Battle for the US Equestrian Open Lead

The race for the US Equestrian Open series lead heats up in Wellington as the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival 5 brings another high-stakes Grand Prix Freestyle. With just 0.076 percentage points separating the top contenders, American riders Adrienne Lyle and Anna Marek have a golden opportunity to put the US flag back on top of the standings.

A victory here would not only mark a key World Cup qualifier win but could also signal a power shift in the series, bringing the US level with Germany’s Felicitas Hendricks at the top of the leaderboard. Under the lights on Friday night, the stage is set for a must-watch showdown — can USA take control of the series once again?

The Battle at the Top: Lyle vs. Marek

The duel between American riders Adrienne Lyle and Anna Marek is a must-watch storyline. Both are in strong form — Lyle and her 13-year-old Helix average 75.276% in the Freestyle, while Marek and 15-year-old Fayvel are nearly identical at 75.200%. Their personal bests show similar parity, with Helix at 77.610% and Fayvel at 78.995%. Both riders are familiar with the atmosphere at Global, both riders were shortlisted for the Paris Olympics (with Lyle and Helix making the team), and both riders are inside the FEI World Dressage Top 35 (Lyle at No. 23, Marek at No. 33).

Either could walk away with the winner’s cooler Friday night.

Lyle and Helix started their season strong at AGDF 1, scoring 77.280% for second place. Marek, meanwhile, topped the podium in Wellington just two weeks ago with her Olympic Shortlist mount, Fire Fly, scoring 77.755%. 

With only 0.076 percentage points separating their Freestyle averages, the top step of the podium is truly up for grabs. If Marek claims victory, it will mark the first time since Week One that an American leads the US Equestrian Open of Dressage. If Lyle wins, the US will once again top the leaderboard, but in a tie with Germany’s Felicitas Hendricks.

Who Else Could Challenge?

While Lyle and Marek are the favorites, they may have company in the fight for the win. The field is deep, with six of the ten entrants currently ranked in the top 100 of the FEI World Rankings.

The Consistent Contender: Jan Ebeling

German-American rider Jan Ebeling, who represented the U.S. at the 2012 London Olympics, brings Jubi’s Tenacity into the mix. Ebeling and “Jubi” are models of consistency, averaging 73.909% in the Freestyle. While they sit just outside the leading duo’s range, a strong performance could put them in contention. Especially since their personal best of 75.720% sits comfortably amongst Lyle and Marek’s averages. 

The Potential Upset: Evelyn Eger

Germany’s Evelyn Eger and Tabledance 3 are a real threat to the American riders reclaiming the leaderboard. A regular at the venue, Eger has competed in all three Wellington shows so far in 2025. She and Tabledance 3 are also quite consistent, averaging 73.739%, with a PB of 77.085%. If she can replicate that peak score this weekend, she could shake up the standings – even overtaking Hendricks for the number one spot.

A Tight Field

The top four riders are separated by just 1.54 percentage points on average and 3.28 points on PBs. Eger and Tabledance 3 have logged the most Grand Prix Freestyle performances at eight, while Lyle and Helix maintain the highest average (75.267%). Lyle and Marek consistently score above 75, while Ebeling and Eger trend closer to 73-74.

In short? It’s going to be a battle you won’t want to miss. Tune in to the USEF Network on Friday night to watch the Grand Prix Freestyle unfold live at 6 p.m. Eastern. 

Stay Connected

For the most up-to-date series calendar and latest standings, visit the official US Equestrian Open Series hub at usequestrianopen.org.

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

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

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