A Quiet Stage, A Legendary Mare

Only four horses are entered in this week’s qualifier, but don’t let the numbers fool you. “Small field” does not equal “small story.” From a US Equestrian Open of Dressage leaderboard perspective, this show won’t be the most consequential event of the season. But it will, however, feature one of the most celebrated horses in the entire Series: Fiontini.

A Living Legend

The 15-year-old Danish Warmblood mare has one of the most consistent records in the sport. In 15 Grand Prix starts, she’s dipped below 69% just twice. In the freestyle, she consistently scores in the mid-70s to 80s, no matter the rider. A Triple World Young Horse Champion (2015–2017), Fiontini isn’t just good; she’s reliably brilliant.

Over the course of her career, she’s been ridden by some of Europe’s top male riders: Severo Jurado López, Andreas Helgstrand, and Patrik Kittel. Now, she’s owned and ridden by 30-year-old US team rider Anna Buffini—one of the youngest athletes to represent the US at a World Championship in recent years. After purchasing the mare, Buffini joked that it was time to turn Fiontini into a “lady’s ride.”

A New Chapter

Buffini first saw Fiontini competing with Kittel at Aachen. It only took one test ride for her to fall in love with the mare’s big heart and immense talent. But transitioning Fiontini to Buffini’s lighter riding style became a project of patience and tact. She was used to stronger leg aids and, at first, would shake her sides like she had flies on them when Buffini applied pressure.

So began the process of teaching her to respond to subtler cues—a new language for horse and rider. With the help of her longtime coach Günter Seidel (also entered in this weekend's class), they opted for a long runway: two full years out of the spotlight, focused on trust, softness, and feel.

Buffini, who has a large social media following, chose to keep Fiontini’s training private. Fans were eager to see the mare return to competition, but Buffini stayed steady in her approach.

“When she’s ready, we’ll come out.”

A Measured Return

That moment came 11 months ago—at this very venue. They scored 72% in the Grand Prix and 72.447% in the Grand Prix Special, a notoriously difficult test. In both, they placed second to decorated U.S. Olympian Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper. The Special was particularly close: four of the five judges placed Buffini ahead of Peters, who won by a razor-thin 72.766%.

Buffini and Fiontini debuted their freestyle the following month, again in Del Mar, earning a 76.210%. Judges rewarded the mare’s expressive, expansive gaits with 8s for extended walk, trot, and canter. Their floor plan earned a 9.16 average degree of difficulty. The question now: in the year since we’ve seen them perform this freestyle, have they dialed that difficulty up even further?

A Delicate Dance

With only four riders in Sunday’s freestyle class, Buffini and Fiontini are the clear favorites. This is a chance to polish the freestyle, push the degree of difficulty, and test Fiontini’s firepower. Seidel is the only one who could realistically challenge her. Equirelle’s personal best—76.615%—actually edges out Buffini’s PB on Fiontini (76.210%), but Seidel’s last outing suggests they’re still shaking off some freestyle rust.

Still, Seidel is a veteran, and you can never fully count him out.

Under Buffini, Fiontini is no longer just a powerhouse. She’s expressive, responsive, and joyful in the ring. “She’s really become my horse,” Buffini said after their debut. This weekend, Del Mar gets to see that magic in action.

For the West Coast, it’s a reminder that top sport lives here too—even with smaller fields. Fiontini’s presence brings eyes and gravitas to the Series. And for fans, it’s a rare chance to see one of the most celebrated dressage mares of the modern era compete on home turf.

Fiontini might not be “on the comeback”—she never really left. But Del Mar might be where we see her new era begin.

Watch Buffini and Fiontini’s return to the freestyle arena this Sunday–stream it live on the USEF Network. Sign up for free as a fan to catch the action.