2025 US Equestrian Open: A Year in Review
The inaugural US Equestrian Open turned 2025 into a season of moments we’ll remember for years. From 349 runs to 20 winners, the numbers reveal just how big this first year really was.
As we near the end of 2025, it's time to reflect on the inaugural US Equestrian Open series - a journey that brought together the best of American eventing across the country. From coast to coast, riders and horses competed for points at 20 qualifiers, creating moments that will define this sport for years to come.
The numbers tell the story of an ambitious series that delivered on its promise: 349 runs, 179 horses, and 115 athletes representing 8 nations. This wasn't just an American competition - it was an international stage that attracted riders from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, and Sweden alongside the United States.
The Winners' Circle
Twenty qualifiers produced 20 winners and 60 podium finishes. But there was actually only 13 riders who took a win while Caroline Pamukcu and James Alliston emerged as the most prolific winners, each claiming victory three times throughout the season.
Eighteen horses recorded wins, with HSH Double Sixteen (Caroline Pamukcu) and HMR Rolan (James Alliston) leading the way as the only two-time winners.
The Venues
Fifteen venues across the United States hosted qualifiers, each bringing their own character and challenges to the series. The largest fields gathered at:
- Kentucky - 53 starters (April 23, CCI4*-S)
- Carolina- 36 starters (March 13, CCI4*-S)
- The Fork at Tryon - 31 starters (September 11, CCI4*-S)
But size wasn't everything. When measured by the EquiRatings Elo Field Strength - the average rating of the top 20 horses in each field - the competition quality told a slightly different story:
- Carolina - 536 field strength
- The Fork at Tryon - 517 field strength
- Kentucky - 513 field strength
The Athletes
The average age of riders competing in qualifiers was 39, though the series showcased talent across generations. The youngest competitors—Lizzie Hannon, Molly Duda, and Cassie Sanger—all made their mark at just 20 years old, proving that youth and ambition could compete at the highest level. And while we won’t call out the opposite end of the spectrum, let’s just say experience was well represented too.
Caroline Pamukcu was the series' workhorse, recording 20 runs across the season.
The Horses
The equine athletes averaged 12 years of age, with experience clearly valued at this level. Six horses competed at just 8 years old:
- Marvel - Monica Spencer
- That's Me Z - Tommy Greengard
- Cooley Corraghy Diamond - Kim Severson
- Invictus - Mia Farley
- BGS Calculated Chaos - Mia Farley
- Monbeg Zebedee - Allison Springer
At the other end of the spectrum, three 19-year-old horses proved that age is just a number -Fly Me Courageous (Janelle Fleming) and Honor Me (Lisa Marie Fergusson) and the legendary Mai Baum, who retired on the ultimate high note with a win at the Rebecca Farm event.
Looking Ahead
The inaugural series set a benchmark for the US Equestrian Open - we can't wait to see how this series builds and how the numbers compare this time next year.
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For Sport Department questions, please contact Christy Hawkins at USEquestrianOpen@usef.org.
For media inquiries about the US Equestrian Open Series, please contact Carly Weilminster at cweilminster@usef.org.
For sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at lgriffin@usef.org.
