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The CSI5* $500,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix has become a big springboard to successful seasons over the last decade. Last year, this class was won by Kent Farrington and Greya. Kent went on to rewrite the record books with nine five-star victories in a single season, seven with Greya. He had won the class with Gazelle back in 2017 - and would set the pre-2015 benchmark of 8 Grand Prix/World Cup wins in a single season. Martin Fuchs&rsquo; 2019 campaign - after a win here with Clooney was similar.&nbsp;
With Cloudio and United Touch already in the string, this weekend&rsquo;s victory for Richard Vogel and Gangster Montdesir could well be the set up for a superstar season.&nbsp;
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<h3 dir="ltr">1. Richard Vogel and Gangster Montdesir Will Be Contenders</h3>
We had a German winner of last year&rsquo;s Open and on this evidence, we could well have another. Before the class, the EquiRatings numbers gave Gangster Montdesir just a 38% chance of going clear - a caution born from limited mileage, not lack of quality. Under the Saturday night lights, the ten-year-old delivered again, producing his fourth consecutive clear in CSI5* Grand Prix competition from four starts. He then went fastest in the jump-off in 42.65 seconds to take his second win at 5* Grand Prix.
"I couldn't wish for anything more and I&rsquo;m just thrilled with how he jumped tonight and how he was fighting for me," Richard Vogel said in the press conference.
"Wellington is really our home in the winter months. It&rsquo;s my fifth circuit here. It has always been good to us, good to our horses. Every year we are able to step up a couple of new, younger, exciting horses and Gangster is one of them this year."
The Lesson: A 100% clear rate across four starts at 160 is a meaningful signal. We can begin to discard the small-sample caution now. If Gangster Montdesir is at the Open Final, he will be a genuine contender.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/3cc3abfa-71b0-4888-b858-63076c0173ac.jpeg?width=1600&amp;height=1360" alt="Img L8913">
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<h3 dir="ltr">2. Nina Mallevaey and Dynastie de Beaufour Are Writing History</h3>
Third place on Saturday told only part of the story. The number that mattered was their 11th consecutive clear round at CSI5* 160 - a streak achieved by only eight combinations in modern history (since 2010).
"She (Dyanastie de Beaufour) is so amazing in every way. Since the first one (5* Grand Prix), she felt like she could do anything, she felt like she had done it for her whole life. I think she&rsquo;s incredible,smart, scopey, fast&hellip; she is an amazing horse."
Nina Mallevaey has competed at WEF Week 12 only twice before&mdash;2025 and 2023&mdash;watch to see if she makes it three.
The Lesson:&nbsp;Reliability is a competitive weapon. The top-ranked U25 rider in the world, the top ranked female in the sport, Mallevaey and Dynastie de Beaufour had a breakout season last year winning Brussels and are emerging as a major contender for the non-US riders hoping to take the title off home soil.&nbsp;
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<h3 dir="ltr">3. Lillie Keenan&rsquo;s Home Soil Threat</h3>
Lillie Keenan and Argan de Beliard jumped double clear and finished fourth, 2.64 seconds off the podium. We have been highlighting here in recent weeks how the addition of Highway TN to an already top string could be the tipping point and she goes to the next level. This weekend was a reminder of her strength in depth. Earlier during WEF she won the NetJets CSI4* Grand Prix with&nbsp;Fasther and claimed victory on Highway TN in their first show together. Three horses winning across multiple levels over the past few weeks - Lillie Keenan will have lots of choices when it comes to the Final.&nbsp;
The Lesson: The US home advantage is real and backed by form. Keenan enters the next five weeks as one of the riders to watch and a leading US contender to keep the trophy on American soil.&nbsp;
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<h3 dir="ltr">4. Kent Farrington and Greya Are Still the Ones to Beat</h3>
The defending champions and the pre-competition favorites, they did not win on Saturday, but they posted the fastest jump-off time of the night and only the final rail cost them the win. Their CSI5* 160 jump-off record remains exceptional, with nine wins and 11 podium finishes from now 15 jump-off appearances. Greya&rsquo;s conversion rate of Jump Off appearances to wins is unmatched at this level. Their round 1 rail last year cost them a place in the Jump Off but if they make it in Week 12, they will be favorites to win it.&nbsp;
While Saturday did not convert, Kent Farrington&rsquo;s response is likely to be even more determined push for the win.
The Lesson: Do not be distracted by a single rail. Farrington and Greya remain the favorite for the US Equestrian Open of Jumping Final as things stand and the combination to beat until proven otherwise.
 <img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/3835ff9b-46e5-418c-8cf7-ddb8500270c2.jpeg?width=1600&amp;height=1414" alt="Img L7122">
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<h3 dir="ltr">5. The Track Will Be Unforgiving - And Watch the Time</h3>
Gregory Bodo, who designed the Paris 2024 Olympic course, built Saturday's track. Only eight of the 39 starters jumped clear in Round 1. The resulting 20% clear rate sits just below the already demanding 10-year average of 23%, and is notably tougher than many global CSI5* 160 classes, where clear rates of 28&ndash;35% are not unusual.
But there is another statistic that deserves equal attention. 16 of the 39 riders collected time penalties meaning over 40% of the field was caught out by the clock. The Lesson: The Final will reward horses and riders who are simultaneously accurate and fast. Pairs who struggle with time allowed under pressure are flagged.
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Five weeks out, the picture is starting to sharpen. The contenders are emerging, momentum is building, and history suggests what works in Wellington early on tends to hold. When the Rolex US Equestrian Open of Jumping Final rolls around on March 28 (WEF Week 12), the lessons from Week 5 are likely to be big storylines.

Lillie Keenan and Argan de Beliard at WEF Week 5

Countdown to the Final: Five Lessons From the First Five-Star Weekend in Wellington. 

<h3 dir="ltr">Show Jumping: Vogel Takes the First 5* of WEF 2026 as the World No. 1 Battle Shifts</h3>
The US Equestrian Open Final: Wellington, Week 12 | Countdown: 6 Weeks
The first of four CSI5* weeks at the Winter Equestrian Festival set a high-stakes tone for what to expect as the circuit builds toward the Rolex finale. Germany&rsquo;s Richard Vogel claimed the $500,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix (1.60m) with the 10-year-old stallion Gangster Montdesir. It was a clinical performance for the rising superstar, marking his fourth clear round from four 5* starts (100% clear rate at the level).
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/297524eb-1727-4b63-bc11-aa562354867f.jpeg?width=1600&amp;height=1424" alt="Img L8956 (1)">
Kent Farrington (USA) was the first to find the path to a clear round in the evening, leading a total of eight combinations into the jump-off. While Farrington and Greya ultimately finished 5th after a pole down, their time of 40.43 seconds was the fastest of the night. It was a solid showing for the home nation, with Lillie Keenan and Argan de Beliard finishing 4th and Spencer Smith taking 6th with Keeneland.
As we suspected in last week&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/the-open-weekly-freestyle-west-coast-momentum">Open Weekly</a>, the battle for the World No.1 spot was on. Great Britain's Scott Brash has now officially overtaken Kent Farrington to become the new Longines World Number One. This marks exactly 10 years since Brash last held the position. With Brash in fantastic form in Doha&mdash;winning five Grand Prix titles this January alone&mdash;the question remains whether he will make a rare trip to Florida for the ultimate head-to-head with Farrington for the US Equestrian Open title on American soil.
<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/jumping" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/93f7dc6e-604b-4d1d-913d-73eddaee42db.png?width=1080&amp;height=161" alt="Read More Jumping"></a>
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<h3 dir="ltr">Dressage: A Winning Debut for G&oacute;mez Molina and Servus Ymas&nbsp;</h3>
Next Qualifier: World Equestrian Centre (WEC) February Dressage - 2/11/26 | The Final: Desert Dressage, Thermal CA (November)
AGDF&rsquo;s Friday Night Stars was held on an unusually cold, blustery Wellington night, but the conditions did little to unsettle Pablo G&oacute;mez Molina (ESP) and Servus Ymas. The pair won the CDI4* Grand Prix Freestyle with a score of 74.490%, marking their first FEI freestyle together and G&oacute;mez Molina&rsquo;s first Big Tour victory.
A win on debut at this level is uncommon, particularly when it comes with a horse stepping into a CDI4* environment for the first time and a freestyle originally choreographed for a different partner. &ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s really special because we struggled a little bit to find our groove last year,&rdquo; G&oacute;mez Molina said. &ldquo;We already felt a progression, and I think this just confirmed that we keep growing.&rdquo;
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/4f2d8584-ab2f-49fb-9781-346d6cd55eec.png?width=909&amp;height=1101" alt="Screenshot 2026 02 10 144916">
Devon Kane finished second on 74.235%, with Susan Dutta third on 72.985%. With a small field and early-season timing, points were modest but still meaningful. Dutta added eight points to her existing Open total, while G&oacute;mez Molina&rsquo;s first Series appearance put both riders on 15 points. That result slots them into a seven-way tie (yes, seven) for eighth place on the leaderboard, while the top seven positions remain unchanged for now.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/d2b162d1-db95-4337-bb53-bae7adbf61ea.png?width=1240&amp;height=806" alt="S Ichi Current Leaderboard of the Us Equestrian Open of Dressage (1)">
For G&oacute;mez Molina, the result marked his first Open qualifier appearance since finishing tenth at AGDF 3 in 2025 aboard Ulises de Ymas - a horse who, fittingly, is also Servus Ymas&rsquo;s sole traveling companion. Servus Ymas, the 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding, has been produced by G&oacute;mez Molina since age five and is known for being powerful, sharp, and very much his own character. The freestyle, originally built for Ulises de Ymas, was used here as a test of how Servus might handle the demands of the level. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s no better place to try those things than here,&rdquo; G&oacute;mez Molina said.
If a mid-70s score is what the pair can produce with a borrowed program, future outings with a freestyle built specifically for Servus Ymas will be worth watching.
<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/dressage" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/df3afaab-1f25-4fab-a1dc-c46c608169fb.png?width=1080&amp;height=171" alt="Read More Dressage"></a>
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<h3 dir="ltr">Eventing: Early Bouckaert Entries Roll In</h3>
Next Qualifier: Bouckaert Farm - 3/5/26 | Countdown: 3 Weeks
The series returns to Georgia next month for the Bouckaert Equestrian International (March 5-8). Early entries are beginning to roll in, and we already have five pairs confirmed for the first qualifier of 2026.
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Zach Brandt &amp; Direct Advance: Ocala-based Brandt contested three qualifiers last year with Direct Advance. The now fifteen-year-old jumped double-clear twice for two top-10 finishes.</li>
<li dir="ltr">Mia Farley &amp; Phelps: Last year, Farley used this event as a prep run for the Kentucky 5* with a slower cross-country round that added 22 time penalties. It is always a pleasure to see fan-favorite Phelps back out, particularly in the cross-country phase.</li>
<li dir="ltr">Olivia Dutton &amp; Jewelent: Jewelent will contest his first 4* with Olivia, having previously been campaigned at the level by her father, Phillip Dutton.</li>
<li dir="ltr">Ali Kuhn &amp; Little Hail: This 15.1hh OTTB captured hearts at last year&rsquo;s Kentucky 4* with a clear cross-country round and their signature pink cross-country colors. They will contest their second four-star at Bouckaert.</li>
<li dir="ltr">Jan Byyny &amp; Beautiful Storm: Having contested three qualifiers and the Final last season, this is a long-established combination, with Byyny producing the 11-year-old Thoroughbred since he was three</li>
</ul>
Keep a close eye on the entry list for Lucienne Bellissimo. As our current Series leader, she won the opening qualifier at Bouckaert last October with Dyri. As of last week, Bellissimo now officially <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/new-flag-for-the-frontrunner">represents the United States after changing her nationality from Great Britain.</a> Her decision to change nationality reflects a long-term personal commitment to the country she has called home for many years.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/c23492d7-840b-47ef-9003-9f9fdbe46459.png?width=1240&amp;height=714" alt="E Fens Current Leaderboard of the Us Equestrian Open of Eventing (1)">
<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/eventing" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/254e09dd-d92e-4194-986b-baf0dbd8460b.png?width=1080&amp;height=158" alt="Read More Eventing"></a>
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<h2 data-path-to-node="4">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 data-path-to-node="4">Stay in the Loop with The Open Weekly</h2>
Thanks for joining us for this week's edition! Don't forget: a fresh update of&nbsp;The Open Weekly&nbsp;drops on the site&nbsp;every Tuesday.
<h3 data-path-to-node="9">Join the Conversation</h3>
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<h3 data-path-to-node="6">Go Beyond the Article</h3>
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Open Weekly Promotion Poster with Lillie Keenan Jumping

The Open Weekly: The First WEF 5*, Dressage Momentum, and Bouckaert Takes Shape

<h3 dir="ltr">Dressage: Osborne Claims Ocala Freestyle</h3>
Next Qualifier: Adequan&reg; Global Dressage Festival 5 - CDI4* | The Final: Desert Dressage, Thermal CA (November)
The Grand Prix Freestyle at World Equestrian Center&ndash;Ocala drew a three-horse field, limiting the points on offer. The weekend&rsquo;s most notable result came from Charlotte Osborne (GBR) and Fruhlingszauber, who produced the highest score of the class.
Osborne and Fruhlingszauber won on 70.775 percent, setting a new personal best in just the pair&rsquo;s second FEI Grand Prix Freestyle together. They finished narrowly ahead of pre-show favorites Claire Darnell and Harrold S on 70.560 percent. Darnell and Harrold S entered the weekend with the <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/claire-darnell-enters-as-favorite-at-wec-ocala-cdi3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strongest statistical profile in the field</a>, averaging 73.569 percent across four freestyle starts with a personal best of 77.015.
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DUQxBKYEbuS/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/c6dea697-f831-41d8-95f9-2a6f9f2343df.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="100+ Club Season Openers Graphics"></a>
Sylvia Gugler and Vulkano 14 completed the podium on 66.600 percent. While the small field capped points, Gugler&rsquo;s second Open appearance of the season was enough to move her from within the top 20 to seventh on the Series leaderboard following her earlier start at Gold Coast.
Next week brings the return of Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn and Gino, who will have an opportunity to challenge for the top leaderboard spot with Christian Simonson and Indian Rock not contesting the freestyle.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/68dc7bad-b3e7-4798-a77d-6aeab3c0ada6.png?width=1240&amp;height=806" alt="S Ichi Current Leaderboard of the Us Equestrian Open of Dressage ">
<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/dressage" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/df3afaab-1f25-4fab-a1dc-c46c608169fb.png?width=1080&amp;height=171" alt="Read More Dressage"></a>
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<h2 dir="ltr">Eventing: The West Coast Awakens at Galway Downs</h2>
Next Qualifier: Bouckaert Farm | Countdown: 4 Weeks
We are now just one month away from the action returning! While the national season kicked off in Florida two weeks ago, the West Coast officially joined the fray this weekend at Galway Downs. The Temecula tracks provided the first real opportunity of 2026 for California-based Open contenders to shake off the cobwebs and put their off-season homework to the test.
Tamie Smith made an emphatic statement to start her year, campaigning a massive string of seven horses. Of particular interest for the Open is Lillet 3. The 10-year-old mare, who successfully stepped up to the four-star level last year, currently sits as the <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/the-crystal-ball-how-data-predicts-the-next-generation-of-us-superstars">second-highest rated US ten-year-old.</a> Only the recently returned Jaguars Duende (Sharon White) sits higher in that age bracket. Smith and Lillet 3 secured a win in the Open Intermediate division, finishing on a score of 32.4. With six Open Qualifiers on the West Coast in 2026, Lillet 3 is very likely a horse that will secure big points for Smith this season.&nbsp;
Another pair lining up for a big 2026 is Galway Downs-based Erin Kellerhouse and Bon Vivant GWF. After an impressive 2025 campaign that included four podium finishes in five international starts at the 3* level, this pair look primed for a four-star step-up. They won the Intermediate/Preliminary division, finishing on their dressage score of 33.1.
While these results set a high bar for form and fitness, West Coast riders must remain patient until Galway Downs International at the end of March to officially put points on the board when the US Equestrian Open of Eventing finally arrives on the West Coast.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/a8c33f23-f4e4-48f0-b943-54753a1eec22.png?width=1240&amp;height=714" alt="E Fens Current Leaderboard of the Us Equestrian Open of Eventing ">
<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/eventing" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/254e09dd-d92e-4194-986b-baf0dbd8460b.png?width=1080&amp;height=158" alt="Read More Eventing"></a>
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<h2 dir="ltr">Show Jumping: A big weekend in Desert and a British challenger emerges</h2>
The US Equestrian Open Final: Wellington, Week 12&nbsp; | Countdown: 7 Weeks
At the Desert International Horse Park, the CSI5*-W $340,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup&trade; Thermal turned into a masterclass for the home nation. In a seven-horse jump-off, American riders locked out the podium. Kyle King claimed the top spot aboard Kayenne Z, followed closely by Karl Cook on the ever-consistent Foxy de la Roque in 2nd. Kaitlin Campbell rounded out the top three with Karius.
Irish riders were again the ones to beat at Wellington International and the leaderboard featured some familiar faces from last year&rsquo;s Open Final. The MARS Equestrian CSI4* Grand Prix win went to Shane Sweetnam (IRL) with a first big win for Coriaan van Klapscheut Z.&nbsp; Bertram Allen (IRL) finished second with Qonquest de Rigo - a combination which finished fifth in last year&rsquo;s final.&nbsp;
Scott Brash (GBR) doesn&rsquo;t often go to Wellington. In fact, it has been over 10 years since we saw him and Hello Sanctos win a 160 Grand Prix there in 2014 during Week 12. All eyes will be on the Kent Farrington v Scott Brash story if we do see an entry emerge. Brash is in remarkable form. He extended his Doha run with victory in Sunday&rsquo;s CSI5* 1.60m Grand Prix aboard Hello Jefferson, marking his fifth Grand Prix win of the 2026 season (three at 5* level) and capping a January that simply does not happen in modern show jumping. Backed by a string that includes Hello Jefferson, Hello Folie, Hello Mango and Hello Chadora Lady, Scott Brash sits world number two with real momentum in the rankings race. If he does choose to return to Wellington, it will set up a huge battle to keep the trophy on home soil.
<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/jumping" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/93f7dc6e-604b-4d1d-913d-73eddaee42db.png?width=1080&amp;height=161" alt="Read More Jumping"></a>
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<h2 data-path-to-node="4">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 data-path-to-node="4">Stay in the Loop with The Open Weekly</h2>
Thanks for joining us for this week's edition! Don't forget: a fresh update of&nbsp;The Open Weekly&nbsp;drops on the site&nbsp;every Tuesday.
<h3 data-path-to-node="9">Join the Conversation</h3>
Follow us for daily highlights, behind-the-scenes content, and live updates:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/useqopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X (Twitter)</a>
<h3 data-path-to-node="6">Go Beyond the Article</h3>
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<iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/39988155/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/28427a/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

The Open Weekly: Freestyle Wins, West Coast Returns, and Momentum Builds

The Open Weekly: Results and Early Signals from the Winter Circuits

The Open Weekly graphic featuring an image of Boyd Martin on his horse. 

The Open Weekly: This Week’s Results, Leaderboard Moves, and What’s Next

Kent Farrington has done what only Kent Farrington has ever done before. With victory in the $340,000 CSI5* Grand Prix of Greenwich aboard Toulayna, the world no. 1 secured his eighth five-star Grand Prix/World Cup triumph of 2025, matching the unprecedented tally he first set in 2017.
<h2>History Repeats Itself, With a Twist</h2>
In the modern era of show jumping, consistency at the very top is one of the sport&rsquo;s hardest currencies. Since 2010, no rider other than Farrington has managed to amass eight five-star Grand Prix or World Cup wins in a single calendar year. Martin Fuchs (2019) and McLain Ward (2010) came close, but only Farrington has scaled the summit. Twice.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/ea454955-bc3b-41c8-b0b3-aed61501a437.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Usef Jumping Graphics 2025 (21)">
This latest victory in Greenwich, achieved by just three-hundredths of a second over Daniel Bluman and Corbie V.V., was the perfect snapshot of what makes Farrington unstoppable: speed, precision, and the nerve to execute under pressure.
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<h2>Greya Joins the Legends</h2>
It isn&rsquo;t just Farrington rewriting history this year, his superstar mare Greya is doing the same. With her latest Grand Prix win in Williamsburg, the 11-year-old Oldenburg (Colestus x Contender) captured her sixth five-star victory of 2025, matching the legendary record set by Gazelle in 2017. Remarkably, both mares have been guided to these milestone seasons by Farrington, cementing his reputation as one of the greatest championship managers of horses in modern show jumping. With history still unfolding, Greya&rsquo;s campaign could yet surpass Gazelle&rsquo;s benchmark and stand alone at the very top.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/204b935d-44bc-4581-ad1c-99937e60f2a6.png?width=1200&amp;height=600" alt="1">
<h2>Rivalries and Records</h2>
Farrington and Bluman have been locked in a season-long battle across Major League Show Jumping and beyond, trading blows in Toronto, Traverse City, and now Greenwich. While Bluman once again pushed him to the limit, Farrington&rsquo;s composure in the jump-off brought his season tally to an extraordinary eight wins.
Behind the stats lies a remarkable storyline: Farrington&rsquo;s triumphs have come aboard multiple horses, led by Greya, with whom he has taken 6 of those wins and Toulayna, the 11-year-old Zangersheide mare co-owned with Rabbit Root Stables. The mares&rsquo; blend of scope and speed has been the cornerstone of Farrington&rsquo;s dominance in 2025.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/2f5016af-b017-4a7f-92b4-8eb6707474d8.png?width=1200&amp;height=600" alt="2">
<h2>The Making of a Modern Legend</h2>
What sets Farrington apart isn&rsquo;t just his ability to win, it&rsquo;s his ability to do it again, and again, across different arenas, continents, and lineups of the world&rsquo;s best. From Wellington to Traverse City, from Toronto to Greenwich, 2025 has been a masterclass in sustained brilliance.
Eight five-star Grand Prix victories in one year is a number most riders can scarcely imagine. For Kent Farrington, it is not just a record, it is a signature.

Eight and Great: Kent Farrington Rewrites the Record Books

<h2>A Night to Remember in Saint-Tropez</h2>
Under the lights in Saint-Tropez-Gassin, Karl Cook and Caracole de la Roque delivered yet another masterclass. The track was big, technical, and built to test the very best, but the pair made it look effortless. Flying through the jump-off in 41.06 seconds as the last to go, they snatched the win from Brazil&rsquo;s Stephan de Freitas Barcha &amp; Dinozo Imperio Egipcio, with USA&rsquo;s Laura Kraut &amp; Bisquetta close behind in third.
<h2>Entering the History Books&nbsp;</h2>
Three consecutive five-star Grand Prix wins is something we rarely see. Since 2010, only 11 horse-and-rider combinations have ever pulled it off. Caracole is now the only horse to have done it twice and with two different riders. First with Julien Epaillard in 2022, and now with Karl Cook in 2025. That puts her alongside names like Explosion W, Gazelle, and Hickstead in the record books.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/eb393637-c10f-43be-bc89-1fe3e8ddc197.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Usef Jumping Graphics 2025 (19)">
<h2>What&rsquo;s Next?</h2>
Momentum is on their side, and the partnership looks unstoppable. The big question now: can Cook and Caracole push this streak even further? Fans will be watching closely as the season rolls on.

Three in a Row for Cook & Caracole

<h2>A Season Like No Other</h2>
Greya&rsquo;s rise to the top of the sport reached new heights in Traverse City, where she and Kent Farrington captured the North American leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup&trade;. The win marked her fifth five-star Grand Prix/World Cup triumph of the season, a feat that only a handful of horses have ever achieved.
<h2>Following in Famous Footsteps</h2>
Since 2010, just two horses have managed to win five or more five-star Grand Prix classes in a single year: Hello Sanctos (Scott Brash, 2014) and Gazelle (Kent Farrington, 2017). Both are legends of modern show jumping. Sanctos for aiding Scott Brash to become the first-ever winner of the Rolex Grand Slam, and Gazelle for her six-win record-setting season.
Now, remarkably, Farrington finds himself guiding another mare to the same level of greatness. With Greya, he has not only equalled his own history-making success, but set the stage for an extraordinary repeat of one of the sport&rsquo;s rarest achievements.
<h2> The Numbers Behind the Wins</h2>
Greya&rsquo;s five-star victories this year have come across three major American venues: Wellington, Lexington, and Traverse City. Winning twice in Wellington, once in Lexington, and twice again in Traverse City, she has shown she can dominate on different stages and under different pressures. Her 2025 campaign is a showcase of adaptability and consistency at the very highest level of the sport.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/02b2833a-4922-4f61-96e3-65a7bc0c856a.png?width=1240&amp;height=854" alt="Y Pg Tt Greya S 5 Five Star Grand Prix Wins in 2025 ">
<h2>Chasing Gazelle&rsquo;s Record</h2>
The parallels with Gazelle&rsquo;s 2017 season are impossible to ignore. Then, Farrington and Gazelle achieved an unprecedented six Grand Prix wins in a single year, a record that still stands. With more than three months of the 2025 season remaining, Greya now has the chance to match or even surpass that milestone, making Farrington the only rider to guide two different horses into this rare territory.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/43dc9da0-b5bc-406a-bef2-cc2ec1746033.png?width=1200&amp;height=600" alt="1">
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/072beb3a-3b22-4627-a4df-929eea6b2fb8.png?width=1200&amp;height=600" alt="2">
<h2>A Legacy in the Making</h2>
For Greya, 2025 already marks a career-defining season. But with the chance to chase down Gazelle&rsquo;s record, her story is still being written. What is certain is that she has joined an elite group of horses and that Kent Farrington&rsquo;s name, already etched in history, may soon be attached to not one but two of the greatest five-star campaigns the sport has ever seen.
&nbsp;

Greya the Great: Five Wins and Chasing History

It had been 897 days since Laura Kraut last claimed a five-star 1.60m Grand Prix win, a streak stretching back to her victory in Wellington in February 2023 with Baloutinue. In that time, Kraut had built an enviable record of consistency at the sport&rsquo;s highest level, recording 21 Top 10 finishes. But the top spot kept eluding her, including two second-place finishes in Rolex Majors earlier this season. That all changed in Dublin, where Kraut and Bisquetta produced the only clear round from a world-class field of 40 to win the Rolex Grand Prix of Ireland.
<h2>Close Calls Along the Way</h2>
The road back to the top was anything but quiet. Kraut came within touching distance of victory multiple times, including second place at both the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen with Baloutinue and the US Equestrian Open Final Rolex Grand Prix of Wellington with Bisquetta earlier this year. In each case, the margin was narrow, the performance strong, but the final second kept her off the top step.
<h2><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/e0b30130-07e1-4b60-b131-febfc59c0879.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Usef Jumping Graphics 2025 (14)"></h2>
<h2> The Dublin Decider</h2>
In the electric atmosphere of the RDS Main Arena, Ireland&rsquo;s Alan Wade had set a track that proved unforgiving. Clear rounds were nowhere to be found as the class progressed, with rails falling for Olympic champions, former winners, and rising stars alike. Then, as the penultimate combination, Kraut and Bisquetta entered the ring. With trademark poise and precision, they navigated the 14 obstacles without a fault to deliver the class&rsquo;s sole clear.
<h2>Patience Rewarded</h2>
&ldquo;The Dublin Horse Show is one of those bucket list events,&rdquo; Kraut said afterwards. &ldquo;Alan Wade built a course that was careful but fair, and you had to be perfect to go clear. Bisquetta was brilliant, very brave, very careful, and this year she&rsquo;s stepped up to another level.&rdquo;
For Kraut, this win was more than a victory, it was the culmination of patience, consistency, and readiness. After 897 days of chasing, she had proven once again why she remains one of the sport&rsquo;s greats.

897 Days Later: Laura Kraut Returns to the Top in Dublin’s Rolex Grand Prix

<h2>The Breakthrough in Dinard</h2>
Aaron Vale and Carissimo 25 clinched their first CSI5* Grand Prix victory together last weekend, delivering a storming jump-off performance to top the Rolex Grand Prix of Dinard. It was a win that had it all: electric atmosphere, fierce competition, and a fearless final round that stopped the clock in 38.77 seconds, almost two full seconds ahead of the rest.
This moment marked their fourth international victory as a pair and their first at five-star 1.60m level. It came in their 33rd round together at this height, a stat that makes the win feel even more deserved and hard-earned.&nbsp;
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/3be125d5-a35e-4a4a-b05f-dbb0446afdd2.png?width=1006&amp;height=696" alt="J4n Rj Aaron Vale Carissimo 25 S International Victories">
&nbsp;
<h2>A Power Pair in Red, White, and Blue</h2>
This win is just the latest chapter in a growing legacy. Vale and Carissimo have worn the Team USA jacket in five-star Nations Cup competitions nine times to date, playing a pivotal role in two team victories: the Longines League of Nations in Ocala earlier this year and the Aga Khan Nations Cup in Dublin last year.
Their next stop? Back to Dublin, where they&rsquo;ll aim to defend that Nations Cup title. It&rsquo;s a venue they know well. Alongside last year&rsquo;s team win, the pair also stood on the podium in the Rolex Grand Prix of Dublin. With recent form peaking and that success still fresh in their minds, they look poised to make another deep run.
&nbsp;
<h2>Could They Do the Double in Dublin?</h2>
Momentum is everything in this sport and Vale and Carissimo are riding high. If their Dinard performance is any indication, they could be in serious contention for another Nations Cup win and possibly more in Dublin.

Rolex US Equestrian Open of Jumping