Desert Dressage Hosts the First West Coast Qualifier of 2026

The 2026 US Equestrian Open of Dressage continues this weekend at Desert Dressage III, with the Grand Prix Freestyle set for Saturday, December 20, at 5:00 p.m. PT. As the second qualifier of the season, this marks the first opportunity for West Coast combinations to put points on the board.

The field is compact at just five entries, which places a natural ceiling on points. With five starters, the winner can earn a maximum of 15 points, highlighting the disadvantage smaller West Coast fields will have this season.

Many of these horses were last seen at this same venue just a month ago during the 2025 Final, giving the weekend a familiar feel despite the calendar turning over to a new season.

A Polishing Phase for Gino

Geñay Vaughn and Gino enter the freestyle with the strongest average in the field, carrying a 73.758% across eight FEI Grand Prix Freestyles, alongside a personal best of 75.875%. The pair debuted a new freestyle floorplan at the Final last month, and while the performance lacked the polish they may have hoped for, the foundation is clearly there.

This weekend is one of refinement. With a new season underway and no pressure to chase big points early, Desert Dressage offers a low-stakes setting to continue smoothing out the details and letting the choreography settle.

Momentum Watch: Jorst and Zhapplin

Charlotte Jorst and Zhapplin Langholt come in off a strong showing at the 2025 Final at this same venue, where they scored 73.305%, nearly two points above their career average. Though they’re often associated with the Florida circuit, the pair has remained on the West Coast since Thermal, where they are based in Reno, Nevada when not in Florida. If they bring that same form back to the ring this weekend, they have a real path to the top in this five-horse field.

Familiar Names

Brittney Simpson and Kartsevo Goldfinch bring a freestyle personal best of 72.010% into the weekend, though their average sits slightly lower at 68.613%. With nine freestyle starts behind them, this pair has enough mileage to make gains if things align.

Meanwhile, Patty Mayer and Pio are likely to catch some eyes — especially for those who remember seeing Pio’s name last month. That appearance, however, came in a different discipline entirely, as Pio competed in the FEI Para Grand Prix test at Thermal. This weekend marks a return to the conventional Grand Prix freestyle stage for the horse, with this being his second FEI freestyle.

Series Implications

With just five combinations, the points on offer this weekend are limited, and any real movement will require repeat appearances later in the season. Desert Dressage marks the first opportunity for West Coast riders to get on the board and establish a baseline, while offering an early look at how the new points system shapes Series positioning.

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.