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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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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>
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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>.

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.

How Anna Marek Won the Series

In a final qualifier class of just three, Tryon proved that a small field can still have Series-altering impact. Both Julio Mendoza Loor and Laine Ashker entered the weekend outside the qualification cutoff&mdash;and both left with invitations to the Final.
Mendoza Loor and his Paris mount, Jewel&rsquo;s Goldstrike, claimed victory on a 76.190%, while Ashker and Zeppelin followed with 72.955%. Their one-two finish vaulted both riders up the leaderboard: Mendoza Loor now sits in 18th, the last automatic qualifying position, and Ashker moves to 20th but has already received and accepted her invitation to the Final.
Entries for the US Equestrian Open of Dressage Final will be confirmed later this week, but several riders inside the top 18&mdash;Eline Eckroth, Evelyn Eger, and Kevin Kohmann&mdash;have already declined their spots, which created an opening for Ashker. Eckroth plans to stay in Florida to prepare for the winter circuit, while Eger and Kohmann are entered in the $350,000 World Cup event in Mexico the week before the Final. As for Mendoza Loor, we&rsquo;ll have to wait and see whether he joins the field in Thermal when entries are confirmed.&nbsp;
With the standings now set, Anna Marek officially tops the season leaderboard on 105 points, closing out the inaugural season with a $12,500 payout. Later this week, we&rsquo;ll take a closer look at her journey and how she got here. In the meantime, as we wait with bated breath for official entry announcements, one question lingers: <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/reliability-or-flash-which-will-marek-choose" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which horse will she bring to the Final</a>? With Kohmann out of the picture and Ebeling on an upward trajectory, it&rsquo;s a decision that promises to be anything but simple.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/ec351ddc-39ae-4bbb-8c20-23407423ff89.png?width=497&amp;height=684" alt="Screenshot of the final US Equestrian Open of Dressage leaderboard showing Anna Marek in first with 105 points, followed by Benjamin Ebeling with 94, and Kristina Harrison-Antell, Eline Eckroth, and Kevin Kohmann tied at 86. The top 20 riders are listed through Laine Ashker in 20th with 52 points.">

A dressage rider in formal competition attire raises his fist in celebration while riding a chestnut horse adorned with a ribboned bridle and the Ecuadorian flag on its saddle pad. The US Equestrian Open Dressage logo appears in the top right corner

Tryon Delivers the Final Twist in the US Equestrian Open Qualifiers

Taking place at Tryon International Equestrian Center, this week&rsquo;s qualifier may feature a small class, but it&rsquo;s far from insignificant.
Two familiar faces headline the final qualifier: Julio Mendoza Loor and Laine Ashker. Both sit just outside the top 18, and both could qualify for the Final by Saturday night if conditions align.
<h2 dir="ltr">Mendoza Loor&rsquo;s Mission</h2>
Mendoza Loor enters Tryon in 25th place on 37 points. Despite contesting only two qualifiers, he finished first and second in those starts. With his 14-year-old partner Jewel&rsquo;s Goldstrike, the Paris Olympian boasts a strong Grand Prix Freestyle average of 77.549%, one of the highest in the Series, and a personal best of 84.230% making him the clear favorite in Tryon.
If he wins (and it&rsquo;s hard to see him not doing so), he&rsquo;ll finish the season on 57 points, tying with Adrienne Lyle for 18th place, the final qualifying position for the Thermal Final. Even if he skips the trip west, that 18th-place finish still nets him $500, which isn&rsquo;t much, but it&rsquo;ll pay for his next FEI entry fee.
<h2 dir="ltr">Ashker&rsquo;s Chance</h2>
Ashker&rsquo;s path is a little different. A second-place finish would add 17 points to her current 35-point total, bringing her to 52 points and 19th&nbsp; overall&mdash;just outside the automatic qualifying cutoff. But there&rsquo;s still hope. When riders inside the top 18 decline their invitations, the next in line receive the call-up. With Kevin Kohmann and Eline Eckroth already confirmed as non-participants, at least two Final spots should open, likely including one for Ashker.
<iframe id="datawrapper-chart-OIbVf" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" title="Grand Prix Freestyle Stats: Tryon Fall Dressage III" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/OIbVf/1/" height="470" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Table" data-external="1"></iframe>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Leaderboard at a Glance</h2>
With Kevin Kohmann, Eline Eckroth, Benjamin Ebeling, and Kristina Kristina Harrison-Antell all sitting out this weekend, Anna Marek&rsquo;s hold on the top spot is secure. Once the dust settles in Tryon, she will officially be crowned the Series leaderboard champion, earning $12,500 for her season-long effort. The bigger check, of course, awaits in Thermal.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/f4b16253-141a-41e1-8da6-537304def5ae.png?width=1080&amp;height=1080" alt="Infographic titled &ldquo;The Series Standings Are Finalized After the Qualifiers.&rdquo; It explains how $50,000 in prize money for the US Equestrian Open of Dressage is distributed based on season-end standings. The Series winner earns $12,500; payouts continue through 18th place, which receives $500. The graphic includes icons of first-, second-, and third-place trophies and notes that riders can also qualify for the Final event.">
<h2 dir="ltr">Stay Connected</h2>
For the <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/dressage-us-equestrian-open-quick-guide">most up-to-date series calendar</a> and <a href="https://equestrian-hub-usef.pages.dev/us-equestrian-open">latest standings</a>, visit the official US Equestrian Open Series hub at <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/">usequestrianopen.org</a>.
Stay connected with the latest news and standings on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen"> Facebook</a> and<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen"> Instagram</a>, and follow US Equestrian on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USequestrian"> Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrian/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@usequestrian">TikTok</a>, and <a href="https://x.com/usequestrian">X (Twitter)</a>. Use #USEquestrianOpen to join the conversation.

A male dressage rider wearing a navy coat, white breeches, and a helmet rides a dark bay horse performing an extended trot. The US Equestrian Open of Dressage logo appears in the top left corner. Red, white, and blue stripes border the bottom edge

Dressage