<h3 dir="ltr">Eventing: It&rsquo;s Finally Time!</h3>
Next Qualifier: Bouckaert Equestrian, Georgia | The Final: Morven Park, Virginia (October)
Three days is all that stands between us and the start of the 2026 US Equestrian Open eventing season. After months of buildup, form-watching, and series speculation, Bouckaert is finally here. Later this week, watch out for our full preview article and fan guide to help you get the most out of the action.
Before we get there, the weekend just gone offered a reminder of who is on form. The $100,000 LiftMaster Grand Prix Eventing Showcase presented by Taylor Harris Insurance Service saw several combinations with serious Open ambitions.
Phillip Dutton and Denim won the Showcase by going inside the time cross country - one of only two combinations in the entire field to do so. Denim finished 6th at the US Equestrian Open Final last year and placed top 10 at each of the three qualifiers he contested. They start the new year on top form and as major contenders for this year&rsquo;s Series and Final
Second place went to Elisa Wallace and the ten-year-old Lissavorra Quality. Wallace and this horse are not known as a fast combination, yet they crossed the finish line with just 4.8 time penalties. On a day when the clock was tough, this was an exceptional result. 20 penalties at the US Equestrian Open Final and a mixed 2025 season overall makes this performance all the more significant as a reset heading into the new season. If the cross country speed shown here carries into the qualifier season, Lissavorra Quality is one to watch as she develops.
Third place went to the Australian pair Sophia Hill and Humble Glory - the other combination inside the time. Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire finished fourth with Caroline Pamukcu slotting into fifth with King's Especiale. With HSH Double Sixteen and HSH Connor also in her string for Bouckaert, Pamukcu arrives this week as one of the title contenders with genuine depth.
<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/eventing" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/254e09dd-d92e-4194-986b-baf0dbd8460b.png?width=1080&amp;height=158" alt="Read More Eventing"></a>
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<h3 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 dir="ltr">Dressage: The Double Header Delivers a New Series Leader</h3>
Next Qualifier: WEC - March Dressage | The Final: Desert Dressage, Thermal CA (November)
Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn is the new US Equestrian Open of Dressage Series leader.&nbsp;A coast-to-coast double header to open 2026 delivered great sport, excitement, and personal bests, but it was Vaughn&rsquo;s weekend in California that changed the Series picture most.
HITS Del Mar Dressage Opener
California's Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn and Gino had a weekend to remember at Del Mar. The pair opened with a personal best in Friday's Grand Prix before going on to claim the Freestyle Qualifier the following day with 75.955%. On the Series leaderboard, Vaughn moves to first overall with 45 points. The result also carries significant World Cup implications.&nbsp;
<a href="https://equestrian-hub-usef.pages.dev/us-equestrian-open" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/26f73d45-9ce2-4dd7-899b-c777fe4b02e1.png?width=1240&amp;height=714" alt="Bo Iwm Current Leaderboard of the Us Equestrian Open of Dressage "></a>
The victory draws Vaughn level with Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and Jaccardo on 57 points in the North American League standings, placing her second behind Christian Simonson on Indian Rock, whose 60 points have all but confirmed his place at the Final in Fort Worth, Texas this April.&nbsp;
Vaughn's spot is not yet secure, however. Her three-score average sits below Fraser-Beaulieu's, who looks well-positioned for one of the three North American starting places. The third berth will be decided at the final qualifier at Wellington's Global Dressage Festival in two weeks, where Kevin Kohmann (54 points) and Benjamin Ebeling (52 points) could each tie both riders with a win. All ties are broken by the highest average.
Brittney Eastgate (formerly Simpson) was also in the ribbons aboard Kartsevo Goldfinch, posting a combination-best 72.020% for second place in the Freestyle.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DVZHO_XkQ_O/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/5789f223-8a88-4901-8606-b2515bcc1b07.png?width=907&amp;height=1104" alt="Screenshot 2026 03 03 111023"></a>
Adequan&reg; Global Dressage Festival 8
On the East Coast, Sweden's Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven delivered a commanding performance aboard Hyatt, a 13-year-old KWPN mare, taking the win with 78.000%. Germany's Michael Klimke and Harmony's Fado found themselves in second with a personal best of 74.770%, a result that moves Klimke into tied 7th on the Series leaderboard with 25 points. Susan Dutta rounded out the three-horse field in third and now sits on 23 points, placing her in tied 9th overall.
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DVT4cg5kR-n/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/3ad941f8-d866-4f9b-941f-7465640cbd62.png?width=904&amp;height=1099" alt="Screenshot 2026 03 03 110949"></a>
<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/dressage" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/df3afaab-1f25-4fab-a1dc-c46c608169fb.png?width=1080&amp;height=171" alt="Read More Dressage"></a>
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<h3 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 dir="ltr">Show Jumping: Cook Dominates Wellington</h3>
The Rolex US Equestrian Open Final: Wellington, Week 12 | Countdown: 3 Weeks
Last week was a strong one for US riders. At WEF Week 8, Team USA defended their title in the Wellington CSIO4* Nations Cup, and 24 hours later Karl Cook topped the Grand Prix podium.
The US squad of Karl Cook, Marilyn Little, Callie Schott, and anchor McLain Ward faced eight other nations. With Cook, Little, and Schott all jumping clear, Ward sat out the first round.&nbsp;
When he was called upon in the decider, Ward delivered. Riding Jordan Molga M (pictured below), a partnership still gaining mileage at this level, he produced a composed clear to secure gold ahead of Ireland, with Canada finishing third.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/ecc3e3cf-633f-42c9-91b5-0bab9c781d39.jpeg?width=2500&amp;height=2336" alt="Wefcsio4 87">
The victory marked back-to-back Nations Cup wins for the U.S. in Wellington and the nation&rsquo;s 11th title in the 25-year history of the event.
While the team result made the headlines, Marilyn Little with La Contessa and Callie Schott riding Garant (pictured below) were the standout performers, each producing double-clear rounds. At Nations Cup level, that kind of consistency is exceptional and it was the foundation of the win.&nbsp;
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/388830b2-b247-4788-ab9a-e24aa470760e.jpeg?width=2500&amp;height=2070" alt="Wefcsio4 67">
Sunday&rsquo;s $200,000 JTWG Inc. Grand Prix came down to a five-horse jump-off. Karl Cook and Signe Ostby&rsquo;s Candy claimed the win with a bold inside turn to the final fence, leaving out a stride to gaining the edge. Ireland&rsquo;s Darragh Kenny (Colibelle Hero Z) and Shane Sweetnam (Coriaan van Klapscheut Z) finished second and third.
Cook&rsquo;s golden weekend, Nations Cup gold on Saturday, Grand Prix victory on Sunday, comes just three weeks before the Rolex US Equestrian Open Final. <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/ward-wins-in-wellington-again" target="_blank" rel="noopener">McLain Ward is carrying momentum from Week 7</a>; now Cook has firmly entered the conversation. The picture is sharpening. The combinations capable of winning Week 12 are making themselves known, one result at a time. Week 9 is next.
<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/jumping" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/eeee484b-ef16-4e10-9de3-6d72b0a7f0c7.png?width=1080&amp;height=161" alt="Read More Jumping"></a>
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<h2 data-path-to-node="4">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 data-path-to-node="4">Stay in the Loop with The Open Weekly</h2>
Thanks for joining us for this week's edition! Don't forget: a fresh update of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/the-open-weekly" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Open Weekly</a>&nbsp;drops on the site&nbsp;every Tuesday.
<h3 data-path-to-node="9">Join the Conversation</h3>
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<h3 data-path-to-node="6">Go Beyond the Article</h3>
Catch the latest insights and expert interviews on the&nbsp;<a href="https://sites.libsyn.com/559710" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US Equestrian Open Podcast</a>.

Open Weekly Promo Graphic with Phillip Dutton and Denim

The Open Weekly: Bouckaert Opens, Vaughn Takes the Lead, and Cook Shines at WEF

1. Jumping

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Wellington CDI5* Grand Prix

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Main

The Rolex US Equestrian Open Final of Jumping format is straightforward: jump clear in Round One and you're in the jump-off. Make the jump-off and you're normally in the top 10.&nbsp;But rails fall, turns go wrong, and the fastest round doesn't always belong to the favourite. The podium has no guarantee. Unless you're Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/94425304-de34-4076-afd2-dfc5765c9756.jpeg?width=2500&amp;height=1922" alt="Wef12 88">
Just over a week ago in <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/ward-wins-in-wellington-again" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wellington's Week 7 CSI5* 160 class</a>, Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz (or 'Gizmo' to his friends) did it again: a clear jump-off round, a third-place finish, another podium added to a record that is beginning to look less like form and more like a law of the sport.
From 21 jump-off appearances at CSI5* 160 level, Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz have produced 18 clear rounds - an 86% strike rate. This is the second-highest clear rate the sport has seen at this level since 2010.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/3a518779-e943-4f3a-af20-21f8a746ef99.png?width=1388&amp;height=862" alt="Uz04m Combinations With the Highest Jump off Clear Rate at Nbsp Nbsp Nbsp Nbsp Nbsp Nbsp Nbsp Nbsp Nbsp Nbsp Csi5 160 Level Since 2010 ">
They have stood on the podium 19 times at this level. Eighteen of those podiums came from clear jump-offs. The sole exception was the Rolex Grand Prix of Dublin, where only Laura Kraut jumped clear in Round One, making a four-fault round still good enough for the podium.&nbsp;
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/ee60694f-a4ef-43ad-a726-c93d5a60b33b.png?width=1132&amp;height=1416" alt="I T Jk a All of James Kann Cruz S Jump off Runs at Nbsp Nbsp Nbsp Nbsp Nbsp Nbsp Nbsp Nbsp Csi5 160 Level ">
So as Week 12 of Wellington draws nearer, Sweetnam's task is far simpler than any of his rivals: deliver in the first round and the rest will take care of itself.
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<h3 dir="ltr">Form That Demands Attention</h3>
The Kentucky-based Irish combination arrived in Wellington in the kind of form that makes others take notice. James Kann Cruz, the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Kannan x Cruising), has been operating at a level that borders on the extraordinary. As Sweetnam reflected in the WEF Week 7 press conference:
<blockquote>
"He hasn't knocked a fence in a Grand Prix since Dublin in August, and that's ridiculous. I'm blessed to have a horse that good. He really loves his job."
</blockquote>
The numbers back up the sentiment. James Kann Cruz currently sits as the highest-rated Irish horse on the EquiRatings Elo at 772 and his peak of 775 makes him the highest-rated Irish horse ever recorded. A record like that isn't built on a single standout week. It is built on years of quiet, relentless consistency at the very top of the sport.&nbsp;
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/7a73361e-dded-49a9-ad3b-88c2cdc76a9f.png?width=1880&amp;height=1062" alt="E Stk6 the Highest Rated Irish Horses of All Time Nbsp (1)">
Sweetnam is respected throughout for his feel and his composure. A fierce competitor who wears it quietly. When he and James Kann Cruz step into a jump-off arena, expectation shifts.
Third feels normal. Second feels common. The conversation now is whether he can win.
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<h3 dir="ltr">A Contender Peaking at the Right Time</h3>
Wellington has a way of rewarding combinations who arrive sharp and assured. James Kann Cruz fits that profile precisely: a horse in his prime, proven at this height, and one who appears to thrive when the atmosphere is biggest and the margin for error is smallest.
His numbers hold under scrutiny whether in individual five-star Grand Prix competition or on championship teams. The consistency is not contextual. It travels.
But in Week 12, none of that history matters until their first round is complete. Everything&mdash;the statistics, the Elo rating, the podium record&mdash;is conditional on one clear round. Just 80 seconds.
The Rolex US Equestrian Open Final may not be won in Round One. But for Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz, it may very well be secured there.
<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/the-open-weekly-bouckaert-opens-vaughn-takes-the-lead-and-cook-shines-at-wef" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/797de4a4-a9fd-4ef8-8f83-7253791613fc.png?width=4048&amp;height=577" alt="Us Open Blog Inserts"></a>

Only 80 Seconds Stand Between Shane Sweetnam and a Podium Finish

Brooke Burchianti sat down with Annie Bishop on this week's episode of the US Equestrian Open Podcast. Find the full episode <a href="https://pod.fo/e/396daa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
<h2 dir="ltr">In Her Blood</h2>
Some riders find horses. For Brooke, it was never really a question. Her mother competed through the intermediate and three-star level, producing thoroughbreds up through the levels. Her grandmother rode too. By the time Brooke was three, sitting on her mother's big dressage horse, it was already decided.&nbsp;Pony Club and Welsh ponies led to a single-minded certainty that this was to be Brooke&rsquo;s job and not a phase.
<blockquote>
"Ever since then I was like 'This is this is for me, there's nothing else that I want to do.' Ever since I was a kid, I was like 'I want to ride horses my whole life. That's the job I want. That's it. And that's what I ended up doing.'"
</blockquote>
From there she went to James Madison University, where she studied sports management; a degree that, it turns out, maps almost directly into running an equestrian business. With a degree in her back pocket for if the horses didn&rsquo;t work out, she returned home to Pennsylvania, took over the farm her mother had run, and began building something of her own.
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&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Family Dynamics</h2>
The farm her mother Karin owns is also where Brooke trains which means her first and most important coach is also her mother. That dynamic, as Brooke is quick to admit, has not always been smooth.
<blockquote>
"When I was a kid, I was a bit defiant and I didn't necessarily take instruction super well from her. I take it well from other people."
</blockquote>
The turning point came when Brooke recognised that there weren't many people in the area who had competed to the level her mother had. She decided to stop being a daughter at the barn and start being a student. Brooke has learned to listen to her mother&rsquo;s advice because she knows her, and more to the point, knows Astro, better than anyone.
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<h2 dir="ltr">The Second Choice</h2>
Brooke made the trip to Cooley Farm in Ireland looking for a horse. She had her eye on one horse in particular but horses being horses, that one failed the vetting.
Cooley Space Gray or Astro to his friends, was next on the list. She sat on him twice over two days and they just clicked.
<blockquote>
"I think we just kind of matched each other. I think he knew that I wasn't going to get in his way too much. I was just there to be his friend more than anything and that's honestly what he needs."
</blockquote>
He was only 6 and had come from a show jumping barn meaning he had no eventing experience and Brooke would have to build everything from scratch. But she bought him anyways, brought him home to Pennsylvania, and got to work.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/9cc2648a-c6bb-4677-ac8f-dceaea847484.jpeg?width=1600&amp;height=1066" alt="Whats App Image 2026 02 25 at 12.05.34">
Fast forward 7 years and Brooke has produced Astro all the way from his first 2* to their 5* debut at Kentucky last year.
His name came from Brooke's interest in astrology and from the feeling, looking back, that the whole thing was written in the stars. The first horse wasn't meant to be hers. Cooley Space Gray was.
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<h2 dir="ltr">Everything His Way</h2>
Astro is not a complicated horse to ride. He is, however, completely on his own terms.
The mare Brooke had before him was a hot chestnut thoroughbred that she describes as a dragon. Astro is the opposite. He runs in a snaffle across all three phases. Brooke could take a breath and he would slow down. On cross-country, his ears come up, he looks for the next fence, and he goes.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/a1839783-2f92-4aae-bb94-a018067c7b46.jpeg?width=1440&amp;height=960" alt="Whats App Image 2026 02 25 at 12.06.00">
What he does not do is take instruction he hasn't agreed to. This extends to basic yard management. One morning this winter, Brooke went to catch him in the field and he simply declined.
<blockquote>
"He's like 'I don't think I want to come in right now - you're not going to catch me,'&nbsp; and so I literally will just open the gate and just be like 'Just come in when you can buddy.'"
</blockquote>
The same quality that makes him hard to catch (occasionally) is what makes him so effective on course. He does not get in his own way. He does not need to be managed into submission. He jumps because he wants to jump and the results show it. Last year, he and Brooke were one of just four combinations to finish on their dressage score at an Open qualifier.&nbsp;
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/7647d547-5141-4d9f-bc02-a30798b32865.png?width=1748&amp;height=614" alt="W A0 Jf the Four Fod S From the 2025 Series Qualifiers Nbsp ">
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<h2 dir="ltr">The String Behind Brooke</h2>
Brooke doesn't have one type of horse, she has every type.
Cooley Constellation, known as Aries, is the almost-exact opposite of Astro: nearly 17 hands, long, gangly, and in Brooke's words &ldquo;the sweetest horse in the barn&rdquo;. He stepped up to the 3*L at Maryland last season and Brooke believes he has a five-star in him when the time comes.
Then there is KHH Lanesboro or Bart. Also from Ireland, Bart is smaller and more similar to Astro. He is competing at the CCI1* with aims to step up in the spring.
A third Cooley horse is incoming but her name is undecided. It will, Brooke confirms, be on the astrology theme.
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<h2 dir="ltr">The Future</h2>
Astro is on a well-earned break after the season. A few minor strains&mdash;nothing serious, but enough to justify some rest&mdash;mean he&rsquo;ll return this summer, with autumn plans still taking shape.&nbsp;
Aries is aiming for Carolina to kick off the year, with a long-term goal of stepping up to Advanced in the autumn.&nbsp;
Bart is set to move up to 2* in the spring, Virginia is a possibility, though plans remain flexible.
When Brooke first went to Cooley and sat down with Richard Sheane, she nearly kept her biggest goals to herself. But she said it anyway: she wanted to ride at Advanced, and one day at five-star. She&rsquo;s achieved these goals now... so the next chapter is hers to write.
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<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr">Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</h2>
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.
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;
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<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/c9dfe039-3b02-415d-b513-c5bd87d85dae.jpeg?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="26 Open Eventing Qualifier Calendar">
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For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.
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;
For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.

Brroke Burchianti and Cooley Space Grey jumping cross country

Family, Fate, and Five-Star: The Brooke Burchianti Story

For the first time in 2026, the US Equestrian Open of Dressage runs coast to coast. Wellington, on the east, hosts one qualifier. Del Mar hosts the other, bringing the Series spotlight back to California and widening the leaderboard race in a single weekend.
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<h2 dir="ltr">Del Mar Dressage Opener</h2>
It&rsquo;s the first West Coast Open qualifier of 2026, giving California-based combinations their first real chance to make a mark this season &mdash; unless, like Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn, they headed east to Wellington to get their campaign underway.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/fc7e0ecc-e947-4379-9704-0a991c05a6d4.png?width=1408&amp;height=1066" alt="Nq I Z0 Grand Prix Freestyle Stats Del Mar Dressage Opener ">
Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn and Gino arrive at Del Mar as the clear favourite. Their FEI freestyle average of 74%&nbsp;is five points clear of the next combination in a five-horse field. Their personal best of 76.415% is also the highest entered.
Vaughn and Gino have been together since he was six. They've gone from regional shows to the world stage side by side, and they've done it the hard way - Vaughn is rider, caretaker, groom, and travel companion rolled into one, running a family business in California with her mother.&nbsp;
Vaughn sits fifth on the 2026 leaderboard with 30 points. A win here is worth 20, which would move her to the top of the standings and, if the result follows the data, likely secure a World Cup qualification. Last year marked her first appearance. This weekend could book her second.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/275c4b1f-9268-4fdb-b93c-66c1be8b798b.png?width=1240&amp;height=714" alt="Tbu9b Current Leaderboard of the Us Equestrian Open of Dressage ">
Behind Vaughn, the field is closely grouped. Yet, the most intriguing entry is Cyndi Jackson and Florisson, who carry no FEI freestyle record but have averaged 73% across three national freestyle starts with a personal best of 75.600%. National scores carry a different weight, but a combination averaging 73% at any level is capable of making this weekend's contenders uncomfortable.
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&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Palm Beach Dressage Derby</h2>
Wellington's freestyle card is the lighter of the two this weekend, with most of the Grand Prix talent at Global opting for the Special. Three combinations have entered.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/6af28d24-406e-47e0-b9bf-4ce9fed24fec.png?width=1408&amp;height=798" alt="F B44p Grand Prix Freestyle Stats Palm Beach Dressage Derby ">
Susan Dutta and Don Design DC are the favourite with a freestyle average of 71.5% and a personal best of 73.950%. Dutta sits just outside the current top 10 on the leaderboard, and a strong result here likely moves her into that bracket.&nbsp;
Michael Klimke and Harmony's Fado enter on a single FEI freestyle result of 71.445%. Klimke's pedigree is impeccable but having only one score makes him relatively difficult to place.&nbsp;
Adriane Alvord and Selfmade carry an FEI average of 67.06%, though a national personal best of 76.750% suggests there's more ceiling there than the international record shows.
In a three-horse field with the Series' smallest points allocation, Dutta has the clearest case for the win. Whether Klimke's experience closes the gap is the question that only Palm Beach can answer.
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<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/the-open-weekly-werth-breaks-records-while-ward-wins-at-wef" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/797de4a4-a9fd-4ef8-8f83-7253791613fc.png?width=4048&amp;height=577" alt="Us Open Blog Inserts"></a>
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Genay Vaughn and Gino cantering with a rug and sash

Coast to Coast: The US Equestrian Open of Dressage Delivers a Double-Header

There wasn&rsquo;t much time to catch a breath after Boyd Martin lifted the trophy at Morven Park. Just two weeks later, the 2026 US Equestrian Open of Eventing Series was already underway, with two qualifiers completed before the winter break.&nbsp;
As the Series resumes at Bouckaert International on March 5, now is the perfect moment to catch up on the story so far.
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<h2 dir="ltr">Qualifier 1: Bouckaert International (October 24, 2025)</h2>
The 2026 Series opened at Bouckaert Farm in Fairburn, Georgia, with nine combinations chasing a maximum 40 points. This venue is one of the toughest time tracks on the calendar. In 13 years of the CCI4*, only four combinations had ever made the cross-country time (just 2% of all starters).
After a difficult start to 2025 for Lucienne Bellissimo and Dyri, with two unlucky runs prompting a tactical step back, Bellissimo rebuilt Dyri&rsquo;s confidence at lower levels. Four consecutive wins at 2* and 3* followed. Bouckaert marked their return to 4*, and they delivered.
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<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">A 33.0 put them in the dressage lead</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">A clear show jumping round kept them there</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">A clear cross country round to add 8.0 time penalties - the fastest of the day</li>
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It was their <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/bellissimo-and-dyri-make-it-five-in-a-row-at-bouckaert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fifth consecutive international victory</a> and Bellissimo&rsquo;s eighth win of 2025. That win made her the British rider with the most international wins this year, ahead of Paris Olympian's Laura Collett, Ros Canter, and Tom McEwen (more on Bellissimo&rsquo;s British flag later!)
<a href="https://podfollow.com/the-us-equestrian-open-podcast/episode/a3215b228cb986aba67a1ffed04560f1a7a9da59" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kate Sand and Top Shelf</a> finished second with a double clear while Bruce Davidson Jr. and Cerafino D completed the podium in third.
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<h2 dir="ltr">Qualifier 2: The Event at TerraNova (November 14, 2025)</h2>
TerraNova served as both the second qualifier of the series and final FEI eventing competition in the US for 2025. The headline arrival was Will Coleman and Diabolo -&nbsp; the star combination returning to 4* competition after injury had kept them out of the Paris Olympics and most of the 2025 season.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/d738f3c8-578c-4542-ad5f-abfb66e1a7b2.jpeg?width=1600&amp;height=1388" alt="Copy of C E5 A8393">
Diabolo returned to the level with a dressage score of 26.1 which tied the second-best test ever recorded at the venue - beaten only by Coleman's own Chin Tonic HS in 2023. A double clear across the remaining two phases <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/terranova-closes-the-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">maintained their lead from start to finish.</a>&nbsp;It was Diabolo's third 4* win in a row, following victories at Cosequin Kentucky and Plantation Field (both in 2024). Coleman finished the event with 60 series points thanks to an additional fifth place with Fahrenheit Addict.
Lucienne Bellissimo and&nbsp;Dyri came second and Kitsch Couture HPK finished 8th to add an additional 40 points to her score to maintain the lead.
Waylon Roberts and Fernhill Salt Lake completed the podium in third. Roberts had entered with the highest EquiRatings Top Speed Percentage (TSP) in the field, and Fernhill Salt Lake proved the stats right. He produced the fastest cross-country round of the weekend and he was the only horse to make the time. It was also the first completion at four-star level for the pair after two previous starts at the level.
The other standout story of the weekend was Meg Pellegrini, who made her four-star debut with three horses. Dondante finished 7th with a double clear, Falcon Crown Z delivered the second-best dressage test in the field (26.9) before finishing 9th, and Cooley Wish Upon a Star added a 12th. Pellegrini and her string of horses will almost certainly be a story to follow as the season unfolds.
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<h2 dir="ltr">A New Flag at the Top</h2>
After TerraNova, the Series paused for the winter break. While competition was quiet, the leaderboard still saw a significant change at the top of the standings.
After officially becoming a United States citizen in late 2025,<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/new-flag-for-the-frontrunner" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Lucienne Bellissimo now represents Team USA</a>. Bellissimo had opened the Series as a British rider. She will resume it in 2026 as an American: still leading the standings, but under a new flag.
<a href="https://us.equestrian-hub.com/public/championship/eventing/2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/c23492d7-840b-47ef-9003-9f9fdbe46459.png?width=1240&amp;height=714" alt="E Fens Current Leaderboard of the Us Equestrian Open of Eventing (1)"></a>
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<h2 dir="ltr">What's Next: Bouckaert International (March 5, 2026)</h2>
The Series resumes at Bouckaert Farm next week for Qualifier 3, and the field is shaping up to be one of the venue&rsquo;s strongest so far. Bellissimo leads the standings, but several big names are set to line up. The added twist? This will be the first qualifier of the 2026 Series to attract 25 or more combinations, unlocking the higher points allocation.&nbsp;
Read more about the key contenders in last week&rsquo;s edition of The Open Weekly &rarr; <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/the-open-weekly-werth-breaks-records-while-ward-wins-at-wef" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/the-open-weekly-werth-breaks-records-while-ward-wins-at-wef</a>
With 18 qualifiers to go and the final at Morven Park on October 8-11, 2026, there is still everything to play for.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/the-open-weekly-werth-breaks-records-while-ward-wins-at-wef" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/797de4a4-a9fd-4ef8-8f83-7253791613fc.png?width=4048&amp;height=577" alt="Us Open Blog Inserts"></a>
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<h2 dir="ltr">Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</h2>
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<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/c9dfe039-3b02-415d-b513-c5bd87d85dae.jpeg?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="26 Open Eventing Qualifier Calendar">
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