Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 year-end awards for combined driving. The U25 Athlete of the Year awards recognize young driving athletes for their achievement during the 2025 competition season. The Volunteer of the Year title is given to a driving competition volunteer who has been nominated by the driving community for their exemplary service over the past year.

U25 Athlete of the Year – Open Advanced: Ryley Miller
In 2025, Ryley Miller (Elverson, Pa.) added to her long list of accomplishments in the Single Horse division at the FEI level. This season, she took over the reins of Java, a 2014 Dutch Harness Horse owned by Paul Maye and previously part of Maye’s four-in-hand team, debuting the gelding in the single horse classes on the Florida circuit in the early spring. For the fall season, she partnered with Humorist, a 2012 KWPN gelding owned by Jeffrey Day, competing in the Intermediate Single Horse division, including a win at the Tryon Fall CDE.

U25 Athlete of the Year – Novice Advanced: Marcus Holzinger
Marcus Holzinger (Metamora, Mich.) had a successful season driving Tady, a 2014 Dutch Harness Horse mare owned by Barbara Chapman. The pair’s season was highlighted by a win in the FEI2* division at the prestigious Live Oak International in March.

U25 Athlete of the Year – Preliminary: Sarah Batstone Roberts
Sarah Batstone Roberts (Ocala, Fla.) had a busy and successful spring season in 2025 with Winston, her own 2007 Welsh Pony gelding. The pair competed in the Preliminary Single Pony classes across the Florida circuit, taking home blue ribbons from the Grand Oaks Short Format and Equinox Equestrian Center Short Format CDE.

U25 Athlete of the Year – Training: Pollux Maciolek
Pollux Maciolek (Windsor, Wisc.) debuted in USEF combined driving this season, posting successful results with Alex, his own 2014 Dutch Warmblood gelding who formerly competed in the pairs division. Maciolek and Alex closed out their premiere season together with a second-place finish in the Short Format Training – Single Horse at Halloween at the Haven.

U12 Athlete of the Year – Ben Riesse
Already a seasoned driving athlete at a young age, Ben Riesse (Mount Airy, Md.) earned the U12 title this year after a successful season with Isla, a 2013 Norwegian Fjord mare owned by Ben and Debb Riesse. Their 2025 highlights included first-place finishes at Live Oak International and Garden State CDE.

USEF Combined Driving Volunteer of the Year: John Layton
John Layton is awarded the 2025 USEF Combined Driving Volunteer of the Year award for his generosity and dedication to the sport of Combined Driving. His dedication has been instrumental in promoting the sport for youth drivers and the continued development of the sport in the Northeast.

USEF Combined Driving Year End Awards

Four-in-Hand Horses
Ch: Calipso 86, Alonso, Corleone B, Doorman, and Mister Arie W with Misdee Miller (Sarasota, Fla.)

Intermediate Single VSA
Ch.: Sassy with Kim Ciulla (Bloomfield, N.Y.)
Res.: Dauntless with Justine Hryczaniuk (Louisa, Va.)

Pair Horses
Ch.: Kenji V, Kenzo, and Night Hawk with Jacob Arnold (Paris, Ky.)

Preliminary Pair Small Pony
Ch.: Rhapsody’s Elegant X-Pectation and Ozrk Mtns Hunting Payday with Lynn Parker (Live Oak, Fla.)
Res.: Gaslight Armani with Carole Grimsley (Ringgold, Ga.)

Preliminary Single Small Pony
Ch.: Fortiflora Million Dollar Time Piece with Barbara Kravetz (Ocala, Fla.)

Preliminary Single VSE
Ch.: Sassy with Kim Ciulla (Bloomfield, N.Y.)
Res. (TIE): KJR’s Lilliams Lucky Lilly Bug with Beth Ann Berwanger (Waymart, Pa.);
Mac with Mary Baldwin (Morris, Okla.)

Training Single Small Pony
Ch.: The Perfect Storm with Mackenzie Laszczyk (Howell, N.J.)
Res.: Grab Your Popcorn with Michelle Michael (Waterford Wks, N.J.)

Advanced Single Horse
Ch. M.V.A. Famtijn with Kami Landy (Alachua, Fla.)
Res. Loretta with Tara Devine (East Bridgewater, Mass.)

Advanced Single Pony
Ch.: Halcyonia Mistletoe with Jacqueline Kane (Hudson, Mass.)
Res.: Eulenhof Spencer with Wendy O’Brien (Chestertown, Md.)

Intermediate Pair Horses
Ch.: JC Plumona, JC Espirital, and Altivo with Jennifer Ann Coyle Johnson (Barboursville, Va.)

Intermediate Pair Ponies
Ch.: Schermeer’s HOF Figaro, Middendorp’s Stitch, and Nostradamus with Esther Wright (Ocala, Fla.)
Res.: Odden’s Tellinor and Odden’s Ildar with Phillip Odden (Barronett, Wisc.)

Intermediate Single Horse
Ch.: Mister Chip with Tim Novak (The Villages, Fla.)
Res.: Lancer with Martha Merry (Lebanon, Ohio)

Intermediate Single Pony
Ch.: Sultan with Hilary Mroz-Blythe (Leverett, Mass.)
Res.: Chardonnay 76 with Tracey Turner (Windsor, S.C.)

Novice Advanced Single Horse
Ch.: Loretta with Tara Devine (East Bridgewater, Mass.)
Res.: Golden Sunset with Michele Johnson (Brockport, N.Y.)

Novice Advanced Single Pony
Ch.: Mischief Managed with Brandy Snedden (Thornville, Ohio)
Res.: Prairie Song Fletcher with Jacqueline Kane (Hudson, Mass.)

Preliminary Pair Ponies
Ch.: Tulipkings Maverick and Bayshore Pastime with Megan Fullgraf (Reidsville, N.C.)
Res.: Meadowlark Oppulence and Fiddlemaker’s Bottle Rocket with Melody Payne (Berkshire, N.Y.)

Preliminary Single Horse
Ch.: Winding Creek Powerball with Bob Vance (Milford, Ohio)
Res.: Pluto Abiqua with Shauna Cantwell (Ocala, Fla.)

Preliminary Single Pony
Ch.: Sweetwater’s Marmaduke with Teressa Kandianis (Ferndale, Wash.)
Res.: High Hopes Bugatti with Sarah Reitz (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.)

Training Single Horse
Ch.: Paxton E-S and Leslie Berndl (Lexington, Ky.)
Res.: Fair Winds Joy and Fiona Delfino (Ocala, Fla.)

Training Single Pony
Ch.: White Tie Affair WRP and Sonia Williams (Paris, Ky.)
Res.: Donnacella PWR and Taylor Bradish (Windsor, S.C.)

Para Equestrian Driving Single Horse
Ch.: Terob Dakota Don and Cindy Cullinane (Milford, N.J.)
Res.: FVFP Regal Enforcer with Dale Dedrick (Chelsea, Mich.)

Para Equestrian Driving Single Pony
Ch. Fferm Gwenffrwd Duramax and Deborah Marcuccilli (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.)