Competitions

Mark Bluman won over JJ Torano at Hampton Classic

Details

August 27, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

BRIDGEHAMPTON, N.Y.--Israel’s Mark Bluman on Ubiluc won the $40,000 1.45m National Grand Prix for the second year in a row on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at the Hampton Classic

Mark Bluman on Ubiluc (Photo by KindMedia)Bluman, just back from competing for Israel in the World Championship in Aachen, finished clean in 33.057 seconds.

JJ Torano on I am Inge, also just back from Aachen, where he won the Speed in the U25 competition, placed second, clean in 33.622.

Ariana Marnell was third in 35.004 seconds on Jikke-Cara,

Nine of 19 competitors were clean over Nick Granat’s 15 jump course in the National Grand Prix, and eight returned to jump off.

Bluman was just the second to go in the jump-off, setting the time to beat at 33.057 seconds.

Everyone that followed did their best to beat him, but even Bluman’s second mount Phelina De Septon, who won the class in 2025, couldn’t beat that time.

Read more ...

David Blake won at Hampton Classic to benefit Babington Foundation

Details

August 25, 2026

By Staff Writers

BRIDGEHAMPTON NY.--David Blake of Ireland on Gucci Des Embruns won the $30,000, 1.40m Jumper Challenge benefiting the Kevin Babington Foundation on Sunday, Aug. 23 at the Hampton Classic.

David Blake on Gucci Des Embruns (Photo by KindMedia)On opening day of the eight day show, Blake went clean against 27 competitors over the first course set by Nick Granat and returned to also go clean in the Winning Round in 45.754 to win. 

As a designated benefit class for the Babington Foundation, a portion of each horse’s Jumper Challenge entry fee was given directly to the Foundation,

The donation totaled $4,500.

The Foundation was created in 2019 to provide funding and support for equestrian show jumping riders who sustain spinal injuries.

In addition to providing financial assistance, the Foundation strives to educate riders, trainers and show organizers about the most current safety measures designed to reduce the risk of serious injuries that can occur while riding.

Read more ...

Three Freestyle wins for U.S. Para Dressage

Details

August 24, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN, Germany--Kate Shoemaker on Vianne, Fiona Howard on Diamond Dune and Marie Vonderheyden on Fan Tastico H all won gold in their respective freestyle grades at the World Championships on Sunday, Aug. 23.

Kate Shoemaker thanks Vianne with a kiss (Photo by Kim MacMillan)Shoemaker finished on 83.305% to win in Grade IV Para Grand Prix Freestyle to win her third gold of the competition.

“This horse is so special, and the medals are icing on the cake,” said Shoemaker, who competes at Grade IV due to partial paralysis of her right leg from Periventricular leukomalacia, a brain injury that occurred at birth. “I decided that it's the last day and I was not going to hold back.”

Shoemaker made minor changes to her Paris 2024 freestyle, including the addition of four loops on the counter canter with a flying change.

The test was choreographed to music from the movie Forrest Gump. 

"It's the last day, the team is finished, so I just wanted to see if we could just have a little bit more in the trough and just not really hold back." said Shoemaker. "Vianne stayed relaxed and with me the whole time. I think we had our best extended trot of the entire competition, so I added it impromptu down the last centerline just for fun, because that wasn't originally in there. And then still came what felt like a beautiful halt to finish ,and she just walked out as relaxed as ever. So It's just amazing to have a horse that feels like she enjoys it so much."

Read more ...

Chester Weber won Individual bronze in Driving

Details

August 24, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN, Germany--Chester Weber of Ocala, Fla., won the Individual bronze while the U.S. team finished fifth in Driving for Four-in-Hands on Sunday, Aug. 23 at the World Championship.

Chester Weber (Photo by Sarah Miller for MacMillan Photo)Boyd Excell of Australia won his eighth consecutive World Championship gold medal on 142.64 over Dries Degrieck of Belgium, who won the silver medal on 148.85, while Weber scored 156.77for the bronze.

Netherlands won its record 112th Team gold medal on 315.13 over Australia, that won the silver on 317.13, and Belgium, that won bronze on 325.52, while the U.S.placed fifth on 354.91

Weber, with his team of Amadeus, Despardo, Kadora, Julius V, and Nico Tuesje C*, also placed third in the final Cones phase which won his the bronze after his world championship record-breaking dressage test on opening day gave him a significant edge.

His were the counting team scores in all three phases of the competition.

“I feel great, and the horses felt fantastic to drive," said Weber after Cones. "I had a little bit of a cheap fault very early on, which was my fault, so I was super pleased with the horses.” 

Read more ...

Steve Guerdat won the Individual gold medal at the World Championship

Details

August 23, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN, Germany--Steve Guerdat of Switzerland on Dynamix de Belheme, won the Individual gold medal at the World Championship on Sunday, Aug. 23

Steve Guerdat on Dynamix de Belheme (Photo by Allen MacMillan)Guerdat was the only one to jump five clean rounds, including three over incredibly difficult courses that caused numerous riders to withdraw after problems on course and other top riders like Richie Vogel of Germany and Ben Maher of Great Britain to have stops.

Thibeau Spits of Belgium on Impress-K van't Kattenheye Z won the Individual silver to add to the Team silver he won on Friday, finishing on 5.60 penalties.

Harry Charles of Great Britain on LT Holst Freda made the biggest move of the day, climbing from 59th 23rd to third to win the bronze on 7.17.

McLain Ward and Laura Kraut made the top 25 but neither made the top12, with Kraut finishing clean jumping but with a foot on the tape at the water for four faults, finishing 14th on 9.06 and Ward with eight faults in the Final finishing 21st.

Read more ...

The U.S. Para Dressage team won the Team gold medal at the World Championships

Details

August 23, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN, Germany--The U.S. team won the Team gold medal in Para Dressage on Saturday, Aug. 22 at the World Championship.

Kate Shoemaker on Vianne (Photo by Kim MacMillan)The team of Fiona Howard on Diamond Dunes, Marie Vonderheyden on Fan Tastico H, Rebecca Hart on Floratina and Kate Shoemaker on Vianne scored 236.135 to win the gold over Germany, that won the silver on 229.875 and Netherlands, that won bronze on 227.639.

Going Friday,, Howard scored 79.300, Vonderheyden scored 76.375, and Hart scored 73.533 to be the drop score.

Going Saturday, Shoemaker, a two-time U.S. Paralympian, clinched the gold medal as the final rider in team competition.

Her score of 80.460% for Grade IV was the highest individual total throughout team competition in Aachen, and it clinched the title.

Read more ...

Chester Weber third after Driving Marathon

Details

August 23, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN, Germany--Chester Weber is third after the Driving Marathon while the team dropped to fifth on Saturday, Aug. 22 at the World Championships.

Chester Weber (Photo by Sarah Miller for MacMillan Photo)The rain added to the difficulty of the Marathon course that consisted of eight complicated obstacles.

After the dressage and marathon phases, Weber  is on 147.72 behind the leader, Boyd Excell of Australia on 142.34 and Dries Degrieck of Belgium on 147.72.

Bram Chandon of Netherlands is fourth on 157.20, meaning Weber can have two cones down abd stiil be the individual bronze medalist.

The team is fifth on a score of 333.26.

Weber's team consisted of Despardo, Kadora, Amadeus, and Nico Tuesje C, and he is only 4.27 points behind first place.

"I'm super proud of Amadeus," said Weber. "He''s 21 years old, and he's mu left wheel horse. He's half Hackney, and Hackneys are maybe not the best young horses. But when he settled into the job, the marathon really suits him."

Read more ...

U.S. Jumping team fourth in World Championships

Details

August 22, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN, Germany--The U.S. team finished fourth in Team Jumping behind Germany, Belgium and Great Britain on Friday evening, Aug.21 at the World Championships.

McLain Ward on High Star Hero (Photo by Allen MacMillan)Then on Sunday, JJ Torano rode on the team that won the team gold medal CSIY, a competition for U25 riders.

The U.S. team of Laura Kraut on Baloutinue, Katie Dinan on Out of the Blue SCF, Lillie Keenan on Fasther and McLain Ward on High Star Hero had been second going into the Final, but slipped to fourth with rails from all but Ward to finish on 16.85 faults.

It was a disappointment, but considering the fact that the team initially lost the World number one Kent Farrington, who decided not to compete on Greya, then lost Marilyn Little on La Contessa and then had to substitute Baloutinue for Kraut's top horse Bisquetta, it was still a great result.

It was an extremely tough course for the 10 top teams that made the Final, with four riders, or 10% of the class electing to withdraw after running into trouble on the course.

Kraut went first for the team and had one rail down, but then Dinan's Out of the Blue landed on top of the out of the three combination before the water, and instead of pulling herself together and trying to jump the water, Dinan elected to retire.

Keenan uncharacteristically had the first fence down and then another later in the course before Ward put in a beautiful clear round for the team to finish on 16.35.

Perhaps the ground at the first fence got a little slippery with the rain that fell all evening, because at least four riders had it down, which is very unusual.

Read more ...

U.S, wins team gold in Para Dressage, Driving team fifth after Marathon

Details

August 22, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN, Germany--The U.S. team of Fiona Howard, Marie Vondrheyden, Rebecca Hart and Kate Shoemaker won the Team gold medal in Para Dressage while the Driving team of Chester Weber, Taran Lester and Jimmy Fairclough is fifth after the Marathon phase on Saturday, Aug. 22 at the World Championships.

USA Para Dressage Team Gold (Photo by Kim MacMillan)Howard and Vonderheyden won their sections on Friday, while Shoemaker won hers on Saturday for the team victory.

The Para Dressage Freestyle is Sunday, and full stories on Para Dressage will be posted after the finals.

In Driving, Weber stands third individually going into the Cones on Sunday, with a good chance of winning a medal.

Full stories on Driving will also be posted after the finals.

JJ Torano won the U25 Speed at the World Championship

Details

August 21, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN, Germany--JJ Torano on Lyon 50 jumped a fantastic clean round to win the U25 Speed on Friday, Aug. 21 at the World Championship.

Jj Torano on Lyon 50 (Photo by Allen MacMillan)That evening, the U.S Jumping team of Laura Kraut on Baloutinue, Katie Dinan on Out of the Blue, Lille Keenan on Fasther and McLain Ward on High Star Hero finished fourth in Team Jumping - full story to come tomorrow.

Torano, at just 16 years old, made his first ever trip to Aachen an unbelievable experience by winning in Aachen’s main stadium.

He finished clean in 63.96 to win over Germany’s Max Paschertz on Foodfox' Cathilde H in 64.43 with Luiz Felipe Neto de Azevedo of Brazil on Granit de las Mure third in 65.80 in the class of 39 riders 25 and under that qualified to compete in the first ever U25 competition at a World Championship.

“That was so much fun,” said Torano. “There's no better place to win than Aachen. When we heard about this opportunity obviously we jumped at it. We came looking to win today.”

Read more ...

U.S Driving team third after dressage, Chester Weber leads

Details

August 21, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN, Germany--The U.S. Driving Team is in third place at the FEI Driving World Championship for Four-in-Hands after the dressage phase on Friday, Aug. 21. 

Chester Weber (Photo by Sarah Miller for acMillan Photo)Chester Weber, with his team of Dutch harness horses, Julius V, Kadora, Amadeus and Nico Teusje C, broke his own World Championship Dressage record, scoring 30.40 to put him in first place overnight.

Fairclough, a six time competitor at the World Championships, finished on 60.83 ti be the drop score, while Taren Lester, who competed Thursday, finished on 51.44 for a team score of 81.84.

"What a fantastic team of horses.and what a fantastic team of people," said Weber. "Really, score of 30, I said this morning, it can be a record."

"It's humbling to sit here," Weber said. "The Lord was with me today. I'm a man of faith. For the extended trot, I thought, wow, they're doing it correctly, and they not even running." 

Read more ...

Fiona Howard and Marie Vonderheyden win in Para Dressage

Details

August 21, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN, Germany--Fiona Howard and Marie Voneheyden won in Grade II and Grade I respectively, while Rebecca Hart finished fifth in Grade III for the team to be fourth after day one of team competition in the World Championship on Friday, Aug.21.

Fiona Howard on Diamond Dunes(Photo by Kim MacMillan)But Kate Shoemaker,, who set a world record in her test Thursday, has still to go for a team score, while the three teams currently ahead of them, Singapore, Czechia and Hong Kong, have completed their team scores.

Howard on Diamond Dunes scored 79.300 to win by three over Heidemaie Dresing of Germany on 77.733, and Vonderheyden on FanTastico H scored 76.375 to win over Mari Durward-Akhurst of Great Britain on 74.583, while Hart on Floratine scored 73.533 for fifth in her section. 

"Diamond Dunes felt great today," said Howard "From the first shot around the outside of the arena, he was like, I'm ready for this, and he really just put his whole heart in. I'm just so proud of him and so happy that we could do this for the team. Just really, really delighted with him. He's one in a million." 

Read more ...

U.S. second in Team Jumping before Final Round on Friday

Details

August 20, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN, Germany--The U.S.Jumping team moved up to second in Team Jumping with three clean rounds in Round One on Thursday, Aug. 20 following the Speed class Wednesday at the World Championship.

Laura Kraut on Baloutinue (Photo by Allen MacMillan)Germany, with all four team members, Marcus Ehning, Sophie Hinners, Daniel Deusser and Richie Vogel, going clean, leads on 3.48 faults, the U.S. is second on 4.85, and Belgium and Italy are tied for third on 7.69.

The top 10 teams qualified for Friday's final round under the lights.

Great Britain is fifth on 8.98, France is sixth on 8.99, Sweden, with four clean rounds, moved up to seventh on 9.64, Switzerland, with three clean rounds, moved up to eighth on 10.49, Denmark is ninth on 11.57, and Ireland just squeaked in with 11.69 faults.

Read more ...

Kate Shoemaker wins gold in Para Dressage

Details

August 20, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN, Germany--Kate Shoemaker on Vianne won the gold medal in Para Dressage Grade IV, setting a new world record of 78.889% and winning by over four points.

Kate Shoemaker on Vianne (Photo by Sarah Miller for MacMillan Photo)Anna-Lena Niehues of Germany on Vive l'Amour won the silver medal on 774.639, and Nicola Naylor of reat Britain on Humberto L won bronze on 73.639 in her World Championship debut..

"It's exciting to win medals, but what we're doing this for is for our partnership with the horse," said Shoemaker. "The medal is just the icing on the cake, but the most important thing is the horse."

 “The entire test felt harmonious, and that was the one thing I wanted,” said Shoemaker in her second FEI World Championship appearance. “I wasn't thinking about points, or scores, or medals, I was thinking, ‘How can I show this very special horse to the best of our ability today?’”

Read more ...

U.S. Jumping team third after Speed round, day one

Details

August 19, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

 AACHEN, Germany--The U.S. Jumping team finished a great third in round one, the Speed, at the World Championship on Wednesday, Aug. 19.

Laura Kraut on Baloutinue (Photo by Allen MacMillan)But the competition is incredibly close, with the top six teams all within less than a rail of each other and the top 51 riders within a rail of each other

In the Speed class, faults were converted to seconds, with every rail down adding four faults to a rider's time.

Laura Kraut on Baloutinue was first to go for the U.S., going sixth of the 145 riders, and finished clean in 72.72 to eventually place 11th individually.

Read more ...

Marie Vonderheyden won gold in Para Grand Prix Test A - Grade 1

Details

August 19, 2026

By Staff Writers

AACHEN, Germany--Marie Vonderheyden of Wellington, Fla., on Fan Tastico H won the individual gold medal in the FEI Para Grand Prix Test A - Grade I.

Marie Vonderheyden on Fan Tastico H (Photo by Sarah Miller forMacMillan Photo)Vanderheyden scored 76.709 to win over Mari Durward-Akhurst of Great Britain on Athene Lindebjerg, who won the silver medal on 74.542, and Sara Morganti of Italy on Bond Girl 18, who won the bronze on 74.459.

“I stayed organized in my head—it helps me be more accurate,” Vonderheyden said. "Fan Tastico is a super nice person. And, yes, I say person because that’s what I feel with him. He is very super.”

 “They are really starting to come together,” said Chef d’Equipe Michel Assouline of Vonderheyden and Fan Tastico H. “They are definitely on an upward trend, and it's lovely to see them getting a high score"

"Overall, we had a good day,” said Assouline. “Sport is sport—you don't always win everything. We have combinations with known horses and the progression varies a little bit from time to time.”

Vonderheyden and Fan Tastico H have been partnered together for just over a year and are making their championship debut together in Aachen. 

Read more ...

Ryan Wood won both the CCI4-S and CCI3-S at Bromont

Details

August 17, 2026

By Staff Writers

BROMONT, Canada--Ryan Wood of Australia on Clooney R won the CCI4-S and also placed both first and second place in the CCI3-S at the Bromont CCI-S Horse Trials on Sunday, Aug. 16. 

Ryan Wood on Clooney R (Photo by Raphaelle Goulet)Wood on Clooney R started Sunday’s cross-country in fourth place on 37.7.

He jumped clear on cross-country, adding 14.0 time penalties to finish on 51.7 and move to the top of the CCI4-S leaderboard.

Canada’s Colleen Loach on Chiaro Z Excalibur also finished on 51.7, after jumping clear and adding 14.8 time penalties to her dressage score.

With the Wood and Loach tied on their final scores, Wood was placed first by finishing closest to the optimum cross-country time.

Read more ...

The U.S. won team bronze in Eventing at Aachen World Championship

Details

August 16, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN, Germany--The U.S. rose from sixth after dressage to fifth after cross country and then posted three super clean rounds in show jumping on Sunday, Aug. 26 to rise to third and win the bronze medal at the Eventing World Championship.

Will Coleman on Diabolo (Photo by Allen MacMillan)"We didn't get off to the greatest start, but we just kept chipping away at it," said Will Coleman, who finished fourth individually on his dressage score of 30 peanlties on the 14-year-old Diabolo.."We tried to make each day count."

 Great Britain won the gold medal on 84.0 penalties, with host nation Germany winning silver on 95.6 and the United States bronze on 113.5.

Individually, Michael Jung of Germany on fischerChipmunk FRH brought the house down with a clean round to win the World individual gold on 23.0 penalties.

Rosalind Canter of Great Britain on Lordships Graffalo won silver on 23.4, with compatriot Laura Collett on London 52 winning bronze on 28.0.

Read more ...

Charlotte Fry won gold in the Freestyle

Details

August 16, 2026

By Staff Writers

AACHEN,, Germany--Charlotte Fry of Great Britain on Glamourdale won the gold medal in the Grand Prix Freestyle on Saturday, Aug, 15, adding that gold to the Grand Prix Special title they won the previous day at the Dressage World Championship.

Charlotte Fry on Glamourdale (Photo by Sarah Miller for MacMillan Photo) Scoring 91.907% with her flying-themed Freestyle, Fry brought the packed Main Stadium to its feet.

Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour of Denmark on Mount St John won the silver medal, and Dressage legend Isabell Werth of Germany on Wendy de Fontaine won the bronze.

Every seat in the Main Stadium was sold for the Freestyle in which Fry and Glamourdale repeated their Herning 2022 double, winning both the Grand Prix Special and Grand Prix Freestyle titles to make it four consecutive individual World Championship gold medals.

Read more ...

Great Britain leads Eventing after cross country, the U.S. is fifth

Details

August 15, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN, Germany--Great Britain leads Eventing on 75.6 penalties and has a little over three fences in hand over Germany with 90.4 penalties and Switzerland with 106.5 following the cross country on Saturday, Nov. 15.

Will Coleman on Diabolo (Photo by Sarah Miller for MacMillan Photo)The U.S. is fifth on 112.3, just behind Ireland on 110.1 and just ahead of France on 113.9.

Individually, it''s incredibly close at the top, with Michael Jung of Germany on fischerChipmunk FRH leading on his dressage score of 23 over Rosiland Carter of Great Britain on Lordships Graffalo on her dressage score of 23.4 and Laura Collett of Great Britain on London 52 on 23.6.

Will Coleman on Diabolo is sixth, finishing on his dressage score of 30, just behind Tim McEwen of Great Britain on JL Dublin with 28.6 and Christoph Wahler of Germany on D'Accord FRH with 29.4.

Only five were double clear cross country, no jumping and no time faults.

Read more ...

Great Britain leads Eventing after dressage,U.S. is sixth

Details

August 14, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN, Germany--Great Britain leads on 72.8 following the Dressage phase of the FEI Eventing World Championship in Aachen on Friday, Aug. 14.

Tamra Smith on Lillet 3 (Photo by Allen MacMillan)Laura Collett on London 52 had Great Britain’s best score of the competition, 22.8, while Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo added 23.4.

Those scores, combined with Tom McEwen and JL Dublin’s overnight 26.6, leave the Brits in prime position heading into Saturday’s Cross-Country phase, as Gemma Stevens and Flash Cooley’s 29.3 is discarded.

Host nation Germany is close behind on 73.6 penalties after moving into second place, with France sitting third on 84.5.

Read more ...

Charlotte Fry won the Dressage Individual gold medal, Christian Simonson 29th

Details

August 14, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN,, Germany--Defending World Champions Charlotte Fry of Great Britain  on Glamourdale won the gold meal in the Grand Prix Special at the FEI Dressage World Championship on Friday, Aug 14.

Christian Simonson on Fleau de Baian (Photo by Sarah Miller for MacMillan Photography)Fry's score continue to climb throughout the test, eventually finishing on 82.295%.

Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour of Denmark on  Mount St John Freestyle won the silver medal on 80.927, while Katharina Hemmer of Germany on Denoix PCH won the bronze with 80.866.

Christian Simonson on Fleau deBaian, the only American to qualify for the Grand Prix Special, finished 29th of the 30 qualifiers on 68.456.

Simonson, a very young up-and-coming superstar is America's hope for the future. 

"Fleau felt actually amazing in the ring today," said Smonson. "He felt so good and so with me each step. The passage work and the extension work I was so happy with. I had a little mistake coming into the the first half passes, where I did some changes."

"But I'm so happy with him and the team," he said. "It's been an amazing journey. And I feel very grateful to get to learn and grow as I'm continuing my career. I think that was an example of that today, and so I'm just very happy to be here and happy with today."

Simonson competed in Aachen as a Young Rider and then in the Pan Am Games.

"Yeah, it's been a kind of a whirlwind," he said. "I have unbelievable levels of gratitude when I think of the journey. I've written down so many goals, like competing at a Pan Ams or competing in a World Cup."

"So these past five years or so or since 2023, even the past three years, have felt like so much of a whirlwind, but it's so much and so many thanks to give," said Simonson.

Read more ...

Caroline Pamukcu and Phillip Dutton 14th and 15th after Eventing day one dressage

Details

August 13, 2026

By Staff Writers

AACHEN, Germany--New Zealand and Great Britain are tied for the lead while The Brit's Tom McEwen on JL Dublin leads individually after day one of Eventng dressage.

Phillip Dutton on Denim (Photo by Allen MacMillan)After two riders from each of the teams, New Zealand and Great Britain each scored 55.9, and Germany is third on 59.9 while the U.S. is sixth of the 16 teams with a score of 64.9.

McEwen leads on 26.6 with Jonelle Price of New Zealand on Senor Crocodile second on 27.3 and  Alexis Goury of France on Je'vail third on 28.5.

Caroline Pamukcu on HSH Blake is 14th on 32.3, and Phillip Dutton on Denim is 15th on 32.6. 

Due to hot weather in Aachen, in Dressage, the Grand Prix Special Individual Final will now start at 08:30, 2:30 am Eastern, with a break from 12:30 (6:30) to 15:00, before resuming at 15:00.

The revised schedule reduces competition during the hottest part of the day/

Eventing cross country times may also be changed at a later date.

Read more ...

U.S. dressage team eighth, Simonson qualfied for the Grand Prix Special

Details

August 12, 2026

By Staff Writers

AACHEN, Germany--Twenty years after winning team gold in Aachen, Germany repeated the feat in front of their home crowd at the FEI Dressage World Championship 2026.

Christian Simonson on Fleau de Baian (Photo by Sarah Miller for MacMillan Photo)The hosts finished on a team total of 235.063%, 3.618 points clear of Great Britain with 231.445, while defending champions Denmark won bronze on 229.426.

The U.S. finished eighth of the 19 teams on a score of 210.621.

Only the top six teams qualified for the Los Angeles Olympics, but the U.S, as the home nation was pre-qualified.

Christian Simonson on Fleau de Baian was the highest U.S. rider, placing 26th on 71.394 and qualifying for the Grand Prix Special on Friday.

Kasey Perry-Glass on Heartbeat W.P., who had competed Tuesday, finished 31st on 70.606 and just missed qualifying, but may still make it if someone drops out.

Ashley Holzer on Hawtins San Floriana, last to go, scored 68.711.

It felt surreal," said Simonson. "I'm a little speechless, honestly, at the moment. But it's just something I'll never forget. It was just really special. I try to be incredibly present with him, and I know that I can do my best job if I don't worry about anything else.

Read more ...

Kasey Perry-Glass 11th after first day of World Championship dresssage

Details

August 11, 2026

By Staff Writers

AACHEN, Germany--Frederic Wandres of Germany on Bluetooth OLD leads individually after day one of team dressage on Tuesday, Aug. 11 at the World Championships.

Frederic Wandres on Bluetooth OLD (Photo by Allen MacMillan)Wandres, who competed Bluetooth at the Dressage Festival in Florida last winter, leads on a score of 75.963 over Becky Moody of Great Britain on Jagerbomb,,, who scored 73.820.

After two riders of each four man team have competed, Germany leads Great Britain with Australia third if you take just the top score of each team, while it's Germany, Denmark and Great Britain if you use both rider's scores.

For the U.S., Kasey Perry-Glass on Heartbeat W.P. is 11th on 70.608, and Meagan Davis on Toronto Lightfoot is 25th on 67,624 of the 45 riders that have gone, while the U.S. is eighth of 17 teams.

Both  Perry-Glass and Davis were last minute substitutes on the team when first Jotfan LaPlata and then Genay Vaughn had to withdraw.

"I just hoped or a clean, consistent, solid test for him," said Perry-Glass, who had previously been a member of the Rio dressage squad. "I'm so proud of him. That is the biggest atmosphere he's been in and biggest I've been in. I've been to a couple games, but this is just something else.  What I love the most is that I know what to expect and how to channel my nerves."

The U.S. won the Nations Cup for the Aga Khan Trophy in Dublin

Details

August 7, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

DUBLIN, Ireland --The U.S. team of Karl Cook, Paris Sellon, Natalie Dean and Laura Kraut, with chef d'equipe Robert Ridland, won the historic 100th anniversary of the 250,000 Euro Nations Cup for the Aga Khan Trophy in Dublin on Friday, Aug. 7. 

U.S. team, Karl Cook, Natalie Dean, Robert Ridland with the trophy, Laura Kraut and Paris Sellon on the podium in DublinThe U.S.finished on zero faults to win over Ireland with four faults and Switzerland with eight faults.

It was a nail biting competition that came down to the very last horse to go to decide the results.

This trophy is the most coveted and iconic award in show jumping," said Ridland. "To win it on its 100th anniversary is incredible."

“It’s always special to win such a prestigious Nations Cup, but I think the most important thing was that all four of our rider's scores counted Sometimes when you win three riders are good and the fourth had a bad day, but today all four contributed.  Winning the Aga Khan is special."

Cook on Caracole de la Roque,and Sellon on Chad Blue PS both jumped clean in both rounds.

Dean on Mr. Bombastic was clean in round one, while Kraut on Baloutinue had four faults, leaving the U.S. tied with Ireland on zero faults after round one.

Read more ...

Kait Meggenhofen won over JJ Torano in Young Rider

Details

August 3, 2026

By Staff Writers

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich.--Kait Meggenhofen on Diva de Talma won the Young Rider individual gold medal on Sunday, Aug. 2 at the North American Youth Championships.

Kait Meggenhofen on Diva de Taima (Photo by Natalie Suto Photography)Meggenhofen just eked out the victory by .61 over JJ Torano, finishing on 12.99 over Torano's 13.60 after five rounds.

“My mindset was really just to keep consistent and keep going start to finish,” Meggenhofen of Zone 5 said. “I was just happy to be here, let alone have my horse jumping clear. I’m not going to lie, the pressure is hard but I just trust my horse. She’ll do everything to jump for me.”

“Diva is a chestnut mare but doesn’t act like one unless she sees a jump and then she’s all game,” she said. “She’s perfect.”

Torano finished with identical scores in each round as Meggenhofen, however his penalties from the Individual Qualifier put him slightly behind her for the silver.

“From start to finish I thought Inge jumped great,” Torano said. “I was very happy with how I rode. Stepping up to this level you have to be pretty perfect to leave all the jumps up. In the last round I don’t think anyone jumped clear, but I was really happy with Inge; she dealt with it great. She stepped up at the last minute so for her to perform like that I couldn’t be more pleased with her.”

Read more ...

Bennett McWhorter won the Junior Individual Freestyle

Details

August 4, 2026

By Staff Writers

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich.--Bennett McWhorter of Wellington, Fla., on Dalia won the gold medal in the Junior Individual Freestyle with a personal best score of 74.355%, and earning his third gold medal of the week.

Bennett McWhorter on Dalia (Photo by Centre Line Media)This year’s championship marked a historic first for NAYC dressage.

Four nations competed in multiple categories throughout the week, with the U.S., Canada, and Mexico joined for the first time ever by the Cayman Islands.

“It really feels great,” McWhorter said. “It’s wonderful to see all of our hard work come together, and I couldn’t have done it without my incredible support, especially my coach, Ali Brock.”

McWhorter’s freestyle, set to music from Wicked, was created with his mother.

“We wanted to have a little fun with the music and had a lovely time helping match the story to Dalia to make it a beautiful, harmonious test,” he said. “Even though it’s at the end of a long week, she still was just so determined and so incredibly supportive of me, so that we could both achieve our goals together.”

Adélia Gauthier of Canada on Fayette DDS won the silver with a personal-best score of 73.460%.

Read more ...

Violet Tatum won the Junior Individual gold at the Youth Championships

Details

August 2, 2026

By Staff Writers

TRAVERSE CITY,Mich.--Violet Tatum on BP Swifty, repesenting Zone 10, won the Individual gold medal in the Junior Category over two riders from Zone 2, Scarlett Samuels on Confidence and Rylynn Conway on Capella Y on Saturday, Aug.1.

Violet Tatum on BP Swifty (Photo by Natalie Suto Photography)Zone 10 is California, and Zone 2 is Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.

After five rounds of competition, Tatum finished on a score of just 4.00 penalties, with Samuels second on 5.52 and Conway third on 10.44.

Tatum had just one rail in round two of the Team Competition, where she helped secure a team silver medal, and then had two more clear rounds Saturday finalized her win.

“Going in on top is definitely a lot of pressure but I knew if I gave her a good ride Swifty would give me her all,” Tatum said. “She’s such an incredible horse and this is such a meaningful event to earn gold at.”

“She’s very feisty but I think that is what makes her such a winner,” she said. “She’s all heart, and she just gives me her all every time. She’s so sweet and willing to do whatever I ask of her.”

Read more ...

Erin Nichols won the U25 Freestyle at the North American Youth Championships

Details

August 2, 2026

By Staff Writers

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich.--Erin Nichols of Wellington, Fla., on Kind Pleasure won the CDIOU25 Grand Prix Freestyle with a personal best score of 73.530%, sweeping all five judges’ panels and capping a triple gold week for the pair.

Erin Nichols on Kind Pleasure (Photo by Centre Line Media)“This show is so special, and to come home with three gold medals is more than you could ever dream of,” Nichols said. “I’m so proud of my horse. He really shined tonight and enjoyed himself, and that’s what we’ve been working on. I’m really excited for the future with him.”

“We bought him when he was nine years old to develop, and now to have our first championship under our belt, you can’t ask for anything more," said Nichols of the now 11-year-old Kind Pleasure. "He’s such a cool horse, and he’s starting to really shine in the ring and show off.”

Nichols rode to a freestyle built around Elton John’s music, designed with Karen Robinson.

Read more ...