connected For the most&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/dressage-us-equestrian-open-quick-guide">up-to-date series calendar</a>,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://equestrian-hub-usef.pages.dev/us-equestrian-open">latest standings,</a>&nbsp;podcasts, original content and more, visit the official US Equestrian Open Series hub at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.usequestrianopen.org/">www.usequestrianopen.org</a>. Stay connected with the latest news and standings on&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen">Instagram</a>, and follow US Equestrian on&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.facebook.com/USequestrian">Facebook,</a>&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.instagram.com/usequestrian/">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://www.tiktok.com/@usequestrian">TikTok</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="mailto:https://x.com/usequestrian">X</a>. Use #USEquestrianOpen to join the conversation. US Equestrian Open Technology &amp; Content Partners The US Equestrian Open Series is proudly supported by industry-leading technology, utilizing data-driven insights and real-time results to enhance the fan experience. In collaboration with&nbsp;<a title="https://www.equiratings.com/" href="https://www.equiratings.com/">EquiRatings</a>, the premier data and analytics firm in the industry, and&nbsp;<a title="https://blackhorse-one.com/" href="https://blackhorse-one.com/">Black Horse One</a>, one of the pre-eminent technology and scoring providers across the equestrian disciplines, the US Equestrian Open is revolutionizing the way audiences view, interact with, and follow equestrian sport.
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 There are plenty of other top names and rising stars in the field, each with a story worth knowing. Check out the <a href="https://digital.equiratings.com/view/64858650/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fan Guide</a> &ndash; your go-to resource for stats, stories, and insights on every combination in the class. Whether you&rsquo;re a die-hard fan or just getting into the sport, it&rsquo;s the perfect way to follow all the action.
Check out the entire Prediction Centre <a href="https://jumping-prediction-centre.equiratings.com/competitions/458" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
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Individual Olympic Gold Medalists Christian Kukuk and Checker 47 Capture $750,000 Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix CSI5*

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