<h2 dir="ltr">Jumping: Greya &amp; Kent Farrington top the strongest WEF Grand Prix field on record to become the 2026 US Equestrian Open Champions</h2>
It looked set to happen and it did - this weekend&rsquo;s $1,000,000 Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix attracted the strongest field of horses we&rsquo;ve seen at a WEF Grand Prix.&nbsp;
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/ff0e9aa4-9a7a-4539-90ac-7431ebe4e9d8.png?width=1200&amp;height=1500" alt="Top Rated Wellington Fields"> 
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With such a strong group of horses from around the world packed into a 40-horse field, it&rsquo;s no wonder the pre-show predictions were tightly packed; three combinations entered as joint-favorites to win:
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<li dir="ltr">Greya &amp; Kent Farrington (USA) - 9% win chance</li>
<li dir="ltr">Eddy Blue &amp; Darragh Kenny (IRL) - 9% win chance</li>
<li dir="ltr">James Kann Cruz &amp; Shane Sweetnam (IRL) - 9% win chance</li>
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Double-defending Champions,&nbsp;Checker 47 &amp; Christian Kukuk, entered on a 6% chance of victory which ranked among the top 10 win chances. When they crashed through a wall on a night of drama which saw only 5 proceed to the jump-off, it felt like a magic night for the US might be on.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/2bb42226-9e55-4798-94af-e9037c3a31f3.jpg?width=2048&amp;height=1366" alt="2026 Final Podium Useo Jumping">The 2026 US Equestrian Open Final podium (L to R): Ben Maher (GBR), Kent Farrington (USA), Richard Vogel (GER)&nbsp;
Magic it was as home favorites Greya &amp; Kent took glory. They and Enjeu de Grisien with Ben Maher (GBR) were sitting 1-2 as the only combinations to jump clear in the jump-off. Greya had gone 0.73 seconds faster than the British combination, but there was one more pair to go: Gangster Montdesir &amp; Richard Vogel (GER). Gangster &amp; Richie were the fastest of all&hellip;but added a stride at the final fence and had a rail. So Greya &amp; Kent brought the victory home to the US for the first time since&nbsp;HH Azur &amp; McLain Ward won the class in 2019.
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&ldquo;She thrives in that environment of great atmosphere and tough competition.&rdquo; Kent on Greya. Full interview is below:
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Leading up to last year&rsquo;s Open Final,&nbsp;Greya &amp; Kent entered as strong favorites (12% win chance). Earlier in the 2025 WEF season, Greya had become the first horse on record to win two 5* Grand Prix classes in a single WEF season. But on the big night last year, a first-round rail knocked them out of contention. So this year&rsquo;s victory, among a record-breakingly strong field, with a formidable reputation preceding them, and with disappointment behind and pressure ahead, Greya &amp; Kent&rsquo;s win was perfect redemption.&nbsp;
&nbsp;<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/1579e51e-6ba4-436a-b451-8c55d4ead37a.jpg?width=null&amp;height=null" alt="Greya &amp; Kent Farrington USEO Final 2026">The 2026 US Equestrian Open Final Champions Greya &amp; Kent Farrington (USA)&nbsp;
Saturday's victory marked Greya's 10th CSI5* Grand Prix win. Farrington has described her as a once-in-a-career horse, and he didn't shy away from it after the win:
"You do this for a long time, and you have some good horses, maybe some great horses, and then you have horses that are an outlier athlete like I believe Greya is. She can do everything. She's fast, she's careful, she's scopey, and she's rideable."
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"Three words, though? 'My favorite horse.'"
</blockquote>
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<h2>Dressage: Wandres &amp; Verrenberg lead at halfway, but with nine qualifiers to go, the chase pack is closing in</h2>
Sixteen qualifiers down, nine to go. Frederic Wandres and Verrenberg lead the Series at 49 points, with three of their four qualifying slots used. They&rsquo;ve built a strong lead on the back of three consecutive freestyle improvements during their AGDF run this year.&nbsp;
With Wandres heading back to Europe, that lead is unlikely to hold. Caroline Darcourt, who sits tied for fourth at 40 points with all four of her qualifying slots filled, is also headed back to Europe for the summer season. For both riders, the second half of the Series plays out without them. They'll need the points they've already banked to hold their positions as US-based riders keep accumulating. Given that the top 18 qualify for the $200,000 CDI5* Final in November, anyone currently in the top five is in a reasonable position - but reasonable isn't guaranteed, and nine qualifiers is a lot of ground for the riders behind them to cover.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/1b5625ee-0199-4f56-9ce5-5bf042f3db26.jpg?width=2048&amp;height=1366" alt="Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn &amp; Gino &copy;centre Line Media 260109 Agd F1 Class501 2">Gino &amp; Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn (USA). Photo: Centre Line Media&nbsp;
Ge&ntilde;ay Vaughn is the clearest immediate threat to the standings. She sits second at 45 points with one qualifier slot remaining, and she's one of the west coast riders who still has accessible events in the back half. A win in her next outing - the kind of result she's been delivering - puts her past Wandres. Christian Simonson sits tied with Darcourt at 40 points but has used only two of his four slots. Ashley Holzer, fourth overall at 44 with four out of four qualifiers, has been on an ascending trajectory too - consecutive personal bests with Hawtins San Floriana - and is well-positioned to make the second half count.
The Series returns Friday night with a CDI3* freestyle at Terranova - eight horses entered. We'll have a preview later this week.
<h3 dir="ltr">Current Dressage Series Leaders:</h3>
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/7b42ff07-4136-4142-a13f-935c247261b3.png?width=728&amp;height=533" alt="Dressage Current Series Leaders">
Next Qualifier: TerraNova Dressage I - CDI3* | The Final: Desert Dressage, Thermal CA (November)
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<h2>Eventing: West Coast represents &amp; Colleen Loach wins on her first ever Open appearance</h2>
This weekend's eventing double-header saw a West Coast Qualifier at Galway Downs and an East Coast Qualifier at TerraNova.&nbsp;
At Galway Downs, Tommy Greengard entered as the favorite to take 1st and 2nd place and earn 75 Series points. That is in fact what happened, but not exactly.
Tommy was favored to win on That&rsquo;s Me Z, the horse who entered the weekend with three 4*-S podiums, including 2nd place at Galway Downs last year. But it was a repeat result for That&rsquo;s Me Z who was Tommy&rsquo;s second-place finisher after activating a pin on XC day. That&rsquo;s Me Z would otherwise have won after a 30.1 dressage score, adding just 0.4 time penalties in the showjumping, and producing the fastest XC round with just 4.0 time penalties.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/f723a4bd-9690-42a5-9f3a-4a867986fa31.png?width=1080&amp;height=882" alt="2025 2026 Us Eventing Open Grid Posts">That's Me Z and Tommy Greengard (USA)&nbsp;
Instead, Tommy won with Balladeer Kilbrickens Lad. The four-star debutant added nothing but 9.2 XC time penalties to his 34.0 dressage score. A very steady three-phase performance, particularly for his first time at the level.
Last season, Tommy didn&rsquo;t reach 75 points until June (Aspen Farms) and he still finished in the Series top 10 with a final total of 105 points. This weekend, Tommy earned 75 points right off the bat, in his first Open Qualifier of the new season. With a top 10 finish at Kentucky 4*-S, where he had two entries last year, and repeat consistency across the remaining West Coast qualifiers, Tommy could be in a strong position to one-up his inaugural standing.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/5aca14aa-fadf-465d-917f-5d2afeb21f05.png?width=1080&amp;height=1173" alt="Double Header Review 2">
On the East Coast, after a year away from international competition, FE Golden Eye returned this season with a 2 for 2 winning record, taking the Bouckaert 3*-S win and now TerraNova 4*-S victory. Both times adding nothing but a few XC time penalties to his dressage score.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/6efe278b-7129-4ba4-9c52-67f224722f81.jpg?width=5472&amp;height=3648" alt="FE Golden Eye and Colleen Loach">FE Golden Eye &amp; Colleen Loach (CAN)&nbsp;
The 50-point result is Colleen Loach&rsquo;s first time on Open leaderboard as she didn&rsquo;t contest any of last year&rsquo;s Qualifiers. And for a very first Open result, it couldn&rsquo;t have gone any better for the Canadian. Firstly, it was a field of 26 entries, meaning there were more points up for grabs. One less starter and Colleen would have earned 40 points for her win instead of 50. Secondly, well&hellip;she won. Last year, 10 points was the difference between $10,000 for third place in the Series and $0 for fourth. So those extra 10 points might come in handy.
Next Qualifier: Stable View, April 3rd | The Final: Morven Park 4*-L, October 8th
<h2>The Fantasy Cards are Released:&nbsp;</h2>
The US Equestrian Open Fantasy Card Collection celebrates the winning partnerships of the first-ever US Equestrian Open. Inspired by classic sports trading cards, each set profiles Open Champions from eventing, dressage, and jumping. Explore the collection and discover the stories behind the sport&rsquo;s top competitors. <a href="https://usequestrianopen.info/fantasy-cards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">You can find out more here.&nbsp;</a> The first packs were released at Wellington and can next be found in Fort Worth at the FEI World Cup Finals (at the US Equestrian booth). A special pack will also be placed inside every US Open merchandise sale via Shop USEF.&nbsp; &nbsp;<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/f98e4f4b-f8f1-4098-ae75-18bb85695c35.JPG?width=3414&amp;height=5120" alt="615a101d 21f8 4ccf 9f94 9c5a0e1e15fe"> &nbsp;
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<h2 data-path-to-node="4">Stay in the loop with The Open Weekly</h2>
Thanks for joining us for this week's edition! Don't forget: a fresh update of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/categories/the-open-weekly" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Open Weekly</a>&nbsp;drops on the site&nbsp;every Tuesday.
<h3 data-path-to-node="9">Join the Conversation</h3>
Follow us for daily highlights, behind-the-scenes content, and live updates:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/usequestrianopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/useqopen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X (Twitter)</a>
<h3 data-path-to-node="6">Go Beyond the Article</h3>
Catch the latest insights and expert interviews on the&nbsp;<a href="https://sites.libsyn.com/559710" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US Equestrian Open Podcast.</a>&nbsp;
The Mission of the Open&nbsp; 
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The US Equestrian Open was born from a strategic&nbsp;Board of Directors decision in 2023 to build a permanent legacy for US&nbsp;Equestrian sport.&nbsp;Its mission is to grow and foster a deeper connection to equestrianism by delivering a premier, unified championship series in the Olympic disciplines.&nbsp; With top-level competition, storytelling, and a dynamic, entertaining experience, the&nbsp;vision is to transform disparate events into a cohesive, narrative-driven season.&nbsp;The series is anchored by&nbsp;core values which include fan-first accessibility, competitive integrity, storytelling, and a dynamic&nbsp;entertaining experience onsite&nbsp;.
The&nbsp;US Equestrian Open&nbsp;spans the three Olympic disciplines&mdash;Jumping, Eventing, and Dressage&mdash;with USEF contributing $200,000 in prize money to each final to ensure high-stakes competitive integrity. The Jumping Final took place at Wellington International from&nbsp;March 24&ndash;29, 2026. Next stop will be&nbsp; the Eventing Final at Morven Park from&nbsp;October 8&ndash;11, 2026.&nbsp;The season concludes with the Dressage Final at the Desert International Horse Park from&nbsp;November 11&ndash;15, 2026. You can follow along with the qualifiers, the unfolding stories and sport updates at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.usequestrianopen.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.usequestrianopen.org</a>, on our video series&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkdGSxID6G_eceNlWgvqIuspJsKrSqCq2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The&nbsp;Open&nbsp;Road</a>, and on our&nbsp;<a href="https://podfollow.com/the-us-equestrian-open-podcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">weekly podcast</a>.&nbsp;
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The Open Weekly: Greya & Kent are Champions and two new names join the eventing standings

1. Jumping

All you need to know

Wellington CSI5* Grand Prix

2. Eventing

Morven Park CCI4*-L

3. Dressage

Desert CDI5* Freestyle

The 2026 Finals

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Main

Kent Farrington and Greya stopped the timers in 42.99 seconds before a sold-out crowd of more than 10,000 fans to take the $1,000,000 Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix CSI5*, the highest-rated Grand Prix in Wellington International history.<a href="https://www.usef.org/media/press-releases/farrington-hoists-trophy-in-1000000-rolex-us"> </a>It was a home win in every sense -- the first American to take the Rolex Finale Grand Prix in seven years, delivered in front of a crowd that knew exactly what they were watching.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/4a7faa5f-aee0-4706-906f-74d269da1821.jpg?width=null&amp;height=null" alt="Aw Jumping Final 379" loading="lazy">
Ben Maher and Enjeu de Grisien finished second. Richard Vogel and Gangster Montdesir rounded out the top three. Vogel, the reigning European Champion, stopped the clock in 42.87 seconds but had a rail at the last fence. After months of build up, two days of qualifying and two hours of jumping, for the champion to be decided with the final fence felt fitting.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">The Course and the Jump-Off</h3>
Course designer Guilherme Jorge set an 18-effort track that demanded accuracy, scope, and tremendous athleticism from the 40 qualified combinations.<a href="https://horsesdaily.com/article/kent-farrington-hoists-trophy-in-1000000-rolex-us-equestrian-open-grand-prix-csi5/"> </a>The average clear rate at Wellington in this final week is just 18% over the last 10 runnings. We expected beforehand that we might see 7 make the jump off. When the defending champion of the Open Christian Kukuk crashed through the wall early in the course, and early on the night, we knew a major chance for a US win was on.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/3dacbede-8910-49bb-a8d0-1d7637c89e46.png?width=5037&amp;height=3502" alt="Greyaears" loading="lazy">&nbsp; Five combinations produced clear rounds to make it to the jump-off, a number Farrington called exactly right. "If you under build the course even a little bit, you could easily see 20 clears," he said. "It's very possible to jump clear, and I think that is what this level of competition should be about."
The first to jump of the five was Ben Maher with Enjeu de Grisien. They were clear and fast and the time was set. This horse has now jumped in 6 CSI5* 160 jump-offs, jumped clear in all six and been on the podium every time. They have only won one, in London back in December 2023.
Going third in the jump-off order, Farrington and Greya took on the eight-fence track with precision.<a href="https://www.usef.org/media/press-releases/farrington-hoists-trophy-in-1000000-rolex-us"> </a>The fastest clear of the first round had already signaled where this evening was headed but the tension was incredible. Their clear round was met with huge hometown excitement but nobody was brave enough to call the win at this stage.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/d9ca34dd-8028-47d6-9ed3-62693f76d276.jpg?width=4338&amp;height=5423" alt="C E5 A4907">
German riders had won four of the last five runnings of this competition, including Richard Vogel himself with Cepano Baloubet in 2023. He has found a new superstar in Gangster Montdesir. This horse was already a five star winner at Wellington this season (Week 5) and the rider is the most in-form rider in the sport. They arrived at the last fence faster than Greya but added a stride and had it down. While US fans will celebrate the win here, there is no doubt now that Vogel will be a major threat to Kent Farrington and Scott Brash in both the world rankings and in this summer&rsquo;s World Championships.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">Greya the Great</h3>
Farrington and Greya were competing in their 16th CSI5* 1.60m jump-off together, with a 60% win rate from those jump-offs.<a href="https://horsesdaily.com/article/kent-farrington-hoists-trophy-in-1000000-rolex-us-equestrian-open-grand-prix-csi5/"> </a>Saturday's victory marked Greya's 10th CSI5* Grand Prix win. Farrington has described her as a once-in-a-career horse, and he didn't shy away from it after the win. "You do this for a long time, and you have some good horses, maybe some great horses, and then you have horses that are an outlier athlete like I believe Greya is. She can do everything. She's fast, she's careful, she's scopey, and she's rideable.
Three words, though? "My favorite horse."
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/e70132fe-5e3f-4d82-a285-136f18dbe278.jpg?width=5710&amp;height=5464" alt="C E5 A5909">
<h3 dir="ltr">The Field. The Record.</h3>
We told you last week this was shaping up to be something historic. The field was confirmed as the best Grand Prix field ever assembled at Wellington International and one of the top 20 rated fields globally over the last 15 years.<a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/1-million-rolex-us-equestrian-103046665.html">&nbsp;</a>
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/ff0e9aa4-9a7a-4539-90ac-7431ebe4e9d8.png?width=1200&amp;height=1500" alt="Top Rated Wellington Fields">
<h3 dir="ltr">What the Open Is Becoming</h3>
Farrington was asked about the US Equestrian Open series and what it can build toward. His answer cut to the core of what the series is trying to do. "People start to understand. They start to follow, they start to know who the riders are, and they know who the horses are. I think that's really what our sport becomes about. It starts with a community here knowing what to cheer for."
Wellington International President Michael Stone called the evening mind-blowing. "The fact that the crowd silenced when the riders and horses were on course -- you could hear a pin drop -- and then as they came down to the last fence, everyone was cheering."<a href="https://horsesdaily.com/article/kent-farrington-hoists-trophy-in-1000000-rolex-us-equestrian-open-grand-prix-csi5/"> </a>
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The Mission of the Open&nbsp; 
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The US Equestrian Open was born from a strategic Board of Directors decision in 2023 to build a permanent legacy for US Equestrian sport. Its mission is to grow and foster a deeper connection to equestrianism by delivering a premier, unified championship series in the Olympic disciplines.&nbsp; With top-level competition, storytelling, and a dynamic, entertaining experience, the&nbsp;vision is to transform disparate events into a cohesive, narrative-driven season.&nbsp;The series is anchored by&nbsp;core values which include fan-first accessibility, competitive integrity, storytelling, and a dynamic entertaining experience onsite&nbsp;.
The&nbsp;US Equestrian Open spans the three Olympic disciplines&mdash;Jumping, Eventing, and Dressage&mdash;with USEF contributing $200,000 in prize money to each final to ensure high-stakes competitive integrity. The Jumping Final took place at Wellington International from March 24&ndash;29, 2026. Next stop will be&nbsp; the Eventing Final at Morven Park from October 8&ndash;11, 2026. The season concludes with the Dressage Final at the Desert International Horse Park from November 11&ndash;15, 2026. You can follow along with the qualifiers, the unfolding stories and sport updates at <a href="http://www.usequestrianopen.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.usequestrianopen.org</a>, on our video series <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkdGSxID6G_eceNlWgvqIuspJsKrSqCq2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Open&nbsp;Road</a>, and on our <a href="https://podfollow.com/the-us-equestrian-open-podcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">weekly podcast</a>.&nbsp;
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Kent Farrington and Greya holding the Open trophy

 A Record Field. A Home Win. A US Champion.

🎧 Listen:&nbsp;<a class="reset interactable cursor-pointer decoration-1 underline-offset-1 text-super hover:underline" href="https://pod.fo/e/3c5f03" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Special Preview Podcast</a> 📄&nbsp;Download:&nbsp;<a class="reset interactable cursor-pointer decoration-1 underline-offset-1 text-super hover:underline" href="https://qr.equiratings.com/076d87a2" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Printable Start List</a> 📄&nbsp;View: <a href="https://usequestrianopen.info/us-open-final-jumping-fan-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Fan Guide</a>
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<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/3d276e5b-d777-4812-91c6-d31617eafed3.png?width=1200&amp;height=1500" alt="Open Newsletter Graphics Field Strength">
The last ten editions of this class have seen a&nbsp;first-round clear rate of just 18%, meaning only about seven riders typically make it through to the jump-off. With such elite talent tonight, that number may rise slightly&mdash;but not by much.
Key detail:&nbsp;Riders will start the jump-off in the same order as the first round&rsquo;s draw. That means Germany&rsquo;s&nbsp;Richard Vogel&nbsp;and Ireland&rsquo;s&nbsp;Shane Sweetnam could face times to beat from top US riders if all make it through.&nbsp;
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<h2 id="germanys-dominance-continues" class="font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-base first:mt-0">Germany&rsquo;s Dominance Continues?</h2>
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/9c334106-10a6-4b68-bfa0-bf5cc8e7681d.png?width=1200&amp;height=1500" alt="Open Newsletter Graphics Previous Winners">
Germany has long ruled this class.&nbsp;Christian Kukuk&nbsp;returns as the defending champion, having won the last two years with&nbsp;Checker 47, the Olympic champion. The prior year&rsquo;s winner,&nbsp;Richard Vogel, is back too&mdash;this time on&nbsp;Gangster Mondesir, a rising star with a perfect five-for-five clear record at 5* 1.60m level and a recent win over&nbsp;Greya&nbsp;earlier this season.
Keep an eye on these two: their consistency and precision have proven unstoppable in Wellington. Vogel is in incredible form and feels unbeatable. And he is late to go. We want to keep the Open on home soil but this feels ominous.&nbsp;
<h2 id="win-chances-before-the-first-round" class="font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-base first:mt-0">Win Chances Before the First Round</h2>
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/5f5503d4-7932-4424-afc3-2fcdf9258be5.png?width=1200&amp;height=1500" alt="Open Newsletter Graphics Win Chances">
Pre-competition probabilities show a&nbsp;three-way tie at 9%&nbsp;between:
Kent Farrington &amp; Greya
Eddy Blue (IRL)
James Kann Cruz (IRL)
You can&rsquo;t win if you don&rsquo;t reach the jump-off. Greya, in particular, shines under pressure&mdash;her jump-off record at this level is exceptional, making her a likely favorite if she posts a first-round clear. Late draw positions could play into some riders&rsquo; hands as well.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/00f85e8c-335d-49bf-8e74-7925a3346707.png?width=1200&amp;height=1500" alt="Open Newsletter Graphics Jump Off">
Certain riders are simply&nbsp;built&nbsp;for the jump-off. If these names make it through the first round, expect fireworks:
James Kann Cruz&nbsp;(last to go): 21 jump-offs at 5* 1.60m, 19 podiums. Always dangerous, even if not always the winner.
Ben Maher: A master tactician known for razor-sharp rounds under pressure.
When these two enter the ring, clear rounds come often but are they fast enough to win?
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<h2 id="a-possible-history-making-moment" class="font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-base first:mt-0">A Possible History-Making Moment</h2>
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/c81e47d9-aa1c-4a7f-b823-09ad75f539f4.png?width=1200&amp;height=1500" alt="Open Newsletter Graphics History Moment">
Watch closely after the interval.&nbsp;France&rsquo;s Nina Mallevaey, the world&rsquo;s top-rated female rider at just 26, heads in with&nbsp;Dynastie De Beaufour&nbsp;on an incredible run of&nbsp;14 consecutive clears at 5* 1.60m level.
If she delivers again tonight, she&rsquo;ll become one of only two horses to reach 15 consecutive clears, the record is 17 in a row set by Casall ASK in 2017. This could be a moment for the history books if she edges past H&amp;M All In.&nbsp;
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<h2 id="dont-miss-a-second" class="font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-base first:mt-0">Don&rsquo;t Miss a Second</h2>
With record field strength, razor-thin margins, and the world&rsquo;s best show jumpers under the lights, tonight&rsquo;s Rolex U.S. Equestrian Open Grand Prix promises drama, data, and possible history in the making.
🎧 Tune in now:&nbsp;<a class="reset interactable cursor-pointer decoration-1 underline-offset-1 text-super hover:underline" href="https://pod.fo/e/3c5f03" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Special Preview Podcast</a> 📄 Print your start list: <a class="reset interactable cursor-pointer decoration-1 underline-offset-1 text-super hover:underline" href="https://qr.equiratings.com/076d87a2" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Start List with Data</a>
Watch the action tonight on USEF Network:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.clipmyhorse.tv/en_EU/events/18390/wef-week-12-csi5-rolex-finale-week" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch here</a>
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<h2 id="the-vision-of-the-us-equestrian-open" class="font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-lg first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4">The Vision of the US Equestrian Open</h2>
The US Equestrian Open was born from a strategic Board of Directors decision in 2023 to build a permanent legacy for US Equestrian sport. Its mission is to increase awareness and foster a deeper connection to equestrianism by delivering a premier, unified championship series. With top-level competition, storytelling, and a dynamic, entertaining experience, the vision is to transform disparate events into a cohesive, narrative-driven season for fan engagement. The series is anchored by core values which include fan-first accessibility, competitive integrity, storytelling, and a dynamic entertaining experience onsite, all designed to benefit the family of USEF disciplines and breeds.
The US Equestrian Open spans the three disciplines&mdash;Jumping, Eventing, and Dressage&mdash;with USEF contributing $200,000 in prize money to each final to ensure high-stakes competitive integrity. The Jumping Final returns to Wellington International from March 24&ndash;29, 2026, followed by the Eventing Final at Morven Park from October 8&ndash;11, 2026. The season concludes with the Dressage Final at the Desert International Horse Park from November 11&ndash;15, 2026. You can follow along with the unfolding stories and sport updates at&nbsp;<a class="reset interactable cursor-pointer decoration-1 underline-offset-1 text-super hover:underline" href="http://www.usequestrianopen.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">www.usequestrianopen.org</a>, on our video series&nbsp;The Open Road, and on our weekly podcast.

The Rolex U.S. Equestrian Open Grand Prix: What to Expect Tonight in Wellington

On Thursday afternoon in the sun in Wellington, we watched for news as to which of the top 12 would come back to jump in the Round 2. Laura Kraut and Bisquetta would not be back. Nina Mallevaey and Dynastie the same. These are going to be major contenders for the Saturday night final and it felt like a decision to save them. Richie Vogel had chosen Cloudio for the qualifier and he was coming back. He would go on to finish in second place and guarantee himself a late draw for Saturday. The decision to come back also meant something else, we are going to see a different horse on Saturday - and it is an absolute star. The CSI5* Week 5, $500,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix here at the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington went to Gangster Montdesir. They jumped double clear and stopped the clock in 42.65 seconds to win against a 715‑Elo field. Widely regarded as one of the most naturally gifted riders on the circuit, Vogel looks to have found his next superstar in Gangster, a 10‑year‑old who has already proven he belongs at the very top of the sport.
<img src="https://usef-admin.fly.dev/assets/66ff2db6-86fb-4112-b0c1-2951572a8ea7.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="Field Stength">
Why Richie is on such hot form
Over the past 12 months at 1.55&ndash;1.60m, Vogel and Gangster have multiple CSI5* victories and podiums across Lyon, Barcelona, Thermal, and Wellington, while consistently jumping clear in round one against high field strengths. At Lyon&rsquo;s CSI5*-W Longines Grand Prix in October 2025, they delivered a double clear to win from a 49‑strong field, improving Gangster&rsquo;s top‑level Elo from 590 to 649. That was the first major statement. They were second in the CSI5*-W Longines World Cup qualifier in Arcadia and then of course had the big win in Wellington. Rated 733, this horse is now in the top four 10 year old horses in the world.&nbsp; Of course, United Touch S remains the big name in the stable. A couple of weeks ago they won the &euro;1,000,000 Rolex Grand Prix at The Dutch Masters CSI5*, the first Major of the 2026 Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, producing a blazing, clear jump‑off in 39.42 seconds.&nbsp;
The momentum carried straight to Florida. At World Equestrian Center &ndash; Ocala this past weekend, Vogel anchored Team Germany to victory in the $770,000 Longines League of Nations CSIO5*-LLN on Cloudio, delivering crucial clear rounds under maximum pressure as the last rider in the ring. He then capped the week by winning the $65,000 The Dutta Corp. Grand Prix CSI2* with Cardentos and adding podium finishes in the Winning Round class with Quizas van&rsquo;t Hulsbos and Cardentos, turning Ocala into another multi‑horse, multi‑class statement of form. Yesterday in Wellington he won on Michael Jackson and today, was second with Cloudio.&nbsp; Already a Wellington winner with Gangster&ndash; and a former winner of the class with Cepano Baloubet.&nbsp; It will be no surprise if we see another German winner on Saturday night.&nbsp;

Superstar Gangster

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Finally the day is here. The first of two qualifiers which lead us into the US Equestrian Open of Jumping Final.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2 id="how-todays-qualifier-works" class="font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-lg first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4">How today&rsquo;s qualifier works</h2>
Sixty horses and riders come forward in the CSI5* $116,100 Adequan WEF Challenge Cup, the first official qualifier for the US Equestrian Open Jumping Final.&nbsp; The competition runs over two rounds: every combination jumps Round 1, then the top 12 on faults and time come back for Round 2 to decide today&rsquo;s prize money and ranking.
<h2 id="how-to-qualify-for-saturday" class="font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-lg first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4">How to qualify for Saturday</h2>
Thirty of today&rsquo;s 60 starters will book their ticket to the Final: the 12 who jump again in Round 2, plus the next 18 best-placed combinations from Round 1 who do not return.
Tomorrow night offers a second chance: another qualifier will add 10 more spots to complete the 40‑strong Final line‑up alongside any pre‑qualified riders.
That means some horses we see today are here purely to secure qualification; riders may swap to a different top horse for the Grand Prix itself once they are safely through.
<h2 id="stars-to-watch" class="font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-lg first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4">Stars to watch</h2>
There is still plenty of star power on show: Laura Kraut brings the ultra‑consistent Bisquetta, Nina Mallevaey lines up with in‑form Dynastie de Beaufor, and Karl Cook partners the electric Caracole de la Roque.
These combinations arrive with strong recent CSI5* form and high Elo ratings in 1.55m classes, marking them out as serious threats for both today&rsquo;s win and Saturday night&rsquo;s spotlight.
<h2 id="follow-along" class="font-editorial font-bold mb-2 mt-4 [.has-inline-images_&amp;]:clear-end text-lg first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4">Follow along</h2>
For the full picture on every horse and rider, <a href="https://usequestrianopen.info/fanguide-jumpingqualifier1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out the detailed Fan Guide</a> for today&rsquo;s qualifier on the US Equestrian Open site:
You can also dive into the <a href="https://usequestrianopen.info/fanguide-jumpingqualifier1/the-startlist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">complete start list and running order here</a>.&nbsp;
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Qualifier 1: From 60 to 30

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The Rolex U.S. Equestrian Open Grand Prix: What to Expect Tonight in Wellington

Superstar Gangster

Qualifier 1: From 60 to 30

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