The Freestyle Finale: Your Usual Suspects

Saturday night’s Grand Prix Freestyle will decide the US Equestrian Open of Dressage Final, and if Friday’s Grand Prix was any indication, the field is more than ready. All three podium finishers landed within 0.304 percentage points of one another, with Anna Marek taking the win on 70.804%. Nine riders scored above their season average. And Laura DeCesari delivered a personal best that outpaced her norm by more than three full points.

In short: the field is in form, and they came to play.

With the Freestyle’s added score multipliers and $200,000 on the line, we’re likely to see bold riding, tight scoring, and more than a few new personal bests. And at the end of it, we will crown an inaugural champion.

The Usual Suspects 

You know who the statistical favorites are, and it's anyone's game. Anna Marek, Felicitas Hendricks, and Ben Ebeling all average above 75% in the freestyle across the season, and all three landed on the Grand Prix podium last night. Even Geñay Vaughn, who finished in sixth, has the technical skill to knock any one of them off the podium tonight. She and Gino just need to clean up some communication, and if they can achieve that, the top three need to watch their backs. 

The Not-So-Usual Suspects

Outside the top four, the field doesn’t get much more predictable. Which, let’s be honest, just makes it all the more fun.

Kristina Harrison-Antell came fourth last night with a strong 68.978% in the Grand Prix—two full points above her average and just 0.3 percent off a new personal best. Often playing second fiddle to Geñay and Gino on the California circuit, Harrison-Antell proved that the queen of the West Coast isn’t untouchable. With the small matter of riding in a ring that Finley knows well, she’s the kind of steady hand who could capitalize if others falter. She and Finley have the longest partnership in the field, and a podium tonight would be a full-circle moment in a strong season.

Jan Ebeling and Jubi’s Tenacity bring that same veteran feel. Their name rarely tops headlines, but their 75.720% freestyle personal best is no small number, and it trails Vaughn's by just a tenth of a point. If Jubi's relaxed and Jan’s riding sharp, they could absolutely disrupt the expected order.

Charlotte Jorst and Karen Lipp both have wide scoring spreads. Their personal bests sit in the 72–74% range, but either could break out with a clean ride and technical finesse. Lipp, in particular, has climbed the leaderboard all season by riding clean, artistic tests in tough fields. 

Then there’s DeCesari, who broke through with a personal best in Friday’s Grand Prix that clocked in over three percentage points above her average. Their partnership has been trending upward all year, and a repeat performance tonight could launch them into the upper half of the leaderboard. 

Laine Ashker and Zeppelin tied for 11th last night with Nadine Schwartsman. As only the second pair to go, there was a little tension, probably nerves in both horse and rider. While Ashker isn’t new to the top of horse sport (she's an accomplished five-star eventer), she is new to the top of this horse sport. This is her first dressage five-star. Even still, one look at her social media tells you how much fun she’s having just being here. If she can tap into that joy tonight, her 73% ceiling could come tumbling down with a new career-best. 

Schwartsman hasn’t cracked 70% yet, but she’s getting close. Her personal best of 69.935% came earlier this spring, and her Grand Prix last night was nearly a full point above her average. If she can bring that same composure to the freestyle, a new PB—and a place inside the top 10—is absolutely within reach.

And then there’s Brittney Simpson and Kartsevo Goldfinch. With a Grand Prix performance that outpaced her average by 1.572 points, she’s quietly positioned herself to surprise. While her average freestyle sits near 67%, she’s hit 72% before. If she does it again tonight, she’ll be in the mix with the likes of Jorst, Lipp, and Harrison-Antell.

X Halt, Salute

Not every rider will win tonight, but nearly all are chasing something meaningful. A personal best. A top-ten finish. A ride that reflects the work it took to get here.

That’s what the Open has offered all season: a chance to show up, to break through, and to build something. Each qualifier brought new faces, new milestones, and new horses to fall in love with.

But this is the one that counts.

The math is simple now. Whoever wins tonight, wins the Final. And while the numbers will crown a champion, it’ll take more than that to earn the title. Trust, timing, and maybe even a little luck.

All that’s left now… is to ride.

Don’t miss a moment of the US Equestrian Open Final. Watch live on USEF Network, dive deeper with the complete Fan Guide, and follow along on Instagram and Facebook for updates, results, and behind-the-scenes coverage.