<p data-start="1338" data-end="1740">The sport's stars facing off, leaderboard shuffles, and a champion who made history while honoring a friend; come Sunday evening, we not only had an inaugural winner of this trailblazing event but we also got to witness exciting horse-and-rider partnerships come to the fore.</p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><strong>The Champions</strong></h1>
<p dir="ltr">If you <em>haven&rsquo;t </em>yet heard, <strong>Boyd Martin </strong>and <strong>Miks Master C</strong> are our 2025 US Equestrian Open Eventing Champions. The Open was just their third international appearance together. They went from ninth at Bromont 3*-S in August, to fourth at The Fork 4*-S in September and now to first in this 4*-L, an event Boyd called, &ldquo;the greatest 4*-L in the world.&rdquo;</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">&ldquo;Lastly, I&rsquo;d like to give a big shout out to Liz who did all the work on this magnificent horse. I hope you&rsquo;re watching Liz, and this is for you.&rdquo;</p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr"><em style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/f9a8cdf8-f297-4152-a875-2f45b2d3fee8.jpeg?width=4160&amp;height=2775" alt="Boyd Martin &amp; Miks Master C just after their dressage. Boyd smiles brightly &amp; Miks Master C's ears are pricked forward. Credit Devyn Trethewey and Us Equestrian">Miks Master C &amp; Boyd Martin (&copy;Devyn Trethewey/US Equestrian)</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Will Coleman </strong>and <strong>Off The Record</strong> were leading after cross country, less than a rail ahead of Boyd and &ldquo;Mikki&rdquo; who added just 2.8 cross country time penalties to their dressage score. But <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DPtiRl5Ash1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==">we knew if anyone could put the pressure on Will and &ldquo;Timmy&rdquo; it was our winning pair</a>. True to form,<strong> Mikki delivered a clear show jumping round for a perfect four-from-four record of keeping all the rails up at 4*-L and 5* events.</strong> Off The Record followed with a late rail (which broke a few hearts) and we crowned our first-ever Open Champion (!) on a score of 28.7</p>
<p dir="ltr">The win earned Boyd the solo lead on the EquiRatings 4*-L winning records. <strong>Boyd is now the most successful 4*-L rider in the world looking at the years 2008 to now.</strong></p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/2070871b-a9e6-4cf3-bd48-21d5a862cd61.png?width=1264&amp;height=1440" alt="5 H Ih H Riders With the Most Cci4 L Wins Since 2008 (3)"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Boyd took over the ride on Mikki &ndash; a class act in all three phases &ndash; this season after Liz Halliday&rsquo;s accident last year. In his post-win interview, Boyd dedicated the moment to Liz; after a quick pause to maintain composure and with the threat of trembling in his voice, Boyd stated, <strong>"Lastly, I&rsquo;d like to give a big shout out to Liz who did all the work on this magnificent horse. I hope you&rsquo;re watching Liz, and this is for you.&rdquo; </strong>It was a genuine, poignant moment.&nbsp;</p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><strong>Mikki was not the only head-turner</strong></h1>
<h2><em>Off The Record</em></h2>
<p><strong>Timmy </strong>is a fan favorite. His cross country work ethic and longevity at the top level makes him hard not to root for.<strong> In his entire international career, Timmy has j<span class="a_GcMg">umped clear in 34 of his 38 </span></strong><span class="a_GcMg"><strong>XC rounds</strong> (all with Will),<strong> </strong>including a perfect five-from-five at five-star. He entered as the fastest horse in the field and finished on a clear inside the time.</span></p>
<p><span class="a_GcMg">The team World silver medalist from Pratoni 2022 is currently the <strong>USA's highest rated horse</strong> with an EquiRatings Elo Rating of 789, which &ndash; all time for the US &ndash; is second only to <strong>Mai Baum</strong> (2008 onward).</span></p>
<p><span class="a_GcMg"><em style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/2b053ba0-1de2-469d-b6a9-bf55240e9b9b.jpg?width=819&amp;height=1024" alt="Off The Record and WIll Coleman clear a cross country obstacle. Credit Devyn Trethewey &amp; US Equestrian.">Off The Record &amp; Will Coleman (&copy;Devyn Trethewey/US Equestrian)</em></span></p>
<p><span class="a_GcMg">Timmy and Will were in in fact neck and neck with Miks Master C at the very top of the <a href="https://prediction-centre.equiratings.com/competitions/morvenpark_4l_2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pre-event win chances</a>. They led after cross country on their dressage score of 25.1 but &ndash; and it's hard to admit because he is such a stalwart &ndash; Timmy does have a weakness at 4*-L<em> </em>and 5* and that weakness it show jumping. Only once has he knocked more the one rail but he almost always has one down (6 of 7 times).</span></p>
<p><span class="a_GcMg">So, with a heartbreaker rail, Will and Timmy earned second. But man, they were impressive all weekend.</span></p>
<h2><em>Very Dignified</em></h2>
<p dir="ltr">While Boyd earned top spot on the podium, Will took up second <em>and </em>third. Off The Record, in second, came in with a reputation that preceded him &ndash; a very good reputation, mind you. But <strong>Very Dignified</strong> was a lesser known entry for Will and, as Will said in his post-cross-country interview,<strong> this was the first time he really let &ldquo;Dora&rdquo; go across the country. And what she showed for it was a clear-inside-the-time round. </strong>Viewers could tell it meant a lot to Will and his team as the camera followed them to the cool down area where there were high fives and plenty of smiles.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/60f0c7f9-2db5-4f4a-beb0-1fd1d1608740.jpg?width=4160&amp;height=2775" alt="Very Dignified and Will Coleman clearing a cross country obstacle. Photo by Devyn Trethewey &amp; US Equestrian">Very Dignified &amp; Will Coleman (&copy;Devyn Trethewey/US Equestrian)</em></p>
<p>Dora followed with a clear show jumping round the next day, making her <strong>the only horse to finish on her dressage score.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Frankly, Will &amp; Dora weren&rsquo;t in the conversation too much after dressage, when they sat 18th on a 35.4. But then, after cross country, sixth. And then, after Sunday, the podium. They&rsquo;re exciting, this pair.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So the clears inside the time on Saturday were (1) Off The Record (no surprises there), (2) Very Dignified (a breakout moment), and (3) <strong>HSH Double Sixteen</strong>, which brings us to another head-turner this weekend.</p>
<h2><em>HSH Double Sixteen</em></h2>
<p><strong>Caroline Pamukcu</strong> was all fist pumps and smiles as she crossed the Saturday finish line; so thrilled with HSH Double Sixteen&rsquo;s<strong> clear-inside-the-time round.</strong> The round was bold and forward and it looked like "Six" would be game for anything ("What, like it's hard?").</p>
<p dir="ltr">The pair started their weekend in 17th after dressage (on a 35.2) but, thanks to their XC round, moved up to fifth overnight. On the last day, a late, costly line &ndash; and an uncharacteristic three rails down &ndash; moved them to ninth when all was said and done.</p>
<p>This pair were also<strong> the only clear-inside-the time at Stable View 4*-S last month</strong> &ndash; only the second pair in the last six seasons to make the 4*-S time at that venue. Now, unlike Boyd and Miks Master C and Will with Very Dignified, which are both new partnerships this year, Caroline and Six have been together since 2022. But Six is only 10-years-old. With their XC edge and some dressage polish, it will be exciting to watch this pair in the coming seasons.</p>
<p><em style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/805afe6d-124a-454b-b610-2abd76592a72.jpeg?width=3328&amp;height=4160" alt="Caroline Pamukcu &amp; HSH Double Sixteen clear a cross country obstacle. Credit Devyn Trethewey and US Equestrian">HSH Double Sixteen &amp; Caroline Pamukcu (&copy;Devyn Trethewey/US Equestrian)</em></p>
<h1><strong>Ready to go again?</strong></h1>
<p>Here's the lineup of events for the 2025-2026 Open. Starting soon! Just make sure to check back on the&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">homepage for any updates</a>.</strong></p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/d537f534-cc65-4b3e-aa20-078e62a749b0.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Schedule Subject to Change  Usequestrianopen.org for the Latest"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Stay connected with the latest news and standings on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Facebook</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Instagram.&nbsp;</a>Use #USEqOpen to join the conversation.</p>
<hr>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For media inquiries about the US Equestrian Open Series, please contact Carly Weilminster at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cweilminster@usef.org">cweilminster@usef.org</a>.&nbsp;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
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A graphic featuring Boyd Martin holding the US Equestrian Open trophy up high while smiling broadly

Mikki, Dora and Six. Boyd, Will and Caroline. Three exciting partnerships from the US Equestrian Open Eventing Final

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<p dir="ltr">Germany&rsquo;s <strong>Felicitas Hendricks</strong> has spent the past ten winters lighting up Wellington&rsquo;s Global Dressage Festival. Now, she&rsquo;s heading west to California for the <strong>US Equestrian Open of Dressage Final</strong> with her longtime partner, <strong>Drombusch OLD</strong>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Their partnership is nearly a decade in the making. Hendricks has brought the 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding up the levels herself, from six-year-old prospect to international Grand Prix winner.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">&ldquo;Every day I think, I don&rsquo;t want him to get older,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I just want to freeze him and have him forever.&rdquo;</p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">That bond was on full display earlier this year when the pair opened their Open campaign with a 78% freestyle win, one of the highest scores in the Series. Their upbeat disco routine&mdash;set to the same &lsquo;80s hits her mother once danced to&mdash;has become a crowd favorite. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s such a big personality,&rdquo; Hendricks laughed.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">&ldquo;I really believe he knows his music. When the crowd starts clapping, it&rsquo;s our favorite part.&rdquo;</p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">Despite early hesitation about the long trip from Germany to California, Hendricks says there was no question she&rsquo;d make the journey once she qualified. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve got the perfect horse right now, and he&rsquo;s such a good traveler. I had to take the chance,&rdquo; she explained.</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">&ldquo;[The Final] is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.&rdquo;</p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">Listen to the full episode of the US Equestrian Open Podcast to hear Felicitas share stories from her season, her preparations for Thermal, and what it means to bring Drombusch to one of the sport&rsquo;s most exciting new finals.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Listen to the full podcast <a href="https://sites.libsyn.com/559710/dressage-felicitas-hendricks-on-drombusch-disco-and-the-road-to-la" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p>

New Podcast: Felicitas Hendricks Takes the Long Flight West

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<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>Will Coleman</strong> and <strong>Off The Record </strong>have taken control of the Morven Park CCI4*-L leaderboard with a 25.1 dressage score - the lowest ever recorded at this venue's 4*L level and Coleman's personal best at this level. The performance puts them 1.1 penalties clear of <strong>Sharon White </strong>and <strong>Claus 63,</strong> with <strong>Boyd Martin</strong> sitting third on <strong>Miks Master C.</strong></p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/bd752d55-1ec4-4dca-9343-444fe7075e6f.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Morven Park Graphics (86)"></p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>Will Coleman </strong>spoke about <strong>Off The Record</strong> after his dressage:</p>
<blockquote>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">"Timmy is as professional as they come. He's so laid back that sometimes it feels like he's half asleep going through his business in the arena, but he knows the job. He really was just excellent for me today. I'm so appreciative of him."</p>
</blockquote>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">White delivered her third-best international dressage test since records began in 2008 (her top two scores came at the 2* level), posting 25.2 penalties with <strong>Claus 63</strong> and improving on their 6RA by over 9 penalties.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>Boyd Martin</strong> and&nbsp;<strong>Miks Master C,</strong> who competed first on day two, sit third on 25.9. The score carries particular significance given<strong> Boyd Martin's </strong>remarkable record with sub-27 dressage tests at this level. Boyd has turned every previous sub-27 test at CCI4*-L into a victory - winning at Jersey Fresh in 2018 and 2021, Morven Park in 2023, Tryon in 2020, and Fair Hill in 2011 with scores ranging from 25.4 to 26.9.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/049611f6-51a0-48fd-b7c9-695de920fc4b.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Morven Park Graphics (88)"></p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 class="text-lg font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-1.5">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 class="text-lg font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-1.5">Win Chances After Dressage</h3>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">Based on the EquiRatings Prediction Centre,&nbsp;<strong>William Coleman holds a 38% chance to win</strong>, with a 63% probability of finishing in the top three. <strong>Sharon White sits at 17%&nbsp;</strong>and<strong> Boyd Martin sits on 14% to win.</strong></p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/25d8251e-b119-470e-a7e3-768009f56176.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Morven Park Graphics (87)"></strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 class="whitespace-normal break-words">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>Cross Country Preview</strong></h3>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">The cross country phase promises to shake up the standings significantly. Looking at recent CCI4* cross-country statistics for the top three combinations, the data reveals important insights:</p>
<ul class="[&amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc space-y-2.5 pl-7">
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>Off The Record &amp; Will Coleman</strong>: 90% clear rate at this level, compared to a 60% course average, giving them +30% on other competitors. This is the fastest horse in the field with a 96% Top Speed Percentage (TSP)</li>
<li class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>Claus 63 &amp; Sharon White</strong>: 80% clear rate with an 83% TSP&nbsp;</li>
<li><strong>Miks Master C &amp; Boyd Martin:</strong> Perfect 100% clear rate with an 86% TSP rating - but a new ride for Boyd and their first 4*L together</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/e097a7a5-f775-455d-ae10-5e03ba8a763c.jpg?width=3024&amp;height=4032" alt="Img 5419 (1)"></p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>Will Coleman</strong> acknowledged the challenge ahead:&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">"There are plenty of places where you have to be incredibly accurate and get your horse in the right canter to prepare for what Derek has set out there. Timmy's not the most gifted galloper, but he has a good engine, so if I'm hyper efficient, I'm hoping we can jump around clean and maybe get close to the time."</p>
</blockquote>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">The cross-country phase will determine whether <strong>Will Coleman</strong> can maintain his historic advantage or if <strong>Boyd Martin's</strong> perfect record with sub-27 scores will continue.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">&nbsp;Don't miss it.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><em><strong>Listen to the dressage review pod on the US Equestrian Open of Eventing Podcast.</strong></em></p>
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<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">Check out the full Series calendar below and stay connected with the latest news and standings on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Facebook</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Instagram.&nbsp;</a>Use #USEqOpen to join the conversation.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Also follow US Equestrian on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USequestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrian/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@usequestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/usequestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X (Twitter)</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/aee0755f-7ba0-4aaf-b197-8570742781c8.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Competition Calendar for the 2024-2025 US Equestrian Open of Eventing"></p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
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<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For media inquiries about the US Equestrian Open Series, please contact Carly Weilminster at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cweilminster@usef.org">cweilminster@usef.org</a>.&nbsp;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
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Cross Country Eve at Morven Park

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<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>Will Coleman</strong> and <strong>Off The Record</strong> maintained their lead after a tense cross-country phase at the US Equestrian Open Eventing Final CCI4*-L, but a late-night flag review tightened the competition heading into Sunday's show jumping finale.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">Coleman became the first rider to make the optimum time twice at Morven Park's CCI4*-L - first finishing with his new ride <strong>Very Dignified</strong> and then finishing in 10:04 with <strong>Off The Record -</strong> five seconds inside<strong> Derek di Grazia's</strong> 10:09 time allowed. The performance keeps him on his dressage score of 25.1, but his cushion has shrunk considerably.<br><br><strong>Will Coleman</strong> spoke about his round with <strong>Off The Record:</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">"It wasn't the smoothest round we've ever had. He got really worked up in the warm-up and was just like a freight train starting out. It took us a bit to find our rhythm, but it's a credit to him; on a day where we weren't totally in sync, he still hunts the flags and does whatever it takes to stay between them."</p>
</blockquote>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><em><strong>&nbsp;Will Coleman and Very Dignified</strong></em></p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/6dd21815-765a-4176-a5ac-a0dcf20ff9fc.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Morven Park Graphics (91)"></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 class="whitespace-normal break-words">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>The Flag Review That Changed Everything</strong></h3>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>Boyd Martin</strong> and <strong>Miks Master C</strong> initially sat in 13th place on 58.7 penalties with two flags under review. When officials removed both penalties late Saturday evening, Martin moved into second on 28.7&mdash;just 3.6 penalties behind Coleman.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/16f62cef-2a00-49d1-9bc6-84f16ed87021.jpeg?width=2048&amp;height=1366" alt="Whats App Image 2025 10 11 at 22.01.24"></p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">The flags being reviewed moved Sunday's show jumping from a near-certain Coleman victory into a genuine contest. Coleman now holds less than one rail's advantage over Martin, while Martin can afford one rail over third-placed <strong>Lucienne Bellissimo</strong> (33.5) but not two.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/d64f0eb7-6534-4d49-98cc-38c6001342c1.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Morven Park Graphics (90)"></p>
<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><strong>Lucienne Bellissimo</strong> and <strong>Kitsch Couture HPK</strong> produced one of the standout rounds of the day, adding just 2.0 time penalties to climb from eighth after dressage into podium contention. <strong>Phillip Dutton</strong> and <strong>Denim</strong> hold fourth on 33.9, while Phillip was eliminated with his second horse <strong>Possante</strong> following a broken bridle on course. <strong>Caroline Pamukcu</strong> delivered the day's fastest round with <strong>HSH Double Sixteen, </strong>finishing inside the optimum time to rocket from 17th into fifth.</p>
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<h3 class="whitespace-normal break-words">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>Win Chance Post Cross Country:</strong></h3>
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<p><strong><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/40c77a0c-d6cc-42e5-96c8-1700df3bf134.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Morven Park Graphics (89)"></strong></p>
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<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">The inaugural US Equestrian Open Eventing Champion will be crowned on Sunday. Showjumping starts at 1:30 p.m. EST over <strong>Christopher Barnard's </strong>show jumping track, with $200,000 in prize money on the line. What seemed like Coleman's race to lose has become a genuine battle - one rail could decide everything.</p>
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<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">Check out the full Series calendar below and stay connected with the latest news and standings on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Facebook</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Instagram.&nbsp;</a>Use #USEqOpen to join the conversation.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Also follow US Equestrian on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USequestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrian/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@usequestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/usequestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X (Twitter)</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/aee0755f-7ba0-4aaf-b197-8570742781c8.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Competition Calendar for the 2024-2025 US Equestrian Open of Eventing"></p>
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<p dir="ltr"><em>For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For media inquiries about the US Equestrian Open Series, please contact Carly Weilminster at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cweilminster@usef.org">cweilminster@usef.org</a>.&nbsp;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
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Flag Drama Tightens the Race at Morven Park

<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">The opening day of dressage at the series final delivered a few surprises, with the overall field performing slightly worse than expected. The average difference versus the average scores came in at +1.4. We saw Phillip take the lead while also setting the tone for what we can expect tomorrow on his other ride Possante.</p>
<h3 class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>Top Three Lead the Way</strong></h3>
<p><strong><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/ed7f40b4-1110-45d7-b48f-37fa0adc61d6.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Morven Park Graphics (41)"></strong></p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>1. Phillip Dutton and Denim</strong> topped the leaderboard with an impressive 27.5, marking Dutton's best 4*-L test on US soil since Mystery Whisper at Jersey Fresh in 2012. This score came in 3.1 points better than expected to be the standout performance of the day. It's a spectacular start to the final for the man who led the series for so long but didn't manage to take the win.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>2. Elisa Wallace and Lissavorra Quality</strong> sit in second place on 33.3 - coming in 1.6 points better than expected. Wallace delivered her second-best 4*-L score and the horse's second-best test at the level in their 12th 4* start.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>3. Ryan Wood and Cooley Flight</strong> round out the top three on 33.4, also scoring 2.5 points better than expectations. Wood saw this one coming, having spoken to our team a few weeks ago about his prepaations :</p>
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<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">"He has had a great preparation with his last two events and having his lowest FEI dressage score. We are hoping that we can continue with that trend and impress the Australian selectors. We are lucky now to have a selector - Clayton Fredericks - based in the US so he can keep close tabs on what is going on here and report back to the homeland."&nbsp;</p>
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<h3 class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>Looking Ahead to Friday</strong></h3>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">All eyes will be on tomorrow's session, where three of the lowest predicted scores will take center stage. Due to the running order going from the lowest to highest placed in the series, we have a stacked Friday filled with some of the biggest names in the field.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/d383d957-1513-44a9-8325-dbafd1ee14a0.jpeg?width=797&amp;height=1600" alt="Whats App Image 2025 10 09 at 20.54.30"></p>
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<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>1. Miks Master C</strong> (Boyd Martin, 11:00 AM) brings the field's best 6RA of 25.9. This new partnership has only completed two tests together, scoring 27 and 27.9, but the horse went as low as 20.1 with previous rider Liz Halliday-Sharp in 2023. Can Boyd unlock that potential or will it take more time to gel?</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>2. Possante</strong> (Phillip Dutton, 1:42 PM) comes in with a 28.8 6RA. Possante has gone sub-25 in two of his last three four-star starts including his 24.5 just three weeks ago at Plantation Field. This 12-year-old could give Dutton a real shot at maintaining an overnight lead.&nbsp;<br><br><strong>3. Off The Record</strong> (Will Coleman, 11:49 AM) arrives as a joint-favorite with a 30.3 6RA. Earlier this year, the Aachen winner demonstrated their class with a venue-record 21.8 at Kentucky, though followed that with a 35.6 at Aachen. Expect something between those extremes. Coleman will be looking to bounce back after a disappointing test with Very Dignified today, who scored 5.3 marks worse than expected. While this is an educational run for the relatively new combination, it has likely put 'Dora' out of contention for the weekend.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">With Friday's dressage featuring the field's strongest predicted performers, the leaderboard could look very different by tomorrow evening.<br><br></p>
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<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><em>Dressage takes place Thursday and Friday at the Grand Prix arena, with CCI4*-S tests also interspersed throughout the schedule.</em></p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><em>You can watch the live stream for free through the USEF network.&nbsp;</em><em>Sign up for free here: <a href="https://www.usef.org/membership/join-renew&nbsp;" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.usef.org/membership/join-renew&nbsp;</a>and watch live here: <a href="https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_EU/events/16790" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_EU/events/16790</a></em></p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><em>Check out the fan guide here: &nbsp;<a href="https://usequestrianopen.info/thefinal2025/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://usequestrianopen.info/thefinal2025/</a><br></em></p>
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<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">Check out the full Series calendar below and stay connected with the latest news and standings on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Facebook</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Instagram.&nbsp;</a>Use #USEqOpen to join the conversation.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Also follow US Equestrian on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USequestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrian/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@usequestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/usequestrian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X (Twitter)</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/aee0755f-7ba0-4aaf-b197-8570742781c8.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Competition Calendar for the 2024-2025 US Equestrian Open of Eventing"></p>
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<p dir="ltr"><em>For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For media inquiries about the US Equestrian Open Series, please contact Carly Weilminster at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cweilminster@usef.org">cweilminster@usef.org</a>.&nbsp;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
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Mikki, Dora and Six. Boyd, Will and Caroline. Three exciting partnerships from the US Equestrian Open Eventing Final

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