by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 25, 2026
The amazing Kent Farrington did it again: In less than a month, he has won the Rolex US Open $1 million Grand Prix, the Longines FEI World Cup Final and Saturday night, the $340,000 Major League Show Jumping International 5-Star at the Kentucky Horse Park.
He’s number two in the world, but it looks as if he may well be back at number one next month with his amazing record. While the spectacular mare Greya was involved in his last two big victories, this time he rode a new addition to his string, the 9-year-old Mexican-bred Descartes SR, a gelding he began showing in February.
Kent and Descartes SR.
A field of 41 was tested by Guilherme Jorge’s course under the lights in the Rolex arena, with seven managing to qualify for the tiebreaker in the class presented by the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. Kent was the only rider to break the 40-second barrier in the jump-off, finishing in 39.92 seconds. His friend and frequent U.S. teammate, McLain Ward, was second with High Star Hero in 40.42 seconds. That’s a significant achievement, because he has been out of action for seven weeks after hitting the ground hard at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Fla.
Third went to Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam on James Kann Cruz in 40.71 seconds.
Kent called Descartes “a very special horse. This is his first 5-star grand prix. He started out the right way. He’s been an exceptional talent since I started with him. I think he’s an unbelievable horse.”
He rode him twice last fall before deciding to buy him, and began showing him in February. Prior to that, Descartes was ridden by Nicolaj Hein Ruus of Denmark.
Kent couldn’t say enough on behalf of Descartes, who was sent his way by the Pasquel family.
The winner “has so much power for a small horse. He has an incredible stride to the last fence,” commented Kent.
“He’s almost like a racehorse, he really covers the ground and still has the power to give a lofty jump at the final fence, which is a rare contribution of attributes in a horse.”
McLain was enthusiastic about his horse, too.
“I was thrilled with Hero. He jumped brilliant,” said McLain, who noted he had returned to the ring against doctor’s orders.
“I have to be a little bit careful,” said McLain, who injured both his hand and his back in the mishap.”
Kentucky was his first show back, but as usual, he had high expectations.
“I’m always a little disappointed to lose, but to lose to who i consider the best in the world right now in the sport, I guess there’s some salvation in that.”
Shane said his horse’s results “speak for themselves. I’m very lucky to have him. He’s a brilliant jumper.”
A regular team member for his homeland, he’s hoping to ride on the Irish squad for August’s world championships in Aachen, Germany, where he once again is likely to be competing against Kent and McLain.
Click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 21, 2026
An application by Select Event Group to run the Maryland 5-star in October 2027 is “actively” being prepared, with Paris Olympics 2024 cross-country course designer Pierre Le Goupil on board for the eventing competition, as he was for the 2025 edition.
David O’Connor, the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s chief of sport, said the group in May will be presenting a proposal to the organization for resumption of the event next year. The FEI also would have to approve it.
The 2026 competition was cancelled after key personnel departed the organization and the state of Maryland indicated funding would not be available for it.
The event, the first autumn 5-star held in the U.S., ran for five years at a new facility, the Fair Hill Special Event Zone, which also hosts horse racing. The organizing team now is headed by Marissa Melzer, who was the number two person in charge of presenting the 5-star previously.
Boyd Martin, Felix Vogg and Monica Spencer on the podium at the 2025 Maryland 5-star.
“Select is eager to build on the momentum created over the past several years and to thoughtfully broaden what this event can be,” said Alex Corgan, president of Select Event Group, which is the lead organizer for the effort to “reimagine” the event. Select has been involved with the Preakness Stakes, Maryland’s leg of racing’s Triple Crown.
“Our goal is to expand the aperture of supporters and participants — from longtime equestrian fans to new community partners — creating more opportunities for people to engage, contribute, and feel invested in the event’s success. By bringing together a strong team and welcoming all those willing to help make this a success, we believe that we can deliver at Fair Hill an experience that is both world-class in sport and deeply rooted in community.”
He added, “Select intends to expand opportunities for participation from other regional jurisdictions, partners, and organizations both within and beyond Maryland.”
Select already has submitted to USEF an application for presenting the 3-star and Young Event Horse competition that ran with the 5-star. If approved, those fixtures would be held this October as Select partners with Cecil County on the project.
The iconic crab fence has become a symbol of the Maryland 5-star.
County Executive Adam Streight said, “Cecil County is pleased to see the 3-star event continue this year, ensuring the tradition of world-class eventing at Fair Hill remains strong.
“We look forward to working with Select Event Group, who understand the importance of including Cecil Countians and local businesses, along with our partners, to deliver a successful 2026 competition and welcome the return of the Maryland 5 Star in 2027.”
Tim Gardner, a member of the organizing team, said Select is “very motivated to keep this event as an asset for Maryland and believes in it as a business opportunity.”
He noted Corgan “sort of rallied some of the other Maryalnd vendors.”
His involvement, “gets it into the hand of a professional event producer and gives us a really bright future not dependent on state money. It’s a great solution. We’re pretty optimistic.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 25, 2026
In the Cosequin 4-Star Short, Tamie Smith ended cross-country Saturday where she began it after dressage — in first place, but with a different horse.
Tamie retired her leader from the first phase, Danito, on course after a problem at the fifteenth fence. But she rose from third to first with the fastest round of the day, aboard Lillet 3.
No one among the 34 finishers in the section made the optimum clocking of 6:37 on the route designed by Derek di Grazia, but Tamie came closest with just 1.6 time penalties. Of her mare, the Californian enthused, “She’s like a magic carpet.”
While Tamie noted, “it’s taken us a little time for us to get to know each other,” she said that now, “She’s thinking for me and I’m thinking for her. She’s such a fighter, and she’s so fast. She answered all the questions.”
Tamie noted Derek ihas done a “masterful job” of using the park’s rolling terrain for the test.
And Lillet was more than up to tdealing with that task.
“She keeps growing. In horses, you’re hoping they’re comfortable in their job,” said Tamie, and Lillet ha arrived at that place after a careful training journey.
Tamie described the mare as a queen, saying she has “such an elegance about her and a very sure way of going.”
Click here for 4-Star results
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 25, 2026
Monica Spencer’s lead in the Defender Kentucky 5-Star Three-Day Event increased to a more comfortable level after the cross-country phase, not only because of her perfect trip Saturday within the 11:05 optimum time, but also because her closest rivals simply couldn’t match the caliber of her performance with the swift thoroughbred, Artist.
The New Zealander and her mount were a picture of fluent speed and agility over the route designed by Derek di Grazia at the Kentucky Horse Park.
After Friday’s dressage, she had an edge of only 0.3 penalties over her countryman, Tim Price on Vitali. But he dropped down to fifth place with 9.2 time penalties.
Thus her main worry going into Sunday’s stadium jumping finale is the USA’s Will Coleman with Diabolo, a fancy horse making his 5-star debut. He was also within the time, so he heads into show jumping on his mark from dressage, which is 27.3 penalties. That gives Monica, with 22.3 penalties, the luxury of being able to have one 4-fault knockdown over the painted rails. But will that be enough?
She is not going to take no for an answer in her Kentucky quest. Not after having moved across the globe to the U.S. with her family to pursue her sport at the highest level. Winning the $400,000 event would go a long way to making the mighty effort worthwhile
“You’re always questioning; everybody sacrificed; I face a lot of pressure to make it work,” she revealed.
And she can almost see the rainbow, with only a show jumping course between her and the view. But she thinks she is on track for what has to be done.
“We’re doing positive reinforcement. The podium is the dream, so we’ll try to stay there,” said Monica, who was second last autumn in the Maryland 5-star.
Monica Spencer and Artist simply took flight in a dramatic leap. (Equestrian Sports NZ/Shannon Brinkman Photography)
Will, the highest ranked U.S. rider so far in the competition, praised the efforts of his mount — who is fueled by a half-pint supplement of blueberries daily.
“I felt pretty good about where the horse was coming into the event,” he noted, and Diabolo didn’t disappoint.
“I adore the horse,” Will said. “I’m just thankful to be here. It’s an awesome event. A lot of the world’s best are here and it was a fantastic day of competition.”
Will Coleman and Diabolo. (U.S. Eventing Association Photo)
In third place is 2024 U.S. Olympian Caroline Pamukcu with HSH Blake, her Paris Games mount , a horse she loves so much that she named her daughter after him.
She had just two time penalties, so standing on a score of 28.6, Caroline is also a threat to the two riders in front of her.
click here for 5-star results
And if you want the blow-by-blow about every horse on cross-country, click here to get it from the U.S. Eventing Association.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 24, 2026
The Kiwis dominated the second day of dressage at the Defender Kentucky 5-Star Three-Day Event on Friday, holding the first two places going into Saturday’s cross-country test.
Monica Spencer and the elegant, expressive thoroughbred, Artist, wound up with a personal best mark of 22.3 penalties to be on top of the 29-horse field. They are just 0.3 penalties ahead of her compatriot, Tim Price, and the powerful Vitali, a horse who has eight top 10 finishes but no 5-star victories.
Leading the way in the 5-Star are Monica Spencer and Artist.
Monica, based in Virginia far from her native New Zealand, was the runner-up last autumn in the Maryland 5-Star with the horse she fondly refers to as Max. But there’s a long way to go before she can enjoy a win at what is now the only 5-star in North America. (Maryland won’t be held this year).
With Derek di Grazia’s demanding cross-country course looming as a challenge, she isn’t counting her chickens before they hatch.
Keeping the poultry analogy, “With eventing, you can be a rooster one day and a feather duster the next,” Monica advised cheerfully.
Monica Spencer and Artist.
“Max was super today and gave me good energy in the test and I’m really pleased with him,” she continued, noting he is not only “a beautiful mover” but also “trainable.”
Tim noted Vitali was “a little bit on edge,” mentioning that his dressage is usually better in the autumn than the spring.
“I’ve been through a lot with him, a lot of disappointments, really, in terms of final results of the competitions. But equally, he’s an incredible horse in so many ways. I’d never give up on him.
“I think he’s got a big win in him…hopefully, it’s got to come around at some point soon. It’s just a matter of tinkering away to try to find something that’s going to help us be truly successful at this level,” added Tim, who lives in England.
Tim Price and Vitali (Equestrian Sports NZ/Shannon Brinkman)
Great Britain’s Tom McEwen is not much further back from the leaders with 25.1 penalties on the reliable Brookfield Quality. The horse, known around the barn as Nervous Norris, in contrast to that nickname looked very steady, aside from a less-than-perfect reinback.
But Tom noted he “pulled out the same test that he can do every time and laid everything down.”
U.S. rider Will Coleman’s lead with Diabolo on a mark of 27.3 penalties from day one of the dressage phase Thursday was eclipsed by the 26.6 penalty performance of Caroline Pamukcu and her 2024 Olympic mount, HSH Blake. She became the leading American, in fourth place, leaving Will fifth.
Caroline thinks so much of her horse that she named her daughter after him.
Caroline Pamukcu and daughter Blake.
“He’s just such a special partner. He’s my best friend,” observed Caroline.
“He was fabulous, wasn’t he?” she asked. And we knew the right answer.
Caroline hopes she will be able to rate him the same for cross-country.
“There is a lot to do out there,” she commented.
“The good thing is the ground is fast and they’re doing everything they can to water it and make it soft. It’s going to very competitive.”
Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake. (USEA/Lindsay Berreth Photo)
Caroline is the busiest rider in the 5-star, with three mounts, all of whom she brought along since they were young horses. She stands fifteenth with HSH Tolan King and seventeenth with She’s the One.
“There’s a lot of work for me,” she pointed out, then added, “they all deserve to shine, so hopefully I can give them the ride they deserve.”
It’s very cool that there are two 19-year-old horses in the field. Appropriately, perhaps, both are grey. Corvett, who has competed in every 5-star in the Northern Hemisphere, is making his final appearance at the level for owner Emily Hamel. He is in twenty-first place.
Sunday Times, meanwhile, is twenty-ninth.
“We all know he’s not a dressage horse,” said his owner, amateur rider Arden Wildasin. The horse had a top 10 finish in the Maryland 5-star last year.
Click here for 5-star results
In the 4–Star Short that runs with the 5-star, Tamie Smith kept her lead from Thursday with Danito on 27 penalties. Sharon White is second with Claus 63 (28.1), who did not complete the 5-Star in Kentucky last year.
Tamie also tied for third on Lillet 3 (29.7), while Great Britain’s Elizabeth Barratt has the same score on Ride for Thais Chamon Dumontceau.
Click here for 4-star results
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 27, 2026
The Virginia Horse Center’s cancellation of a show after a horse with EHV-1 neurological was euthanized at a Culpeper, Va., show has prompted horse owners’ questions about the condition. The U.S. Equestrian Federation put out information on the subject that is important for everyone to know. It’s something is always with us. Here is the information:
EHV is a permanent part of the equine environment – not just at horse shows, but across the population. Virtually all horses are exposed to the EHV-1 virus at a young age, and the virus hides out (is “latent”) in most horses without causing symptoms. The virus is intermittently shed from healthy horses into the environment, particularly in times of stress, and this is how horses around them end up getting exposed to higher levels of the virus and develop symptoms.
This is also the reason that you may see small outbreaks at unrelated facilities – those horses didn’t necessarily catch the virus from each other or from a shared human contact; they may have experienced a stress response and become sick without exposure to another horse, or may have encountered a high viral shedder on property.
This is also the reason that staying home is not the solution it might appear to be. Horses can (and do) become sick with EHV without having traveled in years, and can travel frequently without becoming sick or newly exposed to the virus.
Similar to human diseases like COVID or the flu, equine infectious diseases can’t be 100% prevented. To help our community coexist with equine infectious diseases, USEF has successfully developed biosecurity protocols to accomplish the following:
• Prevent potential introduction of infectious disease pathogens.
• Healthy horse entry protocols and vaccination requirements.
• Identify cases of infectious disease early.
• Mandatory reporting of febrile horses (temperatures over 101.5F).
• Isolate potential infectious disease cases.
• Mandatory submission of isolation plans which identify isolation areas for clinical or exposed cases during an outbreak.
• Isolating sick or potentially exposed horses from others is the best way to limit disease spread.
• Protect horse health and allow safe continuation of competition.
• Enhanced biosecurity to allow healthy horses to compete.
Assistance with developing and implementing biosecurity protocols for competition facilities is available to all USEF competition organizers.
If an infectious disease outbreak does occur, USEF works with the competition organizer and state animal health officials to assist with any contact tracing and advise on the risk assessment and epidemiological investigation that state animal health authorities conduct. This includes an assessment of population demographics, contact rates, environmental conditions, laboratory findings, and the venue/horse management. Decisions about whether a show goes forward are usually reached together based on this assessment, with all three groups conferring about whether the event can continue with unexposed horses safely participating. Competition organizers are free to cancel an event at any time if desired.
In the last three years, USEF has worked with organizers, state veterinarians, and competition veterinarians to successfully manage several infectious diseases occurrences on competition grounds while allowing the shows to continue. Two USEF shows had state quarantines on a group of horses on the show grounds and continued the show with no additional horses becoming sick.
Our biosecurity protocols are backed by peer-reviewed science and years of experience to separate and protect unexposed horses from illness, but we need members’ help in keeping those practices top of mind. USEF will continue to focus efforts to ensure horse health and biosecurity are a priority and ask your help in doing the same.
For more information on equine health and biosecurity please visit https://www.usef.org/learn/equine-health or email equinehealth@usef.org
For more information on EHV and best biosecurity practices, check out this webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObB8Zp7kOjM&t=9s
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 23, 2026
Will Coleman is going for the Defender Kentucky eventing double.
Two years ago, he won the 4-Star Short at the Kentucky Horse Park with Diabolo, a Holsteiner by Diarado who was imported from Australia. The partnership was on track for the U.S. team at the 2024 Olympics when the horse came up with a hoof problem and couldn’t compete in Paris.
This year, Will is back with Diabolo at the USA’s top competition in his discipline, but in the 5-Star section, where he led the field on Thursday after the first day of dressage.
Will and his slick black gelding were marked at 27.3 penalties, equivalent to a dressage score of 72.69 percent.
An understandably upbeat Will noted, “The first time you do a 5-Star test in that arena with any horse, there’s a certain amount of, `What am I going to get today?’
“He’s a really eager horse, he wants to always do the right thing. But sometimes, his nerves can get the better of him. I’m just so proud of him. He came up here and he was a little bit on edge, even in these final warm-ups, I didn’t feel like I totally had him. But he went in there and he just did it for me and tried his absolute best. That’s all you can ask for.”
Saturday’s cross-country course, laid out as usual by Tokyo Olympic designer Derek Di Grazia, is a “completely different” level than the route Diabolo handled in the 4-Star.
That, Will pointed out, was “nothing compared to what Diabolo has to do this weekend.
“The 5-star is the ultimate test in all equestrian sports. I’m going to have to ride my best and Diabolo is going to have to be at his best for us to do it well, but I think he can. And that’s what we are going to try to do.”
Very veteran Phillip Dutton, who won the 5-Star in 2008, is aboard Possante for that horse’s 5-Star debut. He’s less than one penalty back of Will on a mount produced by Great Britain’s Emily King.
In turn, New Zealander Tim Price — always a threat at the highest level — is third with Global Quest, another 5-star debutante. The horse was brought along by the late Georgie Campbell, a British eventer who died after a fall while riding that mount at the Bicton International Horse Trials two years ago.
World Number One Harry Meade of Great Britain is fourth with his veteran, Superstition, marked at 30.2 penalties.
“I would have hoped to be scored better than that,” said Harry, who seeks to make up the difference on cross-country where there is “going to be plenty to do.”
When Boyd Martin rode into the arena on Cooley Nutcracker, it was an emotional moment for those who spotted the horse’s former rider, Liz Halliday, watching intently from the grandstand. Liz competed on the horse in the 2024 Olympics, only to suffer a traumatic brain injury in a fall a month later at the American Eventing Championships.
Boyd Martin and Cooley Nutcracker.
Boyd took over the ride as Liz, his Olympic teammate, went through hospitalization and rehabilitation (she now hopes to compete in Para Dressage). Nutcracker earned 30.7 penalties to stand fifth as Liz cheered him on.
“I finished the test and looked up in the stands and she was there with her team,” Boyd recounted after his ride.
“It was cool, I haven’t seen her for a good bit.”
After the competition, Liz got on social media to say, “There really aren’t words to express what today meant to me. To finally be back at an event for the first time since my accident … to watch my gorgeous Cooley Nutcracker go down centerline with Boyd Martin… to hug friends I haven’t seen in so long and catch up about everything I’ve missed … I am overjoyed and so grateful to finally be back in the sport I love.”
She added, “Things are a bit different now, of course. I’m now here as an owner supporting Boyd and Bali alongside the rest of the Liz’s Nutcrackers crew. And yes, I did give Boyd a hard time for flubbing that first flying change. But in all seriousness, I am so grateful to Boyd for everything he has done with the horse who made my Olympic dreams come true and am so excited to cheer them on this weekend.”
Liz Halliday was thrilled about being able to watch in person as Boyd Martin rode her Olympic horse, Cooley Nutcracker.
Of his test, Boyd assessed that it was “not too bad; it’s pretty intimidating to try to follow Liz’s performances, but I’m starting to get the hang of it. It’s still not the finished product yet. He’s a legend. He’s a champion horse.”
Discussing the “juicy” course, he noted, “it starts off a little nicer than usual, then he sticks it to you.”
Ever the entrepreneur, Boyd suggested that after the competition, spectators should “go to my merch shop and get a T-shirt.”
The world number two-ranked rider also will be on last year’s 5-Star runner-up, Commando 3, but he had to leave another of Liz’s horses, Miks Master C. at home after the gelding pulled up sore from an outing at the Fair Hill 4-Star Short last weekend.
Boyd’s hair was looking rather shaggy, because the Pennsylvanian is waiting to cut it in a show of support for the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team as it seeks the Stanley Cup.
Boyd Martin looking a little shaggy as he grows his hair to keep his favorite hockey team in the Stanley Cup game.
In the 4-Star Short, which ran during the morning, Californian Tamie Smith came East to take the lead with Danito, who at age 17 is back in the big time after recovering from some injuries.
Tamie has the distinction of being the last U.S. rider to win the 5-star at Kentucky, having done it with the now-retired Mai Baum in 2023.
click here for 5-star results
click on this link for 4-star results
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 19, 2026
The remarkable black Rheinlander stallion Zonik Plus has set another personal best for his rider, Belgium’s Justin Verboomen, earning a stratospheric 91.855 percent in the Fontainebleu, France 5-star Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle this weekend.
One judge had the 10-year-old son of Zonik marked at 93.850 percent. The scores put runner-up Lottie Fry of Great Britain in the shade with Glamourdale, another black stallion, doing their usual Glamourdale Airlines routine.
The world champion, who will defend her title this August in Aachen, was marked at 88.225, although one judge did give her more than 90 percent, with a 90.150. Frederic Wandres of Germany finished third on Bluetooth Old with 81.085.
Justin, the number one-ranked dressage rider in the world, said “The setting at Fontainebleau is exceptional. I was really looking forward to taking Zonik out to compete outdoors again, because I feel that in this environment, he really wants to show off, to put on a show.
Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus.
“For our return to outdoor competition, we delivered the two finest tests of our career. (He received 83.500 for the Grand Prix.)
“I am truly delighted. Before the class, I stay completely focused and in my own bubble; however, once we leave the arena and during the prize-giving ceremony, it is incredibly gratifying to see so many people lining the ring.”
In the Grand Prix Special, Isabell Werth of Germany, the world’s most decorated dressage rider, was the winner with Wendy de Fontaine.
“I’m really happy with my mare this weekend, even though we still need to do a bit of work on the Special test.,” Isabell conceded after receiving a mark of 79.893 percent.
“The competition was exceptional: a mini-Paris 2024. I came to Fontainebleau two years ago and it was already amazing at the time. But the competition has really gone from strength to strength. I say this with a smile, but we’re really looking forward to a World Championship stage being held here.”
Isabell was part of the German team that won the Nations Cup earlier in the week, with Britain second and Belgium, led by Verboomen, third.
Second in the Special was Carl Hester of Great Britain with Fame.
“Today, I really felt my horse was with me,” he said.
“And we undoubtedly performed one of our best Grand Prix Special tests ever. The horse was relaxed, easy to ride and in good spirits. Since this was the first outdoor competition of the season,”
Click here for Freestyle results
Click here for the Special results
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 17, 2026
There’s a long way to go before the FEI World Championships this August in Aachen, but the candidates for the U.S. show jumping squad were announced today.
There are 10 riders on the short list, but plans call for prospects to compete over five different observation events in Europe.
Those on the list include Olympic silver medal teammates Laura Kraut, Karl Cook and McLain Ward, who has been out of action for a month due to a fall when his horse refused a fence in March.
As expected, Kent Farrington — winner of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final last weekend — is part of the group. He is ranked number two in the world and in March, won the $1 million Rolex US Open.
Katie Dinan, who appeared on the podium with Kent at the World Cup, where she placed third, is also on the list, along with Aaron Vale, seventh in the Cup and Lillie Keenan, who was tenth. Others named were Natalie Dean, Marilyn Little and Callie Schott.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 17, 2026
There was much speculation about why Great Britain’s multi-gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin dropped out of last weekend’s Zen Elite FEI World Cup Dressage Final after accepting a place for the contest in Fort Worth, Texas.
But the answer, revealed by Eurodressage, is that her mount, Alive and Kicking, was sold to five-time Olympian Kristy Oatley, who rides for Australia. The actual transaction was made to Rosalind Oatley, Kristy’s mother, and Bollmoor Partner GmbH & Co.
Charlotte was second with the mare at the London International Horse Show last December, and seemed a likely pick for the British team that will be competing in Aachen this summer at the FEI world championships. She discovered the Westfalian, now 12, as a four-year-old.
Alive and Kicking appeared to be the perfect comeback vehicle for Charlotte to resurrect her career after serving a year-long suspension for a whipping incident that left her open to a storm of criticism.
