Charlotte Jorst Is the Favorite at Gold Coast

Qualifier 4 of the US Equestrian Open of Dressage takes place this weekend at the Gold Coast Opener, held at Jim Brandon Equestrian Center—just fifteen minutes down the road from Wellington International and the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival. The drive is short, but the atmosphere is entirely different. Where Wellington delivers international stars and polished spectacle, Gold Coast is run by the Gold Coast Dressage Association, an organization focused on education and the development of amateur sport.

The show offers a notably more relaxed environment to contest an FEI freestyle, particularly for horses still establishing themselves at the level. This season’s Open Series also requires only four qualifying freestyle runs rather than six, making low-pressure starts like this quite useful, even if the immediate stakes remain modest with 20 points available to the winner in a field of seven.

The Known Quantities

Charlotte Jorst returns to a venue that has treated her exceptionally well. The top amateur rider in the United States, Jorst has represented the US on championship teams and finished seventh at last year’s Open Final in a competitive field. She won this leg a year ago with Zhaplin Langholt, posting a 73.985 percent—one of the strongest scores of her career and just shy of the pair’s personal best. Gold Coast has historically suited them, and in a field like this, Jorst enters as the clear favorite. A new personal best is not out of the question.

Ellesse Gundersen is the only other rider in the field who has already logged a Series start this season, and that first result is worth a closer look. Gundersen and Quintessential 4 made their FEI freestyle debut in December at Ocala, opening the 2026 season with a fourth-place finish in a field of eight. That alone is a solid start for a debut international freestyle.

But look at who they finished ahead of. Their 72.350 percent beat reigning Equestrian Open champions Benjamin Ebeling and Bellena. Now, were Ben and Bellena operating at full capacity? No, probably not. They'd just won a $200,000 championship and had nothing to prove. But it is still an achievement worth noting for Gunderson. That single score also sits above Jorst’s current 11-run FEI freestyle average. Yes, it is a sample size of one, making it futile to draw any statistically meaningful conclusions. Still, expect Gundersen near the top of this class. She may even give the favorite a real run for her money.

Different Kinds of Firsts

Beyond the favorites, several combinations here are riding their first freestyle of one kind or another.

Sylvia Gugler and Vulkano 14 headline that group with the horse’s first freestyle appearance of his career. Gold Coast offers a sensible setting for that step, and the emphasis this weekend is undoubtedly on completing the test. 

Caleb Scroggins and Villanelle follow in a similar vein, though with a slightly different kind of first. While the pair have competed nationally, this marks Villanelle’s first FEI freestyle, making the class an opportunity to gain experience at the international level. 

Finally, Frederic Wandres brings a third variation. Zara K 2 will contest only his second freestyle overall, and the first with Wandres in the tack. 

This week’s field is typical Gold Coast. It’s a place where established combinations can return to familiar footing, newer partnerships can test a freestyle for the first time, and the class itself is allowed to unfold without much pretense attached.

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.