Tim Bourke and DHI Kevin G. Photo by Mane Focus Creative
The eventing season at Virginia Horse Center came to a close this weekend with the crowning of four new FEI champions, all with their own unique storylines.
Featuring on the competition schedule as an end-season goal or a final tune-up for the last Long formats of the year at TerraNova (Florida) for many horses and riders, Virginia Horse Center Eventing, presented by Capital Square, offers FEI divisions from CCI1*-L through CCI3*-S each fall. Competitors praised the organizing team, ongoing improvements to the facility and cross-country courses and the family environment that has come to be synonymous with the Horse Center.
Irish five-star rider Tim Bourke is in the midst of a comeback tour after missing the majority of 2026 due to a torn and subsequently repaired ACL. In fact, his season didn’t begin in earnest until August, so these last few months have been about getting in as much mileage as possible with his string of rising stars.
DHI Kevin G, owned by Jessica Jall, emerged as the CCI3*-S champion of the weekend and is a horse Bourke expressed much excitement about. Produced to the four-star level and earning a CCI3*-L win with former rider Lucia Strini, the 11-year-old KWPN gelding by Dakar VDL came to be for sale last year.
“I was fortunate enough that the Jalls ended up buying him for me,” Bourke said. “And he’s been awesome. Every day is a good day with him.”
It was actually a late entry to this three-star at Virginia for Bourke, who found out that he needed one more qualifying score at the level in order to finish out the year at four-star, per the Irish federation. “The organizers were just so wonderful to accommodate us and help us get in,” he enthused. “And he just cantered around today. I was very, very proud of him and it’s good to be sitting on such nice horses.”
Bourke and DHI Kevin G added just 5.6 time penalties on the final phase, cross-country, to end the weekend on a score of 37.9.
Boyd Martin and Mo Chroi. Photo by Impulsion Media
US Olympian Boyd Martin added Virginia Horse Center to his fall competition calendar for the first time in several years, opting to bring along a whole trailer full of young horses as well as a couple of familiar faces coming back into competition. He made the most of the trip, winning both the CCI2*-L and CCI1*-L with Mo Chroi and BarbeCue, respectively.
“It worked out well for us to get some of our young horses out at our last event of the season,” Martin said. Between himself and his assistant rider, Kenta Hiranaga, the Windurra crew brought along nearly ten horses, most of whom are members of what Martin hopes will be the next generation of championship- and five-star-caliber horses.
Mo Chroi is one horse that spent some time on the sidelines while Boyd focused on this summer’s FEI Eventing World Championships in Germany. The 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Dinken (owned by the Turner family) has competed through the three-star level, but Martin stepped him back a level for this weekend while they continue to strengthen their partnership and hone in on details.
Boyd Martin and BarbeCue. Photo by Impulsion Media
“I was really pleased for the Turner family to have another FEI win with a big time horse,” Martin said. Christine, Thomas and Tommie Turner have been supporters of Boyd for many years, owning horses such as Tseterleg TSF and On Cue for him. Picking up two victories for them this weekend was a good feather in Martin’s cap to wind down a busy season before he heads out on the road to begin teaching clinics for the winter.
Eventing fans will recognize the dam of Martin’s CCI1*-L winner, BarbeCue as the inaugural winner of the MARS Maryland 5 Star in 2021, On Cue. BarbeCue, now seven, has been produced by Martin’s team of young horse riders such as Japan’s Kenta Hiranga (who also competed several horses this weekend at the Horse Center), and now collects his first FEI win.
“It’s sort of worked out for some of my top guys at home to produce the horses along, and for me to ride them at their bigger events,” Martin said. “BarbeCue is a proud son of our great On Cue and the American Thoroughbred Mystic Replica, so we’ve got high hopes for him to follow in those footsteps.”
Danielle Poulsen and Spirits Hero Photo by Impulsion Media
Virginia native Danielle Poulsen earned her very first FEI win on Saturday in the CCI2*-S, with a horse that carries much more meaning than his competitive results.
Just over two years ago, Poulsen lost her top horse, Capability Brown, in a devastating barn fire. In an incredible display of the equine community’s kindness, Poulsen was relocated into her former coach, Sara Kozumplik’s base while she rebuilt her business. A GoFundMe raised nearly $100,000 to help Poulsen and her business partners gain their footing again. But the void left by “Bane” was large.
Then, she met his half-brother. Spirit’s Hero was with Australian five-star rider Ryan Wood at the time, having come off the racetrack following 20 starts. She’d initially tried to acquire him sooner, but Wood held onto him a bit longer. Eventually, though, Wood called back.
“I knew I was going to love him!” Poulsen said, describing the gelding’s tall stature and how easy it makes the jumping feel. This weekend was further confirmation of his aptitude for the sport as she eyes a CCI2*-L as her next goal. “He’s so confident. He’s still getting strong and learning how to balance, but he’s just so honest and kind and so he’s a natural cross-country horse. We’ve been working really hard on his show jumping, and he tried really hard. He’s really coming into himself, so it’s a perfect way to end the season.”
Thanks to a clear cross-country round inside the optimum time – the sole pair in the division to do so – Poulsen and Spirit’s Hero moved up from second to take the win on a final score of 35.6.
USEA Hall of Fame Inductees Brian and Penny Ross Honored by Horse Center Family
Brian and Penny Ross. Photo by Impulsion Media
The Virginia Horse Center was honored to host a special celebration this weekend where longtime friends of the venue Brian and Penny Ross were surprised with their invitation to join the USEA Eventing Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Surrounded by riders, officials, volunteers, and members of the eventing community they have helped build, the Rosses received the news as the final inductees of this year’s class. The moment carried special meaning in Lexington as they played a key role in developing the Horse Center into the destination that it is today.
The Rosses will be formally inducted at the Hall of Fame Gala during the 2026 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention in Arlington, Virginia, December 11–13.
Intercollegiate and IEL, Special Awards and More Make for an Action-Packed Weekend
TIP Award for Spirits Hero. Photo by Mane Focus Creative
Alongside typical competition this weekend, the Virginia Horse Center also hosted an Intercollegiate Eventing and Interscholastic Eventing League Team Challenge that featured an alumni presence on multiple teams. This includes Kentucky 5* winner Will Coleman as well as 5* rider Lillian Heard Wood, who both competed for the University of Virginia (Coleman studied Economics at UVA, while Heard Wood studied politics and English).
The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) also saw over 70 former racehorses competing for points and awards. Featured among the T.I.P. winners was CCI2*-S winner Spirit’s Hero, paired with Danielle Poulsen. Jan Bynny’s Beautiful Storm won the honor in the CCI3*-S division.
Riley Zgrebnak and Cooley Roan Star. Photo by Impuslion Media
Hyperion Stud generously supports a special award for the top-placed U25 rider across FEI divisions at each edition of Virginia Horse Center Eventing. In addition to all of the Young Riders in the FEI divisions receiving swag bags, this weekend’s awards included Riley Zgrebnak and Cooley Roan Star placing sixth in the CCI2*-L 2L and Madi Simpson, who finished fifth in the CCI1*-L with Fernhill Chaos.
Virginia Horse Center and the Virginia Horse Center Foundation extend their thanks to the community of eventing equestrians who attended or otherwise supported this weekend’s Horse Trials. Further information and upcoming events can be found at vahorsecenter.org.
