Adrienne Lyle does it again (UPDATED)

Adrienne Lyle finished in the lead on Helix over Germany’s Moritz Treffinger aboard Morricone Friday in the 4-star Grand Prix at the Neustädter Pferdesommer dressage show in Germany.

Riding her 2024 Paris Olympic mount, Adrienne earned 71.391 percent for her fourth win this year, the most recent of which was at Hagen, Germany on the weekend of July 4. Moritz was more than a point behind on 70.304.

Another American, Adrienne’s student Quinn Iverson, turned in a personal best of 69.37 percent with Gremlin 41 in fourth place. The only other U.S. competitor in the class, Meagan Davis, finished eighth with Toronto Lightfoot, marked at 67.804.

Although there is a large U.S. dressage contingent set to compete in Aachen, Germany, for next month’s world championships, Adrienne is not on the team, since she didn’t apply to be considered. She was the winner in May at the World Equestrian Center’s 3-star competition in Florida with Zen Elite’s Helix, a 14-year-old KWPN gelded son of Apache.

Another of Adrienne’s students, Katie Duerrhammer on Rosebank VH, was victorious in the 1-Star Prix St. Georges on a personal best of  73.775 percent. Adrienne had to settle for second on Hussman’s Top Gun with 71.765 percent.

UPDATE: On Saturday, in the Intermediate I, it was the same story. Katie had another personal best in first place on Rosebank with a score of 74.559 for the 8-year-old Swedish warmblood stallion., Adrienne was second on Top Gun (72.794). Her biggest loss of points with the son of Totilas was in the flying changes every three strides, where she received two marks of 4, two of 5 and one of 6.

click here for results in the Grand Prix. Click here for results in the Prix St. Georges. Click here for results in the I-1.

Who will be competing in the FEI World Championships? Find your favorite on this listing

Who will be competing in the FEI World Championships? Find your favorite on this listing

The definite entries for next month’s FEI World Championships at Aachen were published today, so click on the discipline you follow to see all the names. And check out this link for an overview of the most important competition of the year.

We’ll be covering the competition, which means you can come to the site every day from Aug. 11-23 to find out who’s winning (and who’s not).

To see the listing of jumpers entered, click here .

For dressage, click here, and for eventing, click here.

Go to this link for driving, this one for para dressage and this one for vaulting squads.

Like father, like daughter…another Dutton medalist

Like father, like daughter…another Dutton medalist

Olivia Dutton, the daughter of eventing legend Phillip Dutton, earned the individual bronze medal on Jewelent in the first FEI U25 Eventing Championship Sunday. It was the only U.S. medal of the championship at Millstreet, Ireland.

Jewelent, bred in County Armagh, Ireland, previously was ridden by Phillip, who will represent the U.S. at the world championships next month in Aachen, Germany, on Denim, after Possante was withdrawn August 1 due to an injury.

“It feels unreal to be on the podium,” Olivia commented after the medal presentation, and thanking Jewelent’s owner for letting her ride the horse originally bought for her father.

“It’s been a dream come true coming here. He is an unbelievable horse, and he tries so hard. Our cross-country effort felt amazing, and to jump clear around that tough jumping course was the icing on the cake. I couldn’t be happier and thankful to the team and everyone supporting us, especially my parents and my sister. It’s a huge team effort, and for us to produce this kind of result makes the hard work worth it.”

Germany’s Calvin Böckmann (Altair de la Cense) won individual gold and Cerys Macauley (Kananaskis) of Great Britain claimed individual silver to add to her team’s gold medal. Germany took team silver and Ireland captured the bronze. The U.S., which had two riders fall on the Michael Etherington-Smith cross-country course, was fifth and last behind fourth-place France.

Eventing U25 champion Calvin Böckmann of Germany with Cerys MacCaley of Britain, left, the silver medalist and bronze medalist Olivia Dutton wearing the bronze. (FEI Photo/Benjamin Clark)

The championship was the first offering ever of the global title at Under 25 level, bridging the gap between Young Rider and senior championship competition.

“I honestly don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun at a championship. We are very lucky to have this new competition and this venue at Millstreet. The gap between Young Riders and seniors can be big and you can get lost,” Calvin said.

“I don’t normally get nervous, but I did feel the pressure. The cross-country was tough and quite different to anything we have seen in central Europe, but it will prepare us well for the future. My horse showed that she fights and wants to do her best; she grows 10 centimeters. For her to have this result means the world to me.”

Calvin, was the FEI Eventing U25 world number one as he arrived at the meet with the horse he has ridden for 10 years, up from the junior level. He was the leader after dressage, but time penalties cross-country moved him down to third. However, in stadium jumping, the riders standing first and second faltered, with overnight leader Tom Nestor of Ireland dropping to eighth as Cooley Diamond Dancer toppled four rails. Calvin’s clear round gave him the honors with a total of 40 penalties.

Cerys moved up from seventh after cross-country to secure the silver with 45.3. Olivia had the U.S. team’s drop score of 35.8 in dressage, putting her twenty-sixth at that point. She added 12 penalties cross-country, but her stadium round with just 0.4 time penalties to give her the unexpected bronze on 48.2 penalties.

After cross-country, Olivia said of the half-thoroughbred, “This horse is amazing, he was with me all the way round. The plan was to do the straight routes and the priority was to get round for the team, but also to be competitive. And I knew the horse was coming back to his country (Ireland) and that everyone would be watching.”

Her horse is a full brother to Cooley Rosalent, British rider Oliver Townend’s 5-star winner.

Olivia Dutton and Jewelent. (Irish Eventing Times photo)

The U.S. had two other combinations in the top ten, as Molly Duda (Disco Traveler) fifth on 49.2, followed by Jack Curtis (Luska’s Candy Clover) with the same score of 49.2.

Click here for team results.   Click here for individual results.

 

Marilyn Little out of world championships

Marilyn Little out of world championships

An injury to La Contessa has prompted Marilyn Little, named earlier this month to the U.S. world championships show jumping team, to withdraw from the competition.

“Timing is everything,” the rider said on social media.

Marilyn Little and Contessa.

“Unfortunately, Contessa has had a minor injury, which has set back our preparations for the World Games at Aachen. With the interest of my incredible partner in mind, I have withdrawn her from competition to give her any time she needs to rest and feel her best again.
“Though disappointing for today, I look forward to getting back in the ring with her when the time is right. It is the greatest honor to be selected to represent the Team USA at a major championship and I wish USA Jumping the very best of luck next month.”
Marilyn, who won gold in team and individual eventing for the U.S. at the 2015 Pan American Games, was one of five riders selected for the show jumping team that will compete at Aachen in August. Natalie Dean and Mr. Boombastic have replaced her.
Only four riderswill actually compete on the squad. The others named originally were Olympic medalists McLain Ward and Laura Kraut, as well as Lillie Keenan and Katie Dinan.

A chance to be heard on an important choice

Admit it. You’d like to have a voice in who is selected as the next CEO of the U.S. Equestrian Federation, the person who will take over when Bill Moroney retires at the end of the year.

Here’s your chance. The consultant on the project, Korn Ferry, has offered the US Equestrian CEO Community Input Survey.

Fill it out by the Aug. 4 deadline to give your views in a variety of areas. Korn Ferry will collect and analyze all responses and the findings will  be used in both the search committee’s work and USEF’s broader planning.

The one who gets the job will have a huge influence on the direction of horse sport in this country (and in the process, likely elsewhere as well). You undoubtedly have thoughts on the subject — we them all over social media. So go ahead and click on the link.

 

Please share your input by close of business on August 4, 2026. It will take only a few minutes, and it will make a difference.

Here’s your chance: to air your views, click on this link  

Israel tops in landmark Nations Cup

Israel tops in landmark Nations Cup

Double clears from Ilan Ferder (Ezarka del Belhame) and Daniel Bluman (Malina) boosted Israel to victory in the 3-star Nations Cup at the Traverse City, Mich., horse show on Thursday. It was Israel’s first Cup win in America.

Israel finished with a total of 4 penalties, to 16 for the Amasé U.S team with newer faces at this level, which had a bit of a rough start but wound up with three clears in the second round. Ireland was third on 24, saved by a double clear from U.S.-based Shane Sweetnam on Pegina VD Bisschop.

The winning Israeli team: Stella Wasserman, Ilan Ferder, Daniel Bluman, Steven Bluman. (Natalie Suto Photography)

The Israeli team was assembled at the last minute.

“When you group the Israeli riders together,” recounted Daniel, the anchor rider, “we’re going to fight with everything we’ve got.

“We ride for our flag, we ride for our country, we know how to ride together and give it our all. Ilan wasn’t even going to show this week. Last Saturday, I told him we lost a rider, we’re going with three, and we needed him to ride.

Daniel Bluman and Malina. (Natalie Suto Photography)

“He showed up and put in a double clear round. That just shows you the energy put forth for this team.”

“It’s always a pleasure to ride for my country,” Ilan said.

“It feels great to win,” added the horse dealer, noting about his double-clear,  “there’s nothing better than that.”

The squad also included Daniel’s brother, Steven (Concare PS) and Stella Wasserman, who went from representing the U.S. on its Young Riders team a while back, to riding for Israel this year.

Her father is Casey Wasserman, chairman of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic organizing committee.

For her first Nations Cup, Stella, 21, was aboard Myla, formerly ridden by world number one Kent Farrington. She was fault-free in the first round and had a rail in the second.

Stella Wasserman and Myla. (Natalie Suto Photography)

“It’s an honor to ride with riders like these sitting next to me,” said Stella, who is mentored by U.S. Olympic medalist McLain Ward.

“It’s not like I’m going into the ring as one person with one horse, I have so many people standing behind me. Feeling that makes me want to put my best foot forward every time, and it’s just an honor.”

Israel’s chef d’equipe, Hans Horn, said of his squad’s performance, “It feels great and it was great the way they did it,”

“Five clear rounds and all rounds were good. I’m proud of the riders, especially Stella, who jumped for the first time for the team. I’m really happy. If you keep fighting for your teammates, you can make a difference.”

For the U.S. effort, chef d’equipe Anne Kursinski said, “I am so proud of our team and their phenomenal horses today.

“In the first round, they each had a slight error, which we discussed in between rounds, and before round two, I told all of them to go fight for it. It was so exciting to watch them make an impressive comeback, really demonstrating a “fight for it” mentality and jumping three clear rounds to finish second.”

Traverse City was the second Nations Cup in the U.S. this year. The first, a 4-star in Wellington during March, was won by a U.S. squad featuring Olympic medalists McLain and Karl Cook.

Click here for results

British teams for world championships display an impressive hand

British teams for world championships display an impressive hand

Great Britain is always a force to be reckoned with at title meets, but is particularly awesome with its teams in the Olympic disciplines, announced Wednesday for next month’s FEI World Championships at Aachen, Germany.

Was there even a question that reigning dressage world champion Lottie Fry (Glamourdale), reigning World Cup Champion Becky Moody and her homebred Jaegerbomb, as well as the architect of British dressage success, Carl Hester (Fame) would be the heart of the team. The identity of the fourth squad member was a cause for speculation, however, and in the end, Fiona Bigwood and her homebred, Donna Bella, got the nod.

It was close, with Olympic multi-medalist Charlotte Dujardin and a relatively new mount, Brave Heart, having to settle for inclusion as an alternate. Charlotte missed the Paris Olympics two years ago after her suspension for using a longe whip repeatedly on a student’s horse, leading to a scandal seized upon with fervor by the tabloids.

Charlotte did her pre-championships competition in Britain, while Fiona had an outing abroad in France to her credit. In terms of overall scores, Charlotte was only 0.26 percent ahead of Fiona, so it was the selectors’ call. Charlotte is on the list of alternates.

Britain’s Becky Moody and Jagerbomb on the way to their World Cup win.

Britain will be in the heart of the medals battle with Germany, which enjoys a home-side advantage, and powerful Denmark in the most predictable Olympic discipline. The U.S. doesn’t figure to be near the podium with a team missing its top horses, Jane (rehabbing from an injury) and Indian Rock (resting) and the rest of the squad lacking top-level credentials. But keep an eye out for Spain, which is improving.

Britain’s eventing team is led by three-time Badminton winner Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, who were stunning in their victory at that British 5-star last spring. The country’s power triumvirate also includes Laura Collett (London 52) and Tom McEwen with the reliable JL Dublin. That’s three quarters of the British gold medal team from the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The others with the Union Jack on their saddlepads are Caroline Harris (D.Day) and Gemma Stevens (Flash Cooley). Reigning world champion Yasmin Ingham (Gypsie du Loir) and world number two Harry Meade (Cavalier Crystal) are among the reserves. Talk about depth!

With that lineup, the Brits will be hard to beat, but they will have to get by several other countries, includinga formidable U.S. team of 2026 Kentucky 5-star winner, Will Coleman (Diabolo); Phillip Dutton (Possante), Boyd Martin (Cooley Nutcracker), Caroline Martin Pamukcu (HSH Blake) and Tamie Smith (Lillet Three).

Can we expect to see the U.S. on the podium beside Britain, along with Germany (the irrepressible Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH, as well as Julia Krajewski on Uelzener’s Nickel). And don’t forget  New Zealand and its world number one Tim Price. Though remember, eventing is the least reliable sport to predict because anything can happen on cross-country.

Will Coleman and Diabolo.

The British strength also is displayed in impressive fashion for the show jumping, with two-time Olympic team gold medalists Scott Brash (Hello Mango) and Ben Maher–the 2021 Olympic individual gold medalist (Point Break), joined by another member of the 2024 Olympic gold medal team, Harry Charles (LT Holst Freda); Jack Whitaker of Britain’s most famous show jumping family (Jack JL) and Adrian Whiteway (Chacco Volo), who would be making his championships debut.

The Brits will have major competition from Germany, again with a home-side advantage and the formidable European Champion Richie Vogel, though Aachen grand prix winner DSP Chakaria was withdrawn last week. Even without world number one Kent Farrington, who declined a chance to go to the championships, the U.S. also could be in for a prize, with Olympic multi-medalists Laura Kraut (Bisquetta) and McLain Ward (High Star Hero) leading the way.

But then there are the Swiss and the French to consider for a spot. Brazil also loooks good. The European champion Belgians, meanwhile, lost their top combination when European individual bronze medalist Gilles Thomas’s Ermitage Kalone was sidelined recently with an injury.

New Jersey Horse Park hosted a world championships prep

New Jersey Horse Park hosted a world championships prep

The Jersey Fresh International three-day event was staged for the last time in 2021, after the U.S. Equestrian Federation did not grant the Horse Park of New Jersey event its usual 3- and 4-Star Long and 4-Star Short designations for 2023-2027.

The Tryon, N.C., Spring International, one of only six events in the U.S. to be awarded a 4-star Long, got Jersey Fresh’s traditional mid-May weekend.

Despite the loss of the FEI event, horse trials are held regularly at the park, but last weekend, it got a big vote of confidence, as several members of the U.S. team for next month’s eventing world championships took their final run there before heading to Germany.

Rather than holding a mandatory outing in one location for all team members, the riders were allowed to choose where they wanted to go for their pre-championships prep.

“We feel it was best for the riders to prep their horses with what they felt would be the best run,” said US Eventing Chef d’Equipe Leslie Law.

“I think we’ve got a great team. We’ve got some really good, experienced riders there now, we’ve got good horses. I’m looking forward to it.”

The arena footing at the facility in Allentown, N.J., is not the artificial material that is found at the “name” facilities, and the stabling isn’t fancy. But a footing expert was hired for Jersey Fresh to show how to maintain the rings with the footing they have.

Carol Kozlowski, a former president of the U.S. Eventing Association, observed after the Horse Park was dissed five years ago, “these riders get so wrapped up in footing and then go to Europe and you’re competing on grass.”

So to that end, Chris Barnard designed a show jumping course on grass for the weekend event, because at the world championships, show jumping will be on the turf. The cross-country was laid out by Morgan Rowsell, with Levi Ryckewaert, and David Taylor on his team.

“I thought they did a good job at the Horse Park,” commented Phillip Dutton, who won the Advanced Intermediate with his championships reserve horse, Denim, and was second on his team ride, Possante.

Phillip Dutton and Possante prepping for the world championships at the Horse Park of New Jersey. (Amy Dragoo photo)

“The footing was really good, and the course was not overly strong, but it (had) good little questions to practice on,” he commented.

“Generally, I feel the ground there is pretty good. It’s got a component of sand in it as well. I thought that it was pretty good conditions to have a last run.”

Dutton’s U.S. teammates, Caroline Pamukcu with HSH Blake and reserve rider Jennie Brannigan with FE Lifestyle also competed in the Advanced Intermediate. Additional participants included Australian squad member Sophia Hill with Humble Glory (in the Open Intermediate) and New Zealand’s Monica Spencer and Artist, who were members of the bronze medal-winning team at the 2022 FEI Eventing World Championships in Pratoni, Italy.

U.S. team member Boyd Martin was on hand, riding his Shanroe Cooley, an alternate for the squad. The horse competed in the Open Intermediate, but withdrew after dressage and stadium jumping, before cross-country.

click here for results

 

 

Another woman makes history with a horse racing classic win

A little more than two months after Cherie DeVaux became the first woman trainer to win the Kentucky Derby (then went on to become the second trainer of her sex to to take the Belmont Stakes in June with Golden Tempo) Lindsay Schultz produced a record of her own Saturday,  as a female trailblazing winner at the fifty-ninth running of the Grade I Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park.

The first woman to train a Haskell victor, Lindsay is in charge of Baby Vino, the runaway winner of the Haskell’s prep race, the Pegasus last month. In the Haskell, the 3-year-old son of Vino Rosso overtook Preakness winner Napoleon Solo to win the New Jersey track’s $1 million feature, a win-and-you’re-in for October’s Breeders Cup.

Lindsay started taking riding lessons in fifth grade, and worked at barns in order to continue her involvement. She enrolled at the University of Louisville, which has an Equine Industry program, then went on to do everything from hot walking to prepping yearlings before starting her own stable.

Prior to the Haskell, Lindsay had never trained a horse that ran in a Grade I race. She is local to Monmouth in the summers, which made the victory even sweeter.

“Hopefully, there will be more to come,” Lindsay said to the Thoroughbred Daily News after her trip to the winner’s circle.

“It’s huge for our stable. It’s a really big deal. It’s so great for this horse. From the moment he started working, we just loved this horse, and to really show what he has is what we do it for.

“What’s even better,” she told Matt Shifman of Horse Racing Nation, “is that I’m the first female to win the Haskell and there was the first female to win the Derby and there was a first female to win the Belmont (Jena Antonucci in 2023). I think it’s just great that women like Kathleen O’Connell and Linda Rice have been around. They really opened it up for us.”

As she noted proudly about Baby Vino (bred in Kentucky by another woman, Lisa Parks), “This horse can make a run from anywhere. We thought the way it set up there would be a lot of speed and he’d sit behind it. But there wasn’t as much speed as we thought.”

Two eventers die after cross-country falls in Britain

Two British eventers died within hours of each other Saturday due to falls on cross-country at separate events in England.

Sophie Fouracre, a three-time veteran of the Burghley 5-Star, was fatally injured while riding a 5-year-old mare, Rhubarbsfox Britannia, at Swalcliffe Park in Oxfordshire. Shortly thereafter at Penrth in Cumbira, Kerry Donoghue died after an accident in the Open Novice while aboard Carneyhaugh Rua, on whom David Doel finished tenth at the Luhmuelen 5-star in 2021.

“At both venues, the event medical teams responded immediately and provided emergency treatment. Despite their best efforts, neither rider could be saved,” a British Eventing spokesperson said.

“Both horses were examined by the attending veterinary team and were found to be uninjured.”

All competition was stopped after the accidents and did not resume at either venue.

BE chief executive Rosie Williams said: “The British Eventing community is heartbroken.

“On behalf of everyone at British Eventing, I want to extend our deepest condolences to Kerry and Sophie’s families, friends and loved ones at this devastating time. Our thoughts are also with their fellow competitors, organizers, officials, volunteers and everyone who has been affected by these tragic events.

“We are immensely grateful to the organizers, doctors, paramedics, veterinary teams, officials and emergency services at both events for the professionalism, compassion and care they showed in the most difficult of circumstances.

“The loss of two members of our eventing family on the same day is almost beyond words, and we know the sadness of these events will be felt profoundly across the sport for some time to come.”

In accordance with BE procedures, “comprehensive reviews of both accidents will now be undertaken”.