LEESBURG, Va.--Four-time Olympian Boyd Martin on Miks Master C was clean in the final jumping phase to win the inaugural US Equestrian Open Eventing Finale on a final score of 28.7 on Sunday, Oct. 12.
Boyd Martin on Miks Master C (Photo by Avery Wallace)“It’s an incredible feeling to win here,” said Martin of Cochranville, Pa. “This event has been so well organized, and Morven Park is one of the best venues in the world. For years, we’ve all seen the potential here. Morven Park has beautiful cross-country tracks, great rings and a world-class facility. The US Equestrian Open has brought in amazing prize money and attracted the country’s best horses and riders and to win this inaugural event is a huge honor.”
Miks Master C is a newer mount for Martin, having previously been campaigned by fellow U.S. Eventing Team rider Liz Halliday .
Martin begin riding Niks Master C just over a year ago.
Martin said this victory holds special significance for him, personally, his team, and the supportive team behind Miks Master after taking over the ride following Halliday’s accident in 2024, and the growing partnership he’s developed with the talented gelding.
“I’m so grateful to the owners for trusting me with one of Liz’s top horses," said Martin. "Miks Master C is a legend. He was Liz’s top hopeful, and this whole year we’ve just been getting to know each other. He’s an incredible horse with the right mix of power, grit, and heart.”
“When Liz first bought him, I was extremely jealous,” he said with a laugh. “Mikki is totally my type of horse. He has a lot of Thoroughbred in him. He’s one of those horses that moves like a Warmblood, but thinks like Thoroughbred – a true three-day eventer with an amazing gallop.”
AFTER THE cross-country phase , which featured a traditionally challenging and technical Derek di Grazia designed course, Will Coleman of Ocala, Fla., on the veteran Off The Record entered Sunday’s jumping phase as the overnight leader on his dressage score of 25.1
But a rail at B of the triple combination opened the door for Martin and Miks Master C to move to the top of the leaderboard.
Coleman placed both second and third, second on Off The Record, and third on Very Dignified, a horse that Coleman wat riding in a CCI4*-L competition for the first time.
Coleman on the two horses had just two of the three clear rounds on Saturday over the CCI4*-L course.
Off The Record finished on a final three-phase score of 29.1, while Very Dignified finished on 35.4.
“It's an awesome cross-country course on one of the best eventing-specific venues in the U.S.,” said Coleman. “Anyone who is curious about eventing or wants to see what eventing all is about; they got such an awesome taste of that here at Morven Park this weekend.”
“The cross county course was good and very technical,” Martin said. “You had to ride it almost like a jump-off. It rewarded forward, efficient riding and showed how beneficial it is to practice pure show jumping on the side.”
“This is just the beginning,” Coleman said the future of the US Equestrian Open Eventing Final and Series. “What US Equestrian has built with this series is something that’s going to continue to grow, build more momentum, attract bigger crowds, and more prize money, which is really exciting for us as athletes, for our owners, and for our teams.”
