<h2 dir="ltr">Jumping: The $1,000,000 Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix is Set to Break a Wellington Record.</h2>
The Rolex US Equestrian Open Final:&nbsp;Saturday, March 28th | Wellington, Week 12&nbsp;
Twelve weeks of competition in Wellington. Three CSI5* Grand Prixes completed and the the biggest night of them all awaits.&nbsp;
The $1,000,000 Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix takes center stage this Saturday. The coverage won&rsquo;t be light - a fan guide later this week, a special preview <a href="https://podfollow.com/the-us-equestrian-open-podcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">podcast</a> on Friday, and daily articles across the <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">microsite.</a>
Two episodes of The Open Road are already live, featuring&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_60FqMTTwTE&amp;list=PLkdGSxID6G_eceNlWgvqIuspJsKrSqCq2&amp;index=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Karl Cook</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hS9O_pQ1sI&amp;list=PLkdGSxID6G_eceNlWgvqIuspJsKrSqCq2&amp;index=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jessica Springsteen</a> Saturday night. Tune in before the weekend. 
When the Rolex US Equestrian Open Jumping Final lights up the International Arena on Saturday night, fans are likely to be watching the most powerful Grand Prix field ever assembled at Wellington International and one of the best 20 rated fields of the last 15 years.&nbsp;
The EquiRatings&rsquo; ELO model rates every horse based on how it performs round‑by‑round against the quality of opposition, updating after every result. In simple terms, the higher the ELO, the more consistently that horse is beating strong fields; horses in the 770+ range are operating right at the top of the sport.​
To measure the quality of a Grand Prix line‑up, EquiRatings uses a field‑strength rating: the average current ELO of the top 25 horses on the start list.​ Every big name that makes it through Thursday and Friday&rsquo;s qualifiers can move that field‑strength number significantly.​
When Checker 47 and&nbsp;Christian Kukuk&nbsp;claimed the Rolex US Equestrian Open Jumping Final last year, they did it against what was, at the time, the strongest Grand Prix field Wellington had ever seen, with a field‑strength rating of 730.​
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/66ff2db6-86fb-4112-b0c1-2951572a8ea7.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Field Stength">
Last year&rsquo;s field was rated 730, a WEF record. The best 25 horses on this year&rsquo;s long list currently averages closer to 748, a difference that comes from the sheer number of horses clustered in that high‑760/770 band. In a global context the 2024 Geneva Grand Prix (field‑strength 759) and the 2025 Dutch Masters (754) are the top fields. If we see a rating above 730 on Saturday, we will be watching the best ever here. If it clears 740, it would sit inside the top ten strongest rated Grand Prix fields anywhere in the world since 2010; even a rating of 735+ would secure a place inside the all‑time top twenty.​
All of that turns this week&rsquo;s qualifiers into more than just a route to our Saturday night final. These qualifiers will decide if we all get to see a new Wellington record.&nbsp; 
<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 dir="ltr">Eventing: Smith Sweeps Carolina as Pamukcu Takes the Series Lead</h2>
Next Qualifiers: TerraNova, Florida &amp; Galway Downs, California | The Final: Morven Park, Virginia (October)
Carolina International was the fourth qualifier of the 2026 series and the first with over 25 starters, meaning expanded points were on the table. The leaderboard that emerged looks significantly different from the one that went in.
<h3 dir="ltr">The Winners</h3>
The win went to Tamie Smith and Lillet 3 who came closest to the cross country time, picking up just 1.2 time penalties to move from fifth to first. It was their fifth win together as a combination and their second at the four-star level, following their Galway Downs CCI4*-L victory.
And it didn&rsquo;t stop there. Smith swept the weekend, adding wins in the CCI3*-S with Spiro P and the CCI2*-S on Solaguayre Cantata. A three-level clean sweep that speaks to both her depth and her current form.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/5b0cb64b-8068-48b4-999a-c15a2fc2b2c2.jpg?width=4000&amp;height=2667" alt="Tamie Smith Lillet 3 05449">
Photo Credit: Sally Spickard/Eventing Nation.&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">The Leaderboard</h3>
Second place went to Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake and that result, combined with She's The One finishing seventh, added 65 points to her series tally in a single weekend. Pamukcu moves to 145 points and takes the series lead outright, 50 points clear of the chasing pack.
<a href="https://us.equestrian-hub.com/public/championship/eventing/2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/7bdc5f2f-5420-4cb0-9349-f60304cdc28b.png?width=658&amp;height=1111" alt="Bouckaert Review 2 (1)"></a>
Behind her, the leaderboard tightened. Will Coleman and Boyd Martin both finished inside the top five and now sit joint second, firmly within striking distance. Lucienne Bellissimo slips to fourth after moving Kitsch Couture HPK into the 3* division, while Jennie Brannigan&rsquo;s third-place finish moves her into the top ten for the first time.
<h3 dir="ltr">What's Next</h3>
This weekend brings the first doubleheader of the 2026 series with qualifiers running simultaneously on the east and west coasts at TerraNova and Galway Downs.&nbsp;
Full previews, and predictions form guides are coming. As usual, the weekly US Equestrian Open podcast episode previewing both events drops tomorrow.
<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/eventing" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/e6b627a3-4fce-4bbf-8314-5c8c2402cd3e.png?width=1080&amp;height=158" alt="Read More Eventing"></a>
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<h2 dir="ltr">Dressage: A triple header sees Wandres lead the series while Jackson surprises at Del Mar</h2>
Next Qualifier: Dressage at TerraNova | Coundown: 1 week
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/equiratings_eventing?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/bb3a37f0-4091-4a31-b0c4-5c6b384318c6.png?width=1920&amp;height=840" alt="Carolina Winner"></a>
Frederic Wandres and Verrenberg won the Modon FEI Nations Cup at AGDF 11 with 77.000%. This is their fourth straight freestyle improvement since their debut together last June, and another combination best. Ashley Holzer and Hawtins San Floriana took second at 74.350%, and Emma Caecilia Lienert and Windermere J'Obei W rounded out the podium at 73.105%. The result moves Wandres to 49 points and first overall. Holzer lands at 44 and third.
<a href="https://us.equestrian-hub.com/public/championship/dressage/708" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/7f133541-2f05-4cb8-bf74-a4bf3096ea5f.png?width=1240&amp;height=714" alt="I Il7 a Current Leaderboard of the Us Equestrian Open of Dressage "></a>
The surprise of the weekend came from Del Mar, where Cyndi Jackson and Florisson won the CDI3* freestyle with a personal best of 70.915%. Jackson has produced Florisson from the start. Their first show together was a USEF Training Level test in March 2017. By 2020 they were competing at Prix St. Georges, debuted at Grand Prix in 2024, and worked through their freestyle at national shows last year before making their CDI freestyle debut at Del Mar in February. Sunday&rsquo;s win was the payoff. Nadine Schwartsman and Royal Flash R finished second with a combination best of 70.835%, only the second time the pair have broken 70% in freestyle - the last being a ninth-place finish at the US Equestrian Open Final
In the CDI3*, also held at AGDF 11, Tinne Vilhelmson Silfv&eacute;n and Hyatt won with 76.640%. Jennifer Williams and Joppe K took second at 75.455%&nbsp; with P.J. Rizvi and Vanilla Ice third at 73.500%. The win moves Tinne to 35 points and into a three-way tie for sixth.
<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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<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>.

The Open Weekly graphic with Tamie Smith and Lillet 3

The Open Weekly: Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix Week Arrives as New Series Leaders Emerge

1. Jumping

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Wellington CSI5* Grand Prix

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Main

When the Rolex US Equestrian Open Jumping Final lights up the International Arena on Saturday night, fans are likely to be watching the most powerful Grand Prix fields ever assembled at Wellington International and one of the best 20 rated fields of the last 15 years.&nbsp;
<blockquote>
EquiRatings&rsquo; ELO model rates every horse based on how it performs round‑by‑round against the quality of opposition, updating after every result. In simple terms, the higher the ELO, the more consistently that horse is beating strong fields; horses in the 770+ range are operating right at the top of the sport.​
To measure the quality of a Grand Prix line‑up, EquiRatings uses a field‑strength rating: the average current ELO of the top 25 horses on the start list.​ Every big name that makes it through Thursday and Friday&rsquo;s qualifiers can move that field‑strength number significantly.​
</blockquote>
When Checker 47 and Christian Kukuk claimed the Rolex US Equestrian Open Jumping Final last year, they did it against what was&mdash;at the time&mdash;the strongest Grand Prix field Wellington had ever seen, with a field‑strength rating of 730.​
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/66ff2db6-86fb-4112-b0c1-2951572a8ea7.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Field Stength"> That number was boosted by the presence of King Edward, the highest rated horse in the world at the time. He hasn&rsquo;t jumped at the top level since that weekend last year. This year, though, the story is about depth rather than a single outlier: qualifier‑dependent, the 2026 line‑up is on track to deliver the strongest top‑25 Wellington has ever seen, and potentially the highest‑rated Grand Prix field in the venue&rsquo;s history.
Last year&rsquo;s field was rated 730, a WEF record. The best 25 horses on this year&rsquo;s long list currently averages closer to 748, a difference that comes from the sheer number of horses clustered in that high‑760/770 band. On current ratings, if the strongest combinations make it into Saturday night&rsquo;s final, the projected field‑strength average for the top 25 could land in the 735&ndash;745 range.​
Those numbers matter in a global context. Since 2010, the 2024 Geneva Grand Prix (field‑strength 759) and the 2025 Dutch Masters (754) are the top fields. If we see a rating above 730 on Saturday, we will be watching the best ever here. If it clears 740, it would sit inside the top ten strongest rated Grand Prix fields anywhere in the world since 2010; even a rating of 735+ would secure a place inside the all‑time top twenty.​ ​ Whatever the final number, the 2026 Rolex US Equestrian Open Jumping Final is on track to be both one of the best ever Wellington fields and one of the highest‑rated Grand Prix classes anywhere in the world. <img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/5a51bc0d-7044-42fe-9533-48dc36749820.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Field Strength All Wef">

Stand by for the Strongest Ever Wellington Grand Prix?

<h2 dir="ltr">1. This Has Never Happened Before</h2>
The US Equestrian Open of Dressage has run doubleheaders, but this weekend will be the very first triple header. Three Grand Prix Freestyle classes will award Series points simultaneously: the CDI3* Nations Cup and CDI3* in Wellington, and the CDI3* at HITS Del Mar Dressage Affaire in California. Ten of the 18 horses entered have already completed an Open leg this season. The leaderboard is about to see a lot of movement at once.
<h2 dir="ltr">2. Tinne Vilhelmson Silfv&eacute;n Is the Clearest Favorite in Any of the Three Fields</h2>
In the Wellington CDI3*, Tinne Vilhelmson Silfv&eacute;n and Hyatt average 76%&mdash;more than three points above the next best average in the field. Hyatt's personal best of 79.070% towers over the rest of the combinations.&nbsp;
Jennifer Williams and Joppe K hold the clearest claim on second: a roughly one-point edge in average over the next tier, with a 75.680% PB that puts them in range of Silfv&eacute;n. P.J. Rizvi and Vanilla Ice, fresh off a crowd-pleasing ride at AGDF 10, and Devon Kane and Vamos&mdash;11 starts deep, 72.375% average&mdash;should be close behind, especially if Vanilla Ice continues to settle into the Wellington atmosphere this week.
<iframe id="datawrapper-chart-7srns" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" title="Grand Prix Freestyle Stats: AGDF 11 CDI3*" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/7srns/1/" height="650" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Table" data-external="1"></iframe>
<h2 dir="ltr">3. Wandres Enters the Nation's Cup as the Favorite and This May Be His Last Open Leg</h2>
Frederic Wandres and Verrenberg are a safe bet for first in the Nation's Cup field. The horse averages 75% with a new personal best of 76.240% set just last weekend at AGDF 10. Beyond that, the pair have climbed in scores at every outing since their first Grand Prix Freestyle together last June.&nbsp;
Ashley Holzer and Hawtins San Floriana (73.449% average, 75.290% PB) are the strongest challengers, while the remaining field clusters in the low-73s and below. With the AGDF season wrapping up, Wandres and Verrenberg are likely headed back to Europe after this, which would make this their final Open Series appearance of 2026.
<iframe id="datawrapper-chart-YGfei" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" title="Grand Prix Freestyle Stats: AGDF 11 Nation's Cup CDIO3*" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/YGfei/1/" height="583" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Table" data-external="1"></iframe>
<h2 dir="ltr">4. Del Mar's Favorite Has a Complicated Case</h2>
By the stats, G&uuml;nter Seidel and Equirelle lead at Del Mar with a 72.86% average and a 76.615% personal best, both the highest in the field. But those numbers don't reflect recent form as the pair has struggled to find their footing in their most recent outings. This dilemma could leave the door open for Kristina Harrison-Antell and Finley. They average 72% across eight starts, but their last freestyle was at the US Equestrian Open Final, where they earned that 75.470% PB. They've won their last four classes. The momentum is Harrison-Antell's, and a new combination best wouldn't be surprising.
<iframe id="datawrapper-chart-9KoP4" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" title="Grand Prix Freestyle Stats: Del Mar Dressage Affaire" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/9KoP4/1/" height="515" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Table" data-external="1"></iframe>
<h2 dir="ltr">5. The Leaderboard Is About to Rearrange Itself</h2>
Wandres and Holzer are the headline movers this week. Both tied for eighth at 29 points and both likely to jump significantly depending on how the Nation's Cup shakes out. A Wandres win puts him at 49 and into first overall. Holzer in second lands at 44 and second overall. If she wins instead, those numbers simply flip. Either way, expect new names in first and second.
But they're not the only ones moving. Ten riders competing this weekend already have Series points on the board. Silfv&eacute;n sits at 25th with 15 points&mdash;a win in the CDI3* is worth 20, which vaults her into the top ten overnight. Kane is 19th on 18 points; a podium finish puts her squarely in that conversation too. At Del Mar, a win is also worth 20 points. That takes Seidel from 8 points to 28 and into the top 15. Meanwhile a win for Harrison-Antell puts her at 20 points and straight into the top 20 on her first result.
<h2 dir="ltr">6. Nearly the Whole Field Has 2026 Form</h2>
All 18 horses entered have competed at least once in 2026, and 10 have already completed an Open Series leg this season. These combinations aren't knocking off cobwebs. They've been showing, and the scores on the board reflect it.
<h2 dir="ltr">Tune In</h2>
Both the CDI3* and the Nation&rsquo;s Cup will be held during AGDF&rsquo;s Friday Night Stars. Catch the action starting at 7 p.m. ET on the <a href="https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_US/events/19310/adequan-global-dressage-festival-xi-fei-dressage-nations-cuptm-2026">USEF Network</a>. Del Mar&rsquo;s Dressage Affaire kicks off Saturday, also on the <a href="https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_US/events/18459/del-mar-dressage-affaire-cdi-3">USEF Network</a>.
<a href="https://www.usef.org/membership/join-renew">Sign up for free</a> as a fan to stream the action.

Frederic Wandres waves to the crowd on horse back after leaving the arena

6 Things You Need to Know About Dressage's First-Ever Triple Header

Some partnerships feel instant. Others take time to understand. Jessica Springsteen and Don Juan van de Donkhoeve are a bit of both.
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3hS9O_pQ1sI" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
The Open Road follows their journey from that first connection &mdash; a horse she believed could jump anything &mdash; to the pressure, setbacks, and breakthroughs that shaped an Olympic partnership.
It&rsquo;s a story of trust built over time, and the confidence that comes from knowing what your horse is capable of. Because sometimes, the right horse doesn&rsquo;t just deliver results, they make you believe you belong there.
Watch the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hS9O_pQ1sI&amp;list=PLkdGSxID6G_eceNlWgvqIuspJsKrSqCq2&amp;index=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">full episode now </a>and go inside the partnership.

Jessica Springsteen and Don Juan van de Donkhoeve filming for the Open Road

Jessica Springsteen and Don Juan van de Donkhoeve | The Open Road

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<h2 class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">1. The strongest field in Carolina history</h2>
This weekend's CCI4*-S carries an Elo Field Strength rating of 615 - the highest ever recorded at Carolina, and the sixth highest of any CCI4*-S on US soil in the last ten years.
Elo Field Strength is the average Elo rating of the top 20 horses in a competition. It&rsquo;s a way to measure the overall quality of both the field and the competitors. A rating of 615 doesn't happen because one or two world-class horses showed up. It happens because the whole field is elite. Whoever wins this weekend will have beaten some of the best combinations in the country to do it.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/ff4d4ac5-5aa8-4a2f-b3ac-862b90e57f33.png?width=1572&amp;height=1600" alt="Sq U34 the Strongest Cci4 S Fields on Us Soil on Record ">
<h2 class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">2. Multiple Carolina champions are back</h2>
Three of the last four horses that won Carolina are returning to defend their title.&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle, winners here twelve months ago, are back to try and repeat.</li>
<li class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">Liz Halliday's Miks Master C, this time with Boyd Martin, won here in 2024.</li>
<li class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">Will Coleman and Dondante won in 2022, and Dondante is back, now with Meg Pellegrini.</li>
</ul>
On top of that, Phillip Dutton has two in the field while Caroline Pamukcu&nbsp;returns with three rides having won her first major CCI4*-S title at this very venue in 2017.
&nbsp;<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/5d9a6e14-0baa-4c5f-93a3-f26c1b311185.png?width=1278&amp;height=1126" alt="Screenshot 2026 03 18 184240">
<h2 class="font-claude-response relative leading-[1.65rem] [&amp;_pre&gt;div]:bg-bg-000/50 [&amp;_pre&gt;div]:border-0.5 [&amp;_pre&gt;div]:border-border-400 [&amp;_.ignore-pre-bg&gt;div]:bg-transparent [&amp;_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&amp;_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8 [&amp;_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&amp;_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 class="font-claude-response relative leading-[1.65rem] [&amp;_pre&gt;div]:bg-bg-000/50 [&amp;_pre&gt;div]:border-0.5 [&amp;_pre&gt;div]:border-border-400 [&amp;_.ignore-pre-bg&gt;div]:bg-transparent [&amp;_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&amp;_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8 [&amp;_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&amp;_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8">3. The competition is wide open</h2>
The podium conversation stretches across half the start list. Will Coleman (23%) arrives as a three-time winner (on three different horses) but Diabolo is still newly back to competition after an injury. How hard Will presses cross-country will be a major factor for his chances.&nbsp;
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/a5016d79-da86-4058-ab10-5f3887becabe.png?width=1273&amp;height=955" alt="Screenshot 2026 03 18 193241">
Caroline Pamukcu sits in second on the <a href="https://prediction-centre.equiratings.com/competitions/carolina_4s_2026" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EquiRatings Prediction Centre </a>with&nbsp;her superstar HSH Blake (14%), and with something still to prove ahead of Aachen selection, she may push on when Will doesn't. Phillip Dutton brings two horses for a combined win chance of 12% while FEI World No.2 Boyd Martin's win chance totals 16%.
There is no clear race-away favorite, no obvious result. That's what happens when you put together the deepest Carolina field ever assembled.
<h2 class="font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]">4. The biggest points haul of the series so far</h2>
Carolina is the fourth qualifier in the US Equestrian Open of Eventing, and for the first time in the 2026 Series, the full points scale is in play. With more than 25 starters, first place is worth 50 points this weekend - compared to a maximum of 40 at the previous qualifiers. That's a significant jump. A 50-point weekend changes things fast.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/ec2bc08c-7c88-4dc3-a5e7-4fd9617950fd.png?width=3204&amp;height=2600" alt="Qualifiers With More Than 25 Starters (1) (1) (1)">
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<div class="group relative relative pb-3" data-is-streaming="false">5. The whole Series leaderboard is on the line 
After three qualifiers, Lucienne Bellissimo and Caroline Pamukcu are tied at the top of the Open Series leaderboard. Boyd Martin sits third, Will Coleman fourth. And three of these four are competing this weekend.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/1708749e-a16c-47cb-9cbb-1e1fc14a457e.png?width=628&amp;height=952" alt="Screenshot 2026 03 18 200431">
Caroline has three entries at Carolina, Boyd has two, and Will has one, meaning this single event could reshape the entire standings in one afternoon.
Whoever performs best this weekend has a real chance to break clear at the top. Whoever doesn't could find themselves looking up. The leaderboard that greets us on Monday morning will look very different to the one we have now.
&nbsp;
Want to dive deeper into Carolina this weekend?&nbsp;Check out the full&nbsp;<a href="https://usequestrianopen.info/carolina2026" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Form Guide</a> or tune in to this week's episode of the US Equestrian Open Podcast <a href="https://pod.fo/e/3af826" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here.</a>
<iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/40519610/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/28427a/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
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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>.
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