Thermal, Calif. – Ben Ebeling (USA) and Bellena stole the show in the inaugural US Equestrian Open Dressage Final, hoisting the impressive trophy to conclude the first year of the finals across the three Olympic disciplines. The partnership earned a personal best score of 79.903% for their freestyle composition to a mix of iconic female pop artists to stand firmly atop the podium. Felicitas Hendricks (GER) and Drombusch OLD took second place on a final score of 78.260%, while Anna Marek...

Kansas City, Mo. – With two nearly perfect patterns and dazzling rail work, Finley Wood and Seven Oaks Heir Show secured the 2025 USEF Saddle Seat Medal National Final champion title. Under the direction of trainer Shelley Fisher, Wood added the medal to her impressive resume in the sport of saddle seat equitation. Finley Wood and Seven Oaks Heir Show. ©Leslie Potter/US Equestrian Wood (Columbus, Ohio) and “Lily,” her 2012 American Saddlebred mare (Undulata’s Heir...

Kansas City, Mo. – It’s been a banner week for saddle seat equitation star Izzy Fischer. On Wednesday at the UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show, she and CH-EQ Sugar Fund captured the win in the UPHA Adult Challenge Cup finals. On Friday, she came back to win the 2025 USEF Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal Final . In her first year in the adult amateur ranks, she’s already checked off the two most prestigious titles in the sport. Izzy Fischer and CH-EQ Sugar...

Thermal, Calif. – US Equestrian Open Dressage Series winner, Anna Marek, rode Fayvel to the top of the FEI Grand Prix CDI5* ahead of the highly anticipated FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI5* tomorrow, which will crown the inaugural US Equestrian Open Dressage Final champion. The partnership topped the standings with a score of 70.804%, followed by fellow American, Ben Ebeling aboard Bellena who earned a 70.522%. Felicitas Hendricks (GER) and Drombusch OLD rounded out the podium on a 70.500%,...

Thermal, Calif. – The US Equestrian Open Dressage Final will get underway tomorrow evening with the FEI Grand Prix, kicking off a weekend of exciting competition with the inaugural edition of the event hosted at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, Calif. The competition will see 13 combinations contest the qualification class before the highly anticipated FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI5* to determine the first-ever US Equestrian Open Dressage Final champion. ©DevynTrethewey/US...

Thermal, Calif. – The final day of competition at the 2025 National Sunshine Series at Desert International Horse Park saw top equitation athletes come to compete in a unique medal final. The USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final – West challenges finalists in a single-day, three-phase competition that is a true test of horsemanship. Violet Tatum and Kruz. ©Leslie Potter/US Equestrian This year’s champion is Violet Tatum (Los Angeles, Calif.) riding Kruz, a 2015 Dutch...

Thermal, Calif. – After a thrilling third round and final ride off, Nicole McMillion secured the champion title at the 2025 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – West . Nicole McMillion and Change Up PS. ©Leslie Potter/US Equestrian McMillion (Huntington Beach, Calif.), who trains with Jim Hagman, partnered with Change Up PS, a 2016 Oldenburg stallion owned by Summerhouse Farm, LLC, for the finals. With this win, Change Up PS, known as...

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce that Kiss Me Blue, fondly known as “Chrissy,” is the 2025 USEF Heart Horse Award winner. Chrissy is a 2001 American Quarter Horse and is part of the herd at Maryland Therapeutic Riding (MTR) in Crownsville, Md. Chrissy was selected as the winner by the USEF membership and will be honored during the USEF Pegasus Awards Dinner at the USEF Annual Meeting in Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 15, 2026. For 17 years, Chrissy has been the...

Harrisburg, Pa. – Top junior equitation athletes took to the Keystone Arena at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show last Sunday to vie for champion honors in the 2025 USEF/NCEA Junior Hunter Seat Medal Final – East. This unique medal final is based on the format used in NCEA varsity competition and challenges riders to demonstrate their skill over a 3’3” equitation course and an under-saddle phase. The top four are brought back for the bracket phase in which they switch...

Gladstone, N.J. - The 2025 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – East concluded on Sunday at Hamilton Farms, home of the USET Foundation Headquarters, crowning Eleanor Rudnicki (Conroe, Texas) and Qwantreau champions after completion of the Phases III and IV. ©Isabelle Whiteside/US Equestrian The final day of competition aimed to test each combination’s ability to navigate a jumper-style course while demonstrating the fundamental precision and technique...