Alyssa Phillips and Rockett 19. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Dressage concluded today at The Event at TerraNova for the CCI4*-L, CCI3*-L, CCI2*-L and CCI1*-L divisions.
Horses and riders in those divisions now head into Saturday’s cross-country—where clear rounds could significantly reshape the standings.
The national-level horse trials also began today with dressage, bringing even more competitors to TerraNova Equestrian Center for a full weekend of eventing
Competitors in the three- and four-star divisions will tackle courses designed by Alec Lochore. Mogie Bearden-Muller designed the courses for horses and riders in the remaining divisions throughout the weekend.
The long-format FEI competitors will return Sunday morning for the final horse inspection before heading into the show jumping arena, where the weekend’s international long-format winners will be crowned.
In the B&D Builders CCI4*-L, Alyssa Phillips and Rockett 19 took over the lead today with an impressive dressage score of 23.3, putting them 4.6 points ahead of overnight leaders Ema Klugman and RF Redfern, who now sit second on 27.9.
Phillips, who has partnered with Rockett 19 since January 2025, moved him up to the four-star level at TerraNova this spring before competing in their first CCI4*-L at The Event at Rebecca Farm in July. After Rockett bumped his leg in his stall following dressage at Morven Park this fall, Phillips rerouted him to TerraNova for their second four-star long event.
Throughout his first season at the level, Phillips has prioritized building Rockett’s confidence.
“He’s such a careful horse that I’ve really wanted to take my time with him and make sure he’s confident,” Phillips says. “I’ve switched him back and forth between the four-star and running an Intermediate just to make sure he’s super happy, because that is my number one priority with him.”
His dressage performance this week reflected Rockett’s progress. However, a moment of excitement just before the extended canter gave Phillips a brief scare.
“He saw something during the left lead canter. He just grew five inches, and off he went down the long side,” Phillips says. “I was like, ‘Oh, no, you need to come back to me now.’ And he did. He was so obedient, and he did the most beautiful extended canter after that. He’s a very good dressage horse, but he can be a little tricky sometimes, so I’m very, very proud of him today.”
A regular competitor at TerraNova, Phillips also appreciates the venue’s continued investment in the sport—particularly the work that goes into preparing the cross-country footing.
“I come to pretty much every TerraNova event, and it’s just improved every single time,” Phillips says. “I’m super thankful and grateful to the whole team at TerraNova for making such a big effort to always strive for even more, because this place is really incredible.”
With a substantial lead heading into Saturday’s cross-country, she’s pleased with how Rockett’s first season at four-star has unfolded and looks forward to building on that experience.
“He’s gained so much strength over the year. He’s a different horse now than he was at the beginning of the year in all positive aspects,” Phillips says.
Meg Pellegrini and Falcon Crown Z Lead the CCI3*-L After Dressage
Meg Pellegrini and Falcon Crown Z. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
After two days of dressage in The Estates at TerraNova/Laughlin Tanner Group CCI3*-L, Meg Pellegrini and Falcon Crown Z have emerged as the first phase leaders heading into Saturday’s cross-country phase.
The Event at TerraNova holds particular significance for Pellegrini and Falcon Crown Z, who made their four-star debut here last November. A year later, the pair has returned to cap off a season of growth and partnership-building.
“I’ve had Falcon for almost three years now, and we’ve really been developing our partnership together at the three-star level,” Pellegrini says. “We stepped up to four-star at this event last year, and I wanted a good qualification score at the three-star level and thought this would be a good place for it.”
Pellegrini’s journey to the upper levels has been one of patience and perseverance. After a challenging period in her riding career, she chose to slow down, rebuild her confidence, and prioritize training at home instead of rushing toward her next competitive goal.
Working with Will and Katie Coleman helped her develop a deeper understanding of her horses, both mentally and physically. That move ultimately played an important role in preparing the pair for their promising future at the upper levels.
“We spent a lot of time at the three-star level, just making sure we had all of our ducks in a row before stepping up to the four-star level,” Pellegrini says. “We had a couple of little blips in the spring, but all of it has just been a great learning opportunity for me and for him, and I think it’s only made our partnership stronger. He’s a really great friend now, to be honest. We love each other, and he’s such a good boy. Now every event is just another way for us to continue building this partnership.”
Pellegrini and Falcon Crown Z have already enjoyed a particularly strong finish to their 2026 season. The pair placed second in Open Intermediate at the American Eventing Championships. Then, they competed at Morven Park International, where Pellegrini achieved another long-standing goal: competing Falcon in the CCI4*-S there.
Their cross-country performance at Morven Park gave Pellegrini even more confidence heading into this weekend. But Saturday’s course at TerraNova will present a very different set of questions.
“He had a great run around the cross-country at Morven, and I think it just made everything clear that we’re on the right path,” Pellegrini says. “I’m excited to see how he’s going to be tomorrow because, coming off that event and coming here, it’s completely different. There’s not a single similarity—in all the good ways. I’m just curious to see how he’s going to handle it.”
A regular competitor at TerraNova’s spring and fall events, Pellegrini also sees the venue as an ideal place to end the competitive season with her horses.
“I love TerraNova. We try to come every year in the spring and in the fall. It’s just a great event to have all of our horses at,” Pellegrini says. “The cross-country is always beautiful, the rings are beautiful, and it’s so well-maintained. They do such a great job organizing it, the barns are phenomenal, and the horses just love it here. It’s a nice way to wrap up the season—and we can always rely on this event to be a great last one.”
After this weekend, Falcon Crown Z will enjoy a well-deserved break before Pellegrini begins preparing him for the 2027 season. Her goals for Falcon include a potential run in the CCI4*-S at the Kentucky Three-Day Event next spring, an under-25 championship, and a four-star event as their partnership continues to develop.
“I believe he’s got what it takes to be a really world-class horse,” Pellegrini says.
Tim Bourke and DHI Kevin G Take the CCI4*-S Lead After Show Jumping
Tim Bourke and DHI Kevin G. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
In the Leibold Irrigation CCI4*-S, show jumping significantly changed the leaderboard, with Tim Bourke and DHI Kevin G climbing from third after dressage to take the lead on their original score of 33.2 after delivering one of only three double-clear rounds.
The division also serves as the third qualifier for the 2027 US Equestrian Open of Eventing, adding another layer of excitement to Saturday’s final phase of the CCI4*-S.
Dressage leaders Alexa Thompson and Api du Libaire slipped to second after adding 4 jumping and 2.8 time penalties, bringing their score to 34.3.
Emilie Mudd-Guy and Quite Nice 11 also moved up the standings, climbing from sixth to third with a double-clear round to remain on their dressage score of 35.3. Megan Loughnane and Lynton delivered the division’s other double-clear round, jumping from 12th to fourth on 40.1 heading into Saturday’s cross-country.
A Test of Power, Precision and Bravery: Alec Lochore Previews Saturday’s Cross-Country
With dressage complete for the long-format divisions, attention now turns to Saturday’s cross-country competition. Internationally renowned course designer Alec Lochore has incorporated several new questions into this year’s three- and four-star tracks at The Event at TerraNova.
Lochore, who has also been selected to design the cross-country course for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, offered a closer look at the courses and some of the questions he hopes will test horses and riders this weekend.
With TerraNova’s predominantly flat terrain, Lochore has utilized the venue’s constructed mounds and other terrain features to create questions that require riders to adjust their pace while still maintaining an efficient gallop throughout the course.
“It’s notoriously not an easy place to make the time on cross country, particularly at the higher levels, so the riders will have to keep up the pace,” Lochore says. “I’m trying to test the rider’s control, but I also want to test their bravery. I want the horses to gallop—I like the horses to be going forward at the end.”
One of Lochore’s priorities when designing this course was establishing a forward rhythm early on. This allows horses to settle into their galloping pace before tackling the more technical questions.
The four-star track opens with several substantial fences, followed by the first combination at fence five—two large oxers, one over a ditch, set about five strides apart.
“I always like the horses to have to jump big jumps early on in the course,” Lochore says. “I want to get that flow and get the riders into a nice rhythm.”
Among the most visually impressive questions on the course is the aptly named Mount Myakka, which features a different combination this year.
While last year’s question tested horses and riders over two angled fences, this year’s design presents a different challenge. After negotiating a large drop, horses must generate enough power to clear a substantial spread fence at the bottom before tackling a narrow brush wedge that demands accuracy and control.
“They need that power and control after having done the big, scary jump off the side of the earth,” Lochore says. “The horses seem to be able to read this really well. It’s what we call a rider frightener. You always want the jump to be clear to the horses and what they’ve got to do to get across. They’re galloping toward this at 25 miles an hour for the first time, whereas the riders have likely walked the course three or four times. So, the placement of the fences and the decoration have got to make it clear for the horse.”
The water complexes will also present interesting technical challenges, with Lochore emphasizing what happens once horses are in the water rather than simply testing their willingness to jump in.
For the CCI4*-L competitors, one water question features a single narrow fence, requiring riders to establish the correct balance, energy and line without another jumping effort to help prepare the horse. The CCI4*-S competitors will approach the same fence as part of a more extensive combination.
“At this level, the horses and riders shouldn’t have a problem just jumping into water because they’ve been doing that since they were at Beginner Novice,” Lochore says. “The test is about what actually happens once you’re in the water. Here, I’ve concentrated them on a single effort to test their skills of balance and their control through the corner.”
Another new combination, situated on a mound near the VIP hospitality area, will ask riders to maintain their balance and control through three jumping efforts. After navigating the approach to the top of the mound and jumping a substantial first fence, competitors must negotiate subtle drops and a bending line to the final element.
“It’s about the power they create over the first jump and then just keeping control,” Lochore explains. “The riders have got to sit up and keep the control all the way through there, and hopefully it will ride really smoothly.”
This year, both the three- and four-star tracks will also take competitors into the main arena, bringing these questions closer to spectators in the pavilion.
Even as the finish line comes into sight, Lochore cautions that riders must stay focused through the final fences.
“An angled brush fence just three fences from home will demand particular attention from the CCI4*-L competitors after nearly 10 minutes of galloping,” Lochore says.
Above all, Lochore hopes competitors will leave Saturday’s cross-country with a positive experience.
“I wish all the riders and all the horses a safe and happy passage on course,” he says, “and I hope that they come back with big smiles on their faces!”
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