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On a night defined by personal bests, it was Benjamin Ebeling and Bellena who delivered the most meaningful one. Their final freestyle of the season scored 79.930%, a career high and more than enough to win the US Equestrian Open of Dressage Final. After building their entire Grand Prix career together within the Series, the pair capped their year with a test that had the crowd clapping along and judges reaching for 9s.
They weren&rsquo;t the only ones who saved their best for last. Three other riders posted personal bests in Saturday night&rsquo;s freestyle, and ten of the twelve riders in the field outscored their season averages.
<h2 dir="ltr">Bellena&rsquo;s Best Yet</h2>
From their freestyle debut in April to their crowning ride in November, Ebeling and Bellena have looked more confident with every outing. In just six months, they started their showing career together, came second in the Series, won three of their five qualifiers, broke their personal best four times in a row, and now, have won the inaugural Final.&nbsp;
Riding to a girl-power soundtrack of &ldquo;Maneater,&rdquo; &ldquo;Femininomenon,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Perfect,&rdquo; they closed their test with a soaring extended trot and a seamless halt, drawing cheers from the crowd and topping the field by more than a point. Two judges scored the ride above 80%, and Ebeling was the only rider to receive that distinction.
His final score&mdash;79.930%&mdash;was nearly two points above his previous best. He earned 8s across the board for harmony, 8s and 9s for choreography, and an average degree of difficulty of 9.0. It marked the fourth personal best in a row for the pair, whose trajectory has been steep and steady: from 76.190% in July, to 76.615%, then 77.655%, 78.055%, and now this.
On a night full of strong rides, Bellena was the belle of the ball.
<iframe id="datawrapper-chart-3NPja" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" title="Bellena's scores with Ben" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/3NPja/1/" height="769" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Line chart" data-external="1"></iframe>
&ldquo;This Series has opened the sport to people who can appreciate horse dancing,&rdquo; Ebeling said afterward. &ldquo;I mean, who doesn&rsquo;t like that?&rdquo;
He also gave full credit to Bellena, a 15-year-old Hanoverian mare owned by Ann Romney.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;She means everything to me. Every time I&rsquo;ve asked her to come into the clutch, she&rsquo;s always come through for me. She&rsquo;s a special mare.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
<h2 dir="ltr">Margin of Greatness</h2>
Germany&rsquo;s Felicitas Hendricks and Drombusch OLD finished second with a 78.260% in a technically ambitious freestyle that earned the highest degree of difficulty of the night (9.3). She also received a 9.0 for her final halt and scored consistently high for music and choreography. Hendricks, already a two-time U25 European Champion, is a world champion in the making. At just 25, she&rsquo;s already holding her own against senior riders despite still being young enough for the junior division.
&ldquo;The test felt incredible,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;My horse gave it his all."
<blockquote>
"He was on fire in the best way possible.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
Series champion Anna Marek returned to the arena with Fayvel. Their test was clean and assertive&mdash;though perhaps not as relaxed as their best outings&mdash;and included an extremely difficult line of one-tempi changes into twos, plus a final extension that closed the performance with strength. They finished third with their second-highest score of the season at 77.830%.&nbsp;
Kristina Harrison-Antell and Finley delivered a brilliant 75.470%&mdash;their first new personal best since 2022, and fittingly, at the very same show. It lifted her into fourth&nbsp;in the final standings and served as a fitting high point for the longest-running partnership in the Series.
Laura DeCesari and Nadine Schwartsman also notched career bests. DeCesari, riding in her first CDI5*, earned a 70.304%, while Schwartsman opened the evening with a 70.775%&mdash;her first time breaking the 70% barrier in freestyle. Both finished inside the Series top ten.
<h2 dir="ltr">The Final Page</h2>
Back in January, the US Equestrian Open was a budding series. We didn&rsquo;t know the cast of characters, and the possibilities were endless. By Saturday night, we&rsquo;d finished reading the last chapter.
We&rsquo;ll be reliving the highlights for weeks to come. The 2026 season starts soon, and when it does, a new volume of the US Equestrian Open gets underway.
&nbsp;

Benjamin Ebeling smiles and waves while riding Bellena in the winner’s presentation at the US Equestrian Open of Dressage Final. Bellena wears a champion’s cooler and sash with blue ribbons as palm trees and branding fill the night-lit arena backdrop.

Ben and Bellena Save Their Best for Last 

Saturday night&rsquo;s Grand Prix Freestyle will decide the US Equestrian Open of Dressage Final, and if <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/whos-on-form-for-the-final" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Friday&rsquo;s Grand Prix</a> was any indication, the field is more than ready. All three podium finishers landed within 0.304 percentage points of one another, with Anna Marek taking the win on 70.804%. Nine riders scored above their season average. And Laura DeCesari delivered a personal best that outpaced her norm by more than three full points.
In short: the field is in form, and they came to play.
With the Freestyle&rsquo;s added score multipliers and $200,000 on the line, we&rsquo;re likely to see bold riding, tight scoring, and more than a few new personal bests. And at the end of it, we will crown an inaugural champion.
<iframe id="datawrapper-chart-E2Jw7" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" title="Grand Prix Freestyle Stats" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/E2Jw7/2/" height="887" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Table" data-external="1"></iframe>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Usual Suspects&nbsp;</h2>
You know who the statistical favorites are, and it's anyone's game. Anna Marek, Felicitas Hendricks, and Ben Ebeling all average above 75% in the freestyle across the season, and all three landed on the Grand Prix podium last night. Even Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn, who finished in sixth, has the technical skill to knock any one of them off the podium tonight. She and Gino just need to clean up some communication, and if they can achieve that, the top three need to watch their backs.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">The Not-So-Usual Suspects</h2>
Outside the top four, the field doesn&rsquo;t get much more predictable. Which, let&rsquo;s be honest, just makes it all the more fun.
Kristina Harrison-Antell came fourth last night with a strong 68.978% in the Grand Prix&mdash;two full points above her average and just 0.3 percent off a new personal best. Often playing second fiddle to Ge&ntilde;ay and Gino on the California circuit, Harrison-Antell proved that the queen of the West Coast isn&rsquo;t untouchable. With the small matter of riding in a ring that Finley knows well, she&rsquo;s the kind of steady hand who could capitalize if others falter. She and Finley have the longest partnership in the field, and a podium tonight would be a full-circle moment in a strong season.
Jan Ebeling and Jubi&rsquo;s Tenacity bring that same veteran feel. Their name rarely tops headlines, but their 75.720% freestyle personal best is no small number, and it trails Vaughn's by just a tenth of a point. If Jubi's relaxed and Jan&rsquo;s riding sharp, they could absolutely disrupt the expected order.
Charlotte Jorst and Karen Lipp both have wide scoring spreads. Their personal bests sit in the 72&ndash;74% range, but either could break out with a clean ride and technical finesse. Lipp, in particular, has climbed the leaderboard all season by riding clean, artistic tests in tough fields.&nbsp;
Then there&rsquo;s DeCesari, who broke through with a personal best in Friday&rsquo;s Grand Prix that clocked in over three percentage points above her average. Their partnership has been trending upward all year, and a repeat performance tonight could launch them into the upper half of the leaderboard.&nbsp;
Laine Ashker and Zeppelin tied for 11th last night with Nadine Schwartsman. As only the second pair to go, there was a little tension, probably nerves in both horse and rider. While Ashker isn&rsquo;t new to the top of horse sport (she's an accomplished five-star eventer), she is new to the top of this horse sport. This is her first dressage five-star. Even still, one look at her social media tells you how much fun she&rsquo;s having just being here. If she can tap into that joy tonight, her 73% ceiling could come tumbling down with a new career-best.&nbsp;
Schwartsman hasn&rsquo;t cracked 70% yet, but she&rsquo;s getting close. Her personal best of 69.935% came earlier this spring, and her Grand Prix last night was nearly a full point above her average. If she can bring that same composure to the freestyle, a new PB&mdash;and a place inside the top 10&mdash;is absolutely within reach.
And then there&rsquo;s Brittney Simpson and Kartsevo Goldfinch. With a Grand Prix performance that outpaced her average by 1.572 points, she&rsquo;s quietly positioned herself to surprise. While her average freestyle sits near 67%, she&rsquo;s hit 72% before. If she does it again tonight, she&rsquo;ll be in the mix with the likes of Jorst, Lipp, and Harrison-Antell.
<h2 dir="ltr">X Halt, Salute</h2>
Not every rider will win tonight, but nearly all are chasing something meaningful. A personal best. A top-ten finish. A ride that reflects the work it took to get here.
That&rsquo;s what the Open has offered all season: a chance to show up, to break through, and to build something. Each qualifier brought new faces, new milestones, and new horses to fall in love with.
But this is the one that counts.
The math is simple now. Whoever wins tonight, wins the Final. And while the numbers will crown a champion, it&rsquo;ll take more than that to earn the title. Trust, timing, and maybe even a little luck.
All that&rsquo;s left now&hellip; is to ride.
&nbsp;
<hr>
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Don&rsquo;t miss a moment of the US Equestrian Open Final. Watch live on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usef.org/network" target="_blank" rel="noopener">USEF Network</a>, dive deeper with the complete&nbsp;<a href="https://usequestrianopen.info/dressagefinal2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fan Guide</a>, and follow along on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/instagram.com/usequestrianopen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a> for updates, results, and behind-the-scenes coverage.

Anna Marek smiles and pats Fayvel after completing a freestyle test under the lights. The US Equestrian Open of Dressage logo and patriotic graphic elements frame the image.

The Freestyle Finale: Your Usual Suspects

The first night of the US Equestrian Open of Dressage Final delivered exactly what it was supposed to. Clarity.&nbsp;
Anna Marek and Fayvel captured the Grand Prix win on a 70.804%, edging out Benjamin Ebeling and Bellena (70.522%) and Felicitas Hendricks and Drombusch OLD (70.500%) in a top three separated by just 0.304%.&nbsp;
Behind them, the rest of the field surged, too. Laura de Cesari led the field in improvement, scoring a personal best of 67.304%&mdash;a full 3.1 points above her average. Kristina Harrison-Antell followed suit with a 2.3-point gain, and Charlotte Jorst, Brittney Simpson, and Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn all clocked in at least 1.4 points above their norm. The result? A leaderboard where 12 of 15 combinations beat their own FEI average.
<iframe id="datawrapper-chart-A55Bc" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" title="Form Check: How Grand Prix Scores Stack Up After Night One" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/A55Bc/2/" height="1014" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Table" data-external="1"></iframe>
<h2 dir="ltr">Close Enough to Make You Nervous</h2>
None of the four heavy hitters rode a flawless test, but that&rsquo;s what makes live sport so exciting. It&rsquo;s the drama and the unexpected that makes it so fun to watch&hellip; and so hard to predict.&nbsp;
Although Fayvel broke into canter in the very first extended trot, Marek still beamed after her test. &ldquo;I did have a very excited Fayvel when I first started the test,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;But I love that. He knows that test so well. I said, &lsquo;okay, let&rsquo;s put a lid on it,&rsquo; and he did.&rdquo; Fayvel settled as the ride went on. Marek rode smartly but not cautiously, opting to push for expression in later extensions rather than back down. That balance of containment and boldness earned her the top score of the night. With the energy dialed in and Fayvel familiar with the arena, Marek will be free to ride boldly tomorrow.
Right on her heels, Ebeling and Bellena delivered one of the most technically sound tests of the evening. They led through most of the ride until a bobble in the one-tempis and a miscue in the final piaffe-passage line opened the door for a reshuffle. Still, they came second by just 0.282%. At this point in the season, there&rsquo;s no question of whether Ebeling can win. Based on how attentive the mare looked in the ring and how well they recovered from minor mistakes, they&rsquo;ve got everything they need to take the title.
Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn and Gino were nearly the surprise winners of the Grand Prix, but a few communication errors in coefficient movements kept them from catching Marek. Nevertheless, the test showed a combination that&rsquo;s in sync and hungry for more. The ride was confident, the horse looked sharp, and Vaughn now has a clear read on what&rsquo;s underneath her. If they&rsquo;ve managed to raise their degree of difficulty since the spring, this is a pair with podium potential and then some.
Felicitas Hendricks took a different approach: steady, thoughtful, and just a touch reserved. Drombusch OLD didn&rsquo;t quite have his usual fire, but Hendricks didn&rsquo;t ask for it either. &ldquo;He might have been a little tired tonight,&rdquo; she said after the ride, &ldquo;but that&rsquo;s good because it means he&rsquo;ll have more spirit tomorrow.&rdquo; With one of the most technically difficult freestyles in the field and a proven record over 79%, Hendricks remains very much in the hunt.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Ready or Not, Here Comes the Final</h2>
Statistically, the average freestyle score trends 3&ndash;5 percentage points higher than the Grand Prix, meaning tomorrow&rsquo;s results will likely crest well into the mid-70s, if not higher. That leaves the door wide open for comebacks, breakthroughs, and title-defining performances.
No one&rsquo;s walking away with this one. And that&rsquo;s exactly how the first Final should end.
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<hr>
&nbsp;
Don&rsquo;t miss a moment of the US Equestrian Open Final. Watch live on <a href="https://www.usef.org/network" target="_blank" rel="noopener">USEF Network</a>, dive deeper with the complete <a href="https://usequestrianopen.info/dressagefinal2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fan Guide</a>, and follow along on <a href="instagram.com/usequestrianopen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a> for updates, results, and behind-the-scenes coverage.

Anna Marek and Fayvel stand in the rain under the lights at Desert International Horse Park after winning the Grand Prix at the US Equestrian Open Final. Fayvel wears a champion’s cooler and ribbon while Marek salutes during the national anthem.

Who's On Form for the Final?

The Final is here! Whether you're tuning in from the stands in Thermal or following along from home, there&rsquo;s no shortage of ways to stay in the loop. As thirteen of the season&rsquo;s top Grand Prix combinations step into the Desert International Horse Park for the inaugural US Equestrian Open Final, here&rsquo;s how to keep up with every result, storyline, and standout moment.
<h2 dir="ltr">Where to Follow Along</h2>
<h3 dir="ltr">1. Listen to the US Equestrian Open Preview Podcast</h3>
Get primed before Friday night with a full preview show breaking down matchups, form, and what&rsquo;s at stake. Ideal pre-Final listening.
▶ <a href="https://sites.libsyn.com/559710/dressage-us-equestrian-open-of-dressage-final-preview">Listen In</a>&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">2. Follow the US Equestrian Open on Instagram and Facebook</h3>
Catch real-time results, ride times, backstage moments, and quick-hit updates straight from Thermal. This is the fastest way to follow along as the action unfolds.
▶ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen">https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen</a> ▶ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen">https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen</a>&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">3. Read the Blog for in-depth coverage</h3>
From analytics to rider profiles to post-class recaps, the US Equestrian Open Blog houses every story shaping the Final field.
▶ <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org">Read Now</a>&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">4. Watch the Livestream on USEF Network</h3>
Every ride, every score, every moment&mdash;from the Grand Prix to the Freestyle&mdash;stream it all live on USEF Network. Fan memberships are free, making this the easiest way to watch the entire Final from home. ▶ <a href="https://www.usef.org/network">Watch Live</a>&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">5. Follow EquiRatings for stats, data, and metrics</h3>
If you want the numbers behind the performances&mdash;averages, trends, personal bests, matchup history&mdash;EquiRatings will be breaking it all down throughout the weekend. ▶ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/equiratings">Analyze the Data</a>&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">6. Dive into the Fan Guide</h3>
The central hub for everything you need to know: rules, scoring, format, rider bios, past results, and Series context all in one place. ▶ <a href="https://usequestrianopen.info/dressagefinal2025">Dive In</a>&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">7. BONUS: The 2025 Freestyle Playlist on Spotify</h3>
Every song you&rsquo;ll hear in Thermal, all in one playlist. Perfect for getting into the spirit before riders trot down centerline. ▶ <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5qg8w2tHudpgLYXNGSTVF3?si=0YFIVTmqQnqYYuZET-EYsQ&amp;pi=A8SMfyfIQO6Jj&amp;nd=1&amp;dlsi=025eadc3f2f44e63">Listen Now</a>
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A close-up of a braided dark bay dressage horse wearing a black bridle, photographed outdoors with palm trees and mountains softly blurred in the background. The US Equestrian Open Dressage logo appears in the top right corner.

6 Ways to Follow the US Equestrian Open Final

The inaugural US Equestrian Open of Dressage Final opens Friday night in Thermal with the Grand Prix. It is the first of two tests that will decide this year's champion. The Grand Prix won't crown the winner outright (that's Saturday's freestyle), but it will tell us everything we need to know about who showed up ready.
Who's settled into the desert atmosphere? Who's scoring above their norm&hellip; or cracking under pressure? And which combinations look like they're about to have the weekend of their lives?
With Series leaders, World Cup finalists, rising stars, and West Coast heavyweights all converging at Desert International Horse Park&rsquo;s main arena, this is the most competitive field of the season.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">The Grand Prix: Your First Real Read</h2>
<iframe id="datawrapper-chart-5dMDu" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" title="US Equestrian Open of Dressage Final Horse &amp;amp; Rider Grand Prix Stats" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/5dMDu/2/" height="1031" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Table" data-external="1"></iframe>
The Grand Prix isn't a perfect predictor of the freestyle, but it's a clear signal for what&rsquo;s to come. Because it&rsquo;s a purely technical test, with no music, no degree of difficulty bonuses, and no choreography multipliers, it shows you exactly where each pair stands before artistry enters the equation. Plus, when a pair performs well on Friday, especially relative to their FEI averages, they almost always carry that confidence into Saturday. When a horse scores several points below its season norm, something's off: tension, travel fatigue, or the atmosphere itself.
The strongest GP performers this season are clear. <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/four-to-follow-at-the-us-equestrian-open-final-felicitas-hendricks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Felicitas Hendricks</a> and Drombusch OLD lead the field with a 74.256% personal best and the highest Grand Prix average (70.708%). <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/four-to-follow-at-the-us-equestrian-open-final-anna-marek" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anna Marek</a> and Fayvel follow closely with a 73.131% PB and a 70.148% average. They&rsquo;re the only Finalists who have cracked 73% in a Grand Prix.
The Grand Prix reveals the foundation riders must build on in the freestyle. Strong technical horses tend to remain strong once the music starts. And riders who struggle in the GP rarely find enough artistic points the next night to cover gaps in basic execution.&nbsp;
That&rsquo;s why Friday matters.
Still, some combinations reliably climb when the music turns on. Karen Lipp and Infinity often sit in the high-60s on Friday, then jump several points in the freestyle. Charlotte Jorst and Zhaplin Langholt show a similar pattern with solid technical work that blossoms once music, harmony, and choreography are factored in. These are the types of riders whose Grand Prix scores undersell their freestyle potential.
Friday will show us exactly what each pair has under the hood. Saturday tells us what they can build on top of it.
<h2 dir="ltr">The Gap Between the Tests</h2>
Across the season, the field trends three to five percentage points higher in Freestyles because the scoring system rewards more than execution: music, degree of difficulty, harmony, and choreography all carry 4x multipliers.
For some riders, that artistic boost is transformative. <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/four-to-follow-at-the-us-equestrian-open-final-ben-ebeling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Benjamin Ebeling</a> and Bellena average around 69% in the Grand Prix, but clear 75% in the freestyle. Bellena&rsquo;s musicality and the pair&rsquo;s overall harmony give them one of the biggest Grand Prix-to-Freestyle jumps of the field. G&uuml;nter Seidel and Equirelle tell a similar story. The freestyle&rsquo;s choreography lets Equirelle settle into a rhythm, so technical work like changes and passage smooth out, and the artistic multipliers lift the whole picture in a way the Grand Prix can&rsquo;t.
So while Friday can give you a preview of what's to come, it can also mislead you. A mid-60s Grand Prix can turn into a low- or mid-70s freestyle if the technical base is solid. Strong Grand Prix rides almost always lead to strong freestyles. And riders who struggle a bit on Friday can still earn back marks on Saturday, but only to a point.
The real red flag is when a pair finishes well below their usual Grand Prix average. Horses do sometimes settle overnight, but heading into a championship test, a shaky Grand Prix rarely inspires confidence.
&nbsp;
<hr>
&nbsp;
Don&rsquo;t miss a moment of the US Equestrian Open Final. Watch live on <a href="https://www.usef.org/network" target="_blank" rel="noopener">USEF Network</a>, dive deeper with the complete <a href="https://usequestrianopen.info/dressagefinal2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fan Guide</a>, and follow along on <a href="instagram.com/usequestrianopen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a> for updates, results, and behind-the-scenes coverage.
&nbsp;

A rider wearing a white button-down dress and tall brown boots jogs a chestnut horse during the veterinary inspection at the US Equestrian Open of Dressage in Thermal. Palm trees and desert mountains blur in the background beneath the event’s logo.

The Final Begins: What Friday's Grand Prix Will Reveal — and What It Won't

Perhaps the most anticipated freestyle of the weekend belongs to Series leader Anna Marek and her partner Fayvel, a 15-year-old KWPN gelding by Zizi Top. The pair have been one of the most consistent duos of the season, always scoring in the upper 70s, always placing in the top three. This weekend, they trade lush Florida palms for California desert palms as they step into a US Equestrian Open arena, one more time.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">The Journey to Now</h2>
Fayvel wasn&rsquo;t originally meant to be Marek&rsquo;s mount. He came into her program as an amateur&rsquo;s horse, owned and ridden by Cynthia Davila. But when Davila was sidelined by injury, Marek took over the ride. The fit wasn&rsquo;t immediate. Fayvel had been brought along with someone else in mind, but over time, the partnership clicked into place.
Today, they&rsquo;ve become reliably dominant, only finishing outside the top three once in their last 10 FEI freestyles. That one exception? The 2024 World Cup Final, where they finished 8th, the highest-ranked US pair at the championship.&nbsp;
For the 2025 US Equestrian Open season, Marek split her Series campaign between Fayvel and Fire Fly. That strategy worked. She finished the regular season with 105 points, topping the leaderboard and becoming the only rider to break the 100-point mark. But it also forced a tough decision. Which horse would travel to the Final?
Fire Fly delivered Marek&rsquo;s only qualifier win of the season. But Fayvel brought more consistency and higher marks. Ultimately, she chose Fayvel.
Now the question is: did she choose right?
<h2 dir="ltr">The Season of Almost</h2>
On paper, Fayvel looks strong. Among the horses entered in the Final, he has both the highest Series average (76.840%) and the highest Series score (78.765%). When you expand the lens to broader FEI results, he still ranks near the top, second only to Drombusch OLD in career personal best and career average among Final entries.&nbsp;
And yet, for all his scoring power, he hasn&rsquo;t won a single qualifier. Marek&rsquo;s only Series victory came aboard Fire Fly, the horse she ultimately chose not to bring. Fayvel has come close again and again. At WEC, he missed the win by just 0.040%, the narrowest margin in Series history.
He hasn&rsquo;t won an FEI freestyle since February 2024, just before the World Cup Final. That&rsquo;s not a knock&mdash; it&rsquo;s a testament to how consistently, albeit heartbreakingly, close they&rsquo;ve been. Marek has more second-place finishes than any other rider this season.
Statistically, he&rsquo;s one of the best horses in the Series. But this weekend, metrics won&rsquo;t win the class. Can Fayvel finally turn second into first?
<h2 dir="ltr">The Final Wait</h2>
Marek is one of the most experienced riders in the field. She&rsquo;s brought with her a horse peaking in power, expression, and precision. One who is capable of breaking the 80% barrier.&nbsp;
She tops the leaderboard, and in nearly every metric, the data is on her side. She just hasn&rsquo;t had a win on this horse in over a year.&nbsp;
On Saturday night, as she exits the arena and the judges calculate the final score, we&rsquo;ll hold our breath with her, because it might be the moment she finally breaks free of second place.&nbsp;
Catch every ride of the US Equestrian Open Final live on the <a href="https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_US/usef">USEF Network</a>. Sign up for a free fan membership at <a href="https://www.usef.org/network">usef.org</a> to access the full broadcast from Thermal.
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<hr>
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 <a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.

Anna Marek smiles and waves to the crowd aboard Fayvel after completing their freestyle at the 2024 FEI World Cup Final.

Four to Follow at the US Equestrian Open Final: Anna Marek

As in many sports, the US Equestrian Open of Dressage offers its own kind of home field advantage. This weekend, Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn will be riding on it. Based in Northern California, Thermal is a familiar stop on Vaughn&rsquo;s competition calendar. She opened her 2025 season with a win there. Now, she returns to finish the story.
<h2 dir="ltr">Built in California</h2>
Vaughn rides Gino, a 14-year-old KWPN gelding she&rsquo;s brought along since he was six. The two are inseparable. She is Gino&rsquo;s rider, groom, chef, travel companion, and emotional anchor.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;My world revolves around him. It&rsquo;s his world&mdash;I&rsquo;m just living in it.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
That bond has carried them from California&rsquo;s regional CDIs to the top tier of the US Equestrian Open. Vaughn is the only undefeated rider in Series qualifiers, going four-for-four with CDI wins at Thermal, Del Mar, and Devonwood. She finished the regular season ranked 7th on the leaderboard with 80 points, despite fewer starts than many of her rivals. Her Series average and personal best sit at 74.859% and 75.875%, respectively.
Her early-season winning streak earned her a ticket to the 2025 FEI World Cup Final in Basel, where she placed 14th with a 73.765%. Not bad when your lowest score of the year comes at your first major international championship. That kind of experience is exactly what prepares a rider for a grand final like the one in Thermal.
<h2 dir="ltr">Freestyle with Soul</h2>
Vaughn brings that technical know-how and a popular freestyle soundtrack to this weekend&rsquo;s event. Her test is a love letter to her roots, choreographed and set to music she selected herself. The soundtrack blends artists from her childhood: Barry White, Luther Vandross, and Earth, Wind &amp; Fire.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;I picked songs that I grew up on&mdash;artists that were close to me, and music that I really liked and felt was part of my culture. I picked a lot of African-American artists.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
That music pairs beautifully with Gino&rsquo;s expressive confidence. &ldquo;He knows when it&rsquo;s showtime,&rdquo; Vaughn said.
Their freestyle averages in the mid-70s, but over the summer, Vaughn has been working to refine the floorplan and increase the degree of difficulty&mdash;a crucial scoring factor with a 4x multiplier. Top combinations like Hendricks and Drombusch or Ebeling and Bellena consistently earn degree of difficulty marks in the high 8s and low 9s. To challenge for the win, Vaughn will need to bring the same level of technical complexity.
<h2 dir="ltr">A Family Foundation</h2>
Vaughn&rsquo;s career is powered by her family. She trains daily with her mother, Michele, who has coached her from juniors to the international Grand Prix level. Together, they run Starr Vaughn Equestrian in Elk Grove, CA. The high-performance mindset also runs through her father, a former MLB player, whose mantra still guides her:
<blockquote>
&ldquo;If you want to be above average, then you can&rsquo;t just do the average things.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
In a sport often dominated by big names, grooms, and European bases, Vaughn has carved her own path. She rides without major sponsors, without a typical team behind her&mdash;and she wins anyway. Her work ethic, resourcefulness, and bond with Gino have made her one of the most authentic contenders in the Series.
<h2 dir="ltr">Thermal, Again</h2>
This weekend, Vaughn returns to where it all began&mdash;Thermal, the site of the very first US Equestrian Open qualifier and the first win of her undefeated season. A mid-70s performance is all but assured.
But if the summer went as she&rsquo;d planned, and she&rsquo;s managed to increase the degree of difficulty in the floor plan, then a fairytale finish isn&rsquo;t out of reach.
She&rsquo;s just one win away from a perfect season.
Catch every ride of the US Equestrian Open Final live on the <a href="https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_US/usef">USEF Network</a>. Sign up for a free fan membership at <a href="https://www.usef.org/network">usef.org</a> to access the full broadcast from Thermal.
&nbsp;
<hr>
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 <a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.

Geñay Vaughn smiles while riding Gino in Thermal after their January win, both dressed in a navy winner’s blanket with US Equestrian Open branding.

Four to Follow at the US Equestrian Open Final: Geñay Vaughn

Benjamin Ebeling is emerging as one of the most exciting young dressage talents in the United States. A former youth champion, Ebeling has spent 2025 redefining himself as a serious senior international contender. He rides Bellena, a 15-year-old Hanoverian mare formerly campaigned by his father, 2012 Olympian Jan Ebeling.
Their entire international career together has unfolded within the US Equestrian Open of Dressage. Since debuting their freestyle in April, Ebeling and Bellena have finished second in the overall standings with 94 points, posted the third-highest average score in the Finals field (76.325%), and climbed steadily through the leaderboard with personal bests that just keep rising.
<h2 dir="ltr">Brick by Brick</h2>
Nearly every start this season has brought a new career high for Ebeling and Bellena. Their first freestyle win came in April at WEC&rsquo;s CDI4*, where they debuted their freestyle with a 75.740%. The next month, they returned to Ocala and upped that mark to 76.190%, besting Series leader Anna Marek.
That win secured Ebeling a spot on the U.S. team for CHIO Aachen, where he made his senior team debut. While their freestyle in Aachen didn&rsquo;t meet expectations, Ebeling rebounded quickly. He stayed in Europe to compete at the Achleiten CDI4* in Austria, where he and Bellena set back-to-back personal bests&mdash;winning the Grand Prix and scoring 76.615% in the Freestyle.
By September, they were peaking. At Dressage at Devon, they posted a 77.665% in the largest qualifying field of the season. One month later, they capped off the regular season with a new combination-best of 78.055% at TerraNova. That mark is the third-highest score of any pair entered in the Final, behind only Drombusch OLD and Fayvel.
In just seven months, Ebeling and Bellena have built a career to rival riders who&rsquo;ve spent decades in the senior division.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Style Points</h2>
Their rise has come with a soundtrack. Set to confident, crowd-pleasing hits like Femininomenon, Rich Girl, and Maneater, the pair&rsquo;s freestyle has become one of the Series&rsquo; most recognizable.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;I think in the Grand Prix, it&rsquo;s very difficult for the average fan to really connect with that,&rdquo; Ebeling said. &ldquo;But the freestyle, people really understand. Horses dancing is so exciting.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
The choreography is upbeat, punchy, and highlights Bellena&rsquo;s athleticism and responsiveness. The fiery mare, known for her expressiveness and energy, has matched Ebeling&rsquo;s confident style with patented chestnut-mare flair.
&ldquo;The mare is such a powerhouse,&rdquo; Ebeling said after their Ocala debut.&nbsp;
<blockquote>
&ldquo;I think this girl really loves to dance.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Turning Point</h2>
Ebeling didn&rsquo;t plan on a career in dressage. He began in the jumper ring, competing in his first Grand Prix over fences before ever stepping into a CDI arena. The pivot started when he asked his father to teach him a pirouette, not to win a dressage test, but to help him turn tighter in his jump-offs.
He didn&rsquo;t realize it then, but that moment marked the beginning of a new chapter. His ability to handle sensitive, high-powered horses has shaped the rider he&rsquo;s become.
At shows, Ben and Jan still carry one shared ritual: whoever finishes higher buys dinner; the other buys ice cream. After years of picking up the dessert tab, Ben finally got to pay for dinner.
<h2 dir="ltr">Poised for More</h2>
Ebeling is the highest-ranked rider in the Finals field based on FEI World Rankings (No. 34), and he&rsquo;s hit a new personal best with Bellena in each of their last three starts. If he can make it four in a row at the Final, a podium is easily within reach, but a title is on the table.&nbsp;
Catch every ride of the US Equestrian Open Final live on the <a href="https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_US/usef">USEF Network</a>. Sign up for a free fan membership at <a href="https://www.usef.org/network">usef.org</a> to access the full broadcast from Thermal.
&nbsp;
<hr>
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 <a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.

Ben Ebeling points in celebration aboard Bellena after a freestyle ride, both in full competition turnout with the US Equestrian Open of Dressage logo in the corner.

Four to Follow at the US Equestrian Open Final: Ben Ebeling

Germany&rsquo;s Felicitas Hendricks is a staple on the Wellington podium, but for the first time in her already-storied career, she&rsquo;s heading west. She&rsquo;ll make her West Coast debut at the US Equestrian Open of Dressage Final in Thermal, CA.
In 15 career Grand Prix Freestyles together, Hendricks and Drombusch OLD (by Destano) have finished outside the top three only three times. In 2024, they went undefeated through their Wellington season. This year has been a quieter one, but even Hendricks&rsquo; so-called &ldquo;off day&rdquo; was a 75 &mdash; a score most riders would celebrate.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Always in Rhythm</h2>
Across their four qualifier appearances, Hendricks and Drombusch OLD averaged a freestyle score of 76.533%. Their best outing came in January, when they won the first Adequan Global Dressage Festival qualifier with a 78.200%, dazzling judges with 20 one-tempis and an average degree of difficulty of 9.46. In just three months, they amassed 64 Series points before returning to Germany for the summer season.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;I feel like the sky really is the limit for this horse because he wants to do it, and I know he will," Hendricks said.
</blockquote>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Making of a Match</h2>
Trained by famed German coach Christoph Koschel, Hendricks has married classic schooling with contemporary flair. Her disco-inspired freestyle, set to music her mother danced to in the &rsquo;80s, is a crowd favorite. Drombusch himself lights up when the music comes over the loudspeakers.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s such a big personality,&rdquo; Hendricks laughed. &ldquo;I really believe he knows his music. When the crowd starts clapping, it&rsquo;s our favorite part.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
The pair has bonded over nearly a decade, and Hendricks says each competition season reveals new layers to his personality and ability. In addition to her recent senior success, she was the 2023 European Under-25 Grand Prix gold medalist and Freestyle silver medalist, helping Germany capture team gold at the U25 FEI European Championships. Now based in Hagen, Germany for the summer, she is making her first trip to the West Coast for the Final.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t wish for a better dance partner. Every day I think, I don&rsquo;t want him to get older. I just want to freeze him and have him forever," Hendricks explained.
</blockquote>
<h2 dir="ltr">West of Wellington&nbsp;</h2>
The Final in Thermal will be Hendricks&rsquo; first West Coast appearance and perhaps the biggest test of her career so far. Her record leaves little doubt about her ability, but this time she&rsquo;ll be outside the familiarity of Wellington. If she can channel the same precision, composure, and trust that have defined her partnership with Drombusch, the path to the title may well run straight through her centerline.
Catch every ride of the US Equestrian Open Final live on the <a href="https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_US/usef">USEF Network</a>. Sign up for a free fan membership at <a href="https://www.usef.org/network">usef.org</a> to access the full broadcast from Thermal.
&nbsp;
<hr>
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>.

Dressage rider Felicitas Hendricks smiles and celebrates while patting her horse after a ride, both wearing competition gear with the US Equestrian Open of Dressage logo in the corner.

Four to Follow at the US Equestrian Open Final: Felicitas Hendricks

With 105 points, Anna Marek became the first rider in US Equestrian Open of Dressage history to cross the 100-point mark, sealing her place as the inaugural Series champion.
<h2 dir="ltr">The Art of Almost Winning</h2>
When the season opened in January, Marek sat mid-pack while European riders like Felicitas Hendricks and Evelyn Eger traded early wins. But by Week 10, after a string of podiums in Wellington and Ocala, she overtook the leaderboard. From that point on, no one caught her.
<iframe id="datawrapper-chart-itjY6" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" title="The Points Race: Anna Marek, Ben Ebeling, Felicitas Hendricks" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/itjY6/2/" height="653" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Line chart" data-external="1"></iframe>
Across her six qualifying runs, Marek never finished lower than third and averaged over 75% in every freestyle. She also logged four second-place finishes, more than any other rider in the Series. It&rsquo;s the kind of stat that cuts both ways: a testament to her reliability, but also a question mark heading into the Final.
Can the sport&rsquo;s most consistent contender finally trade silver for gold when it matters most?
<iframe id="datawrapper-chart-MMizW" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" title="Anna Marek's Series Points" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/MMizW/1/" height="438" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Table" data-external="1"></iframe>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Power of Two</h2>
Most riders only managed one horse through the Series. Marek managed two.
<iframe id="datawrapper-chart-cOxSA" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" title="Anna Marek's Grand Prix Stable: Fire Fly vs. Fayvel" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/cOxSA/2/" height="414" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Table" data-external="1"></iframe>
Fire Fly, the high-voltage Pan Am Games medalist, brings flair with an all-time best of 78.750%. But he&rsquo;s a sensitive horse. Electric, but unpredictable under pressure.
Fayvel, by contrast, is the dependable one. A 15-year-old KWPN gelding by Zizi Top, he&rsquo;s an accurate horse, rarely dropping below 75%. Marek herself calls him &ldquo;bold but honest,&rdquo; a horse who gives her confidence to take risks.
When she needed reliability, Fayvel delivered. When she needed brilliance, Fire Fly did. That dual approach kept her ahead of riders just fielding one mount.
<h2 dir="ltr">What the Numbers Say</h2>
Heading into the Final, Marek is the only rider in the field with two proven Grand Prix Freestyle horses, both capable of scoring in the high 70s. She&rsquo;s logged seven top-four finishes this season, more than any other competitor, and her 105 points make her the most consistently high-scoring American across the year.
On paper, that consistency makes her a statistical favorite for another podium&hellip; but not necessarily for the win. Four second-place finishes have shown she&rsquo;s reliably in the mix, but rarely untouchable.
The question now is whether she can ride for first in the palm-lined arenas of Thermal, California.

Anna Marek smiles while riding during a US Equestrian Open Dressage competition, wearing a navy coat with the U.S. team badge and helmet, set against a blurred green background with the event logo in the corner.

Dressage