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<p>The US Equestrian Open arrives at The Fork at Tryon this weekend after an almost two-month break from competition. This is the fifth-to-last qualifier before Morven Park, with entries already flowing in for the series final. <br><br>This weekend, The Fork fields over 30 entries, meaning extra points are up for grabs in the battle for the series title. With more than 25 starters, the top five finishers have the chance to earn a higher amount of points: 1st place (50 pts), 2nd place (45 pts), 3rd place (40 pts), 4th place (35 pts), and 5th place (30 pts).<br><br><strong>Caroline Pamukcu</strong>, sitting third in the series standings, arrives with three rides and will be looking to improve on her previous counting scores this weekend. But it's <strong>Boyd Martin</strong> who has grabbed our attention. Sitting 5th in the series with only 4 of 6 counting scores - and one of these being a mere 5 points - The Fork is Boyd's chance for series contention. Sitting 80 points behind the series leader <strong>Phillip Dutton</strong> and with a combined 42% win chance across his three horses, this weekend is likely to change the series standings.<br><br><strong><em>Listen to the 'The Fork at Tryon Preview Show' on the US Equestrian Open Podcast now.</em></strong></p>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/38158805/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/4c414c/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
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<h3>Boyd Martin's Moment</h3>
<p>This venue has been golden for Boyd before. He has won The Forks CCI4*-S twice, taking victory in 2019 with&nbsp;<strong>Tsetserleg TSF</strong> and again in 2023 with <strong>Commando 3. </strong>Now he returns with three different horses: <strong>Miks Master C, Shanroe Cooley, and Luke 140.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><strong><em>The Last Ten Winners of The Fork at Tryon</em></strong></p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/1d5a8cc0-4acb-447d-872b-0242209dadd3.png?width=598&amp;height=745" alt="Screenshot 2025 09 11 171719"></p>
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<p>Both of Boyd's top contenders are new rides for him, having taken over from<strong> Liz Halliday.</strong> With Liz, <strong>Miks Master C</strong> won four CCI4*-S events and finished 3rd at Kentucky CCI5* in 2023, while <strong>Shanroe Cooley</strong> also finished on CCI4* podiums. This will be Boyd's second event and first CCI4* with both horses. While Boyd may take a conservative cross country approach when developing his new partnerships, the proven class of both horses under Boyd's expertise means they are still likely to feature prominently on the leaderboard.</p>
<p>In contrast, <strong>Luke 140</strong> is Boyd's well-known partner, together since 2019. He was 3rd in the CCI3*-S at Bromont which was his first event after finishing inside the top 10 at Kentucky 5* in the spring.&nbsp;</p>
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<h3>What It Takes to Win The Fork</h3>
<p><strong>Boyd Martin </strong>may arrive with a competitive string but The Fork doesn't hand out victories easily. Looking at the last 10 runnings, winners have finished on a score anywhere from <strong>25.7 to 38.5.</strong> With the average dressage score sitting at <strong>29.0</strong> and the average winning score being <strong>32.0 -</strong>&nbsp;you can only afford to add a few penalties along the way.<br><br></p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/01863fa3-516b-4d83-a56d-0b8a3a84058c.png?width=1075&amp;height=586" alt="Screenshot 2025 09 11 174000"></p>
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<h3><strong>The Dressage Battle</strong></h3>
<p>Leading after day one is certainly a good start but only 2 of the last 10 dressage leaders have gone on to win. Boyd's proven he can win from anywhere - front-running with<strong> Commando 3</strong> in 2023 or climbing from 3rd in 2019. When looking at the&nbsp;<strong>EquiRatings 6 Run Average (6RA),</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Miks Master C </strong>leads the field with a 25.8 6RA while <strong>HSH Connor</strong> and <strong>Caroline Pamukcu</strong> follow with 27.0. <strong>Luke 140</strong> and <strong>Cooley Chromatic</strong> <strong>(Sara Schulman)</strong> also sit on sub-30 6RAs.</p>
<p><strong><em>The Best Dressage Horses in the Field</em></strong></p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/d949ebc7-8131-4259-a5d5-f85f0187968d.png?width=421&amp;height=903" alt="Screenshot 2025 09 11 174914"></p>
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<h3><strong>Show Jumping phase</strong>&nbsp;</h3>
<p>Show jumping has played a decisive role at The Fork over the years &mdash; but not always in the way you&rsquo;d expect. The venue's clear rates vary wildly - from 63% in 2017 down to just 14% in 2023, but on average only 38% are likely to manage a clear round on Saturday.</p>
<p><strong><em>Clear Rates Year by Year <span class="a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">| </span>(Clear= clear jump &amp; time)</em></strong></p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/932d63ed-0d2c-44af-ac46-86a7ace787eb.png?width=550&amp;height=628" alt="Screenshot 2025 09 11 175354"><br><br>The most reliable show jumpers in the field are&nbsp;<strong>Lindsay Traisnel's Bacyrouge</strong>, <strong>Ashley Adams' Quicksilver Grans</strong>, and <strong>Mary Bess Davis' Imperio Magic. Mary Bess Davis and Imperio Magic </strong>arrive to The Fork on a streak of 8 consecutive international clears. It is the longest incoming streak in the field and their round is not to be missed on Saturday.</p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/24d6a602-3ba5-46b8-9ab1-9e464df6bb8a.png?width=747&amp;height=637" alt="Screenshot 2025 09 11 175654"></p>
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<h3><strong>The Speed Challenge</strong></h3>
<p>Saturday's cross-country delivers a solid 78% jumping clear rate - 10% above the CCI4*-S average. The real challenge lies in the speed with only 7% managing to finish inside the optimum time over the last ten runnings. The course has grown increasingly demanding in recent years, with just one combination making the time in the last five editions.</p>
<p><strong><em>Cross Country Summary&nbsp;<br></em></strong></p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/d97fe673-a13e-480e-befd-75adb69141bf.png?width=753&amp;height=513" alt="Screenshot 2025 09 11 181503"></p>
<p><em><strong>Clear inside-the-time rates year by year</strong></em></p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/f8f07256-e64a-4f98-ba42-ab5a08d23674.png?width=502&amp;height=531" alt="Screenshot 2025 09 11 181603"><br><br>With venue history like this, the speed horses are the one's to watch on Sunday. Based on the <strong>EquiRatings Top Speed Percentage (TSP),&nbsp;</strong>the fastest horses are <strong>Caroline Pamukcu's HSH Double Sixteen and HSH Tolan King</strong>, <strong>Bacyrouge for Lindsay Traisnel,</strong>&nbsp;and <strong>Kim Severson's Cooley Corraghy Diamond.</strong></p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/f776c76c-3e20-4bf5-b530-cf45ff70912c.png?width=448&amp;height=970" alt="Screenshot 2025 09 11 182024"></p>
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<h3>Who Wins?</h3>
<p>According to the <a href="https://prediction-centre.equiratings.com/competitions/thefork_4s_2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EquiRatings Prediciton Centre,</a> <strong>Boyd Martin</strong> has three strong chances - a&nbsp; 28% win chance with <strong>Miks Master C</strong>, plus 10% with <strong>Shanroe Cooley </strong>and 4% with <strong>Luke 140</strong>. Add them up and Boyd sits on a 42% chance of victory, nearly three times more than his closest rival.&nbsp;<strong>Will Coleman and Very Dignified</strong> trail at 16%, while <strong>Sydney Elliott's QC Diamantaire</strong> sits at 15%.</p>
<p><a href="https://prediction-centre.equiratings.com/competitions/thefork_4s_2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/5a1652c6-ce2e-44df-8ef0-02b98bb864d1.png?width=855&amp;height=820" alt="Screenshot 2025 09 11 153942"></a></p>
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<h3>Want to know more about The Fork at Tryon?</h3>
<p>We've crunched all the numbers, analyzed every stat, and uncovered the key storylines you need to know before The Fork at Tryon kicks off this weekend. From dressage averages to cross-country clear rates, speed percentages to show jumping reliability - it's all in our comprehensive form guide. Check it out <a href="https://usequestrianopen.info/thefork2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here.</a></p>
<h3>When and Where to Watch</h3>
<p>Competition kicks off Friday with dressage running from 10:50am. Cross-country starts at 11.10am on Saturday and show jumping on Sunday from 11:49am. All times are local.</p>
<p>You can catch all the action live on the <a href="https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_US/events/16709?utm_campaign=main_slider_content&amp;utm_medium=cmh_content_slider&amp;utm_source=clipmyhorse&amp;utm_term=2025%2BOcala%2BSummer%2BSeries%2BII%2BCSI3%252A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">USEF Network, powered by ClipMyHorse.TV,</a> streaming free with a <a href="https://www.usef.org/membership/join-renew" target="_blank" rel="noopener">USEF Fan Membership</a>. With Boyd's series surge on the line and three legitimate contenders in his arsenal, this weekend promises drama.</p>
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<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/aee0755f-7ba0-4aaf-b197-8570742781c8.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Competition Calendar for the 2024-2025 US Equestrian Open of Eventing"></p>
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<p dir="ltr"><em>For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>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;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.</em></p>

The Fork at Tryon CCI4*-S Preview: Boyd Martin's Moment

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<div>After the 20 CCI4*-S Qualifiers, the grand finale of the US Equestrian Open steps up to a CCI4*-L at Morven Park. To qualify for the $200,000 Final, riders must earn an MER at any one of the Qualifiers. So far,&nbsp;<strong>76 athletes have earned their ticket</strong>, with five more qualifiers still to come.&nbsp;<strong>Who of them has demonstrated 4*-L winning form? </strong></div>
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<div>Now,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/eventing-us-equestrian-open-quick-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">riders can also buy into the Final</a> without having MER'ed at a Qualifier - provided they meet all other 4*-L prerequisites - but here, we're going to focus on the pre-qualified athletes. We looked at the 4*-L results of the 76 Final-eligible riders and compared them to the 4*-L winning standard.</div>
<h1>What does it take to win a 4*-L on US soil?</h1>
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<div>Across the last 20 4*-L events on US soil, the winners averaged a<strong> </strong>first-phase score of 31.8 and a final score of 35.3.&nbsp;Looking beyond the averages,<strong> eighteen of the 20 winners scored a sub-35.0 dressage score</strong> and a <strong>slight majority of them (12), finished on a sub-35.0 score.</strong></div>
<div><br><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/480414b7-56c8-4791-bb02-134bd42be4e0.png?width=1366&amp;height=2881" alt="Last 20 winners of US 4L events"></div>
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<h1>Who's scored a sub-35 <strong>dressage</strong> score at US 4* longs?</h1>
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<div>Of the 76 Final-qualified riders, <strong>11 have scored three or more sub-35.0 dressage tests at US 4*-L events within the last few years</strong> (2021 onward).</div>
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<div><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/1f2f678e-0a7e-4b4b-8572-f2756bc6aeb2.png?width=1096&amp;height=1314" alt="Kv11y Final Qualified Riders With the Most Sub 35 0 Dressage Scores at Recent Us 4 L Events"></div>
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<div>Table-topper <strong>Tamie Smith</strong>&nbsp;has earned three of her 12 scores with <strong>Kynan </strong>who she has&nbsp;<a href="https://evententries.com/#ShowCenterNy7IspNRvqnjxKn3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">entered for the Final</a>.&nbsp;</div>
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<div><strong>Boyd Martin's</strong> eight sub-35.0 scores came from just nine US 4*-L starts since 2021, and one was at Tryon this spring with <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/boyd-martin-is-one-of-the-most-successful-4-l-riders-and-hes-entered-for-the-final" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Barney Rubble </strong>who he has entered for the Final</a>.&nbsp;</div>
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<div><strong>Caroline Pamukcu</strong> earned three of her sub-35s with <strong>King's Especiale</strong>, <strong>HSH Double Sixteen</strong>, and<strong> HSH Blake</strong> - all three of whom are entered for the Final.</div>
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<div><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/87378dd5-acf6-495e-93ee-cc0ff04539d8.jpg?width=5728&amp;height=5345" alt="Hsh Blake Kentucky 2024 Er Caroline Pamukcu 3856_photo by Tilly Berendt"></div>
<div><em style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">HSH Blake &amp; Caroline Pamukcu. Photo by Tilly Berendt.</em></div>
<h1>Who's scored a sub-35 <strong>finishing</strong> score at US 4* longs?</h1>
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<p>Just 10 of the 76 Final-qualified riders have <em>finished</em> sub-35.0 at recent <strong>US 4*-L events</strong> (2021 onward).</p>
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<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/15c9516c-94c8-4e59-8f31-a04381f7bc9c.png?width=1096&amp;height=1230" alt="Hv5r4 Final Qualified Riders With Sub 35 0 Finishing Scores at Recent Us 4 L Events"></div>
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<div>With <strong>Commando 3</strong>,<strong> Boyd Martin</strong> won the 2023 Morven Park 4*-L on a sub-35.0 finishing score. In fact, of his five 4*-L sub-35s since 2021, he won four of them and placed third in the other. He hasn't yet won a 4*-L with any of his current Final entries, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/boyd-martin-is-one-of-the-most-successful-4-l-riders-and-hes-entered-for-the-final" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he is a dominant rider at the level</a>.&nbsp;</div>
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<div><strong>Mia Farley</strong> earned her sub-35 at the 2022 Morven Park 4*-L with <strong>Phelps</strong>, finishing third. For the Final, Mia so far has <strong>Invictus </strong>entered. The Final will be Invictus' second 4*-L after finishing eighth in the 2024 TerraNova 4*-L. Invictus produced his international dressage PB at that 4*-L, a 27.9. A cross-country 20 and jumping penalties saw he and Mia finishing with a high score on the weekend but he hasn't had any cross-country jumping faults in any of his four 4*-S runs since then.</div>
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<div>Ultimately, when we look at the top and tail of a US 4*-L - first phase and final score - <strong>sub-35.0 is a good number to keep in mind</strong>. Certainly, some of our early entries have already shown they can do it.&nbsp;</div>
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<h1>Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</h1>
<p>The Final in a snapshot. For full Series details, <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/eventing-us-equestrian-open-quick-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">head to our quick guide</a>.</p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/6e95e199-0e64-4508-aaa5-7039e5d08293.png?width=2160&amp;height=2700" alt="Final Snapshot for Open Eventing Blogs"></p>
<h3><strong>Current Series Standings (Sep 5, 2025):</strong></h3>
<p><span style="color: rgb(109, 114, 114);"><em>See the full, updated series standings and how the leaders got to the top, <a href="https://usef.equestrian-hub.com/public/championship/eventing/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</em></span></p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/6322a623-cee0-440a-a66e-d0734fc72db4.png?width=722&amp;height=562" alt="Leaderboard After Rebecca Farm"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Check out the full <strong>Series calendar </strong>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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/aee0755f-7ba0-4aaf-b197-8570742781c8.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Competition Calendar for the 2024-2025 US Equestrian Open of Eventing"></p>
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<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>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;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
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Image of Tamie Smith waving and smiling as she leaves the dressage arena on the bay horse Kynan.

What it takes to win a 4*-L on US soil

<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://evententries.com/#ShowCenterNy7IspNRvqnjxKn3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Early entries are already coming in</a></strong> for the $200,000 US Equestrian Open Final - October&rsquo;s Morven Park 4*-L. Catching our eye was <strong>Boyd Martin</strong>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Why? Well, not &ldquo;just&rdquo; because he is one of the USA&rsquo;s most successful eventers but also because he has a particular aptitude for four-star-longs; between 2008 and now, no one has tallied more wins at the level: 10. Australia&rsquo;s <strong>Shane Rose</strong> matches him but no one beats him. Here&rsquo;s the list:<br><br><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/a74b275a-8597-409c-a6d8-c8fb2be8c43e.png?width=1268&amp;height=1444" alt="5 H Ih H Riders With the Most Cci4 L Wins Since 2008 (1)"></p>
<p dir="ltr">And one of Boyd&rsquo;s 4*-L wins was at Morven Park two years ago. A repeat effort this year would not only separate him from Shane on the win-count table, it would also earn Boyd a hefty portion of the $200,000 prize pot. I'm sure he wouldn't complain.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><br><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/73c5afb7-8871-496c-959c-b7df2f098c75.png?width=1198&amp;height=1166" alt="35t Qv Boyd Martin S Ten Cci4 L Wins Since 2008"></p>
<p dir="ltr">When it comes to Morven Park, Boyd has venue familiarity going for him - he of course won the 4*-L but he&rsquo;s also had nine total international runs at the venue dating back to 2014. Plus, as of now, he&rsquo;s entered on three strong horses:</p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><strong>1. Shanroe Cooley (10 YO)</strong></h1>
<p dir="ltr">Liz Halliday&rsquo;s mount Shanroe Cooley has only done one international with Boyd - a 3*-S which they won by adding just 3.6 XC time penalties to their dressage score. But, with Liz, Shanroe Cooley does have top-level experience. One of his best results was a <strong>4th place finish at Tryon 4*-L</strong> (May 2024).&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">Shanroe Cooley has <strong>jumped clear in 20 of his 21 international XC runs</strong>, including six clears at the 4* levels (long &amp; short). And, of his 20 international SJ rounds, he&rsquo;s&nbsp;<strong>only knocked 3 rails</strong> (spread over three different courses).</p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><strong>2. Miks Master C (13 YO)</strong></h1>
<p><strong><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/26ca95fb-2a87-4c52-b171-0ab54ca5b3a9.jpg?width=null&amp;height=null" alt="Miks Master C &amp; Liz Halliday at Kentucky 2024. Photo by Tilly Berendt."></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">Miks Master C &amp; Liz Halliday. Photo by Tilly Berendt.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">Another of Liz Halliday&rsquo;s string being piloted by Boyd, Miks Master C has more top-level experience than Shanroe Cooley and is a four-time winner at the CCI4*-S level. He&nbsp;<strong>won the highly competitive Carolina 4*-S back-to-back, finishing on a 20.9 (2023) and a 22.5 (2024)</strong>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In 2023, on <strong>his very first 5* run (Kentucky), Miks Master C placed third </strong>by adding just 1.6 XC time penalties to his dressage score, finishing on a 28.5.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">With Boyd, Miks Master C has only done one international: a 3*-S at Bromont. There, he and Boyd jumped clear in both the XC and SJ phases to finish 9th. It will be exciting to watch this pair at Morven and <strong>their EquiRatings win chance is likely to be high </strong>once all entries are in.</p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><strong>3. Barney Rubble (11 YO)</strong></h1>
<p>Unlike Shanroe Cooley and Miks Master C, Barney Rubble has gone up through the international levels with Boyd but is the least experienced of Boyd&rsquo;s entries. He has done four 4* events. His first and only 4*-L was in Tryon this May where they got a 20 on cross country day but went on to add just 2.8 time penalties in the show jumping phase. Barney has been taken slow across the country on his previous 4* outings and I again think a confident, clean round will be Boyd&rsquo;s aim for Barney at Morven.</p>
<h1><strong>Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</strong></h1>
<p>The Final in a snapshot. For full Series details, <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/eventing-us-equestrian-open-quick-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">head to our quick guide</a>.</p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/6e95e199-0e64-4508-aaa5-7039e5d08293.png?width=2160&amp;height=2700" alt="Final Snapshot for Open Eventing Blogs"></p>
<h3><strong>Current Series Standings (Aug 29, 2025):</strong></h3>
<p><span style="color: rgb(109, 114, 114);"><em>See the full, updated series standings and how the leaders got to the top, <a href="https://usef.equestrian-hub.com/public/championship/eventing/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</em></span></p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/6322a623-cee0-440a-a66e-d0734fc72db4.png?width=722&amp;height=562" alt="Leaderboard After Rebecca Farm"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Check out the full <strong>Series calendar </strong>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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/aee0755f-7ba0-4aaf-b197-8570742781c8.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Competition Calendar for the 2024-2025 US Equestrian Open of Eventing"></p>
<hr>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>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;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.</em></p>

Boyd Martin riding a bay horse over a cross country jump. Boyd has a determined look on his face.

Boyd Martin is one of the most successful 4*-L riders and he's entered for the Final

<p dir="ltr">Fifteen Qualifiers done, five to go. Next up, in two weeks, is the Fork at Tryon (12 Sep). In the meantime, we thought we&rsquo;d summarize the <strong>Series scores so far and what it&rsquo;s taken to win.</strong></p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><strong>First up, finishing scores:&nbsp;</strong></h1>
<p dir="ltr">The best Qualifier score came from California&rsquo;s <strong>Tommy Greengard &amp; Joshuay MBF</strong>. In fact, the top three Series scores have come from West Coast events, including the only sub-30 finishes.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/619146cc-b142-4e70-89d5-fff9de035b4d.png?width=1156&amp;height=1858" alt="R Nho E Top 10 Finishing Scores in the Series so Far"></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Tommy &amp; Joshuay </strong>produced their table-topping result by finishing on their dressage score (aka, getting an FOD) &ndash; one of just three combinations in the Series so far to do so.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">The three FODs in the Series so far:</h2>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ol>
<li dir="ltr"><strong>Tommy Greengard &amp; Joshuay MBF</strong>- 26.9 at Aspen Farms (Qual 13)</li>
<li dir="ltr"><strong>Jessica Phoenix &amp; Fluorescent Adolescent</strong> - 40.4 at TerraNova (Qual 6)</li>
<li dir="ltr"><strong>Brooke Burchianti &amp; Cooley Space Grey</strong> - 46.0 at TerraNova (Qual 6)</li>
</ol>
<p dir="ltr">Of all <strong>256 </strong>Qualifier runs, <strong>Tommy Greengard &amp; Joshuay</strong> and<strong> Tamie Smith &amp; Mai Baum </strong>make up the just 1% who finished on a sub-30 score. Here&rsquo;s a breakdown of all 256 finishing results:</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/8c74721b-93f7-424b-b5b3-2b97f6575950.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Wc 18 Aug Usef Article Images  (3)"></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><strong>Next, dressage scores:</strong></h1>
<p dir="ltr">With <strong>Will Coleman, Off The Record </strong>produced his best ever international dressage score (21.8) en route to winning Qualifier 10, the Cosequin&reg; Lexington CCI4*-S (Kentucky). Off The Record&rsquo;s previous best had stood for five years - a 21.9 from the 2020 Great Meadow CCI4*-S.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It&rsquo;s his new PB that tops the Series dressage table so far:</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong id="docs-internal-guid-519a392f-7fff-920d-58a3-fe196a915db2"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/3f300e35-2427-406e-90b4-ffd6f6306085.png?width=1156&amp;height=1724" alt="B Br M8 Top 10 Dressage Scores in the Series so Far"><br></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">The top three dressage scores on the table &ndash; delivered by <strong>Will &amp; Off The Record, Tamie Smith &amp; Mai Baum, and Phillip Dutton &amp; Possante</strong> &ndash; make up the 1% of Series tests in the 25-or-lower scoring bracket. Here&rsquo;s how all 256 panned out:</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/9f99b0ba-31bb-4b13-a56f-41f55de8a2a7.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Wc 18 Aug Usef Article Images  (4)"></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><strong>Lastly, winning profiles:</strong></h1>
<p dir="ltr">Winning scores across the 15 Qualifiers have ranged from 26.9 to 52.3 while the first-phase scores of winners have all been sub-37.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/b0827104-b787-48a2-81db-482e9cdb2f90.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="winning scores summary - first 15 eventing qualifiers"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Looking at the detailed winning scores, six Series winners have knocked a rail in the show jumping phase and one even won with a frangible penalty (11 points) across the country. Thirteen different athletes have won a Qualifier; <strong>Caroline Pamukcu </strong>and <strong>Jessica Phoenix </strong>each took home two Series victories.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/91d6d5b4-9a8a-4936-b52e-400d55c1d2ac.png?width=1464&amp;height=2282" alt="W Y3m T the 15 Series Winners so Far"></p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><strong>The current leaderboard</strong></h1>
<p>Those two wins by&nbsp;<strong>Caroline </strong>and <strong>Jess </strong>helped put them both in the top three on the all-important leaderboard standings. The top three spots will bring home the money so it&rsquo;s a handy place to be this far into the Series.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Once all Qualifiers are wrapped up, here's how the prize money is divvied.</h3>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">1st place:&nbsp; $25,000</li>
<li dir="ltr">2nd place: $15,000</li>
<li dir="ltr">3rd place: $10,000</li>
</ul>
<p>Then, there's an&nbsp;<em>additional </em>$200,000 up for grabs at the <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/eventing-us-equestrian-open-quick-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morven Park CCI4*-L Final this fall</a>.</p>
<h3><strong>Series Standings after the First 15 Qualifiers:</strong></h3>
<p><span style="color: rgb(109, 114, 114);"><em>See the full series standings, and how the leaders got to the top, <a href="https://usef.equestrian-hub.com/public/championship/eventing/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</em></span></p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/6322a623-cee0-440a-a66e-d0734fc72db4.png?width=722&amp;height=562" alt="Leaderboard After Rebecca Farm"></p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><strong>Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</strong></h1>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/aee0755f-7ba0-4aaf-b197-8570742781c8.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Competition Calendar for the 2024-2025 US Equestrian Open of Eventing"></p>
<hr>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>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;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.</em></p>

A collage of photos featuring Tommy Greengard, Will Coleman and Caroline Pamukcu

Top Scores and What it Takes to Win: the Eventing Qualifiers So Far

<p>With just five qualifiers left in the US Equestrian Open Eventing series, all eyes are on Jessica Phoenix. Sitting 30 points behind Phillip in the standings, she has five of her six counting results on the board. One more strong result could turn the leaderboard on its head.</p>
<p>The equation is simple. In a qualifier with fewer than 25 starters, a win is worth 40 points, second place earns 35, and third place brings 30. Any podium finish would pull Jess level with Phillip&mdash;but the math just got more complicated.</p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/93c031f0-9df0-4f1d-8657-5faf25faabfb.png?width=874&amp;height=865" alt="Screenshot 2025 08 14 152111"></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h2>&nbsp;</h2>
<h2>The Plantation Wild Card</h2>
<p>Phillip has his sights set on the Plantation qualifier as his final tune-up before Morven Park, and this strategic move could shift the entire championship calculus. If he can secure first or second place at Plantation, he will extend his points buffer when Jess needs it to shrink.</p>
<p>While Jess is hunting for her breakthrough result, Phillip has the opportunity to slam the door before she gets her chance. A win at Plantation (40 points) would put him 70 points clear, making any single result insufficient for Jess to catch him. Even a second-place finish (35 points) would stretch his lead to 65 points, requiring Jess to win her next outing just to pull within 25 points of the lead.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h2><br>Limited Options, Rising Pressure</h2>
<p>September brings a packed run of qualified and Jess's potential path forward is narrowing by the week.&nbsp;</p>
<p>September</p>
<ul>
<li>The Fork &mdash; 11th&ndash;14th</li>
<li>Plantation Field &mdash; 18th&ndash;21st</li>
<li>Twin Rivers &mdash; 19th&ndash;21st</li>
<li>Stable View &mdash; 25th&ndash;27th</li>
</ul>
<p>October</p>
<ul>
<li>Woodside &mdash; 3rd&ndash;4th</li>
</ul>
<p>The west coast events Twin Rivers and Woodside are likely off her calendar, leaving just three venues where she can strike. But now she faces a ticking clock&mdash;every day Phillip gets closer to Plantation, her window of opportunity shrinks.</p>
<p>The historical numbers are not in her favor. Jess has not competed at any of the remaining venues since 2022, and the last time she stood on the podium at one of them was back in 2017. That's a long drought to break when the pressure is on.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h2>&nbsp;</h2>
<h2>The Competing Strings</h2>
<p>Both riders come into the finale with serious firepower. Jessica has four horses&mdash;Freedom GS, Wabbit, Aeronautics, and Fluorescent Adolescent&mdash;that have already competed in US Open qualifiers this season. Phillip brings Denim, Possante, and Quasi Cool to match her stable strength, having recently handed the reins of Jewelent over to his daughter Olivia Dutton. This shift in horse allocation could prove pivotal. Jessica now holds the advantage in numbers (4 vs 3), giving her more options and chances to gain points and for the finale.<br><br></p>
<hr>
<h2>&nbsp;</h2>
<h2>But who is actually better?</h2>
<p>The head-to-head battles this season between these combinations have been tight. At TerraNova in March, Jess took the win with Freedom GS and second place with Fluorescent Adolescent, while Phillip's Possante finished third and Denim back in sixth.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But the tables turned at the Kentucky CCI4*-S in April, where Phillip's Possante claimed second place, with Jessica and Freedom GS just behind in third, followed by Phillip's Denim in fourth&mdash;the perfect example of the razor-thin margins that separate these horses.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h2>&nbsp;</h2>
<h2>More Than Just Points</h2>
<p>The battle between Phillip and Jess is not purely about bragging rights. The prize money for winning the series adds a tangible incentive. At this stage of the season, every second, every rail, and every point counts.</p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/f698a19a-3030-4d6c-8ea4-7038546ee6e1.png?width=762&amp;height=757" alt="Screenshot 2025 08 14 152041"></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h2><br>The Final Question</h2>
<p>Will Jess take the fight to Phillip now, striking before Morven Park? Or will she hold her ace until the series finale, risking it all in one high-pressure showdown? The countdown is on &mdash; the next few weeks will decide if Jess rewrites the story or if Phillip can hold onto his lead.</p>
<p>One thing&rsquo;s certain: Jess has got her sights set on Morven.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>&ldquo;And the Morven four-star long &mdash; we will bring almost every horse we have, because not only is it part of the US Open, but we truly believe it&rsquo;s one of the best venues in North America to produce event horses.&rdquo;</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Listen to Jessica Phoenix on the US Equestrian Open podcast.</p>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/36737995/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/4c414c/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/aee0755f-7ba0-4aaf-b197-8570742781c8.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Competition Calendar for the 2024-2025 US Equestrian Open of Eventing"></p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>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;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.</em></p>

The Phoenix Factor: The Final Push in the US Equestrian Open

<p data-start="267" data-end="884">Sitting on 215 points, the Olympian holds a 30-point cushion over Canada&rsquo;s<strong> Jessica Phoenix.</strong> On paper, that margin looks comfortable, but there&rsquo;s a twist: <strong>Phillip Dutton </strong>has already posted all six of his counting scores, while Phoenix still has one to add.&nbsp;</p>
<p data-start="267" data-end="884">With $25,000, $15,000, and $10,000 on the line for the series podium &mdash; not to mention the $200,000 prize fund for the CCI4*-L finale at Morven Park &mdash; every single point between now and October matters.<br><br><em>Listen to the Phillip Dutton on the US Equestrian Open Podcast now.</em></p>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/37694370/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/4c414c/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p data-start="267" data-end="884">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 data-start="886" data-end="909">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 data-start="886" data-end="909">Building the Lead</h3>
<p data-start="910" data-end="1261">Dutton&rsquo;s series campaign has been a masterclass in targeted performance. He took the lead after <strong>TerraNova in November 2024 </strong>and has never gave it up, combining smart scheduling with clinical execution. His six counting results include wins and podiums from East Coast majors, each carefully chosen for their fit in his horses&rsquo; seasonal build-up.</p>
<p data-start="1263" data-end="1331"><strong data-start="1263" data-end="1328">Phillip Dutton&rsquo;s 2024&ndash;2025 US Equestrian Open counting scores</strong>:</p>
<ul>
<li data-start="1263" data-end="1331"><strong data-start="1334" data-end="1372">The Event at TerraNova &ndash; Nov 2024:</strong> 40 pts &amp; 35 pts</li>
<li data-start="1263" data-end="1331"><strong data-start="1393" data-end="1431">The Event at TerraNova &ndash; Mar 2025:</strong> 30 pts</li>
<li data-start="1263" data-end="1331"><strong data-start="1443" data-end="1482">Bouckaert International &ndash; Mar 2025:</strong> 30 pts</li>
<li data-start="1263" data-end="1331"><strong data-start="1494" data-end="1543">Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event &ndash; Apr 2025:</strong> 35 pts &amp; 45 pts</li>
</ul>
<p data-start="1563" data-end="1908">For Dutton, the series&rsquo; spread-out format is a gift. <em>&ldquo;You don't want to be going flat out on them week in, week out,&rdquo; </em>he explained on the US Equestrian Open Podcast.<em> &ldquo;I can pick and choose and say, that will be a good weekends to really stretch them and get them to a good fitness and build-up to some of these bigger events.&rdquo;</em> That bigger event, in this case, is the Morven Park finale.</p>
<p data-start="1563" data-end="1908">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 data-start="1910" data-end="1956">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 data-start="1910" data-end="1956">Denim and Possante &ndash; Two Paths to the Top</h3>
<p data-start="1957" data-end="2425">Dutton&rsquo;s campaign has been anchored by <strong data-start="1996" data-end="2005">Denim</strong> and <strong data-start="2010" data-end="2021">Possante</strong>, two very different rides. Denim has been <em>&ldquo;A little bit of a rock star,&rdquo;</em> from the day he arrived in the barn, competitive from lower levels right up to the top. Possante, by contrast, arrived with big expectations but needed time to adjust to Dutton&rsquo;s system. Dutton explained how he spent time making him more adjustable and quick footed.</p>
<p data-start="2427" data-end="2750">That patience has paid off. Both horses stepped up this season with standout runs at <strong>Kentucky CCI4*-S</strong> &mdash; where Dutton<em> &ldquo;Laid it all on the line,&rdquo;</em> for two top-five finishes &mdash; and Aachen, where they held their own against some of the world&rsquo;s best with Denim and Possante finishing 14th and 11th respectively. Possante's gallop has matured, Denim&rsquo;s reliability has been a constant, and both now look primed for Morven Park.</p>
<p data-start="2427" data-end="2750">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 data-start="2752" data-end="2786">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 data-start="2752" data-end="2786">Strategy and the Points Game</h3>
<p data-start="2787" data-end="3247">While Dutton chooses <strong>Plantation Field International in September</strong> as his last qualifier to add points, it&rsquo;s a slim window. Any gain means replacing one of his existing scores &mdash; a harder task with a consistent set already on the board. Meanwhile, Phoenix sits at <strong>185 points</strong> with an open slot to fill, making her the most likely to threaten the lead.</p>
<p data-start="3249" data-end="3467">Dutton&rsquo;s focus remains clear: keep the horses fresh, stay sharp, and peak for Morven. <em>&ldquo;Every long format, virtually, that's it. All the gloves are off then and you just go for it,&rdquo;</em> he said. That&rsquo;s where your career is decided and what your horses are set up to do.</p>
<p data-start="3249" data-end="3467">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 data-start="3469" data-end="3488">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 data-start="3469" data-end="3488">Looking Ahead</h3>
<p data-start="3489" data-end="3878">At 10 and 12, Denim and Possante are in their prime years, with travel and big-day experience under their belts. Though 2025 has been about short formats, Dutton sees this as the right education for the future. <em>&ldquo;In another couple of years, they&rsquo;re going to be pretty hard to beat,&rdquo;</em> he said.</p>
<p data-start="3880" data-end="4256">For now, though, the task is finishing what he started: a victory in the inaugural US Equestrian Open. As he joked at the end of the podcast, <em>&ldquo;Hopefully lets do an interview after I win the whole bloody thing.&rdquo;</em> Fans will be watching closely at Plantation and Morven to see if the veteran can hold off the challengers and close out a season-long lead in style.<br><br><em>Listen to the Phillip Dutton on the US Equestrian Open Podcast now.</em></p>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/37694370/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/4c414c/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p data-start="3880" data-end="4256">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/aee0755f-7ba0-4aaf-b197-8570742781c8.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Competition Calendar for the 2024-2025 US Equestrian Open of Eventing"></p>
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<p dir="ltr"><em>For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>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;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.</em></p>

Points, Pressure, and Plantation: Dutton’s Road to Morven Park

<p dir="ltr"><strong>Phillip Dutton</strong> sits atop the US Equestrian Open eventing series leaderboard with 215 points, but his 30-point cushion over<strong> Jessica Phoenix </strong>might not be as comfortable as it appears. He is already counting his six results, whereas Jess still has one to add. Caroline is in third but she has her full quota of six results also.&nbsp;<br><br>With five events remaining and $25,000, $15,000 and $10,000 on the line for the series podium places, the mathematics of this championship are about to get very interesting. And that&rsquo;s <em data-start="284" data-end="292">before</em> riders even reach the<strong> $200,000 prize fund</strong> on offer in the CCI4*-L at the Morven Park US Equestrian Open Final.<br><br>Tamie Smith and Tommy Greengard added more points in Rebecca Farm last weekend also with two West Coast events still to go, Twin Rivers and Woodside, it feels like James, Tamie and Tommy are going to make a late and major play for this.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/f1946d83-4c57-4cd2-a371-c12b4d83725a.png?width=804&amp;height=738" alt="Portrait Usef Blog Covers   Ev &amp; Dr (6)"></p>
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<h3 dir="ltr">The West Coast Wildcards</h3>
<p>Three riders currently sitting in the top ten will have a chance at both of those events and have delivered big results there in recent years - <strong>James Alliston (4th, 145 points), Tommy Greengard (8th, 105 points), and Tamie Smith (tied 6th, 110 points). </strong>&nbsp;This is the first year of the Open and the first time we are getting to see the impact of the calendar and show selection. Caroline Martin, Jessica Phoenix, Phillip Dutton and Boyd Martin all went to Aachen, missed Loch Moy and the West Coast team have taken advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/2cb7d4e5-825b-4f1c-b028-1b094b978abf.png?width=546&amp;height=523" alt="Portrait Usef Blog Covers   Ev &amp; Dr (7)"></p>
<h3>How it works out...</h3>
<p>All three of Tamie, Tommy and James have not yet reached the full quota. The can get points for each horse so Tamie added 75 points last weekend alone at Rebecca with Mai Baum and Jutopia. Two events on the West Coast and likely 40 points await the winner of each competition, with 35 for second and 30 for third.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/ffc2e492-35c9-4afb-a531-40cda69e6a66.png?width=522&amp;height=491" alt="Portrait Usef Blog Covers   Ev &amp; Dr (8)"></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>James Alliston</strong> has only logged five of his six possible scores. If he were to win one of the final qualifiers, he&rsquo;d tie <strong>Jessica Phoenix </strong>at 185 points. A second horse, or a second event in fourth-place finish or better would likely move him close to the top. That&rsquo;s not a long shot &mdash; Alliston has the horses and recent form to make it happen. Tactics will be important too - will we see Karma before Morven? Or at all?&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">Meanwhile,<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/tommy-greengard-the-west-coast-contender-who-could-win-it-all" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Tommy Greengard</strong> </a>and <strong>Tamie Smith</strong> are further back but with less counting results.&nbsp; Greengard has only three counting results so far, and Tamie has four &mdash; meaning every point they pick up at Twin Rivers or Woodside adds directly to their total, rather than replacing a lower score. They&rsquo;ve got room to climb quickly.</p>
<p>At the top end of the leaderboard, <strong>Phillip Dutton</strong> and <strong>Caroline Pamukcu</strong> have already logged six counting scores. For them any improvement would require beating one of their existing top results &mdash; a harder task with less points upside.</p>
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<h3 dir="ltr">The Phoenix Question</h3>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/well-take-almost-every-horse-weve-got" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Jessica Phoenix's</strong> </a>position at 185 points makes her the most fascinating variable in this equation. The Canadian rider sits close to the lead, needing just one strong result to potentially take over the top spot making her event selection strategy important here. Freedom is in form and should play a big part in the final.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">It's been an exceptional season for Jess Phoenix and this would be a big reminder to the US not to underestimate her. We are all watching for where that entry comes. A calculated strike at one of the remaining East Coast events is needed and then a return to Morven. Her next move could change the entire series trajectory. One well-timed victory, and suddenly Dutton finds himself chasing rather than protecting a lead.</p>
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<h3 dir="ltr">Caroline's Calculated Climb?</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Don't overlook<strong> Caroline Pamukcu</strong>, currently third with 155 points. One of her counting scores is a 15, meaning there is significant room to improve and with three events remaining where she could realistically compete, Pamucku is still able to climb.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/ab54360a-4d1b-4168-9030-759236ffde74.png?width=1080&amp;height=637" alt="Portrait Usef Blog Covers   Ev &amp; Dr (11)"></p>
<p><em>Caroline Pamucku and HSH Blake at the Paris 2024 Olympics</em></p>
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<h3 dir="ltr">The Woodside Crescendo</h3>
<p dir="ltr">For Tamie, Tommy and James, they have two shots left. <strong>Twin Rivers</strong> and then they will know exactly what is needed by<strong>&nbsp;Woodside Fall International</strong> as the penultimate event before the<strong> Morven Park</strong> finale.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">Woodside becomes the crucial positioning event&mdash;the place where series contenders can make their final moves but perhaps less of an advantage given how close it is to Morven Park. The pressure will be intense, with West Coast riders enjoying home advantage and with plenty of points to gain, while East Coast competitors watch from a far with their positions in threat.</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><em>Listen to Jessica Phoenix on the US Equestrian Open Podcast.</em></p>
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<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/36737995/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/4c414c/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
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<p dir="ltr"><br><br><em>Listen to James Alliston on the US Equestrian Open Podcast.</em></p>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/36590375/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/4c414c/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
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<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/aee0755f-7ba0-4aaf-b197-8570742781c8.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Competition Calendar for the 2024-2025 US Equestrian Open of Eventing"></p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
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<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>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;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
</section>

Jessica Phoenix punching the air at the Paris Olympics 2024

$50,000 that will depend on Woodside

<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">The US Equestrian Open rolls into Rebecca Farm this weekend with a field headlined by <strong>Tamie Smith </strong>and her superstar <strong>Mai Baum.&nbsp;</strong>Mai Baum arrives with a huge win chance for what could be a fairytale finish to their top-level career. They will very likely lead the first phase, but with finishing on your dressage score at Rebecca Farm proving nearly impossible and several fast horses in the field, this competition is far from a foregone conclusion.</p>
<p data-start="303" data-end="528" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">It also marks a key moment in the season: the <strong data-start="349" data-end="411">last US Equestrian Open qualifier before an almost two-month break. There will be</strong>&nbsp;<strong data-start="423" data-end="457">five more qualifiers remaining</strong> in the Series after this weekend, before riders return to Morven Park for a big-money final in early October.&nbsp; <strong data-start="218" data-end="236">James Alliston</strong> is entered with Paper Jam and prove the biggest threat to a Tamie fairytale. Provided they complete, it looks likely that they will overtake Caroline Pamukcu and sit in the Series top-three going into the final stretch.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Listen to the 'Rebecca Farm Preview Show' on US Equestrian Open Podcast now.</em></p>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/37402990/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/0a317e/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
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<h2 class="text-xl font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-0.5">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 class="text-xl font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-0.5"><strong>The Mai Baum Factor</strong></h2>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">There should be <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/mai-baum-returns-to-rebecca-farm-for-his-farewell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a lot of coverage of Mai Baum</a> this weekend, regardless of the result. The horse that ended the long wait for a home-nation Kentucky winner, a horse that has helped bring home medals and a horse that took us all on a journey of the highest highs and lowest lows.<a href="https://pod.fo/e/2fb864" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> You can listen to Tamie, Alex, Eric and Ellen discuss their journey here.&nbsp;</a><br><br>They now return to Rebecca Farm for one final top-level appearance together, a decade after claiming their first CCI4* victory at this very event&mdash;in only their second four-star as a partnership.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">They will surely lead the first phase, perhaps by some margin. Looking at their last six international runs as a guide, they have an outstanding <strong>EquiRatings 6 Run Average (6RA) of 24.3</strong>. And Tamie&rsquo;s track record at Rebecca Farm speaks volumes &mdash; she holds four of the top 10 dressage scores at this venue, each delivered on a different horse, including Mai Baum. It would not be a shock for them to set the venue record.&nbsp;</p>
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<h3 class="cgHgbA nxe3IQ Xp24Nw PanoWQ"><strong><span class="OYPEnA">The top 10 </span><span class="OYPEnA">dressage scores a</span><span class="OYPEnA">t the last 10 Rebecca Farm CCI4*-S</span></strong></h3>
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<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/81220970-c31c-44c2-8b68-172b2e10a069.png?width=865&amp;height=1129" alt="Screenshot 2025 07 16 174331"></p>
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<p data-start="0" data-end="426" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">It is very possible that Tamie is in a 1-2 position after dressage. She will also have<strong> Jutopia</strong> - a ride Tamie is progressing while Molly Duda is on the US Development Tour.&nbsp; Tommy Greengard's That's Me Z is also one to watch for a high twenties (projected within the top 4 starting scores).&nbsp;</p>
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<h2 class="text-xl font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-0.5">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 class="text-xl font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-0.5"><strong>The (Near) Impossibility of Finishing on Your Dressage Score</strong></h2>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">When you have an almost certain strong leader in the first phase, we begin to seek out a key element of what makes sport so special: jeopardy.&nbsp;<br><br>Let's start with Mai Baum. Tamie Smith and Mai Baum&rsquo;s record at the 4*-S level suggests some penalties will be added. They have never made the time together at this level &mdash; likely a strategic choice rather than a limitation in speed &mdash; but it leaves the door wide open for faster rivals.<br><br>Here's a statistic:&nbsp;<strong>Half of the last 10 winners were leading after dressage</strong> - which means half weren't. The winning range at Rebecca Farm spans from 30.7 to 58.3, with an average winning score of 40.6.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/9884f1b7-ef9f-4360-b565-9d0bc0bc2bd3.png?width=1080&amp;height=626" alt="Portrait Usef Blog Covers   Ev &amp; Dr (3)"></p>
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<p data-start="0" data-end="345" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">Since 2008, 235 riders have taken on the CCI4*-S at Rebecca Farm &mdash; and only one has ever finished on their dressage score. That standout performance came from <strong>Karen O'Connor</strong> and <strong>Mandiba</strong> in 2010, when they held onto their dressage score of 29.5 from start to finish, winning by a remarkable 9.8 marks. It&rsquo;s a reminder that even if Tamie and Mai Baum deliver a low score in the first phase, this win won&rsquo;t be handed to them &mdash; Rebecca Farm doesn&rsquo;t make it easy.</p>
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<h2 class="text-xl font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-0.5">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 class="text-xl font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-0.5"><strong>Speed Horses to Watch</strong></h2>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">The cross-country phase has been historically influential, with just 60% of riders achieving a clear round over the last 10 years. More tellingly, only 3% manage to finish inside the optimum time - making time penalties almost inevitable for most of the field.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/e8986802-36e2-4a3f-80d0-d2ede483ee26.png?width=1080&amp;height=752" alt="Portrait Usef Blog Covers   Ev &amp; Dr (4)"><br>Can anyone make the time? Probably one person. <strong>James Alliston </strong>has an outstanding record of making the time at this level. Their clear rate at CCI4*-S level is an incredible 31%. For context, Tamie Smith's is 8%.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><strong>Tommy Greengard</strong> may be new to this level with just five 4*-S starts, but he&rsquo;s already delivered a clear inside the time, albeit with <strong>Joshuay MBF.</strong> Greengard has shown he has the pace and precision to be a contender. Not so long ago, <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/tommy-greengard-the-west-coast-contender-who-could-win-it-all" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diarm suggested he could win the entire series</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<h3 class="cgHgbA nxe3IQ Xp24Nw PanoWQ"><strong><span class="OYPEnA">The fastest cross country horses in the field&nbsp;</span></strong></h3>
<p><em><strong><span class="OYPEnA">Based on EquiRatings Top Speed Percentage</span></strong></em></p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/7867fa07-c874-49ef-906d-658d84873b25.png?width=660&amp;height=1056" alt="Speed Horses"></p>
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<h2 class="text-xl font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-0.5">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 class="text-xl font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-0.5"><strong>The Final Phase Factor</strong></h2>
<p data-start="28" data-end="360">Show jumping on Sunday has played a decisive role at Rebecca Farm in recent years &mdash; but not always in the way you&rsquo;d expect. Over the last 10 runnings, only 20% of riders have delivered a clear round in the final phase. Yet a perfect round isn&rsquo;t essential for victory &mdash; 7 of the last 10 winners had at least one rail on the final day.</p>
<p data-start="362" data-end="555">Two combinations to keep an eye on this Sunday are <strong data-start="413" data-end="452">Lizzie Hoff </strong>and <strong data-start="413" data-end="452">HSH Limited Edition</strong> and <strong data-start="457" data-end="496">Jack Curtis </strong>with<strong data-start="457" data-end="496"> Luska Candy Clover</strong>, both arriving with good jumping records at the level below.&nbsp;</p>
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<h2 class="cgHgbA nxe3IQ Xp24Nw PanoWQ"><span class="OYPEnA">The most reliable&nbsp;</span><span class="OYPEnA">show </span><span class="OYPEnA">jumpers&nbsp;</span><span class="OYPEnA">in the field</span></h2>
<p><em><strong><span class="OYPEnA">Based on the adjusted average of their SJ penalties</span></strong></em></p>
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<p class="whitespace-normal break-words"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/52d7be0a-d5d6-4efd-b6e5-6729079b650f.png?width=1102&amp;height=1048" alt="Showjumping Horses"></p>
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<h2 class="text-xl font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-0.5">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 class="text-xl font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-0.5"><strong>Who wins?</strong></h2>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">According to the<strong>&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://prediction-centre.equiratings.com/competitions/rebecca_4s_2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>EquiRatings Prediction Centre</strong></a>,<strong> Tamie Smith</strong> enters on 61% win chance and an 85% shot at the podium. She sits far ahead of the next most-likely winners <strong>James Alliston</strong> and <strong>Paper Jam</strong> on 13% and <strong>Rebecca Braitling </strong>with <strong>Caravaggio </strong>on 6%. <a href="https://prediction-centre.equiratings.com/competitions/rebecca_4s_2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/5d449b0a-7598-4910-91ee-8a5e2b259911.png?width=720&amp;height=820" alt="Screenshot 2025 07 14 125127 (1)"></a></p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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<h2 class="whitespace-normal break-words">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 class="whitespace-normal break-words">Want to know more about Rebecca Farm?</h2>
<p>We've crunched all the numbers, analyzed every stat, and uncovered the key storylines you need to know before Rebecca Farm kicks off this weekend. From dressage averages to cross-country clear rates, speed percentages to show jumping reliability - it's all in our comprehensive form guide.<strong> </strong>Check it out <strong><a href="https://usequestrianopen.info/rebeccafarm2025/#who-wins-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here.</a></strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h2 class="whitespace-normal break-words">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 class="whitespace-normal break-words">When and where to watch?</h2>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">Competition begins Thursday with dressage across two days, cross-country will be on Saturday afternoon, and show jumping on Sunday. In a sport where anything can happen, Rebecca Farm's challenging track record suggests we're in for another thrilling finish.<br><br>You can catch all the action <strong data-start="29" data-end="84">live on the USEF Network, powered by ClipMyHorse.TV</strong>, streaming free with a <strong data-start="108" data-end="131">USEF Fan Membership</strong> &mdash; check it out<strong> <a href="https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_US/events/16709?utm_campaign=main_slider_content&amp;utm_medium=cmh_content_slider&amp;utm_source=clipmyhorse&amp;utm_term=2025%2BOcala%2BSummer%2BSeries%2BII%2BCSI3%252A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here.</a></strong></p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/aee0755f-7ba0-4aaf-b197-8570742781c8.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Competition Calendar for the 2024-2025 US Equestrian Open of Eventing"></p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>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;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.</em></p>

Rebecca Farm CCI4*-S Preview

<p dir="ltr">Mai Baum, known to his connections as &lsquo;Lexus&rsquo; will compete in his final upper-level competition this weekend at Rebecca Farm&mdash;the very same class he won 10 years ago at this Montana venue, marking what was only his second four-star with rider Tamie Smith and their first four-star victory together.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The poetic symmetry of Mai Baum's farewell couldn't be more perfect. A decade ago, he launched what would become a legendary partnership with Smith by winning the Rebecca Farm CCI4*-S. Now, after one of the most impressive US eventing careers, he returns to the same competition, for his final farewell.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Listen to the 'Mai Baum Special' on US Equestrian Open Podcast now.</p>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/37307655/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/1787d4/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr">A Career Defined by Excellence</h2>
<p dir="ltr">The numbers alone tell an extraordinary story. With 33 international starts, 20 podium finishes, and 13 wins, Mai Baum achieved a peak EquiRatings Elo of 833&mdash;the highest of any U.S. event horse in the past 15 years and ranking among the top 15 worldwide over that span.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/67a9aeb8-b39d-49ee-947e-cee480d34327.png?width=1150&amp;height=664" alt="Screenshot 2025 07 14 120819"></p>
<p dir="ltr">The horse's international career began in 2013 with Alexandra Ahearn. The next year at only his second international event, he had his first win in the CCI2*-S at Galway Downs. That victory marked the beginning of what would become a special relationship with the California venue&mdash;Tamie returned with him four times, in which they took the win every time.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/b8f397ef-3550-4463-9e2d-b7979ad9712c.png?width=1688&amp;height=784" alt="I Aa K6 "></p>
<p dir="ltr"><br>For all of Mai Baum&rsquo;s accolades and podium finishes, his story was never written with medals in mind.&nbsp;<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/8d4b834c-771d-44a7-8c34-662cbeffb011.png?width=1080&amp;height=540" alt="Us Blog Quote Graphics (9)"></p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr">Dressage Mastery</h2>
<p dir="ltr">Perhaps no statistic better illustrates Mai Baum's consistency than his dressage record with Smith. Across 29 internationals together, they never scored in the 30s. Their best test came at Tryon in 2021 with a score of 20.4, while their worst was still a respectable 29.9 at Arville in 2021.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/150ba00e-34da-4d59-965a-86fee7da5b79.png?width=1688&amp;height=1320" alt="Ua Wi4 Mai Baum S Top 10 Dressage Tests"></p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr">Five-Star Prowess</h2>
<p dir="ltr">Mai Baum's five-star record reads like a masterclass in big-competition performance. Across five attempts at the level (Kentucky 2021, Badminton 2022, Pratoni 2022 World Games, Kentucky 2023, Maryland 2024), he finished in the top 10 four times. Only a mid-course retirement at Maryland 2024 disrupted their otherwise perfect record, with Tamie choosing to pull up when Mai Baum showed signs of fatigue.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/a705d953-ef4b-4e7f-a0ec-d3279b97a364.png?width=1924&amp;height=822" alt="Hey Un Mai Baum S Cci5 Record (1)"></p>
<p dir="ltr">The pinnacle came at Kentucky 2023, where Mai Baum and Tamie Smith became the first American pair to win since Phillip Dutton in 2008. Pre-competition, EquiRatings had highlighted them as the ones to beat, giving them a 66% win chance and an 88% shot at the podium.&nbsp; Despite this, it was still no easy feat. Sitting in third after dressage (24.2), they delivered a textbook cross-country round where they made the time &mdash; a decisive move that secured their 3.6-penalty victory.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Final Chapter</h2>
<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Rebecca Farm is a fitting stage for Mai Baum&rsquo;s farewell &mdash; the site where his brilliance at the highest-level first truly emerged. In 2015, it was here, in the mountains of Montana, that Mai Baum won the CCI4*-S on just his second start at the level.</p>
<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/aa03986c-8b82-4527-98eb-77ddcf2f12f6.png?width=1080&amp;height=554" alt="Us Blog Quote Graphics (7)"></p>
<p dir="ltr">According to the <a href="https://prediction-centre.equiratings.com/competitions/rebecca_4s_2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EquiRatings Prediction Centre,</a> they arrive this weekend with a 61% win chance and an 85% podium chance, practically identical to their Kentucky odds in 2023.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;<a href="https://prediction-centre.equiratings.com/competitions/rebecca_4s_2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/a9eebb6f-3354-4691-ad01-46a40e13db0d.png?width=720&amp;height=820" alt="Screenshot 2025 07 14 125127"></a><br><br></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr">A Legacy Beyond Statistics</h2>
<p dir="ltr">While Mai Baum's achievements speak for themselves but his impact extends far beyond ribbons and rankings.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/d405773a-a361-425d-9996-d1a3cf8eb057.png?width=1080&amp;height=537" alt="Us Blog Quote Graphics (6)"></p>
<p dir="ltr">This weekend at Rebecca Farm, the eventing community will witness the end of an era. Mai Baum may be stepping down from the upper levels, but his legacy will endure for many years to come. That it happens where his greatest chapter began makes this farewell all the more fitting.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h2>Listen to The US Equestrian Open Podcast Now</h2>
<p>Tamie Smith, Alexandra Ahearn, Ellen Ahearn, and Eric Markell relive the moments that made Lexus unforgettable: from a German auction to Kentucky glory, from heartbreak to heroics.</p>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/37307655/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/1787d4/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<hr>
<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/aee0755f-7ba0-4aaf-b197-8570742781c8.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Competition Calendar for the 2024-2025 US Equestrian Open of Eventing"></p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>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;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.</em></p>

Mai Baum Returns to Rebecca Farm for His Farewell

<p dir="ltr"><strong>Will Coleman</strong>, <strong>Boyd Martin</strong>, <strong>Phillip Dutton</strong>, and <strong>Caroline Pamukcu</strong> - four of the USA&rsquo;s top riders contested this year&rsquo;s CHIO Aachen CCI4*-S.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All four also have previous form at Morven Park CCI4*-L which, in the context of this year&rsquo;s US Equestrian Open Final, is very interesting.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/3af96702-3e61-4506-958f-7485e233b15e.png?width=1130&amp;height=1196" alt="Previous Morven Park Cci4*-L Results of the Usa's 2025 Chio Aachen Riders"></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Who of the four will target the $200,000 CCI4*-L Final at Morven Park this October? </strong>Who will they bring? Will they replicate their previous efforts in the class (if so, each would land well within the prize money)?</p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Will Coleman &amp; Off The Record</strong></h2>
<p><strong><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/cec4cf5d-c58c-488e-a77f-9c37a308d7de.jpg?width=4256&amp;height=2832" alt="The bay horse Off The Record and rider Will Coleman during the prize ceremony of CHIO Aachen 2021. Will smiles broadly and pats Off The Record between the ears. A winner's rubbin hangs from the horse's bridle."></strong></p>
<p><strong><em style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">Will Coleman &amp; Off The Record winning CHIO Aachen 2021 - the first and only US winners. Photo by Tilly Berendt.</em></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Will </strong>and his 2021 CHIO Aachen winner <strong>Off The Record </strong>were the highest placed US pair at Aachen this weekend, finishing fourth after adding just 0.8 cross-country time penalties to their dressage score. They were the second fastest round of the day (after New Zealand's Monica Spencer &amp; Artist who added 0.4 time penalties).</p>
<p dir="ltr">Off The Record first stepped up to the CCI4* level in April 2018. Since then, <strong>he has tackled 24 top-level cross-country courses (CCI4*/5*). He has jumped clear in all but </strong><em><strong>one</strong> </em>(CHIO Aachen 2023). On metrics, he is ranked in the top 1.0% of CCI4*-L cross-country jumpers and the top 1.3% on speed. A record like that is always a leaderboard threat when cross-country day rolls around, making sure we all remember it&rsquo;s not a dressage competition.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Not particularly known for producing super low dressage scores (unlike his stable mate<strong> Chin Tonic HS</strong>), Off The Record has nonetheless been competitive with his most recent CCI4* tests. These are his last five CCI4* dressage scores:</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<ol>
<li dir="ltr">Apr 2025 - Cosequin&reg; Lexington 4*-S (Qualifier 11): <strong>21.8 (went on to win)</strong></li>
<li dir="ltr">Sep 2024 - The Fork at Tryon 4*-S: <strong>30.1 (went on to win)</strong></li>
<li dir="ltr">Apr 2024 - Cosequin&reg; Lexington 4*-S:&nbsp;<strong>30.1 </strong>(finished 3rd)</li>
<li dir="ltr">Apr 2024 - Stable View 4*-S: <strong>31.2 </strong>(finished 4th)</li>
<li dir="ltr">Jun 2023 - CHIO Aachen 4*-S: <strong>28.1 </strong>(finished 38th)</li>
</ol>
<p>Of all four previous runnings of the Morven Park CCI4*-L, winning scores have ranged from 29.4 to 34.5. In Off The Record's international career, he's produced 12 top-level finishing scores in that range (and lower). If we do see the US stalwart - and 2022 World team silver medalist -&nbsp; in October, Off The Record will challenge for the top spot. He usually does.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Boyd Martin &amp; Commando 3</strong></h2>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/23338cba-f6dd-4f51-ae1a-3ee18a422a9d.jpg?width=5464&amp;height=5504" alt="Boyd Martin smiling while riding Commando 3 in the arena after the prize ceremony at the Kentucky Horse Park in 2024. Commando 3 wears a red ribbon on his bridle and has a pleasant, ears-pricked expression."></p>
<p><strong><em style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">Boyd Martin &amp; Commando 3 placing 2nd at the 2024 Cosequin&reg; Lexington CCI4*-S. Photo by Tilly Berendt.</em></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Boyd </strong>and<strong> Commando 3 </strong>finished fifth in Aachen by adding just 3.2 cross-country time penalties to their dressage score. The result boosted Commando 3 to the <strong>number four horse for the US right now according to the EquiRatings Elo rating as he holds 721 Elo points.</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Currently fifth in the US Equestrian Open standings, Boyd earned 50 of his 135 Series points by winning Stable View (Qualifier 8) with Commando 3. That Qualifier win was the latest of Commando 3&rsquo;s four career international wins, all at CCI4*:</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<ol>
<li dir="ltr">Apr 2025 - Stable View 4*-S (Qualifier 8)</li>
<li dir="ltr">Apr 2024 - Stable View 4*-S</li>
<li dir="ltr">Oct 2023 - Morven Park 4*-L</li>
<li dir="ltr">Sep 2023 - The Fork at Tryon 4*-S</li>
</ol>
<p dir="ltr">We can&rsquo;t gloss over that <strong>Morven Park CCI4*-L win two years ago</strong>. It was Boyd on Commando 3 winning what this year will be the<strong> $200,000</strong> US Equestrian Open Final. Can they replicate in 2025?</p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Phillip Dutton with Possante &amp; Denim</strong></h2>
<p><strong><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/eff45000-f571-4933-845e-d57611d71c22.jpg?width=4256&amp;height=2832" alt="Black &amp; white image of Phillip Dutton walking toward the camera in his show jumping attire, carrying his show jacket over his forearm and wearing his helmet with the chin-strap undone. He bears a focused expression. "></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><em style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">Phillip Dutton. Photo by Tilly Berendt.</em></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">With&nbsp;<strong>Possante</strong>, <strong>Phillip </strong>placed 11th at Aachen. It was Possante&rsquo;s third international appearance this season after finishing third at TerraNova CCI4*-S (Qualifier 6) and second at the Cosequin&reg; Lexington CCI4*-S (Qualifier 11). At the CCI4*-L level, however, Possante&rsquo;s show jumping has been a challenge; on both of his appearances at the level, he had two rails down on the final day (Boekelo 2024, Tryon 2024).</p>
<p dir="ltr">With Denim, Phillip finished 14th in Aachen. Though younger than Possante (12 YO),&nbsp;<strong>Denim </strong>(10 YO) has had better CCI4*-L results. Two of his three appearances at the level include an eighth place finish at Blenheim last year after a fifth at Tryon - both times adding just time penalties to his dressage score.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">The Blenheim result - eighth out of 78 competitors - was especially impressive and contributed to Denim&rsquo;s rank as the <strong>number two 10-year-old in the US right now according to the EquiRatings Elo Rating</strong>. The only 10-YO ahead of him is Paris Olympian HSH Blake (Caroline Pamukcu).&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">Right now, Phillip is our Series leader on 215 points. <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/theres-still-a-big-chance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">If he is still atop the leaderboard come season-end</a>, he will earn $25,000 before the Final even rolls around. It&rsquo;s been four years since Phillip has contested the Morven Park CCI4*-L but maybe this year he's planning to carry his Series momentum into even more winnings.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Caroline Pamukcu &amp; HSH Blake</h2>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/ee69af69-6c83-4f34-a7bb-0e04703d3444.jpg?width=5728&amp;height=5345" alt="The dark bay horse HSH Blake with Caroline Pamukcu exiting the Kentucky Horse Park dressage arena after their test. Caroline smiles and Blake has a pleasant, ears-pricked expression."></p>
<p><strong><em style="font-size: 90%; color: #999999;">Caroline Pamukcu &amp; HSH Blake. Photo by Tilly Berendt.</em></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Two rails down on Friday and 18.0 time penalties on Saturday saw <strong>Caroline </strong>and <strong>HSH Blake </strong>finishing 27th in Aachen. The pair did however produce the lowest first-phase score of the US combinations and they reclaimed their clear-jumping ways across the country after penalties at the Paris Olympics and 2025 Cosequin&reg; Lexington CCI4*-S.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">When HSH Blake was selected for Paris, it wasn&rsquo;t a big surprise for those of us on the EquiRatings team. We&rsquo;d seen him climbing up our ratings and, as a young horse,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cxfc7yjIuPe/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==">we had him pegged for LA 2028</a> but Paris 2024 was no stretch either. So, because it seems like he&rsquo;s been on our radar forever, it feels weird that Blake has &ldquo;only&rdquo; done eight top-level (CCI4*/5*) events in his career. Starting with TerraNova CCI4*-S in March 2023, he's done six CCI4*-S events including this weekend, the Olympics, and just one CCI4*-L at Tryon 2024.</p>
<p dir="ltr">That one CCI4*-L outing happened to be a 28.6 finish-on-dressage score to secure the win. According to the EquiRatings High Performance Rating (HPR) which quantifies the quality of any given result, it was the pair&rsquo;s best-ever performance (HPR of 98). So, will Blake go to Morven Park 2025? It&rsquo;s a data-set of one, but so far CCI4*-L looks good on him.</p>
<h2><strong>Series Standings as of July 8th, 2025 (After Qualifier 14):</strong></h2>
<p><em style="font-size: 93%; color: #999999;">See the full series standings, updated after each qualifier,&nbsp;<a href="https://equestrian-hub-usef.pages.dev/us-equestrian-open" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/d157fc24-3f4a-4051-97fd-f08a6dbc9f19.png?width=675&amp;height=844" alt="Current Series Leaders after Qualifier 14 (Maryland Int.)"></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</strong></h2>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/aee0755f-7ba0-4aaf-b197-8570742781c8.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Competition Calendar for the 2024-2025 US Equestrian Open of Eventing"></p>
<hr>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>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;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.</em></p>

Close-up of the bay horse Off The Record & rider Will Coleman galloping on a cross country course during competition. Both have a look of concentration.

Eventing