by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 4, 2026
A new era in the 43-year history of the Platinum Performance/U.S. Equestrian Federation Show Jumping Talent Search Finals began this weekend.
The “Final Four,” in which the top quartet of competitors would jump a course on their own mounts and then with each of the other riders’ horses, has been scrapped. That development followed the lead of the World Show Jumping Championships, which originated the concept, then considered it outmoded after the 2014 World Equestrian Games.
Instead, the top 10 riders from the Talent Search East field of 33 — winnowed out over two days by flat work, gymnastics and a show jumping round –came back on their own horses for a final test over a new route. That segment was ridden and judged similarly to a jump-off, with a time allowed and points for rollbacks, leaving out strides and similar strategies.
It enabled the judges/course designers, Olympic medalist Chris Kappler and rider/trainer Michael Tokaruk, to place the riders with the goal of the class in mind, as a step toward preparing team prospects who can someday represent the U.S. in international competition.
If there had been betting on the class at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters in Gladstone, N.J., the odds-on favorite would have been JJ Torano. And the 16-year-old superstar didn’t disappoint.
JJ Torano with his parents, Jimmy and Danielle Torano, Missy Clark, John Brennan, Maggie Gamfer, Eleanor Rudnicki and judges Michael Tokaruk and Chris Kappler.
Although going into the final round he enjoyed a big lead, which was compared to having a fence in hand, JJ didn’t have the top score in each round on Oak Grove’s Carlyle.
Adriana Forte of New York on Commander Bond earned the winning mark of 95 in the first two phases, while JJ was one point behind in both the flat and gymnastics segments. That put Adriana 2.5 points ahead of him going into Sunday morning’s jumping. But after that segment, JJ soared with the top mark of 94, while Adriana had a rail down to earn 85.5. He went into the final segment with a total score of 423 after a multiplier was applied, while she had 408.5.
Talent Search runner-up Adriana Forte at the water.
Team members need to exercise judgment and restraint when they’re competing to represent their country. JJ demonstrated those qualities by not going all out in the final phase. There was no need to.
“I didn’t totally want to take all chances,” explained JJ, a Florida resident who competed in the Young Riders classes at Aachen during the summer. So he went easy on the speed and rollbacks with his mount, a former 5-star jumper. He wound up on a score of 87 for that phase, which was won by Parker Peacock with 94. But his total for the competition was 597, to Adriana’s 584.5. Third went to Baylee Rowan of Rhode Island, with 580.75. She also won the Hollow Brook Wealth Management Sportsmanship Award, and her mount, Watermelon, took the Grappa award as the Best Horse of the final.
Baylee Rowan and Grappa Award winner Watermelon.
It was JJ’s third time competing in the Talent Search.
“The first year, to be honest, I felt a little bit like a fish out of water here,” he recalled.
“I was a little bit overwhelmed,” noted JJ, who finished fourth that time.
Having already won a series of championships, including the USEF Medal and ASPCA Maclay, there’s little left for him to do on the equitation roster. All that’s left is the Washington International class this month. Then, he said, it will be time for him to focus entirely on the jumpers.
But the Talent Search (which is far more jumper-oriented than focused on equitation) is a major milestone.
“It’s definitely a good feeling knowing that people like McLain (Ward), who have represented the U.S. on the biggest stage, have won this final. So I hope to make it there one day,” he said.
JJ Torano in action.
JJ, the son of rider/trainers Jimmy and Danielle Torano, had lots of support. He is trained by the team from North Run, which includes Missy Clark; her husband, John Brennan and Maggie Gampfer.
“What he’s accomplished at his age is, I’d say, fairly unparalleled,” said Missy. In addition, she cited, “The fact that he’s able to play ball and beat the big boys when he goes in the jumper ring.”
Missy, who also co-trained last year’s winner, Eleanor Rudnicki, appreciates the changed Talent Search format.
“We’re in a new world, 2026. It’s a new era. Horses are very very valuable,” she said, citing one reason why a catch riding competition is no longer viable.
“I think the format was very good, especially for this event. It’s about jumper riding, it’s not hunter seat equitation. That mindset is not applicable to this. The new format will accentuate that even a little more. Some people could have rolled their dice a little more heavily, some played it a little safe because they were thinking equitation,” she noted, critiquing the final phase.
Judge Michael noted, “A nice part of this weekend was you could see some good progression, even if there’s still some mistakes. I think overall the riders and horses are better now than they were before they started.”
One fan of the new format is Peter Wylde, who coached eighth-place Eleanor Pieters (Eleanor’s grandfather, Joe Dotoli, had been Peter’s trainer).
Peter actually rode in the Final Four at the 2002 WEG, where he earned individual bronze, but doesn’t see the Final Four concept as “applicable.”
What’s important, he explained, is “The work that you do with your horse.”
He called all the riders in the top 10 “amazing. You can see these kids representing the U.S. in the future. These are good riders. We should be proud as a country that we have this talent that can ride as sophisticated as is asked for them to ride.”
And there’s more! The West Coast segment of the Talent Search will be held in California this December with the same judges.
Click on this link for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 9, 2026
Tamie Smith and her long-time partner, Danito, took the lead with 22.8 penalties when the dressage phase wrapped up Friday at the U.S. Equestrian Open Eventing Final, enjoying an edge of more than 4 penalties over second-place Sharon White and Claus 63 (26 penalties) in the competition at Morven Park. Just 0.4 penalties behind Sharon was Alyssa Phillips and Rockett 19 in third.
Tamie explained the connection she enjoys with her horse.
“We have such a long-standing partnership, so I kind of know what to expect,” she noted, adding that she always feels sure of Danito heading into the dressage — even if the Hanoverian takes a moment or two to adjust.
“He actually got into the ring and got a little spicy, and I had to back off,” Tamie mentioned.
“My first couple of movements weren’t what I really loved.” she observed, but commented, “After a couple of movements, he just sunk in and felt really great. So I’m really pleased with him.”
World number two-ranked rider Boyd Martin, who won the inaugural U.S. Open in 2025 with Miks Master C, stands sixth on Luke 140 (28.3) in the 4-star Long, which drew a field of 35 to the Virginia venue. Last year’s runner-up, Will Coleman –now world number three- is in seventh place with Off the Record. He’s right behind Boyd, with 28.6 penalties.
The event is a culmination of 20 qualifiers across the country, where contenders vied for a chance to ride for $200,000 in prize money this weekend. Tamie was the series winner. They all start out over Derek DiGrazia’s cross-country course Saturday morning.
Click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 4, 2026
The U.S. team at the Longines League of Nations Final in Barcelona missed the podium Sunday, but two veterans were able to produce double-clears, while two less-experienced riders earned valuable experience.
“I’m never too excited about being fourth,” sighed coach Robert Ridland.
“I’d rather be fortieth. Fourth means you just missed the podium by one slot. We managed to do that in Aachen (August’s world championships) as well.”
In Spain, history also repeated itself for Germany, which won the world championship and now has taken the LLN title as well.
“Germany is the gold standard,” said Robert, and who could argue with that?
But it did come down to a jump-off, after Germany and Brazil each ended up with 4-penalty totals after two rounds. Germany’s 4 surprisingly came from European Champion Richie Vogel on the lovely Cloudio, who toppled a rail in the second round at the ninth of 12 fences, the oxer decorated with horse head cutouts.
That tied Germany with the ever-improving Brazil, a country I cited as on the rise before the world championships.
Brazil selected 53-year-old Rodrigo Pessoa as its representative. He had a rail at the first fence in the first round, and did the same thing in the tiebreaker.
Richie was back in the ring for the jump-off with Cloudio and didn’t make the same mistake twice. Knowing he had some breathing room because of Rodrigo’s rail, Richie was fast enough, but not at the expense of being careful. His 40.85 clocking was a bit slower than Rodrigo’s 39.48, but he was fault-free.
“Rodrigo has so much experience, a real living legend in the saddle,” mused Richie, 29.
“Unfortunately for him, the first fence came down, so that made my job a little bit easier, but there was still enough pressure to bring it home, especially after I gave it away once.”
Cloudio received the Best Horse award, presented to the horse with the most clear rounds across the qualifying legs. The gorgeous stallion, whose name reflects his gray color, is owned by Vogel and Will Equestrian GmbH.
Richie Vogel and Cloudio after clinching the LLN win.
“Cloudio jumped fantastic, not only this week but all season,” Richie said.
“He’s been the most successful horse of this League, so I think if someone deserves this win, it’s Cloudio.”
Interesting to note that while Barcelona in 1992 was Rodrigo’s first Olympics, Richie would not even be born until five years later.
Third place went to European champion Belgium, always a contender. The Belgians collected 5 penalties. If Abdel Said had not had a time penalty in the first round for exceeding the 71-second time allowed over Santiago Varela’s course, it would have been a three-way jump-off.
The U.S. was farther behind with 12 penalties. Laura Kraut (Tres Bien) and McLain Ward (Jordan Molga M) were among the nine double-clears in the class, but the other half of the team was far less experienced.
“He was totally with me the whole way,” said Laura, the pathfinder for the team, noting it was a thrilling experience to handle the huge jumps with her horse.
“The way he did it was just class,” she commented about the mount that Great Britain’s Tim Gredley had brought to the 2-star level before she started riding him.
Kristen Vanderveen and Bull Run’s Jireh had the plank down at the 1.6 meter vertical, the sixth fence, and collected a time penalty as well. It was Kristen’s first time on a team.
McKayla Langmeier, who has very limited team experience, moved a block on the tape at the water in the first round with the 9-year-old Riseling van de Gaathoeve. In the second round, she had a knockdown at the B element of the Beach Bar double and then a rail at the 1.62 meter Longines vertical near the end of the course.
Paris Sellon originally was on the team, but after the Saint-Tropez qualifier where the U.S. made the cut for the final, her horse was “a little off,” Robert said.
With just a week before the Final, the U.S. had a problem. So Robert called McLain Ward to ask if he knew anyone who could fill the slot. He didn’t ask McLain to make the trip, noting if McLain couldn’t find anyone, the U.S. would have gone with a team of three and no drop score in the first round.
But “McLain was great. He texted me at 11 o’clock at night and said `I’m coming,’ ” Robert commented.
The Germans understandably were enjoying another triumph.
“Teamwork makes the dream work, and this team did it again,” Chef d’Equipe Otto Becker reflected. “All four riders delivered super rounds today, and I’m happy that in the end Richie could make it in the jump-off.
“To win the Longines League of Nations again after the World Championship in Aachen is a great feeling. This team really deserved it, and I’m really, really happy.” Click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 3, 2026
As the cost of grain rises (along with so much else), some horse owners are relying more on hay to feed their animals.
While bags of feed carry nutritional information, the hay you buy does not come with such a message. That means you have questions about the nutrition provided by the hay you’re feeding, whether you’ve bought it or produced it yourself.
Somerset Grain & Feed, 224B East Mill Rd., in Long Valley, N.J., is offering answers to those questions, including the percentages of such elements as protein and sugar in the hay your horse is eating. Such information is particularly important for those who are feeding horses with metabolic problems.
On Oct. 10, from 10 a.m.-noon, the store is presenting “Coffee and Carbs,” an opportunity to get a quart-sized bag of your hay analyzed by Nutrena. There is no charge for participating, with free coffee and donuts as part of the deal.
Those who are not able to come that day can just drop off the hay in a ziplock bag by Oct.8. Anyone who does that will receive an email with the results. Advance registration is required at https://learn.nutrena.com/nutrena-pre-event-hay-form.
Somerset Grain can be reached at (908) 766-0204 or somersetgrainandfeed@gmail.com.
The store, which moved from Bernardsville to Long Valley in 2025, is run by Jesse and Brianna Milesnick. Tom Milesnick, Jesse’s father, put in 45 years there and as of last week is no longer working full-time. But he will come in a couple of times a week to help out.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 2, 2026
British rider Jessica Mendoza won her second class of the Barcelona show Friday, taking the $349,000 5-star grand prix with In the Air.
In the Air was timed in 46.94 seconds for a fault-free trip as the top 12 in the class of 37 entries faced off for the final round. Second was Brazil’s Rodrigo Pessoa on Major Tom in 47.06. The 1.60-meter route was laid out under the lights by Spanish designer Santiago Varela and his team.
“It got a little hairy out there to be honest,” said Jessica before the prize-giving ceremony. Of In the Air, the U.S.-based rider declared, “She’s the best horse I probably ever had and ever will have.”
On Thursday, Jessica and In the Air won another 5-star grand prix, this time taking the Estrella Damm trophy for a 1.50 meter test. The mare is owned by Jessica in conjunction with U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation Chairman, President and CEO Kristi Mitchem, Georgia Kipp, Melissa Skowlund and Pernilla Amman.
The highlight of the show is Sunday’s final of the Longines League of Nations series, for which there were four qualifiers during the season. Jessica, who is married to U.S. show jumper Nick Dello Joio, will ride Summerhouse in that class for the British team, which is the defending champion. She calls 11–year-old Summerhouse In the Air’s “brother,” even though they have different sires and the mare is a KWPN and Summerhouse is a Zangersheide. But both are out of the same mare, Selva by Indoctro, which makes Summerhouse 13-year-old In the Air’s half-brother. They were purchased together on the same day at the same location.
Click here for results of the Barcelona Grand Prix.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 1, 2026
“Sportainment.”
Maybe you don’t recognize that word, but the definition is simple: a marriage of sport and entertainment.
It’s a perfect designation for the Far Hills, N.J., Race Meeting, which combines high-level steeplechase competition with tailgating, major hospitality offerings and shopping at scenic Moorland Farm Oct. 17. (Click here for a link.)
It’s a fun time all around, drawing more than 22,000 people to the borough of less than 1,000 residents in its 4.8 square miles. Even better is the fact that local charities are the beneficiaries.
The event is more than a century old. Its roots were in the 1914 debut of the Farmer’s Day Race Meeting, started as a low-key informal affair organized by the Essex Fox Hounds to thank area landowners for allowing the hunt to gallop across their property.
It has grown into a nationally televised fixture featuring the cream of the steeplechase crop, with horses coming from Ireland and Great Britain to test their luck against the best U.S. contenders.
Featured is the $300,000 (up from $250,000 last year) Grade 1 American Grand National Hurdle Stakes, a demanding 2-mile, 5-furlong test over national fences.
Spectator interest is such that organizers had to find new areas on the scenic property where they could erect tents, opening up areas on the back stretch and near the homestretch.
Covid in 2000 was a demarcation point for the race meeting, as it was for so much else in the world. The event took the year off, due to restrictions from the state involving how many people were permitted to attend.
Prior to the pandemic, attendance could go as high as 50,000 or so, and there were episodes of rowdiness from young people who saw it as an occasion to drink heavily while they partied in the infield.
“It was not an event we were really proud of as pertained to the infield,” said Guy Torsilieri, who co-chairs the race meeting with Ron Kennedy.
“We took a long look at ourselves and turned the Queen Mary around. Covid opened up our eyes. We were running in the red before Covid.”
After that year’s pause, when the meet returned in 2021, “We redirected what we wanted to do and what we wanted to accomplish. Our goal is to have world class steeplechase racing and continue to support all our local charities,” Guy commented.
Attendance-wise, he said the “sweet spot” would be about 30,000, and no more. A larger meet “became unmanageable at many levels,” he explained.
“It put too much stress on the town and surrounding towns. We made a conscious decision to redirect our efforts into multiple avenues. We have had a nice 10 percent growth year after year since Covid.”
Massive planning is required, with copious notes and maps involved, along with the efforts of employees Michelle Basto and Michele Oswald. The pressure is always on.
“We only do this once a year. If you make a mistake, you can’t fix it next day; you have to wait 364 days to fix it,” the co-chairman pointed out.
Steeplechasing brings excitement to the countryside.
Now it’s “quality over quantity,” and the traffic situation, once a massive tangle, is improving.
A number of management updates have helped.
“We don’t mail out tickets,” Guy mentioned, noting that sending tickets to spectators’ phones instead is a money-saver, paying off for the event’s beneficiaries.
However, to improve traffic flow, he advises people to print tickets at home before they come, saving time instead of fumbling through their phones as they enter. An inducement is an express line for those with printed tickets.
The races used to have live tellers for parimutuel betting.
“It was costing us a fortune to have live tellers and set up machines,” he said.
Now all wagering is via phones and laptops. NYRA Bets has joined 4NJBets. For the latter, a bettor has to be in New Jersey, but now the bettors from Pennsylvania, Virginia, and elsewhere can place wagers, which led the race meeting to expect “a huge increase” in betting. And it already was three times the betting at a Giants football game.
However, even though organizers are working with Verizon to increase internet capacity, it is not enough to download the betting apps on site, so racegoers should do that at home before the races.
Steeplechasing is growing in multiple areas of the country. Before Covid, total U.S. purses were $4 million; last year, the figure rose to $7 million. Far Hills attracts European trainers who are very successful. They bring groups of horse owners with them who contribute to the economy during their stay, attending Broadway shows, going to restaurants and booking hotel rooms.
But financially, the race meeting’s most important benefit is to its charities, which have received $22 million so far. The charities include the RWJ Steeplechase Cancer Center/RWJBarnabas Health; Crossroads4Hope network of cancer support, Bonnie Brae, CIC for Prevention and Recovery and the Life Camp.
What sporting event would be complete without branded merchandise?
This year, for the first time, Barstool Sports is offering The Hunt X Barstool collection of hats, T-shirts, hoodies, etc. They are emblazoned either with The Hunt or Far Hills Race Meeting lettering.
The races no longer have anything to do with the hunt; the Essex Fox Hounds Race Meeting Association became the Far Hills Race Meeting Association in 1984. But the nickname stems from the fact that those in the know called them “the hunt races” because of the Essex Fox Hounds link.
There was a time when just a few thousand people who knew each other would show up at the races wearing tweed to cheer on their own horses and those belonging to their friends. We’re talking decades ago. It all changed in the 1970s, when organizers got the idea of promoting it as “Family Day in the Country,” which brought in people who weren’t from the Somerset Hills.
A flag of the old Essex Foxhounds Race Meeting Association with historian Barry Thomson, former Essex joint master Jazz Johnson, new joint master Rose Biedron and Far Hills co-chair Guy Torsilieri.
“For years,” Guy recalled, “I would work to not call it `The Hunt’.”
But in that regard, he was fighting “all the social media and all the kids. I gave up: Call it the races, call it The Hunt. It’s called both. I chose to take the high road and let it happen.”
He’s busy looking at the big picture.
“I’m just thrilled with where we are, how we got there and where we’re going,” Guy emphasized.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 25, 2026
Carl Hester puts his heart into everything he does.
The world’s number six-ranked dressage rider is also a remarkable trainer, whose even greater hallmark can be summed up simply as “horseman.”
Known not only for his ability to handle any situation with a horse (did you see his tactful world championships ride on a revved-up Fame?), he is also renowned for his consideration in the way he deals with horses.
Add in the well-crafted explanations he offers about how to make the best of a mount, along with his delightful sense of humor, and you’ll understand what a treat it was to have him present the Capital Square Masterclass at Kingsview Partners Dressage at Devon.
The architect of Great Britain’s landmark rise to Olympic dressage team and individual gold at that country’s 2012 home Games, Carl, at 59 the oldest dressage competitor at the 2024 Paris Olympics, is worthy of every accolade available.
He was appreciated not only by the diverse group of participants in his Thursday evening clinic, but also by a crowd that was eager to learn. They got their money’s worth from his presentation at the hallowed showgrounds on Philadelphia’s Main Line.
Devon resonates with Carl for several reasons, not the least of which is that he’s fond of a county in Southwest England by the same name. Although he has seen competition from the USA’s Devon showgrounds on television, he was surprised when he arrived.
“I haven’t been here before,” he told me as we chatted during a reception in his honor after the Masterclass.
“It’s just so lovely, quaint, English. It actually looks much bigger on TV than when you’re here. It’s not frills; it’s very down-to-earth basic. It has a lovely vibe and feeling to it and I’ve enjoyed that. I’m glad they asked me.”
Being center stage for an evening of critiques involving horses he saw only once before, in a session on Wednesday, offered the potential to be “quite daunting.”
That’s the case even for someone with Carl’s resumé, “when you look at the clinicians who have been here over the last few years,” he said. (It’s a list that includes world number one Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and the USA’s 2021 Olympic heroine, Sabine Schut-Kery).
“I knew I had to deliver something different and interesting,” Carl said.
“It has to be educational as well as fun.”
Those in the stands were “probably10 percent professionals, and a lot of people who just want a nugget of information you’re trying to give,” explained Carl, saying that he likes to impart that information with “a little bit of humor.”
He definitely had the attention of his audience; no one was idly chatting, they were riveted on what he had to say.
“You do have to engage with an audience. That’s what we’re here for,” said Carl.
“It’s time to give everything you know, back. My method is what everyone’s taught me,” Carl explained, citing mentors from Harry Boldt to Dr. Wilfried Bechtolsheimer.
Carl always has something to say that can resonate with everyone. He wanted a variety of horses to work with, from youngsters (Alison Nemeth’s ride was only four years old) to horses starting Grand Prix, and even a thoroughbred and a Clydesdale.
“Give me something that’s different. That was the point of tonight,” said Carl.
Carl Hester with clinic participants Lehua Custer, Alison Nemeth, Hannah Irons, Christina Morin-Graham, Denise Steele, Karthrin Heim and Lauren Kimmel.
“It’s very easy to do a demo with fabulous horses, fabulous riding. It’s actually much more educational to take your atypical types with very receptive riders.”
He pointed out he learned a lot himself in the beginning of his riding experience, because he “didn’t come from a horsey family. I wasn’t educated before I was 16. Which has probably helped me maybe be able to help people who have a horse who is not typical.
“My living came from riding every horse I could get my hands on before I finally found some good ones. I didn’t win a medal before I was 40; my medals came from 40 onwards.”
Carl grew up on the island of Sark in the English Channel, where cars are banned and Clydesdales keep busy pulling carriages and other vehicles. He took care of the horses, but his only opportunity to actually ride came when he was taking them back to their pastures at the end of the day. That gave him a real affinity with participant Kathrin Hain, a professional dressage rider who was aboard Windsor Road Beau, a very cooperative 10-year-old Clydesdale.
The Clydesdale reminded Carl Hester of his youth on Sark.
The horses were presented in pairs, so Carl could concentrate on one while the other warmed up or relaxed. It went well until Lehua Custer’s 10-year-old stallion, Fortunato H20 OLD, set eyes on his partner for the clinic, Denise Steele’s Swiss warmblood mare, Donja KWG. It was, shall we say, love at first sight, as became all too evident to the spectators.
Carl tactfully referred to the stallion’s reaction as distraction and worked with him to get his mind on other things. Afterward, Lehua laughed about her horse’s decorum, calling it “the best night of his life.”
Christina Morin-Graham, a Dressage at Devon board member, filled in with her mare Evie, a “six-year-old with a brain” when Lindsay Kellock’s previously scheduled horse couldn’t make it.
She appreciated his whole concept of :”giving.”
Christina explained, “He kept asking me to pat my horse, but what he meant was `Give the reins.’ ”
She summed up his approach as, “How to ride better for your horse.”
Christina noted that two of her friends, who are amateur dressage riders, said they got the most out of the session with the Clydesdale and the thorughbred.
The show continues Friday with qualifiers for the Grand Prix Special and Grand Prix Freestyle. The finals for those classes will be held Saturday evening.
For more information, go to this link.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 27, 2026
“Born in the USA,” the familiar tune that rang out as Sonata MF began her Dressage at Devon musical freestyle, was an appropriate introduction for the stylish mare who gracefully passaged into the arena.
In a sport dominated by warmbloods foaled in Europe, the Hanoverian stood out as that rare American-bred who could finish at the top of a highly competitive group in the first qualifier for the 2027 FEI World Cup Finals. Her music, from the Bruce Springsteen anthem to “Country Roads” and “Sweet Home Alabama” underlined her “made in the USA” identity.
Last to start in the 13-horse class, she was ridden by Kingsview Partners Devon regular Kevin Kohmann who is aiming for a fourth World Cup Finals start. The 11-year-old mare was a picture under the lights on a drizzly Saturday night. She showed off a piaffe fan moments after her entrance, then relaxed beautifully into the walk after her collected gaits.
The rest of her performance unfolded seamlessly, sending Sonata to the top of the class. She finished on 77.105 percent, with the judge at C, Cesar Torrente, giving her a mark of 79.150.
North Carolina breeder Maryanna Haymon produced Sonata (Sir Donnerhall X Don Principe), a full sister to Serenade MF who was ridden by Alice Tarjan in the 2023 FEI World Cup Final.
“I cannot thank her enough for breeding this horse,” said Kevin, who commented about his victory, “I did not expect that.”
Kevin acknowledges his supporters.
“I expected it would be good, but not that good. You have no idea how I feel right now,” he told me, all smiles as he thought about his evening and how his mare responded to Devon’s always-electric atmosphere.
“The mind of this horse is unbelievable.”
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu of Canada finished a close second on Jaccardo.
Sonata originally was purchased about a year ago by Diamante Farms in Wellington, Fla., for Kevin’s wife, Devon (her mother assured me a few years ago her daughter was not named after the show.)
“Devon thought I was on a roll and she was like, `You need another horse.’ She was kind enough to share her with me,” said Kevin, a native of Germany who is a naturalized U.S. citizen.
Devon was only Kevin’s third CDI (international) competition with the mare, who previously won the Grand Prix Special at TerraNova on Florida’s west coast.
The Devon showgrounds is special to Kevin, who calls it “Our American Aachen.”
Kevin Kohmann and Sonata MF on their way to the win.
Much of its appeal comes from the loyal spectators who turned out on a day when less enthusiastic fans might have chosen to stay home. The inclement weather led to power outages and some rearrangement of the class schedule and rings by an excellent management team, but those who came to watch ignored the skies to cheer on their favorites.
The groom award went to Kevin’s wife, who grooms for him. And he grooms for her. She rode Vamos to finish seventh in the class on a mark of 74.180 percent.
The couple is busy with their extra duties, but they’re also “best friends, partners in crime,” said Kevin. Asked how they handle it all, he replied, “You got stuff done.”
He has been riding Sonata only for approximately six months, but he’s getting help from his wife, who came up with the idea for the freestyle’s all-American theme.
“We work very well together,” he said proudly.
Understandably, Kevin can’t shower enough praise on Sonata, who was trained to Grand Prix by Amanda Perkowski.
“She’s a wonderful horse. You go in her stall, she immediately shows you where to scratch her,” he said of the 11-year-old bay.
He added, “She is 16.1, she is actually tiny, but once that mare starts moving, you can’t see it. I’m 6-foot-tall, I look good on the horse, she’s absolutely incredible.”
Next month, he’s headed to a show in Mexico for the next stage in his World Cup Finals quest.
In Friday night’s Freestyle qualifier, Kevin wound up third, behind Canadians Camille Carier Bergeron (Finnlanderin) and Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu (Jaccardo). The Canadians’ order of finish was reversed Saturday, with Brittany a close second on 76.515 percent and Camille third.
The freestyle stars: Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu, Camille Carier Bergeron, Kevin Kohmann and judge Cesar Torrente.
When I asked Camille about her ambitions to make next year’s World Cup in Sweden, she explained her priority for 2027 actually is the Pan American Games in Peru. Canada was not one of the seven nations at last summer’s World Championships that qualified for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. So the Pan Ams, where Canada can make the cut for Los Angeles, is job one on the agenda.
Click here for Grand Prix Freestyle results. Click here for Grand Prix Special results.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 28, 2026
The inaugural Dressage4Kids Youth Challenge at Kingsview Partners Dressage at Devon was won by Sophie Rutherford riding Maximillian Versace, tops in a field of 17 on a rainy afternoon.
Sofie won the Dressage Seat Equitation class on 83 percent as well as the Junior Handler class, where she was marked at 86.5 percent, putting her 10 percent ahead of the second-place finisher, Pierson Fox on V’s Prince of Glory. Her scores were 81 percent and 78.700 for her equitation and junior handler efforts.
The third rider on the podium was Violet Gutberlet with SWS Encino (78 percent and 77 percent).
Open to riders from age 14 through 18, the Youth Challenge combined Dressage Seat Equitation, evaluating the rider’s position, balance, and effectiveness in the saddle, and Junior Handler, highlighting the competitor’s ability to safely and confidently present a horse from the ground. Scores from both phases determined the overall champion as the show wrapped up on Sunday.
The Youth Challenge offers a meaningful investment in the future of the sport, with a $5,000 prize awarded to the champion and additional awards presented through eighth place which included a $1,000 gift certificate toward , aa pair of custom boots from The Distinguished Rider, a $500 gift certificate from On the Verge Designs and a gift certificate for a Swarovski crystal customized helmet from International Riding Helmets (IRH), among many other bonuses.
Click here for equitation results; click here for junior handler results
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 29, 2026
Trainer Jeri Freels, known for her horsemanship and developing the skills of hunter/jumper riders, died last weekend.
She and her husband, Bob Freels, who had worked for the legendary Bertalan de Nemethy at the U.S. Equestrian Team, founded Harkaway Farm in the 1950s in Greenwich, Conn. Now located in Brewster, N.Y., Harkaway continues to be run by Jeri’s family, daughters Tracy Freels and Susie Isop, and Jeri’s granddaughter, Hannah Isop.
All the girls were brought up to take care of their horses and enjoy them, as well as competing at the highest level. The horses themselves were more important than winning. They always came first, and the work involved was a priority before riding.
In addition to Tracy, Susie and Hannah, Jeri is survived by two other grandchildren, Dustin and Sara.
