Four to Follow at the US Equestrian Open Final: Ben Ebeling

Benjamin Ebeling is emerging as one of the most exciting young dressage talents in the United States. A former youth champion, Ebeling has spent 2025 redefining himself as a serious senior international contender. He rides Bellena, a 15-year-old Hanoverian mare formerly campaigned by his father, 2012 Olympian Jan Ebeling.

Their entire international career together has unfolded within the US Equestrian Open of Dressage. Since debuting their freestyle in April, Ebeling and Bellena have finished second in the overall standings with 94 points, posted the third-highest average score in the Finals field (76.325%), and climbed steadily through the leaderboard with personal bests that just keep rising.

Brick by Brick

Nearly every start this season has brought a new career high for Ebeling and Bellena. Their first freestyle win came in April at WEC’s CDI4*, where they debuted their freestyle with a 75.740%. The next month, they returned to Ocala and upped that mark to 76.190%, besting Series leader Anna Marek.

That win secured Ebeling a spot on the U.S. team for CHIO Aachen, where he made his senior team debut. While their freestyle in Aachen didn’t meet expectations, Ebeling rebounded quickly. He stayed in Europe to compete at the Achleiten CDI4* in Austria, where he and Bellena set back-to-back personal bests—winning the Grand Prix and scoring 76.615% in the Freestyle.

By September, they were peaking. At Dressage at Devon, they posted a 77.665% in the largest qualifying field of the season. One month later, they capped off the regular season with a new combination-best of 78.055% at TerraNova. That mark is the third-highest score of any pair entered in the Final, behind only Drombusch OLD and Fayvel.

In just seven months, Ebeling and Bellena have built a career to rival riders who’ve spent decades in the senior division. 

Style Points

Their rise has come with a soundtrack. Set to confident, crowd-pleasing hits like Femininomenon, Rich Girl, and Maneater, the pair’s freestyle has become one of the Series’ most recognizable.

“I think in the Grand Prix, it’s very difficult for the average fan to really connect with that,” Ebeling said. “But the freestyle, people really understand. Horses dancing is so exciting.”

The choreography is upbeat, punchy, and highlights Bellena’s athleticism and responsiveness. The fiery mare, known for her expressiveness and energy, has matched Ebeling’s confident style with patented chestnut-mare flair.

“The mare is such a powerhouse,” Ebeling said after their Ocala debut. 

“I think this girl really loves to dance.”

The Turning Point

Ebeling didn’t plan on a career in dressage. He began in the jumper ring, competing in his first Grand Prix over fences before ever stepping into a CDI arena. The pivot started when he asked his father to teach him a pirouette, not to win a dressage test, but to help him turn tighter in his jump-offs.

He didn’t realize it then, but that moment marked the beginning of a new chapter. His ability to handle sensitive, high-powered horses has shaped the rider he’s become.

At shows, Ben and Jan still carry one shared ritual: whoever finishes higher buys dinner; the other buys ice cream. After years of picking up the dessert tab, Ben finally got to pay for dinner.

Poised for More

Ebeling is the highest-ranked rider in the Finals field based on FEI World Rankings (No. 34), and he’s hit a new personal best with Bellena in each of their last three starts. If he can make it four in a row at the Final, a podium is easily within reach, but a title is on the table. 

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. aFor sponsorship opportunities, contact Layson Griffin at lgriffin@usef.org.