by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 20, 2026
With the international number one- and two- ranked riders, as well as the defending champion, declining to make the trip across the Atlantic for the FEI Dressage World Cup, the competition presents an opportunity for less high-profile athletes and their horses to shine.
Those who decided not to participate are focusing on this summer’s world championships in Germany with their top mounts. World Number One Justin Verboomen of Germany had a nice back-up to his top horse, Zonik Plus, but that understudy was sold. So no Justin.
In the days when Las Vegas regularly hosted the Cup finals in dressage and jumping, it always (except for its first presentation) sought a year without a world championship or Olympics. That assured the best competitors would have no other goals to distract them from participating in the Cup.
But even without the high-profile combinations, eight of the top 20 will be there, a group that includes exciting prospects to watch at the event April 8-11 in Fort Worth, Texas.
One will be the USA’s Christian Simonson. He is the top-ranked U.S. rider, ninth in the global standings, even though at age 23, he also still would be eligible to compete in the U25 ranks. He’s a student of three-time Olympian Adrienne Lyle, who in turn was a student of former U.S. chef d’equipe and Olympic, world championships and World Cup veteran Debbie McDonald.
Christian Simonson and Indian Rock.
Christian is sponsored by Florida-based Zen Elite Equestrian, which also is the sponsor of the Dressage World Cup organized by the Split Rock Show Jumping Tour. His mount, Indian Rock, formerly of the Dutch Olympic team, performs an inspirational freestyle to the musical themes from the Rocky movies. Because the horse’s nickname is Rocky, naturally.
Kevin Kohmann is the only other U.S. rider competing. He will be riding Dünensee. Although Ecuador’s Julio Mendoza Loor is not a U.S. citizen, he is a resident of North Carolina, so the Pan American Games individual gold medalist and Jewel’s Goldstrike will definitely get audience support from the home side.
The highest-ranked rider who will be coming from abroad is Great Britain’s Olympic team medalist Becky Moody with her homebred Jagerbomb. She’s number four in the world. Number five, Sweden’s Patrick Kittel — the 2024 Cup titleholder — will be on hand with Touchdown.
Kevin Kohmann and Dünensee.
What could be very interesting for the U.S. audience is a chance to watch Poland’s Sandra Sysojeva and the graceful Maxima Bella, only a 10-year-old and already an Olympic veteran. And doubtless even more interesting from a curiosity standpoint would have been Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin, once the queen of dressage, until she was suspended in 2024 for using a whip to repeatedly urge a student’s horse forward in a videotaped lesson several years before that.
But Charlotte, slated to ride the aptly named Alive and Kicking, dropped out a week before she was set to travel to Texas. Her countrywoman, Cup defending champion Lottie Fry, did not plan to compete.
Want to see the Cup in person?
Single-session tickets are available starting at $35, but there are special pricing and package opportunities available for groups of nine or more. To buy, contact Sydney at GroupSales@DickiesArena.com. Full ticket information is available online at https://www.fortworth2026.com/tickets, For more information, click here.
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 24, 2026
It’s another first for the Essex Horse Trials. The U.S. Eventing Association’s Adult Team Challenge will be offered during the May 31 competition at Moorland Farm in Far Hills, N.J.
The finals of the Adams Horse Supply Adult Team Championships, from Starter through Modified divisions, will be held Aug. 25-30 at the American Eventing Championships, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. Click on this link for details. That competition offers an opportunity for those who always wanted to be part of a team.
Now they can organize their own, if they get their friends together and enter Essex. To learn more, contact Alissa Genovese at everydayequestrian@gmail.com.
After its successful reinvention as a one-day competition last year, Essex already has taken steps toward innovation by offering a Modified division, as well as an intercollegiate team challenge.
The event, which offers divisions ranging from Starter through Preliminary, is at a scenic venue best known as the home of the Far Hills Race Meeting.
The water obstacle on cross-country is always a popular tailgating spot at Essex.
Modified bridges the gap in fence height between Training and Preliminary, offering a more gradual increase. Modified fences have the same dimensions as FEI 1-Star.
The event, which also features a vendor village, is sponsored by Purina, Land Rover and Running S Equine Veterinary Services.
Individual and other corporate sponsors are also being sought for the event, which is a benefit for the Greater Newark Life Camp.
A $500 donation earns a tailgating spot by the water obstacle on the cross-country course. For $1,500, cross-country sponsors get two tickets to the sponsors’ tent and can have the name of their business or anything else on a fence. They also can decorate it if they like. Riders and spectators will vote on their favorite jump.
Essex has a printed program that offers advertising opportunities.
Volunteers are need to keep the event running. Go to essexhorsetrials.net to sign up or to obtain for more information about the competition and sponsorship.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 7, 2026
Sandwiched between a pair of riders clocked in exactly the same jump-off time, and slotted in before last-to-go Ben Maher, Darragh Kenny had not an instant to spare as he pursued victory in the finale of the $500,000 Bainbridge Companies Grand Prix Saturday night.
The U.S.-based Irishman was able to finish the tiebreaker with Eddy Blue in 41.77 seconds, good enough to beat Australia’s Thaisa Irwin on Hialita B and the USA’s Marilyn Little on Contessa, who both were second in the 5-Star with a mark of 41.92.
Darragh Kenny and Eddy Blue. Photo ©Sportfot
But even after knowing he had edged them, in order to find out whether he’d won, Darragh had to wait for the last to go. That was world number three-ranked Ben on the reliable Dallas Vegas Batilly.
Then at the third fence, an oxer over a liverpool, Ben’s mare threw her head up and stopped, half-rearing and opening her mouth. The British rider kept calm, turned her around and cleared the obstacle, but the suspense was over.
Darragh took the top honors, and the two women tied for second, as Ben finished last in the nine-horse jump-off over the course laid out at the Winter Equestrian Festival by Ireland’s Alan Wade (the 2028 Olympic course designer).
Marilyn Little and Thaisa Erwin tied for second in the Bainbridge Companies Grand Prix, behind Darragh Kenny.
Explaining where he made up the necessary ground in the Wellington (Florida) International arena, Darragh said, “I was able to do seven (strides)” from the first jump to the second obstacle.
“He has a massive, massive stride…so I was able to do one less, one to two, and that’s pretty much what did it. He jumped great. He’s such an incredible horse all the time, he jumps clear, he tries his guts out. I’m just lucky to be able to ride him.”
Daragh added about his mount, “He feels in brilliant form, he’s fresh, he’s great.”
The field of 41 included U.S. stars Kent Farrington on Greya and McLain Ward with High Star Hero, but each had a single fence down and failed to make the tiebreaker. Kent dropped a pole at the fourth fence from the end, and McLain had the vertical that was the B element of the triple combination.
Marilyn was fourteenth to go in the initial round, and the first to be fault-free, putting her as the lead off rider in the tiebreaker.
“I would have loved to have not gone first,” Marilyn said, but noted that with a line-up as stellar as in the Bainbridge, “all you can do is the best you can do.”
She called her mare “smarter than any horse I know. She’s probably smarter than most people I know.”
Thaisa was the first Australian to be on a 5-star podium at WEF since 2010.
“She is a difficult horse to manage on the ground and to ride, and I’ve taken a lot of time,” she observed.
The mare, owned by Mike Smith — who also owns McLain’s High Star Hero — “has taught me a ton of patience,” said Thaisa.
“But she gives me her heart every time.”
click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 8, 2026
Catherine Laudrup-Dufour and Isabell Werth were neck and neck in the 5-star Freestyle at the Herning, Denmark, show this weekend, in a battle of mares, with both scoring over 90 percent.
Cathrine had the edge on Mount St. John Freestyle, the 17-year old Fidermark daughter, earning an astronomical 90.465 percent, with marks of 10 across the board for music and interpretation of music — which included “My Heart Will Go on” from the movie “Titanic.” Three of the five judges gave the Dane and her Hanoverian 10s for degree of difficulty, with the dissenters offering a mere 9.9 and 9.8.
Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St. John Freestyle.
Germany’s Isabell Werth was the only other competitor to break 90, earning 90.080 with Wendy de Fontaine, a Danish warmblood by Sezuan 2. Her across-the-board 10s came not only in the music category, but also for choreography. Her lowest marks were for collected walk, where she had two 6s and two 6.5s, in addition to a 7.
After the best Grand Prix of her life last week, Cathrine said that on Saturday, “I slowed down a bit…and it’s so rare to reach 90 percent. The win in itself means nothing, but to see such top-class sport in Denmark is absolutely fantastic.”
The third- and fourth-placed contenders scored above 80 percent, with Norway’s Isabelle Freese on Total Hope Old finishing on 81.885 and Daniel Bachmann Andersen of Denmark marked at 80.370 aboard Flash Gordon 37.
Click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 1, 2026
As is so often the case, team anchor McLain Ward produced a must-do clean round to clinch victory for the USA in the $150,000 FEI Nations Cup Wellington Saturday night.
USA center stage on the podium with second-place Ireland (left) and third-place Canada
This time, however, the stress was on from several directions. But if anyone has mileage sufficient to handle such challenges, it’s McLain. Even so, several factors made the situation more intense than usual.
The U.S. had won the country’s only Nations Cup 10 times previously, which meant history exerted expectations for the eight-team match.
As Coach Robert Ridland put it, “This is always an interesting Nations Cup because the pressure is on us to win. It’s a home Nations Cup; it’s a really big deal.”
And McLain’s mount, Jordan Molga M, is relatively new to him. How would he react to the electricity of an arena surrounded by a capacity crowd that cheered loudest for the Americans?
In the first round, McLain had a decision to make after his teammates produced three clears over the Steve Stephens team-designed 4-star course. His initial effort wasn’t needed, since only three scores count in each round.
He considered going in the first round and just jumping the first line of fences to give the horse a look-see, which could have worked, since that round wouldn’t affect the score.
McLain’s student, Stella Wasserman, began riding Jordan, a 12-year-old Dutchbred, last September, taking over from Nicolas Delmotte of France.
But it wasn’t the perfect match, so McLain traded one of his horses with Stella, picked up Jordan and started showing the horse in December.
McLain Ward and Jordan Molga M
He had yet to log a victory with Jordan. And the gelding had never shown under the lights at Wellington International.
“He’s a very, very sharp horse,” said, noting he was gelded late and “has a little bit of almost stallion energy.
“With a new horse that’s sharp like that, you always want to monitor and make sure you make safe choices. That’s why I was flirting back and forth whether I should jump the first round or part of it.”
In making his decision to skip the opening round, McLain noted that while Jordan is green, he’s “answering every question I asked well.”
So he took a risk and passed on the first round, introducing the horse to the buzzy scene when it really counted in the second round of the class presented by Florida Coast Equipment.
Although teammates Marilyn Little (La Contessa) and Callie Schott (Garant) had turned in clear trips in both rounds, on his second appearance, Karl Cook and Caracole de la Roque uncharacteristically tumbled a rail at the A element of the triple combination, which meant the outcome was all up to McLain.
Before he entered the arena, the U.S. was looking at the prospect of a 4-fault tie with Ireland after that country’s Shane Sweetnam dropped a rail at the last fence. Coach Ridland planned ahead for a worst-case scenario if McLain had a knockdown, and already had decided to send in Karl as the designated rider on his speedy mount if a jump-off to break a 4-fault tie was needed.
But McLain came through in classic style to secure the win. Ireland settled for silver with four faults in the eight-team competition, while Canada collected the bronze on eight.
Although he is comfortable as the anchor when that role really counts, McLain conceded that this time, “I think I felt more pressure because it’s a new relationship with this horse,” he commented noting Jordan, owned by Michael Smith, has championship potential.
The winning U.S. team: McLain Ward, Callie Schott, Marilyn Little, Karl Cook and Coach Robert Ridland.
McLain is always quick to give credit to others, which demonstrates how he works well with them.
“I’m very lucky to have such a strong team—they put me in a pretty nice position,” he said.
McLain’s daughters, Lilly and Madison, showed up to support him at the post-competition press conference.
As the coach noted, “Our two double clears, just phenomenal. That’s the way you win Nations Cups, with double-clears.”
Callie Schott was double-clear on Garant in her first Nations Cup appearance at home.
While he discussed strategy, Robert noted it’s still quite early in the season which includes, importantly, a world championships.
“We’re trying to put the pieces together for the long haul, and it worked,” he pointed out with a smile.
Marilyn Little and Contessa were double clear.
“To a degree, this is the beginning of the year, so things start ramping up. You can’t do everything at the end,”
Of the Wellington effort, he said, “This will have played a role for sure,” then added, “More important is what a great event this is. It’s great for the public.”
Click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 28, 2026
New Jersey trainer Nicole Delgiorno has taken over as president of Dressage at Devon, the special autumn show that offers educational opportunities — such as a popular master class — as well as a variety of competition and lots of shopping..
She succeeds Anne Moss, who presided over the show’s fiftieth anniversary last year. Nicole, who has showed at the Pennsylvania fixture since she was a junior, is 34 years old, representing another generation that will guide the iconic institution on Philadelphia’s Main Line into new opportunities.
While a priority naturally involves appealing to an equestrian audience, one of Nicole’s goals as she stated during an interview is that “we start to bring in more of a non-equestrian audience.”
She pointed out, “It’s the only place where a kid who had never touched a horse before can sit five feet away from a horse that is piaffing and have that moment of `Oh my gosh, that is what i want to do.’
“There aren’t many (dressage) spectator experiences on the East Coast outside of going to Florida, especially in our area, that are so welcoming to a non-equestrian audience,” Nicole said.
As she pointed out, Devon is “very accessible from Philadelphia, a very highly populated area.”
With “Lots of young families looking for ways to get their kids out and about, It would do our sport, especially locally, such a good service to be able to lean into those audiences and try to get them more involved and feel like they also belong at Dressage at Devon.”
In honor of the show’s half-century anniversary, $160,000 was donated, money that will go toward its long-term sustainablity.
A Grand Prix rider who is a U.S. Dressage Federation gold medalist, Nicole runs The Dressage Academy in Cream Ridge, N.J. She has been on the Devon board for three years, and a new group has been recruited for that panel to offer a forward-looking perspective and raise funds. Nicole also has experience in the fields of fundraising, strategy and technology.
