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<p data-start="261" data-end="558">In this week&rsquo;s&nbsp;US Equestrian Open Podcast, <strong>Annie Bishop </strong>and <strong>Diarmuid Byrne</strong> dig into the biggest narratives shaping the series right now. From a new dressage leader to a potential Boyd Martin masterclass in eventing, the episode sets the stage for an exciting stretch of the season.</p>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/40305520/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></p>
<p data-start="560" data-end="651">Here are <strong data-start="569" data-end="651">five storylines from the podcast that make this week&rsquo;s episode worth a listen.</strong></p>
<h2 data-start="658" data-end="701">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 data-start="658" data-end="701">1.<strong>Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn</strong> Takes the Dressage Lead</h2>
<p data-start="703" data-end="807">The <a href="https://equestrian-hub-usef.pages.dev/us-equestrian-open" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dressage leaderboard </a>has a new name at the top&nbsp;and it&rsquo;s a story that has been building for a while.</p>
<p data-start="809" data-end="1002"><strong>Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn</strong> and <strong data-start="827" data-end="835">Gino</strong> delivered a standout weekend, including a personal best in the Grand Prix Special and a freestyle victory, moving her past <strong>Christian Simonson</strong> to take the series lead.&nbsp;</p>
<p data-start="809" data-end="1002"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/26f73d45-9ce2-4dd7-899b-c777fe4b02e1.png?width=1240&amp;height=714" alt="Bo Iwm Current Leaderboard of the Us Equestrian Open of Dressage "></p>
<p data-start="1004" data-end="1147">For the Annie and Diarm, it&rsquo;s also a reminder of how the Open helps turn riders into household names for fans following the journey week to week.</p>
<blockquote data-start="1149" data-end="1362">
<p data-start="1151" data-end="1362"><em>&ldquo;Ge&ntilde;ay became a real household name from an Open point of view last year&hellip; the interviews were great, the frequent competing, and the opportunity again, as we're talking about that name recognition, that really helped.&rdquo; - </em>Diarmuid Byrne</p>
</blockquote>
<p data-start="1364" data-end="1592">What makes this story even stronger is the East Coast-West Coast element. Vaughn picked up results in Florida earlier in the season before heading back west and winning again. Proof that the series truly spans the country.</p>
<p data-start="1364" data-end="1592">&nbsp;</p>
<hr data-start="1594" data-end="1597">
<h2 data-start="1599" data-end="1651">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 data-start="1599" data-end="1651">2. The Jumping Final Is Suddenly Three Weeks Away</h2>
<p data-start="1653" data-end="1687">The calendar has crept up quickly.&nbsp;In just three weeks, the Rolex US Equestrian Open Final of Jumping will crown a champion and the tension is building.</p>
<p data-start="1800" data-end="1971">Annie and Diarm highlight how the season has evolved into a fascinating showdown between US riders and a strong international contingent arriving to challenge them.</p>
<blockquote data-start="1973" data-end="2126">
<p data-start="1975" data-end="2126"><em>&ldquo;What's really exciting for us from an Open point of view and from an individual final at Wellington point of view is that there there is so many individual superstars now in the US. And of course, as we saw last year, the international talent will come and take them on."</em> - Diarmuid Byrne</p>
</blockquote>
<p data-start="2128" data-end="2348">Names like&nbsp;<strong data-start="2139" data-end="2220">Ben Maher, Richard Vogel, Shane Sweetnam, and Daragh Kenny</strong> are part of that international pressure. But the US riders have momentum and they want to keep the Open title on home soil.</p>
<p data-start="2128" data-end="2348">&nbsp;</p>
<hr data-start="2350" data-end="2353">
<h2 data-start="2355" data-end="2407">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 data-start="2355" data-end="2407">3. The US Nations Cup Win Adds Fuel to the Fire</h2>
<p data-start="2409" data-end="2476">Momentum matters and the US team got a big boost at Wellington last week.&nbsp;The United States claimed the CSI04* Nations Cup, reinforcing the idea that the Florida-based US riders are in strong form heading toward the Open final.</p>
<p data-start="2626" data-end="2752">One of the standout performances came from <strong data-start="2669" data-end="2683">Callie Schott</strong>, who delivered another reliable round, jumping double clear, as part of the winning effort.</p>
<blockquote data-start="2754" data-end="2862">
<p data-start="2756" data-end="2862"><em>&ldquo;</em><em>There is strength and depth in these wins. These wins are important. The US tend to do pretty well here. I think this is their 11th win over the last 25 years at Wellington Nations Cups. I think it does show a lot of the depth that's available." </em>- Diarmuid Byrne</p>
</blockquote>
<p data-start="2756" data-end="2862">&nbsp;</p>
<hr data-start="3027" data-end="3030">
<h2 data-start="3032" data-end="3077">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 data-start="3032" data-end="3077">4. Eventing Returns With a Stacked Field</h2>
<p data-start="3079" data-end="3219">While dressage and jumping have been building their narratives,<strong> </strong>eventing is finally back on the Open calendar this weekend at Bouckaert.&nbsp;And it&rsquo;s not easing into the season.</p>
<p data-start="3259" data-end="3444">The entry list includes <strong data-start="3283" data-end="3320">series leader Lucienne Bellissimo</strong><strong>, Caroline Pamukcu, Tamie Smith</strong> and <strong data-start="3346" data-end="3385">defending Open champion Boyd Martin, </strong>who arrives with an entire string of competitive horses.</p>
<blockquote data-start="3446" data-end="3595">
<p data-start="3448" data-end="3595"><em>&ldquo;It is a corker of a field. There are so many excellent entries and it will be, assuming everyone starts, in the higher tier of points. So a lot to play for and we've got some really incredible entries here." - </em>Annie Bishop<em><br></em></p>
</blockquote>
<p data-start="3597" data-end="3703">With valuable points on offer early in the season, the leaderboard could shift quickly after this weekend.&nbsp;</p>
<p data-start="3597" data-end="3703">&nbsp;</p>
<hr data-start="3705" data-end="3708">
<h2 data-start="3710" data-end="3758">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 data-start="3710" data-end="3758">5. Boyd Martin Could Shake Up the Leaderboard</h2>
<p data-start="3760" data-end="3864">If there&rsquo;s one storyline the podcast keeps circling back to, it&rsquo;s <strong data-start="3826" data-end="3863">Boyd Martin&rsquo;s </strong>depth of horsepower.</p>
<p data-start="3866" data-end="4009">Martin arrives with serious depth: <strong data-start="620" data-end="687">Fetiche Des Rouges, Kolbeinn, Commando 3, and Cooley Nutcracker</strong>, with the latter two entering as the highest-rated horses in the field.&nbsp;</p>
<p data-start="4011" data-end="4075">For Diarmuid Byrne, that opens the door for a huge leaderboard opportunity,</p>
<blockquote data-start="4077" data-end="4214">
<p data-start="4079" data-end="4214"><em>&ldquo;If you look back on how this played out last year in terms of winning the series, Boyd tended to weigh in on big heavy weekends, maybe three times in the season. Twice or three times in the season, he took jumps of up to 100 points at a time." </em>- Diarmuid Byrne</p>
</blockquote>
<p data-start="4216" data-end="4373">With multiple rides capable of landing near the top of the leaderboard, Martin could emerge from the weekend as a major contender in the <a href="https://equestrian-hub-usef.pages.dev/us-equestrian-open" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2026 Open standings.</a></p>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/40305520/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></p>
<p><a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/the-open-weekly" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/797de4a4-a9fd-4ef8-8f83-7253791613fc.png?width=4048&amp;height=577" alt="Us Open Blog Inserts"></a></p>

Five Storylines Discussed on This Week’s US Equestrian Open Podcast

<p dir="ltr"><strong>Brooke Burchianti</strong> sat down with <strong>Annie Bishop </strong>on this week's episode of the US Equestrian Open Podcast. Find the full episode <a href="https://pod.fo/e/396daa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">In Her Blood</h2>
<p dir="ltr">Some riders find horses. For Brooke, it was never really a question. Her mother competed through the intermediate and three-star level, producing thoroughbreds up through the levels. Her grandmother rode too. By the time Brooke was three, sitting on her mother's big dressage horse, it was already decided.&nbsp;Pony Club and Welsh ponies led to a single-minded certainty that this was to be Brooke&rsquo;s job and not a phase.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>"Ever since then I was like 'This is this is for me, there's nothing else that I want to do.' Ever since I was a kid, I was like 'I want to ride horses my whole life. That's the job I want. That's it. And that's what I ended up doing.'"</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">From there she went to James Madison University, where she studied sports management; a degree that, it turns out, maps almost directly into running an equestrian business. With a degree in her back pocket for if the horses didn&rsquo;t work out, she returned home to Pennsylvania, took over the farm her mother had run, and began building something of her own.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Family Dynamics</h2>
<p dir="ltr">The farm her mother Karin owns is also where Brooke trains which means her first and most important coach is also her mother. That dynamic, as Brooke is quick to admit, has not always been smooth.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>"When I was a kid, I was a bit defiant and I didn't necessarily take instruction super well from her. I take it well from other people."</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">The turning point came when Brooke recognised that there weren't many people in the area who had competed to the level her mother had. She decided to stop being a daughter at the barn and start being a student. Brooke has learned to listen to her mother&rsquo;s advice because she knows her, and more to the point, knows Astro, better than anyone.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Second Choice</h2>
<p dir="ltr">Brooke made the trip to Cooley Farm in Ireland looking for a horse. She had her eye on one horse in particular but horses being horses, that one failed the vetting.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Cooley Space Gray</strong> or <strong>Astro </strong>to his friends, was next on the list. She sat on him twice over two days and they just clicked.</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr"><em>"I think we just kind of matched each other. I think he knew that I wasn't going to get in his way too much. I was just there to be his friend more than anything and that's honestly what he needs."</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">He was only 6 and had come from a show jumping barn meaning he had no eventing experience and Brooke would have to build everything from scratch. But she bought him anyways, brought him home to Pennsylvania, and got to work.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/9cc2648a-c6bb-4677-ac8f-dceaea847484.jpeg?width=1600&amp;height=1066" alt="Whats App Image 2026 02 25 at 12.05.34"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Fast forward 7 years and Brooke has produced Astro all the way from his first 2* to their 5* debut at Kentucky last year.</p>
<p dir="ltr">His name came from Brooke's interest in astrology and from the feeling, looking back, that the whole thing was written in the stars. The first horse wasn't meant to be hers. <strong>Cooley Space Gray</strong> was.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Everything His Way</h2>
<p dir="ltr">Astro is not a complicated horse to ride. He is, however, completely on his own terms.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The mare Brooke had before him was a hot chestnut thoroughbred that she describes as a dragon. Astro is the opposite. He runs in a snaffle across all three phases. Brooke could take a breath and he would slow down. On cross-country, his ears come up, he looks for the next fence, and he goes.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/a1839783-2f92-4aae-bb94-a018067c7b46.jpeg?width=1440&amp;height=960" alt="Whats App Image 2026 02 25 at 12.06.00"></p>
<p dir="ltr">What he does not do is take instruction he hasn't agreed to. This extends to basic yard management. One morning this winter, Brooke went to catch him in the field and he simply declined.</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr"><em>"He's like 'I don't think I want to come in right now - you're not going to catch me,'&nbsp; and so I literally will just open the gate and just be like 'Just come in when you can buddy.'"</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">The same quality that makes him hard to catch (occasionally) is what makes him so effective on course. He does not get in his own way. He does not need to be managed into submission. He jumps because he wants to jump and the results show it. Last year, he and Brooke were one of just four combinations to finish on their dressage score at an Open qualifier.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/7647d547-5141-4d9f-bc02-a30798b32865.png?width=1748&amp;height=614" alt="W A0 Jf the Four Fod S From the 2025 Series Qualifiers Nbsp "></p>
<p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>
<hr>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">The String Behind Brooke</h2>
<p dir="ltr">Brooke doesn't have one type of horse, she has every type.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Cooley Constellation,</strong> known as <strong>Aries</strong>, is the almost-exact opposite of Astro: nearly 17 hands, long, gangly, and in Brooke's words<em> &ldquo;the sweetest horse in the barn&rdquo;. </em>He stepped up to the 3*L at Maryland last season and Brooke believes he has a five-star in him when the time comes.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Then there is <strong>KHH Lanesboro</strong> or <strong>Bart</strong>. Also from Ireland, Bart is smaller and more similar to Astro. He is competing at the CCI1* with aims to step up in the spring.</p>
<p dir="ltr">A third Cooley horse is incoming but her name is undecided. It will, Brooke confirms, be on the astrology theme.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Future</h2>
<p dir="ltr">Astro is on a well-earned break after the season. A few minor strains&mdash;nothing serious, but enough to justify some rest&mdash;mean he&rsquo;ll return this summer, with autumn plans still taking shape.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">Aries is aiming for Carolina to kick off the year, with a long-term goal of stepping up to Advanced in the autumn.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">Bart is set to move up to 2* in the spring, Virginia is a possibility, though plans remain flexible.</p>
<p dir="ltr">When Brooke first went to Cooley and sat down with <strong>Richard Sheane</strong>, she nearly kept her biggest goals to herself. But she said it anyway: she wanted to ride at Advanced, and one day at five-star. She&rsquo;s achieved these goals now... so the next chapter is hers to write.</p>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/40223065/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></p>
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<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">&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/aee0755f-7ba0-4aaf-b197-8570742781c8.jpeg?width=1280&amp;height=1600" alt="Competition Calendar for the 2024-2025 US Equestrian Open of Eventing"></p>
<p>&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>

Brroke Burchianti and Cooley Space Grey jumping cross country

Family, Fate, and Five-Star: The Brooke Burchianti Story

<p><strong>Megan</strong> <strong>McIver</strong> sat down with<strong> Annie Bishop</strong> on this week's US Equestrian Open podcast to talk horses, risk-taking, and the goal she's finally saying out loud. Find the full episode <a href="https://pod.fo/e/391d1f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here.</a></p>
<h3 dir="ltr">A California Beginning</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Megan is a California rider through and through. She grew up riding at Webb Ranch in Portola Valley after convincing her dad that she needed to ride horses. Eventually, beach trail rides weren't enough. Lessons followed. Then competition. Then a life built around the sport.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/1f650059-afad-4973-ab64-eab1ac417343.png?width=1080&amp;height=546" alt="Us Blog Quote Graphics (1)"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Like many eventers, she didn't come from a deep equestrian background. What she had was work ethic. In high school, she rode multiple horses a day, then came home to finish homework late into the night. At Cal Poly, she balanced a full-time degree in accounting , a sorority, and worked for former Olympian <strong>Gina Miles</strong> and <strong>Bec Braitling</strong>. Megan was Gina&rsquo;s assistant trainer and it was here that she got really serious about the sport.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/633ba413-a437-4bd6-a476-dcb349134dff.png?width=1080&amp;height=537" alt="Us Blog Quote Graphics (2)"></p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Building Something of Her Own</h3>
<p dir="ltr">After formative years with <strong>Gina Miles, Bec Braitling</strong> and<strong> Brian Sabo,</strong> Megan returned to Northern California to build something of her own. She established<strong> McIver Equestrian</strong> at the Horse Park at Woodside; a serious base with four-star events on site, world-class facilities and the infrastructure to match her ambitions.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Just 15 minutes away is <strong>Eric Duvander,</strong> with whom she works and trains full time. The support system is intentional, the set-up is strategic, and her business is growing due to it.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 dir="ltr">Igor B: The Risk&nbsp;</h3>
<p dir="ltr">If there's one horse Open fans will recognise, it's <strong>Igor B.</strong> He is known at home as <strong>Rupert </strong>but was originally named <strong>Cuddles </strong>by the breeder's daughter.</p>
<p dir="ltr">However, they are a partnership that almost didn't happen. Megan saw him in the UK while trying a different horse. The video didn't sell her and she couldn't afford him. But when she watched him walk just three steps in person, she knew.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/37be393b-6ec2-4171-8e7c-8af90c3225a5.png?width=1080&amp;height=555" alt="Us Blog Quote Graphics (3)"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Buying <strong>Igor B </strong>meant risk. Loans. Stretching beyond what felt comfortable.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But Megan leaned on the advice of long-time supporters&nbsp;<strong>Leo Wang</strong>: life is about taking risks and sometimes you have to get uncomfortable to move forward.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So she bought Rupert.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/0700936a-24d0-421e-a5d8-08421bf5c3c0.jpeg?width=4000&amp;height=2665" alt="9 F9 A0 E34 6 B38 413 D B68 F A3110 D C141 Ea (1)"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Now, after two full seasons together, which included Megan&rsquo;s first step up to four-star level, a seventh-place finish in the inaugural US Equestrian Open Series of Eventing signals that the foundations are firmly in place. The process is starting to pay off.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The next step? Go faster. When it feels right, be braver against the clock.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/37d43b11-df0f-42ed-8440-3db7a4990398.png?width=1080&amp;height=570" alt="Us Blog Quote Graphics (5)"></p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Kapitan Sparrow XII: The Journey</h3>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Kapitan Sparrow XII </strong>might be the most meaningful horse in the barn. He arrived hot, spooky, running through fences, and definitely not an obvious four-star prospect. But Megan saw something worth the investment.</p>
<p dir="ltr">They've worked through setbacks (including a colic episode en route to competition). They've managed quirks. They've grown up together.&nbsp;Last season saw their step up to four-star where he jumped clear cross-country in both of his two starts at the level.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/f071a70a-04c7-409c-9e1b-a2892b0eb761.png?width=1080&amp;height=549" alt="Us Blog Quote Graphics (6)"></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 dir="ltr">The Goal on the Wall</h3>
<p dir="ltr">In her tack room, Megan keeps written plans for each horse - two years out, three, five. At the top of her own list sits something bigger.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/86d48dd1-027a-4f80-a947-b1f34c6dfce0.png?width=1080&amp;height=564" alt="Us Blog Quote Graphics (7)"></p>
<p dir="ltr">For a long time, she kept that quiet. Now she is practising saying it out loud. Because saying it makes it real.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The US Equestrian Open is part of that picture. Not as a stepping stone, but as a championship in its own right. For combinations like Megan and Rupert, it is both opportunity and objective. A structured season to measure progress.</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/the-open-weekly" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/797de4a4-a9fd-4ef8-8f83-7253791613fc.png?width=4048&amp;height=577" alt="Us Open Blog Inserts"></a></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">&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/c9dfe039-3b02-415d-b513-c5bd87d85dae.jpeg?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="26 Open Eventing Qualifier Calendar"></p>
<p>&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>

Image of Megan McIver jumping Igor B cross country

Megan McIver’s Plan to Turn Seventh into Selection

<p dir="ltr">Super Bowl week is a big one.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Even if you don&rsquo;t follow football all year, you still feel it. The build-up. The noise. The Half-time Show (Its Bad Bunny this year). The tribalism. The sense that this one game is bigger than the game. It&rsquo;s where we hope to get the Open to.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">So this week, the US Equestrian Open podcast did something we don&rsquo;t normally do.&nbsp;We stepped outside equestrian sport.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Not because we want to become a football channel, but because the Super Bowl is one of the best examples on the planet of how to turn sport into a fan experience.<br><br><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/dec69256-85d0-4058-aa1b-d8d1fb507147.png?width=1449&amp;height=1108" alt="Superbowl 60"></p>
<p dir="ltr">We brought in four of the US Equestrian of Open of Eventing biggest voices to share their take:</p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Aspen Farms (Qualifier 13) organizer <strong>Jonathan Elliott&nbsp;</strong></li>
<li dir="ltr">Terranova (Qualifier 2 and 5), Carolina (Qualifier 4) organizer <strong>Max Corcoran&nbsp;</strong></li>
<li dir="ltr">Aiken's <strong>Joanie Morris</strong></li>
<li dir="ltr">Course designer <strong>Morgan Rowsell</strong></li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr">Listen to the full episode <a href="https://pod.fo/e/387c28" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here.</a></p>
<p><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></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Lesson 1: Fans don&rsquo;t fall in love with sport. They fall in love with stories.</h2>
<p dir="ltr">Sure, we all loved <strong>Joe Montana </strong>but <strong>Tom Brady </strong>is generally considered the GOAT. When the group starts talking about <strong>Tom Brad</strong>y (and those Patriots fans love talking about<strong> Tom Brady</strong>) it&rsquo;s not the stats that make it interesting. It&rsquo;s the story.</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Joanie Morris</strong> puts it simply:&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;The best thing for me about Tom Brady is where he came from, right?&rdquo;</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">Joanie follows it with the part that matters most for fandom:<em>&nbsp;&ldquo;He wasn&rsquo;t born a star, everyone thinking that he was gonna be this guy.&rdquo;</em></p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Max Corcoran </strong>adds the part every sport needs more of:&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;He was back up, running, riding the bench and just worked hard and just, and studied it and was ready to go when he was tapped.&rdquo;</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">That&rsquo;s not just football. That&rsquo;s sport. We have seen plenty of people wait for their chance in the Open and go for it.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Lesson 2: Big sports don&rsquo;t create one storyline. They create 100.</h2>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Morgan Rowsell </strong>makes the point that the NFL is always doing the work for you. It never lets the story die.</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr"><em>&ldquo;What a lot of these other larger, more well-funded sports do, especially in football, is that there&rsquo;s just a constant story and there&rsquo;s constant buildup. There&rsquo;s, you know,&nbsp;Drake Maye&rsquo;s shoulder. So let&rsquo;s talk about that for three news cycles.&rdquo;</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">That&rsquo;s the machine. And it&rsquo;s a reminder: the NFL doesn&rsquo;t just have fans because it&rsquo;s big. It&rsquo;s big because it keeps giving fans something to follow. Our job with the Open is to keep creating the stories. Our sports aren&rsquo;t short on them.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Lesson 3: Access is everything</h2>
<p dir="ltr">A big part of the Open is access.<strong> Joanie Morris</strong> raised something we have talked a lot about as part of our 2026 planning. Modern sports bring us fans even closer to the action - and not just to the sport.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr"><em>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s feeling like you&rsquo;re right there, right. It&rsquo;s the sideline mics. It&rsquo;s the guys mic&rsquo;d up. It&rsquo;s the cameras are so close to the players and the coaches and the emotions are, you know, so you&rsquo;re living the emotions in real time in those big games.&rdquo;</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">That&rsquo;s something we will work on for the Open. We want to capture more behind the scenes action, more stable chat, more families and friends helping us shape the stories.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">Access is what turns <em>&ldquo;watching&rdquo;</em> into <em>&ldquo;caring.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Lesson 4: Jeopardy is what makes sport addictive</h2>
<p dir="ltr">EquiRatings&rsquo; <strong>Diarmuid Byrne</strong> talks about the importance of sport mattering. Not every qualifier will be a Super Bowl of course but within each class there will be an angle. It matters to someone, in some way - you have to find it.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr"><em>&ldquo;It has to feel like every competition has to feel like it means something to somebody.&rdquo;</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">That&rsquo;s the Open in one sentence.&nbsp;And it&rsquo;s also why Super Bowl week works.&nbsp;Because everyone knows the stakes.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Lesson 5: Tribalism is not a problem. It&rsquo;s the engine.</h2>
<p dir="ltr">One of the most entertaining parts of the episode is that the trash talk starts immediately.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Joanie Morris, </strong>right out of the gate:&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;I feel like we&rsquo;re in for a good game and Elliot&rsquo;s gonna be sad again.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Morgan Rowsell </strong>is even more direct:&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;I like that he&rsquo;s gonna be sad.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Max Corcoran </strong>sums up what it feels like to be a Patriots fan:&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;Everybody hates the Patriots.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">And then the conversation turns into something genuinely useful.&nbsp;Joanie asks whether equestrian sport could build more local identity:</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr"><em>&ldquo;Is there a way with some of these riders and horses and stories to tie them geographically a little bit more locally to build a more local fan base?&rdquo;</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">We love this and we want to lean in more this year. We want to start referencing more where people come from and who they represent. Identity is so important and we want to lean in more to things which help fans connect.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Lesson 6: Fans want to wear the sport</h2>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Max Corcoran</strong> gives the most practical example of something equestrian sport is missing.&nbsp;She talks about a sports fan parent who found it strange that equestrian fans can&rsquo;t buy anything that represents who they love.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Max says:&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s really interesting, most of the time, if you go to a baseball game, a basketball game, anything, you can buy your favorite player&rsquo;s jersey or you can buy your favorite player&rsquo;s anything. But in the equestrian world, you can&rsquo;t do that because they don&rsquo;t have it.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Boyd Martin,</strong> last years Series and Final winner is an exception to this.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>&ldquo;Boyd is the first person I think that I know of, in equestrian that has actually bridged that gap and you can buy his, his, you know, rugby shirts now.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">It&rsquo;s not just &ldquo;merch.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s identity.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Lesson 7: Our sport is spectacular. We should be prouder.&nbsp;</h2>
<p data-start="493" data-end="576">This is where Diarm hits the most &ldquo;US Equestrian Open&rdquo; point of the entire episode.</p>
<p data-start="578" data-end="722">He explains that equestrian sport already has all the raw ingredients. The stories, the personalities, the jeopardy, the partnership, the drama.</p>
<p data-start="724" data-end="813">&ldquo;When you think of the depth of the backstories that are in our sport, we could do that.&rdquo;</p>
<p data-start="815" data-end="1107">And then he makes the bigger point: <strong data-start="851" data-end="904">we should stop being shy about how special it is.</strong> We are one of the few sports in the world that can genuinely say we lead with care. We don&rsquo;t just talk about horse welfare, we champion it globally. We show it. We invest in it. We hold ourselves to it.</p>
<p data-start="1109" data-end="1171">So instead of dialling things down, we should do the opposite.</p>
<p data-start="1173" data-end="1261">We should be proud of the sport. Proud of the people in it. Proud of what it stands for.</p>
<p data-start="1263" data-end="1366">Because when you look at how other sports present themselves, they never apologise for their spectacle.</p>
<p data-start="1368" data-end="1477">&ldquo;And then you look at, say, college game day in the US&hellip; and then you feel like there&rsquo;s no need to calm down.&rdquo;</p>
<p data-start="1479" data-end="1511">That&rsquo;s the Open&rsquo;s whole mission.</p>
<p data-start="1513" data-end="1604">Make it feel like it matters.<br data-start="1542" data-end="1545">Make it feel like sport.<br data-start="1569" data-end="1572">Make it feel like entertainment.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Bonus: The Super Bowl 60 predictions (and the confidence levels)</h2>
<p dir="ltr">We couldn&rsquo;t do a Super Bowl preview episode without forcing everyone to put their money where their mouth is.&nbsp;And the range of predictions is&hellip; wide.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Morgan Rowsell</strong> goes for a defensive grind:&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s gonna be a low-scoring game. I think it&rsquo;s gonna be 17-14, the Patriots.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Max Corcoran </strong>is also on the Patriots, but sees a little more scoring:&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;I was going 21-24 Patriots.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Joanie Morris</strong> sticks with her original gut call:&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;I was going 17-13 Patriots&hellip; but that feels too close to Morgan. I&rsquo;m gonna go... no I&rsquo;m sticking with it.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">And <strong>Jonathan Elliott,</strong> the lone Seahawks supporter on the panel, comes in with the boldest prediction of the entire episode:&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;31-10 Hawks, they take it convincingly. Convincingly.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Final Thoughts (and a Super Bowl-sized disclaimer)</h2>
<p dir="ltr">This episode is a Super Bowl preview.&nbsp;But it&rsquo;s also something more useful.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It&rsquo;s four of the Open&rsquo;s biggest voices, plus Diarm and Annie, describing the gap between equestrian sport and the biggest fan machine on earth, and spelling out what we can steal.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>More story.&nbsp;More access.&nbsp;More repetition.&nbsp;More jeopardy.&nbsp;More identity.&nbsp;And definitely more enthusiasm.</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Because if football has taught us anything, it&rsquo;s that people don&rsquo;t fall in love with &ldquo;results.&rdquo;&nbsp;They fall in love with what the results mean.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Listen to the full episode <a href="https://pod.fo/e/387c28" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></p>
<p><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></p>
<p><a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/the-open-weekly-freestyle-west-coast-momentum" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/797de4a4-a9fd-4ef8-8f83-7253791613fc.png?width=4048&amp;height=577" alt="Us Open Blog Inserts"></a></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">&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/c9dfe039-3b02-415d-b513-c5bd87d85dae.jpeg?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="26 Open Eventing Qualifier Calendar"></p>
<p>&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>

US Equestrian Open CrossOver with Superbowl

The Open X Super Bowl LX: 7 Lessons

<p dir="ltr">With just days remaining until the US Open Final at Morven Park, course designer&nbsp;<strong>Derek di Grazia&nbsp;</strong>is putting the finishing touches on what promises to be another challenging test for the 38 horse-and-rider combinations entered in the competition.</p>
<p dir="ltr">For di Grazia, whose courses are consistently praised by riders for bringing out the best in their horses, the journey to Morven Park represents both a return to his roots and a showcase of one of America's most spectacular venues.</p>
<p><em><strong>Listen to Derek di Grazia on the US Equestrian Open Podcast now.</strong></em></p>
<p><iframe title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/38394845/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>
<h3 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 dir="ltr">Early Inspiration at Pebble Beach</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Di Grazia's love affair with eventing began at the&nbsp;<strong>1969 US Open at Pebble Beach, California.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">"The biggest thing that really impressed me was just watching what these horses did because I had just never seen anything like it.&rdquo;</p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">That competition, featuring legendary names like&nbsp;<strong>the</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Woffords, the Plumbs,</strong>&nbsp;and<strong>&nbsp;Kevin Freeman,</strong>&nbsp;showcased the sport at its highest level on the West Coast. The young di Grazia was hooked, drawn to the stories of how "rugged and difficult&rdquo; the sport was.</p>
<p dir="ltr">His early riding education was comprehensive, encompassing not just eventing but polo, fox hunting, and show jumping. The transition from West to East Coast came during his college years at Georgetown University, where he began training with the legendary<strong>&nbsp;Jimmy Wofford.&nbsp;</strong>His breakthrough moment came at&nbsp;<strong>Ledyard Farm in 1977,&nbsp;</strong>competing in poor conditions against top European riders.</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">"It was pouring rain and very, very wet for the cross country, but we were one of the few that made it inside the time on the cross country and we ended up actually in fourth place at the end."</p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">That result gave him confidence that he could make it in this sport - setting the stage for a successful competitive career that would eventually inform his approach to course design.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">A Horse-First Philosophy</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Going back to his years in the saddle, Di Grazia understands firsthand the immense work required to bring a horse to top-level competition and he's acutely aware of how vulnerable these horses are to injury. Because of this, horse welfare remains at the forefront of every decision he makes when designing his cross-country courses.&nbsp;This philosophy drives every decision he makes:&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">"In the end for me, it's about making these courses so that they are fair for the horses and that as much as possible trying to make the ground conditions - the wear and tear on the horses - as minimal as possible."</p>
</blockquote>
<h3 dir="ltr">The Art and Science of Design</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Each venue presents unique challenges and opportunities, something that keeps di Grazia passionate about his craft.</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">"Every venue is different. We all know that. And so they all sort of require different things. And to me, that's what makes course design actually exciting for me, because there's new things you can do in different places and just the way you use the ground."</p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">Derek also emphasizes that course design is far from a solo effort, highlighting the builders and decorators who bring his vision to life and ultimately make the course look its best.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Discovering Morven Park's Potential</h3>
<p dir="ltr">When di Grazia first visited Morven Park as a course designer, he was immediately struck by the venue's possibilities.</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">&ldquo;It was so wonderful to be able to come and see this place and see the venue. But you know, I just start thinking about,&nbsp; four longs and, and, know, even five star, I mean, you start looking at this ground and you start drooling because it's just such an amazing place&rdquo;</p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">The venue's placement in the calendar had historically limited its exposure, often conflicting with other major competitions. But since the introduction of the CCI4*-L format in 2021, di Grazia has seen riders rediscover this historic venue and watched the quality of the entries improving year on year.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 dir="ltr">What to Expect at Morven Park</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Derek has proven he can build tough time tests, most recently having only one rider making the time over his track at Burghley. Historically, Morven Park sees an average of&nbsp;<strong>10% of starters</strong>&nbsp;finish inside the optimum time. With a field of 38 competitors, we can expect<strong>&nbsp;3 to 4 riders&nbsp;</strong>inside the time. However, it has varied from year-to-year, with<strong>&nbsp;25%</strong>&nbsp;making the time last year.</p>
<p dir="ltr">With Morven Park hosting the inaugural US Equestrian Open of Eventing, we can expect that the challenge is set to be anything but easy - a true test across all three phases designed to ensure the strongest combination is crowned the champion.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3><em>Listen to Derek di Grazia on the US Equestrian Open Podcast now.</em></h3>
<p><iframe title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/38394845/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>

From Competitor to Course Designer: Derek di Grazia's Journey to Morven Park

<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>Maryland International at Loch Moy kicks off tomorrow for the 14th qualifier of the US Equestrian Open. It is a stacked field and with a good amount of entries, it is looking to be a hot competition.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>Prediction Centre&nbsp;</h3>
<p>The<a href="https://prediction-centre.equiratings.com/competitions/maryland_4s_2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> EquiRatings Prediction Centre</a> gives Caroline Pamucku a 50% overall win chance at Maryland. But don't count out Jennie Brannigan and Connery &ndash; the 2023 winners are back after having the fastest cross-country time of day. Hard ground is forecast this weekend, so a quick cross country round will be key &mdash; minimising time penalties could really shake up the leaderboard.</p>
<p><a href="https://prediction-centre.equiratings.com/competitions/maryland_4s_2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/ac7f2c40-61f4-41e3-a4ec-c14d1ae02c76.png?width=775&amp;height=916" alt="Screenshot 2025 06 26 102919"></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>Maryland Fan Guide</h3>
<p>If you want to know more on the competitors&mdash; from the best dressage horses to the fastest cross-country combinations &mdash; check out the <a href="https://usequestrianopen.info/maryland-lochmoy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maryland Fan Guide</a>. It breaks down all the must-know stats and stories to follow this weekend.<br><br><a href="https://usequestrianopen.info/maryland-lochmoy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/14ce1955-86c7-497c-ac17-e7090d244d73.png?width=484&amp;height=658" alt="Screenshot 2025 06 26 105115"></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>Maryland Preview Podcast</h3>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/37111980/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>Annie Bishop and Diarmuid Byrne dive into the entries, tactics, ground conditions, and more on this week&rsquo;s podcast &mdash; from Jennie Brannigan stepping up with Kismet for their four-star debut to Caroline Pamukcu and Arden Wildasin, who could make a serious push for the podium with their speed. Tune in to the US Equestrian Open podcast for all the details.<br><br><br></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>

Podcast graphic for the US Equestrian Open Podcast

Maryland CCI4*-S Preview

<p data-start="348" data-end="790">As the US Equestrian Open of Dressage breaks ahead of its final stretch, one of the season&rsquo;s most captivating partnerships sits in the top five: Genay Vaughn and her partner, Gino. With four wins from four starts, a freestyle rooted in the music of her childhood, and a leaderboard surge that has her closing in on the top, Vaughn's season so far has blended personal expression with elite performance.</p>
<p data-start="792" data-end="845"><em data-start="488" data-end="559" data-is-last-node="">Tune in to hear Genay in her own words or catch the highlights below.</em><br><br></p>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/36950420/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/000a80/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="792" data-end="845">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 data-start="852" data-end="893">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 data-start="852" data-end="893"><strong data-start="859" data-end="893">Gino: The Star of His Own Show</strong></h3>
<p data-start="112" data-end="377">The bond between Genay and Gino isn&rsquo;t just strong, it&rsquo;s the foundation of everything. Their connection goes far beyond training sessions or test scores. It&rsquo;s the rhythm of their everyday life that builds the deep understanding you see every time they enter the ring.</p>
<p data-start="112" data-end="377"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/9e942aaf-0d5c-4393-9208-ec328865b8bb.png?width=1080&amp;height=875" alt="Us Blog Quote Graphics"></p>
<p data-start="594" data-end="869" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">Since bringing Gino home as a six-year-old, Genay has built their partnership with patience and care. Their original freestyle was designed to keep things comfortable, but with Gino now stronger and more confident, they&rsquo;re ready to push the boundaries heading into the final.</p>
<p data-start="594" data-end="869" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 data-start="1586" data-end="1634">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 data-start="1586" data-end="1634"><strong data-start="1599" data-end="1634">High Performance Starts at Home</strong></h3>
<p data-start="1636" data-end="1852">Genay&rsquo;s team isn&rsquo;t made up of the usual coaches and grooms - it is her family. Her mom is her trainer, which although it is intense to train, work, and live together, Genay says she wouldn't want it any other way. Her dad, a former Major League Baseball player, brings the high-performance mindset and support to the table. The entire family farm is built on a shared ambition and a relentless drive for success.</p>
<p data-start="1636" data-end="1852"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/0f01eb7c-01dc-4ef8-80ed-7ff94978dc3f.png?width=1080&amp;height=870" alt="Us Blog Quote Graphics (4)"></p>
<p data-start="2028" data-end="2184">It&rsquo;s a rare dynamic: personal trust mixed with professional expectation. There&rsquo;s no hiding in a family of competitors and no shortage of motivation, either.</p>
<p data-start="2028" data-end="2184">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 data-start="2191" data-end="2232">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 data-start="2191" data-end="2232"><strong data-start="2198" data-end="2232">Freestyle with a Personal Beat</strong></h3>
<p data-start="2234" data-end="2405">One of the most talked-about freestyles on the circuit this season? Genay and Gino&rsquo;s. Freestyle dressage is all about self-expression, and Genay has mastered that art. Their freestyle music feels as bold and distinctive as the rider herself. The scores speak for themselves - it&rsquo;s clearly striking a chord with both judges and fans alike.</p>
<p data-start="2234" data-end="2405"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/42164377-dc19-43f0-abb0-6cfc9406bee3.png?width=1080&amp;height=864" alt="Us Blog Quote Graphics (3)"></p>
<p data-start="2607" data-end="2731">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 data-start="2738" data-end="2780">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 data-start="2738" data-end="2780"><strong data-start="2745" data-end="2780">The Leaderboard</strong></h3>
<p data-start="2782" data-end="3076">With <strong data-start="2787" data-end="2800">80 points</strong>, Genay Vaughn currently sits in <strong data-start="2833" data-end="2846">5th place</strong> on the US Equestrian Open leaderboard, just behind Evelyn Eger and tied contenders in second. Anna Marek leads with 105 points, but it isn&rsquo;t over yet. If Genay continues her form, the Desert Final could see major movement.</p>
<p data-start="2782" data-end="3076">&nbsp;</p>
<p data-start="2782" data-end="3076"><a href="https://equestrian-hub-usef.pages.dev/us-equestrian-open" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/0b2ea0c7-e18b-4f83-a7c1-dc7cbd2f442f.png?width=733&amp;height=1032" alt="Screenshot 2025 06 11 123623"></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 data-start="2782" data-end="3076">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 data-start="2782" data-end="3076"><strong data-start="3423" data-end="3464">Want to hear from the leader herself?</strong></h3>
<p>Check out our podcast with Anna Marek on passion, patience and performance.</p>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/35371080/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/002580/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><br><br></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h2 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h2>
<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Follow the US Equestrian Open of Dressage</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal">Stay updated on news and standings for the US Equestrian Open Series 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.</a>&nbsp;Use #USEquestrianOpen to join the conversation.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/22433326-f7d7-4286-930b-62c3a1ba80f2.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Show calendar for the 2025 US Equestrian Open of Dressage"></p>
<div class="MsoNormal" align="center">
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr align="center" size="2" width="100%"></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em>For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><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 class="MsoNormal"><em>For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.&nbsp;</em></p>

New Podcast: Genay Vaughn lives in Gino's world

<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/36687545/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/003f80/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="374" data-end="729">Ben Ebeling is one of the brightest young stars in American dressage - but he didn&rsquo;t always plan to be here. He started out in the show jumping world, doing his first Grand Prix over fences before he ever entered a Grand Prix dressage arena, and only truly pivoted because he asked his father to teach him how to do a pirouette.</p>
<p data-start="731" data-end="904">His father was delighted when Ben asked to learn his first pirouette - finally, a sign he might be turning toward dressage. But Ebeling had other plans. He only wanted the movement to help him turn tighter in his jump offs, not yet realizing he'd just taken his first real step toward a new discipline. Although he misses the show jumping ring, Ben credits it with shaping key parts of his riding, especially his ability to handle hotter, more sensitive horses, a skill that&rsquo;s served him well in the dressage arena.</p>
<p data-start="731" data-end="904">This season, Ebeling is campaigning Bellena, a Grand Prix mare produced by his father, Jan Ebeling, and recently handed over to Ben. Their growing partnership has quickly become one of the most compelling stories on the US Equestrian Open of Dressage leaderboard.<br><br></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 data-pm-slice="1 1 []">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Progress Over Podiums</h3>
<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Ben&rsquo;s connection with Bellena is still new. They began competing together in Wellington, where they faced a few mistakes early on, simply because they didn&rsquo;t know each other well yet. But now, with each competition, things are starting to come together and the pair is showing real progress.</p>
<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">However, Ben isn&rsquo;t chasing ribbons. He is chasing progress. He finds just as much joy in the daily training as in the big competitions, saying he gets the same thrill from a young horse nailing its first flying change as he does riding down the centerline at Aachen.<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/95473147-9593-4061-bbd6-fca82482ced4.jpg?width=1078&amp;height=644" alt="Img 1372"></p>
<hr>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>Family Legacy and Traditions</h3>
<p>Ben&rsquo;s journey in dressage has been shaped by the quiet strength and experience of his father, Jan Ebeling. A respected competitor and coach, Jan has guided Ben from childhood through to Grand Prix level, offering a steady presence both in the arena and beyond it.</p>
<p>Their relationship balances high-performance ambition with a grounded, supportive dynamic and a few light hearted family traditions along the way. One of their long-running rituals is that the winner buys dinner and the loser buys ice cream. After years of buying ice cream, Ben finally bought dinner last week - a small moment that speaks volumes.</p>
<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/8560c575-cb1e-474b-bc80-9f25ebf29b78.jpg?width=1073&amp;height=567" alt="Img 1375"></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><br>Ben and the US Equestrian Open of Dressage<br><br></h3>
<p data-start="107" data-end="332">Now, Ebeling has his eyes on the US Equestrian Open of Dressage final. With points already on the board and a big freestyle coming up at WEC, the road to Thermal is officially in motion.</p>
<p data-start="334" data-end="735" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">He believes the series is pushing the sport in the right direction, offering a championship that feels fresh and fan-focused - something akin to a World Cup but rooted in the US circuit. His fan-focused perspective is exactly why this series exists.<br><br></p>
<p data-start="334" data-end="735" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/781baea3-bc7e-4ce2-a8d3-015fa16b534f.jpg?width=1079&amp;height=567" alt="Img 1373"></p>
<hr>
<h3 data-start="58" data-end="126">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 data-start="58" data-end="126">🎧&nbsp;<strong data-start="61" data-end="126">Listen Now</strong></h3>
<p data-start="128" data-end="263">Hear more on Ben's training, freestyles, and what makes the US Equestrian Open such an exciting step for dressage fans and riders alike.</p>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/36687545/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/003f80/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 Dressage</strong></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal">Stay updated on news and standings for the US Equestrian Open Series 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.</a>&nbsp;Use #USEquestrianOpen to join the conversation.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/22433326-f7d7-4286-930b-62c3a1ba80f2.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Show calendar for the 2025 US Equestrian Open of Dressage"></p>
<div class="MsoNormal" align="center">
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr align="center" size="2" width="100%"></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><em>For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at <a href="mailto:USEquestrianOpen@usef.org">USEquestrianOpen@usef.org</a>.</em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><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 class="MsoNormal"><em>For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lgriffin@usef.org">lgriffin@usef.org</a>.&nbsp;</em></p>

New Podcast: Ben Ebeling on Family, Freestyle, and the Future of US Dressage

<p>Annie and Diarm sat down with James Alliston on the US Equestrian Open podcast&mdash;and it&rsquo;s a good one. From his record-breaking weekend at Twin Rivers to the horses in his string and the road to Morven Park, James shares it all.&nbsp; Listen to the full episode or keep reading for the highlights, stats, and standout storylines.</p>
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<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/002180/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 class="" data-start="94" data-end="128">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 class="" data-start="94" data-end="128">Twin Rivers and Teamwork</h3>
<p class="" data-start="149" data-end="363">James turned heads at Twin Rivers with a standout performance: four horses finishing in the top five, including first, second, third, and fifth. He became just the fifth rider in 17 years to achieve this rare feat.</p>
<p class="" data-start="149" data-end="363"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/0c280dbb-c751-47c3-8077-0ee3c4e5745c.png?width=1080&amp;height=1080" alt="Untitled Design (9)"></p>
<p class="" data-start="365" data-end="961">That success hasn&rsquo;t come in isolation&mdash;it&rsquo;s the result of a hardworking team behind the scenes. His wife, Helen, plays a pivotal role in the daily training and development of their horses, having produced several of James' horses up to three-star level herself. Their staff and students are essential in maintaining fitness programs and managing the chaos of show-day logistics, especially when multiple horses are competing in the same class. Even event organizers have played a part, adjusting schedules to help James juggle it all.</p>
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<h3 class="" data-start="727" data-end="768">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 class="" data-start="727" data-end="768">Karma: Speed, Spark, and Star Power</h3>
<p class="" data-start="769" data-end="949">Karma has become a fan favorite&mdash;and deservedly so. Karma brings serious energy both at home and in the ring. Dressage was tricky early on for the pair, but she&rsquo;s settled with experience and now shines at the top level. Looking ahead, James has his eye on Aachen if selected, with Montana and Morven Park also in the mix.</p>
<p class="" data-start="769" data-end="949"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/b83a5eb7-97e4-4f78-8f1e-55269fb7cf06.png?width=1080&amp;height=1080" alt="She Is a Fantastic Horse an Incredible Athlete, so Fast and an Amazing Jumper. I'm Hoping With Time and Mileage, We Can Just Take a Little Bit of the Edge off the Hotness. but It's Partly That Tha"></p>
<p class="" data-start="173" data-end="402">James&rsquo;s win at Twin Rivers with Karma wasn&rsquo;t just a highlight of the season&mdash;it marked a major career milestone. It was his <strong data-start="296" data-end="343">10th international four-star win since 2008</strong>, a number achieved by only seven U.S. riders in history.</p>
<p class="" data-start="404" data-end="698">What makes that stat even more impressive is the efficiency behind it. James has reached that milestone with fewer than 50 runs at the level&mdash;giving him the <strong data-start="560" data-end="628">highest four-star win rate of any U.S. rider on the list, at 22%</strong>. Quietly consistent, deeply competitive, and now statistically elite.</p>
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<h3 class="" data-start="1385" data-end="1417">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 class="" data-start="1385" data-end="1417">A Deep and Balanced String</h3>
<p class="" data-start="1418" data-end="1644">There's Nemesis, making a strong comeback after injury, Paper Jam &mdash;a seasoned four-star veteran&mdash; and promising talents like Cora and Irish Pop who performed well at Twin Rivers.</p>
<p class="" data-start="1418" data-end="1644"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/709bc7dd-7dc2-4cbd-9eca-68c3c3761632.png?width=1080&amp;height=1080" alt="James Alliston"></p>
<p class="" data-start="1803" data-end="1939">Events like Rebecca Farm and Montana feature in his summer calendar as James positions his team for a final push toward the Open finale.</p>
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<h3 class="" data-start="107" data-end="135">Learning from a Legend</h3>
<p class="" data-start="136" data-end="634">James reflects on his journey in the U.S. that began with a gap year and turned into a career-defining chapter under Bruce Davidson Sr. Working on a farm full of young horses, racehorses, and elite-level talent, he absorbed everything&mdash;from horsemanship and fitness to feel and finesse.</p>
<p class="" data-start="136" data-end="634"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/af037b8a-4057-4809-abd2-79317a7bad5f.png?width=1080&amp;height=1080" alt="James Alliston (1)"></p>
<p class="" data-start="136" data-end="634">Bruce&rsquo;s style wasn&rsquo;t built on structured lessons but on immersion: ride, watch, learn, repeat. That intense, hands-on environment shaped James&rsquo;s foundation as a rider.</p>
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<h3 class="" data-start="641" data-end="665">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 class="" data-start="641" data-end="665">All In on the Open</h3>
<p class="" data-start="666" data-end="1130">James was immediately intrigued when the U.S. Equestrian Open launched&mdash;especially the idea of serious prize money. For horses not yet ready for five-star, it offers a real purpose and a clear target. Now sitting third on the leaderboard, James plans to contest as many qualifiers as possible and is eyeing a trip to Morven Park for the final. It&rsquo;s a competitive challenge&mdash;and one he&rsquo;s fully committed to.</p>
<p class="" data-start="666" data-end="1130"><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/f611e1de-723f-45e0-80df-da1c4db95b81.png?width=1080&amp;height=1080" alt="James Alliston (2)"></p>
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<h3>US Equestrian Open Leaderboard&nbsp;</h3>
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<p><img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/a37f0405-f149-414e-a21d-f585ccec3d83.png?width=733&amp;height=532" alt="Screenshot 2025 05 16 162737"></p>
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<h3>🎙️&nbsp;<strong data-start="48" data-end="99">Listen Now: James Alliston &amp; The Road to Morven</strong></h3>
<p>From Twin Rivers to leaderboard goals&mdash;James talks Karma, the Open, and what&rsquo;s next.</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/002180/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"><strong>Follow the US Equestrian Open of Eventing</strong></h2>
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<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>
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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>.&nbsp;</em></p>
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<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>

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