First Points on the Board: Bouckaert Begins

The 2026 US Equestrian Open Eventing Series launches Friday at Bouckaert in Fairburn, Georgia. And if last year taught us anything, it's that early points matter - just ask Phillip Dutton.

Remember Bouckaert 2024? Phillip Dutton and Jewlent missed a fence here, and by season's end those lost points loomed large in the final standings. The lesson: you can't take early qualifiers for granted. This weekend's field of nine means 40 points will go to the winner. 

Hot Bobo Returns

Karl Slezak and Hot Bobo enter as favorites with a 36% win chance on the EquiRatings Prediction Centre.

 

But more importantly, we finally get to see Hot Bobo back at the four-star level. The mare won at Defender Kentucky in 2023 by finishing on her dressage score - rare at a venue and competition of that caliber. She backed it up with win a Bromont's CCI4*-S before heading overseas to the Paris Olympics.

Then came a 15-month absence after Paris. Hot Bobo returned just two weeks ago at Morven Park's CCI3*-S, finishing fourth on a 35.7 with one rail. Now comes the real test: can she return to her 2023/2024 form in time to make her a potential Aachen team horse for Canada in 2026?

Don't expect Slezak to push all the buttons and win this weekend. With only four horses ever making time at Bouckaert in 13 years, and Hot Bobo returning after a long break, this is going to be about getting a solid four-star run under their belt. 

Dyri's Calculated Return

Lucienne Bellissimo and Dyri sit at 29% to win with something nobody else has: recent venue success.

After two unlucky runs at the beginning of the 2025 season, Bellissimo stepped Dyri back down to the lower levels. The strategy worked: four consecutive wins at 2* and 3* shorts with mid-20s dressage, 3 inside-the-time runs, and zero rails. Now comes the step back up at a venue where Dyri has good form having finished second place here in March 2025 

Ones to Watch

Don't overlook Buck Davidson and Cerafino D. The prediction center gives them just a 6% chance at top three, but Davidson has won here at Bouckaert before. In fact, he has produced the second-best finishing score in the venue's history. In a small field where experience matters, those credentials carry weight. 

Waylon Roberts and Fernhill Salt Lake bring something this field needs: pace. Roberts doesn't hang about on cross-country, entering with a 95 Top Speed Percentage (TSP) - the highest in the field. With a 6RA of 33.1 they should be right in the mix and ready to capitalize on their speed. 

Emily Mastervich and Rio de Janeiro are another combination worth watching. They won the very first qualifier of the first series - will they do it again? After a five-month break (a pattern seen in recent seasons so it is likely planned) and a retirement at Plantation, Mastervich will be looking to put that run behind her.

What to Expect

Bouckaert's statistic show how demanding the venue is. The cross-country clear rate is a respectable 68% but only 4 riders (2% of previous starters) have managed to go inside the time.
 

Only one combination in 270 starters has finished on their dressage score: Jacob Fletcher and Atlantic Domino in 2018 when they took the win. 

The Bigger Picture

This is the first of just two qualifiers before the series takes a winter break and it starts again in 2026. With riders engaging more and more with the series format, expect more strategic approaches to the points race. 

The US Equestrian Open format counts your best six results, which means missing one qualifier doesn't end your season. But nail this opener and you've got points banked before the 2026 battle begins. 

The race to Morven Park 2026 starts now.

Listen to the Bouckaert Preview Podcast now on the US Equestrian Open Podcast - available on all podcast platforms.

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