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US Equestrian Open and Young Event Horse Series Come to Twin Rivers Fall International

By on Sep 16, 2026 9:00 am -

Tamie Smith, seen winning the CCI3*-S on Lillet 3 at the 2025 Twin Rivers Fall International,
returns to competing in her home state at the event in 2026. Atalya Boytner Photography

Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, CA, will host its annual Twin Rivers Fall International this weekend, September 18-20. The event will partner with the US Equestrian Open for the CCI4*-S competition, and Tamie Smith, the current points leader in the national eventing series, will make her return to competing in the United States following the FEI World Championships at Aachen in Germany.

In addition, the USEA Young Event Horse Series will host a qualifier on the road to the YEH West Coast Championships for 4- and 5-year-olds that Twin Rivers Ranch will host on Oct. 23-24.

There will be FEI competition from the one-star to four-star levels, as well as national levels from Introductory up to Intermediate. Dressage for all levels will take place on Friday. The FEI dressage tests will be overseen by FEI president of the ground jury Bea di Grazia and jury member Helen Brettell, with the national level tests judged by horse trials president of the ground jury Wendy Wergeles, along with Laurel Bruun, Vicki Stashuk-Matisi, and Loris Henry.

The FEI levels will show jump on Friday as well on the course designed by William Robertson and finish their competition with cross-country on Saturday on the four-star course of Morgan Rowsell and the one-to-three-star tracks designed by Adri Doyal. National levels will be divided for show jumping and cross-country over Saturday and Sunday.

Smith has three entered in the CCI4*-S in what is her first FEI event on the West Coast this year. The U.S. national team rider changed her usual competition schedule and spent more time to start 2026 at events on the East Coast and in Europe, rather than in her West Coast home base. Highlights included winning CCI4*-S competitions at the Carolina International in North Carolina in March with Lillet 3 (S.I.E.C. Livello x Princess L), at Ocala in Florida in April with Jump To Day D (Up To Date x Nicola D), at the Kentucky Three-Day Event in April with “Lillet,” and at Tryon in North Carolina in May with Danito (Dancier x Wie Musik).

Madeline Backus and Baratheon, who were second at Advanced at the 2026 Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials, return for the CCI4*-S. Atalya Boytner Photography

Those four-star victories have given Smith the lead in the US Equestrian Open standings. The series winner will be awarded the lion’s share of $50,000 prior to the $200,000 US Equestrian Open Eventing Final at Morven Park in Virginia from October 9-11.

Smith then went overseas with Lillet, most recently representing the United States at Aachen. Twin Rivers’four-star represents the return to competition for Danito and Jump To Day D. She has also entered Spiro P (Spiros Z x Ugomein), on whom she won the CCI3*-S at the Carolina International.

“I’m super excited to be home,” Smith said. “I missed my home base in California so much. It’s always exciting to be traveling, and I’ve had the opportunity to be able to go east and compete at some really incredible venues this spring and then go over to England, Germany, Ireland, and Scotland to be able to solidify what we did on the East Coast. But honestly, there’s no place like home. So, I’m thrilled. I’m really happy with how the horses feel. I have a great team and excellent help with people that helped me when I was away for the time I was in England.”

Madeline Backus is returning from Colorado for Twin Rivers’ fall four-star with Baratheon (Holster x Bewitching Mist) after the pair finished as reserve champions at the Advanced level in their Twin Rivers debut this summer. “We had such a great time at Twin,” Backus said. “It was just what we needed as prep for Rebecca, and albeit a long drive, we were so welcomed and really enjoyed getting to know the people and competitors there.”

Also in the four-star field, Gabrielle Shank and Billy (VDL Cardento 933 x Good Girl VD Noordheuvel) were second in the first four-star for rider and horse at Aspen Farm in Washington in June. Brennan Kappes and Camarillo (Chicardo x Rehobeth) are coming off a win in the Area VII Intermediate Championship at Equestrians’ Institute at the end of August.

James Alliston and Made By Leontine EB winning the CCI3*-S at the 2026 Twin Rivers Spring International. Emma Gray for Atalya Boytner Photography

The field of 15 for the CCI3*-S includes some of the West Coast’s best at the three-star level. There are the top-two at the level from the 2026 Twin Rivers Spring International — James Alliston and Made By Leontine EB (Scuderia 1918 Casago x Jackpot E.B.) and Lauren Shady and Clearsky (Clearway x O Corrado II). In addition, Mickayla Howard and Miss Tique (Graf Top x Miss Calido) and Andrea Baxter and The Big Easy (Mr Lincoln B x PLS Hippo Q) were one-two in the CCI3*-L at Twin Rivers in the spring.

When the three- and four-star levels show jump on Friday night, there will be a wine tasting and charcuterie hosted by the United States Equestrian Team (USET) and US Equestrian (USEF). The organizations are offering the hospitality in recognition of the valuable role that owners play in the success and growth of the sport of eventing in the United States.

Twin Rivers Fall International (CA): [Website] [Entries/Timing/Scores] [Volunteer]

World Championship Flavor at the Woodside Summer Horse Trials

By on Aug 11, 2026 12:05 pm -
Fary Prince and Helen Alliston won the Intermediate level that included riders that have been on the national teams of the United States, Canada, and Brazil. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography. Fary Prince and Helen Alliston won the Intermediate level that included riders that have been on the national teams of the United States, Canada, and Brazil. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

Taking place the week before the FEI World Championships, the 2026 Woodside Summer Horse Trials had elements of an international eventing competition held on a local level. The Intermediate level, the highest offered at The Horse Park at Woodside’s second of three USEA-recognized events, included California-based riders that have represented their countries of the United States, Canada, and Brazil in international competition.

Fary Prince, the youngest of the Intermediate horses at 7 years old, and Helen Alliston won by leading after each phase — 25.7 for dressage judged by Dayna Lynd-Pugh, double clear show jumping on the course designed by William Robertson, and clear jumping with 10.4 time penalties on Bert Wood’s cross-country course for a finishing score of 36.1. 

“He was phenomenal in all three phases,” Alliston said. “His cross-country was the most polished we’ve had at the level. He’s a beautiful galloper, and when I can get a little more accurate out of the gallop, he will be a mile inside the time. For today, I focused on smooth and confident, and I think he finished with a big smile on his face.” 

The bay British Sport Horse gelding (The After Party – Farytale Cooley, by Ustinov) owned by Hulme Equestrian was the reserve champion five-year-old at the USEA Young Event Horse West Coast Championships in 2024.

Karma and James Alliston returned from a 15-month layoff. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

While the the Intermediate level represented a step forward in the young and precocious career of Fary Prince, it served as the comeback event for Karma and Helen’s husband, James Alliston, who represented the United States in Aachen, Germany, the site of this year’s FEI World Championships, back in 2024. They were the top American finishers in ninth out of 45. The 12-year-old bay Oldenburg mare (Escudo II – Travita, by Lavita) came to Woodside off a 15-month layoff because of a tendon injury following a ninth-place finish out of 35 in the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*. Woodside is the local event for Alliston Equestrian, based 45 minutes away in Castro Valley, California. 

“Hopefully we’re on the comeback trail, and we can get [to Kentucky] next year,” James said. “She’s been in work for a while now, just doing dressage and small jumps. In theory, I could have brought her back sooner in April, but I waited a few months just to make sure.” 

Karma and James took second at Woodside with a score of 40.2. They had the fastest cross country round, which still represented James’s goal of “quietly going around the cross-country” in their comeback, as they eye a return to 4* competition in the fall. 

Source: ShowConnect.org

D. Marie and Grace Brownrigg finished third in the first ever Intermediate competition for the rider and the nine-year-old grey Hanoverian mare (Diacontinus – Nadja, by Narew) owned by Margaret Burchell.

Woodside’s Intermediate also marked the return to the level for Hawley Awad, who represented Canada at the last World Eventing Championships held at Pratoni del Vivaro in Italy in 2022. 

Awad’s World Championship mount Jollybo retired in 2023, and that was the last year Awad competed at Intermediate before this weekend on Levino. Awad started partnering with the 9-year-old bay Holsteiner gelding (Lint – R-Cora II, by Graf Grannus) she owns with Dominic Rioux this summer. Marc Grandia previously rode Levino to wins at the 3* and Intermediate levels. Meanwhile, now a spry 22 years old, Jollybo won at the Modified level on the East Coast this summer with new partner Lauren Chumley.

The 2026 Woodside Summer Horse Trials were also the first Intermediate-level competition in the United States for Saulo Tristao, who represented Brazil in eventing at the 2007 Pan American Games and 2008 Olympic Games. Tristao rode Cartaleyo JF, an eight-year-old grey Swedish Warmblood gelding (Mr Vain GJ – Cantara, by Casantos). “It feels good,” Tristao said about the return to competition. “It has been almost 15 years.” 

Adding to the international flavor was having Australian announcer Shaun Lowry, the voice of horse shows like Equestrian in the Park in Perth, join regular Woodside announcers Jonathan Horowitz for show jumping and Louis Blankenship for cross-country. 

The Woodside Summer Horse Trials also put the spotlight on eventing’s lower levels. This was the first USEA-recognized event in Area VI to offer the Introductory level with 18-inch jumps since it was approved for debut on August 1, 2026, by the USEA. 

The Horse Park Founders’ Novice Stakes also offered $2,000 in prize money to each Amateur and Rider division of the Novice level. The show jumping finale had an upper-level atmosphere, complete with an upscale breakfast served in the viewing area around The Horse Park at Woodside’s newly-remodeled Bay Arena that features the Ebb & Flow irrigation system with footing for upper-level sport. 

The Horse Park Founders’ Junior Novice Rider Stakes was won by Summer Nelson and her 13- year-old bay Irish Sport Horse gelding Paulank Pepper Pot (Pointilliste – Calendar Girl). The Senior Novice Rider Stakes went to Lauren Masi and her 16-year-old chestnut sport horse gelding Far N’ Away (Weltmeyer – Sunley Way), and the Novice Amateur Stakes was won by Natalie Barton and her 17-year-old grey Thoroughbred gelding Storm Watch (Trickey Trevor – Ashley’s Golden). 

“It’s really cool to see the lower levels be given more attention,” said Barton, a sophomore at the University of Michigan. “This is actually my first event in four years. We used to event a ton, but I just finished my first year of college. It was super cool to enter into that and super fun.” 

The final USEA-recognized event of the year at The Horse Park at Woodside will be the Woodside Fall International from October 2-4 featuring FEI competition from the 1* to 4* levels. The CCI4*-S will be the final qualifier in the US Equestrian Open Series, taking place the week before the $200,000 Final at Morven Park in Virginia. The Introductory level will return to Woodside in October as well. 

As The Horse Park at Woodside celebrates its 45th anniversary in 2026, the Woodside Fall International will continue the tradition of awarding the Combined Training Equestrian Team Alliance (CTETA) Founder’s Cup given to the 4* winner every year since 2006. That will combine with the Directors’ Cup that has been presented to the one-star winner since Woodside hosted its first CCI1*-S in 2024. 

Traditional and newer innovations are what mix to keep eventing thriving at The Horse Park at Woodside. 

Woodside Summer HT (CA): [Website] [Scoring]

The full list of winners from the 2026 Woodside Summer Horse Trials: 

  • Open Intermediate: Helen Alliston and Fary Prince (36.1) 
  • Open Preliminary: Emma Slocum and Patito (33.0) 
  • Open Modified: Rylin Clarke and Nehoa (26.9) 
  • Open Training: Sigourney Jellins and Cobain PJ (28.2) 
  • Junior Training Rider: Samantha Ehrlich and Midnight Endeavour (25.0) 
  • Senior Training Rider: Rebecca Severt and Mischievous (31.1) 
  • Horse Park Founder’s Novice Rider Stakes:
    • Junior Rider: Summer Nelson and Paulank Pepper Pot (26.8) 
    • Senior Rider: Lauren Masi and Far N’ Away (27.8)
    • Amateur: Natalie Barton and Storm Watch (23.8)
  • Open Novice: Kendra Mitchell and Pirate Boy Van De Blauwendraad (26.2)
  • Open Beginner Novice: Sigourney Jellins and LS Hancock GK Z (23.3) 
  • Junior Beginner Novice Rider: Sophia DeVault and Designer (27.2) 
  • Senior Beginner Novice Rider A: Lia Colombi and Devonshire Cream (27.8)
  • Senior Beginner Novice Rider B: Suzanne Harvey and Killian’s Irish Pearl (23.1)
  • Open Starter: Harper Korol and Ringwoods Bariloche (26.7) 
  • Junior Starter Rider: Penelope Pejcha and Mother Teresa (24.7) 
  • Senior Starter Rider: Stephanie Oliveria and Velvet Brown (25.9) 
  • Open Intro: Isabelle Franchini and Smudge (30.6)

 

Returning to the Top at Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials

By on Jun 30, 2026 10:00 am -

Erin Kellerhouse and Ringwood Adios Amigo. Madison Matuszewski for Atalya Boytner Photography.

When it comes to elite sports, particularly equestrian sports, it’s one thing to reach the highest level, but it’s another thing to be able to get back to the top. That’s what Erin Kellerhouse and Madeline Backus are doing with new horses they’ve produced from the lower to upper levels. They finished one-two at Advanced at the Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials that took place from July 25-28 in Paso Robles, Calif., with their new horses bringing them back to the top of the sport.

Kellerhouse won with Ringwood Adios Amigo (Adieu Z x Ringwood Operetta). Coming off their first completion at the Advanced level when they were second at the Woodside Spring Horse Trials in California in May, they earned their first blue ribbon at the level at Twin Rivers Ranch. Their dressage score of 36.1 was followed by clear jumping and adding time penalties on Morgan Rowsell’s cross-country course and finishing with one rail on William Robertson’s show jumping course for a final score of 62.9. Kellerhouse has “Amigo” entered for his first CCI4*-S at The Event at Rebecca Farm in Montana in July.

“Amigo is a super brave great galloping horse, and he makes you feel like he could jump a house,” Kellerhouse said. “He’s also a really smart horse and is making great decisions as he’s become more trained and on my team. It feels really good to have another Advanced horse that I trust so much.”

Erin Kellerhouse and Ringwood Adios Amigo. Atalya Boytner Photography

Prior to Amigo this year, the last time Kellerhouse completed an Advanced or four-star was in 2021 when she and Woodford Reserve (Tinarana’s Inspector x Laharns Laughton) won the CCI4*-S at the Woodside International. That was the same year that she began competing Amigo, starting out at Beginner Novice, the lowest USEA-recognized level at that time. Kellerhouse said she acquired the chestnut Irish Sport Horse gelding from Ireland the year before “off of a video with the help of the late Denny Kerr.” Amigo is now the same age, 10, as Woodford Reserve was when Kellerhouse was at the top of a four-star podium five years ago. Both horses are Irish Sport Horse geldings.

“It’s been a challenging road because he’s a big horse and doesn’t love dressage and was really strong on cross-country as a young horse,” she said. “Any problems I’ve ever had with him have stemmed from not having the rideability.”

However, now that “he is getting better in all three phases all the time,” Kellerhouse said, “I love this horse. He has the most amazing character and is so sweet and funny around the barn. We have a really strong connection, so it makes all this even better.”

Madeline Backus and Baratheon. Atalya Boytner Photography

In second place at Advanced in her first time competing at Twin Rivers was Backus with Baratheon (Holster x Bewitching Mist). They had the best Advanced dressage score of 32.5 and, like Amigo, clear jumping with time on cross-country and one rail in show jumping, finishing less than a rail out of first with a score of 66.5.

This was Backus’ first completion at Advanced since the 2017 Chattahoochee Hills Horse Trials in Georgia aboard P.S. Arianna (Ibsen x Amazing Raven) in what was a prep before they won the Reeves Trophy as the highest-placing Young Rider at that year’s Kentucky Three-Day Event. Like “Ari,” “Lynx” is also a Trakehner, and Backus brought Ari’s first foal, P.S. Sir Balinor (by Stiletto), from Colorado to California to compete at Modified at the Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials.

“It has been such a journey to get back to the Advanced level, full of ups and lots of downs,” Backus said. “I am so incredibly grateful for everyone involved in Baratheon’s journey, especially his owners and Baratheon Fan Club Patreon members. It is a very expensive sport, and I wouldn’t be able to do it without them. I am thrilled to be back jumping the blue numbers after a nearly eight-year gap. It has been quite challenging coming back to the top, and I owe so much to my family and sponsors for all they do to support me through those challenges both mentally and financially.”

Backus and the 14-year-old chestnut gelding owned by The MDB Syndicate are entered in the CCI4*-S at Rebecca. The Colorado-based rider competes all around the country.

“It is incredibly special to have a bond with a horse who you’ve brought along from the beginning,” said Backus, having started competing Lynx at Beginner Novice in 2021. “I choose to make my own horses because buying them made is not an option, and honestly I prefer it that way. Getting to make a horse from the beginning is a magnificently tough and rewarding adventure, and I am so looking forward to getting to do it again with ‘Balin,’ who is extra special as a homebred out of my five-star mare. I love my two Trakehner boys and am so excited for the big plans we have ahead.”

James Alliston and HMR Rolan. Atalya Boytner Photography

The 2026 Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials also showed how, even for the riders that consistently compete at the highest levels, eventing is a roller coaster. James Alliston won the
Advanced-Intermediate hybrid level with HMR Rolan (Tolan R x Aldatus Diamond) with a score of 37.4, adding zero jumping penalties and 4.4 time penalties on Adri Doyal’s cross country course to their dressage score of 33.0. The 10-year-old bay gelding registered with the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland and owned by Anna Nicholas was returning to competition for the first time since the CCI4*-S held at this year’s Kentucky Three-Day Event and is pointing to his first CCI4*-L next month at Rebecca.

“We’re building him back up for the four-long at Montana, and this was a nice prep for that and getting him nice and fit for the extra distance he’ll have to do,” Alliston said. “When you go to Kentucky, it’s obviously very competitive and you see where you need to improve to compete at that level. So, we’re working away on that, just getting a little bit fitter, a little bit quicker, and dressage you’re always trying to tidy up.”

Alliston also won the Intermediate level on a score of 36.6 with Made By Leontine EB (Scuderia 1918 Casago x Jackpot E.B.), a 9-year-old grey Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Arnell Sporthorses. It was their third consecutive victory and sixth top-two finish in a row in six events at either Intermediate or three-star. They will point to the CCI3*-L at Rebecca.

Alliston also brought back Nemesis (Novalis 46 x Maesy) to a third-place finish at Intermediate at Twin Rivers in the five-star horse’s first event in more than a year. Alliston said the 12-year old chestnut Canadian Warmblood gelding had surgery after finishing seventh in the CCI4*-S at Kentucky in 2025. That was their first FEI event since the CCI5*-L in Kentucky two years prior.

“I’m hopeful; he looks pretty good after this,” Alliston said about Nemesis. “We take it day-by day with him, but I’m hopeful we can build on this. It’s nice to have him back.”

Lauren Burnell of Arnell Sporthorses rode Freedom Hill (Fernhill Vriend x Sallymount Clover) to the win at the Preliminary level with a score of 30.6.

Amber Birtcil and Viking Viko Van De Dreef. Nicole Beales for Atalya Boytner Photography

The Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials were the first to feature Young Event Horse classes at the venue that will again host the USEA YEH West Coast Championships from Oct. 22-24. Amber Birtcil and Viking Viko Van De Dreef (Charisto VD Heffinck x Mango Moon Van De Dreef), a black Belgian Warmblood gelding, had the top championship-qualifying score of 92.10 in the 5- year-old class. Jessica Higgins and Quintessa H (Cosmeo x Weasanette), a bay Holsteiner mare, had the top championship-qualifying score of 84.60 in the 4-year-old class.

Twin Rivers Ranch will next host the the Twin Rivers Fall International from Sept. 17-20.

Twin Rivers Summer HT (CA): [Website] [Scoring]

Young Horse and Young Rider Claim Woodside’s Modified Match Divisions

By on May 26, 2026 10:40 am -

Amber Birtcil and Picasso. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

As Amber Birtcil plans to move up the levels of eventing with Picasso, it’s not only about how the jumps get bigger. With a year-end goal of traveling east for the USEA/USEF Developing Horse National Championships to be held on the undercard of the US Equestrian Open of Eventing Final at Morven Park in Virginia, it’s also a question of how a young horse will handle a big-show atmosphere. That’s why she chose to compete the precocious 6-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding in the Modified Match at the 2026 Woodside Spring Horse Trials held in Woodside, CA from May 22-24, and that’s why The Horse Park at Woodside makes the Modified level the showcase of the first of its three annual USEA-recognized events.

The Modified Match featured Horse and Rider divisions at the Modified level that effectively serves as the base camp for horses and riders to climb from eventing’s lower to upper levels. With the goal of providing a five-star experience to the horses and riders aiming for the sport’s Everest, The Horse Park hosted the competition that started with dressage taking place in a large arena with two judges — something that would typically be seen at championships or FEI levels. It finished with a large crowd gathered around the state-of-the-art Bay Arena for the show jumping finale that coincided with the event’s competitor dinner. There was an opening ceremony, where local rider and trainer Lauren LoPiccolo sang the national anthem and then rode in the Horse division aboard Nacho (Hanley x Fabiola).

In its third year, the Modified Match Horse division went to a young horse, the 6-year-old Picasso (High Shutterfly x Athene HBC) ridden by Birtcil, while the Rider division went to a young rider, 17-year-old Fiona Lempres and Hathaway Royale (Birkhof’s Royaldik x Lady Lissleton).

Birtcil and Picasso led from start to finish, going double clear on Bert Wood’s cross-country course and William Robertson’s show jumping course for a finishing score 31.3.

“I wanted to see him in the bigger atmosphere, and I thought it was so good for him,” Birtcil said. “He’s very unfazed in the best way.”

It’s been a quick rise up the levels for Picasso — coming to California from the Netherlands and making his USEA-recognized eventing debut by winning at the Beginner Novice level at Caber Farm in Washington in August 2025.

Amber Birtcil and Picasso. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

“He has an incredible brain, so it’s definitely a quick progression for him,” Birtcil said. “He’ll probably go Prelim and rest there. I’m hoping to go to Morven. I have another 6-year-old, Prince of Oolde, and do the 6-year-old class they have out there with them.”

Prince of Oolde (Ibolensky x Aurora J) won the Open Preliminary division at Woodside in a move-up following first-place finishes at the one-star level at Twin Rivers and Galway in California this spring.
The top-three in the Modified Match Horse Division were separated by just 2.4 points, with Birtcil and Picasso finishing on their dressage score of 31.3, followed by Leah Forquer and Favorit Ask (Favorit Ask x Concept) in second with 32.4, and Andrea Baxter and MBF Dig Deep (Golddigger x Amber) in third with 33.7. Three of the top-four horses were just 6-year-olds with Parel Van Der W (Impressive VDL x Kalysha Diola V) in fourth ridden by Audrey Sanborn.

Fiona Lempres and Hathaway Royale. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

In the Rider division, the big-show atmosphere is what Lempres aspires to ride in at eventing’s upper levels. The 17-year-old high school junior began competing in events in 2023 after previously being a vaulter. She and Hathaway Royale led from start to finish to win the Modified Match Rider division with a score of 34.9.

“‘Lizzy’ just gave me the most amazing ride,” Lempres said. “She can be spooky, so I was proud of how she kept herself calm in the atmosphere.” The 10-year-old grey mare registered with the Anglo European Studbook had previously competed up to the three-star level with Izzy Taylor in Great Britain, highlighted by a win in the CCI3*-S at Alnwick in 2024.

Since their first event together in January 2025, Lempres and Hathaway Royale have now won at the Novice, Training, and now Modified levels. “Riding-wise, she has the most amazing rhythmic energy to everything she does,” Lempres said. “Then, on the ground, she’s so cuddly. She just loves everything. A great personality.”

Then, the next day, Lempres completed her first Preliminary horse trial with MHS Brown Jack (OBOS Quality x Gownran Lady), a former four-star eventer with Tom McEwen in Great Britain.

The Woodside Spring Horse Trials featured levels from Starter up to Advanced. Stephanie Goodman and Elwenda DP won the Advanced level with a score of 52.8, adding 18.4 time penalties on cross-country to their dressage score of 34.4, with zero jumping penalties on Derek di Grazia’s cross-country course and William Robertson’s show jumping course. The 16-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood mare (Westpoint x Wenderola) moved up to eventing’s highest national level in April with a win at the Ocala International in Florida, where she also jumped clear.

Fiona Lempres and Hathaway Royale. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

“Having such a neat horse at the top of the sport at my age and her age is pretty remarkable,” Goodman, 48, said. “It takes a great partnership in a fantastic team, and I couldn’t be more pleased with her. She’ll tell us what our next step is, and goal for the future is to enjoy every ride.”

James Alliston and Made By Leontine EB, winners of their first Intermediate at the 2025 Woodside Fall International, won the Intermediate level at the 2026 Woodside Spring Horse Trials. It was their 13th top-two finish in a row dating back to 2025. Following a division-best dressage score of 31.7, they had the fastest cross-country out of the 14 entrants, just two seconds over optimum time. They finished with double-clear show jumping for a score of 32.5.

“I went as fast as I’ve gone on him [on cross-country], so the gallop was good,” Alliston said. “I’ve been working on getting him nice and fit. He’s a warmblood, so he’s not necessarily got Thoroughbred speed, but he was quick. When I asked him to go, he lowered and showed some speed. I got him a little fitter. We have a big jumping arena. I’ve never done this with any other horse, but after I jump him, I keep cantering while he’s relaxed after jumping and work on sprinting and bringing him back in a smooth way.”

Alliston said that taught “Leo” to have “turn-of-foot.” The goal for the 9-year-old grey Dutch Warmblood gelding (Casago x Jackpot E.R.) owned by Arnell Sporthorses will be his first CCI3*-L at The Event at Rebecca Farm in Montana in July.

“He’s getting really good mileage,” Alliston said. “With horses that are that careful, you have to be careful moving them up to any level. The jumps at Advanced obviously are very large and I think it’s in there, but I have to be smart and make sure he’s feeling unbelievable with everything he’s doing beforehand so that hopefully for the transition up he doesn’t realize it’s a whole new level.”

The 2026 Woodside Spring Horse Trials marked the first USEA-recognized event to take place in the recently renovated Grand Arena and Winds Arena at The Horse Park at Woodside. The Winds Arena now utilizes the high-tech Ebb & Flow irrigation system with new footing for upper-level sport. That technology was added to the Bay Arena for 2025.

The next USEA-recognized event at The Horse Park at Woodside will be the Woodside Summer Horse Trials on August 8-9. The featured classes will be the Founders’ Cup Novice Stakes. Another way that The Horse Park will put the spotlight on eventing’s lower levels at the summer horse trials will be hosting its first Intro level. The USEA recently approved the recognition of the Intro level starting on Dec. 1, 2026, with hopes that it can make a positive impact on the sport like the recognition of Modified and Starter have made in the past decade.

Then, the Woodside Fall International from October 2-4 will spotlight eventing’s upper levels with the return of international classes from one-star to four-star. The CCI4*-S will be part of the US Equestrian Open as the final event in the series before the CCI4*-L final at Morven the following week.

Woodside Spring HT (CA): [Website] [Scores]

Milestone Moments for FEI Winners at Twin Rivers Spring International

By on Apr 13, 2026 1:15 pm -

A victory in an international eventing competition sanctioned by the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) is always reason to celebrate, but for winners of the FEI levels at the 2026 Twin Rivers Spring International in Paso Robles, Calif. from April 9 to 12, they were also career-defining moments.

Karen O’Neal will be able to look back on her win in the CCI4*-S as the event that got her and Clooney 14 in their best form for the biggest moment of their careers coming next at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event later this month. More than 40 years after her first international event as part of the Young Riders Program in 1985, O’Neal, 55, will be making her five-star debut, thanks to her partnership with a horse that she started at the Beginner Novice level back in 2018 .

In addition, Twin Rivers’ CCI3*-L represented the first FEI win for Miss Tique and the first at the three-star level for the mare’s rider, Mickayla Howard. Imhotep de Kreisker notched his first FEI victory in the CCI2*-L ridden by Marc Grandia less than a year into the horse’s eventing career in America. The CCI2*-S was a win by Sportsfield Supernatural in the horse’s FEI debut, and it came less than a year after Sara Sellmer started competing him at Training level.

At the same time, James Alliston, a veteran at developing young horses up the levels, continued the consistent results of Made By Leontine EB by winning the CCI3*-S, their 12th top-two finish in a row dating back to this event last year. The same can be said for Amber Birtcil and Prince of Oolde, who notched their second FEI win in a row in the CCI1*-L.

CCI4*-S: Karen O’Neal and Clooney 14

Karen O’Neal and Clooney 14. Photo by Emma Gray for Atalya Boytner Photography.

O’Neal said she’s wanted to ride at the sport’s highest level ever since she won the USEA Area 10 Preliminary Championships at the age of 14 in 1985, and she’ll now get the shot with Clooney 14.

“I wanted to go to the top of the sport back then, very much so—it was like a dream,” she said. “It was a goal, and as life happened and I got married and had kids and had to support the family with my training business, it wavered.”

Her career has reached new heights since partnering with Annika Asling’s 2014 bay Westphalian gelding (Captain Jack 44 x Zauberfee).

“It takes a long time to get to this level, and I never thought Clooney would get to this level,” she said. “He just seemed more of a slower type horse, so it’s been very fun and rewarding to see him rise to this level. I’ve always wanted to do it, and I’m not getting any younger.”

O’Neal and “Cloonbear” won their first FEI event in the CCI2*-S at Aspen Farm in their home state of Washington in 2022, the first FEI event Clooney had done in three years and her first FEI victory in 11 years.

Karen O’Neal and Clooney 14. Photo by Atalya Boytner Photography.

They moved up to four-star in 2024 and have won four-star competitions at Aspen Farm in its 2024 CCI4*-S, at Galway in California in its 2025 CCI4*-L, and now Twin Rivers in the 2026 CCI4*-S, an event that has traditionally been a prep for West Coast horses and riders for the Kentucky five-star and also serves as a qualifier in the US Equestrian Open Series on the road to the $200,000 final at Morven in Virginia in October.

In their final tune-up before Kentucky, the pair led after a dressage score of 29.2. “A big one was my dressage,” O’Neal said about a highlight of the weekend. “It’s starting to click a little bit, and it feels now like we’re riding it and not just surviving it,” she added with a chuckle. “He was really good, obedient, soft, quiet, and rideable.”

They went double clear on Maja Lindemann’s show jumping course, and jumped clear while adding 16.4 time penalties on Morgan Rowsell’s cross-country course for a finishing score of 45.6.

“I took my time on cross-country,” O’Neal said. “I just wanted to have a nice clean run before getting ready for Kentucky and not pound his legs too much. So, we went a little slower cross-country, but he was really good cross-country, too.”

O’Neal admitted to being “nervous, to say the least” before her first five-star. “I’m still a little unsure what it’s going to look like,” she said. “I’m excited to go. I’m excited to be able to do the sport at this level and have the help I’ve been getting. It’s just an amazing journey.”

CCI3*-L: Mickayla Howard and Miss Tique

Mickayla Howard and Miss Tique. Photo by Emma Gray for Atalya Boytner Photography.

Less than a month since winning her first FEI event in the CCI2*-S at Galway with HHS Ontario (Can Ya Makan x La Juanita), Howard piloted Miss Tique (Graf Top x Miss Calido) to the mare’s first FEI victory and Howard’s first at the three-star level. In the CCI3*-L at Twin Rivers, they went double clear on Adri Doyal’s cross-country course and added a rail in show jumping to finish with a score of 41.7.

The 2017 bay mare registered with the Anglo European Studbook first competed with Howard at the Novice level at the Twin Rivers Winter Horse Trials in 2023. They won the Preliminary Rider division at the Twin Rivers Spring International in 2024.

CCI3*-S: James Alliston and Made by Leontine EB

James Alliston and Made By Leontine EB. Photo by Emma Gray for Atalya Boytner Photography.

In 12 events in 12 months since the 2025 Twin Rivers Spring International, James Alliston and Made by Leontine EB have a record worthy of the horse’s name that means “lion-hearted”—five victories and seven seconds with zero jumping penalties and finishing 10 events on their dressage score. They won the Open Preliminary national championship at the 2025 American Eventing Championships at Galway, as well as the Intermediate debut for the 2017 bay Dutch Warmblood gelding (Casago x Jackpot E.R.) owned by Arnell Sporthorses at the 2025 Woodside Fall International in California.

“He’s always very competitive,” Alliston said. “He does every phase nice and consistent. He’s very relaxed in general.”

After two reserve championships at the two-star level, Made by Leontine EB moved up to three star and won the CCI3*-S on his dressage score of the 28.4 at the 2026 Twin Rivers Spring International.

“The dressage has proven to be pretty reliable up to this point, like he just goes in and does his test and doesn’t get too wound up,” Alliston said. “Then, he’s a really good show jumper. He’s very careful, doesn’t want to touch the poles. So, he seems to be, touch wood, pretty reliable.”

CCI2*-L: Marc Grandia and Imhotep de Kreisker

Marc Grandia and Imhotep De Kreisker. Photo by Tanner Messer for Atalya Boytner Photography.

The well-bred 2018 bay Selle Francais gelding Imhotep de Kreisker (Cornet Obolensky x Sunlight de Kreisker) had some show jumping and eventing experience in his home country of Ireland before being acquired by Team Rebecca to be produced by Grandia. His older full-sister Guenievre de Kreisker has competed in FEI show jumping competitions in France and Spain up to 1.45 meters.

Imhotep de Kreisker has blossomed in less than a year competing with Grandia in the United States, culminating in his first career blue ribbon in his first FEI victory in the CCI2*-L at Twin Rivers.

“He’s a funny guy,” is how Grandia described him. “He’s really easygoing. He’s always known he’s a champion. That’s what we’ve been laughing about today because now everyone else knows. He’s really easygoing but also really cocky and doesn’t like being told what to do.”

In addition to his raw athleticism, Grandia appreciates the horse’s personality, saying “We kind of hit it off and got on the same page pretty early. That’s not to say he hasn’t bucked me off a good number of times, but that’s part of what I like about him. He’s got a cheeky side, so, yeah, we’ve just hit it off.”

Grandia said their goal for 2026 would be the CCI3*-L to be held at Fair Hill in Maryland.

CCI2*-S: Sara Sellmer and Sportsfield Supernatural

Sara Sellmer and Sportsfield Supernatural. Photo by Emma Gray for Atalya Boytner Photography.

The original plan for Sellmer with Sportsfield Supernatural was for the Canadian rider to sell the young 2019 bay Irish Sport Horse gelding (Caricello x Copacabana) as a show jumper last year. Instead, Sam Quinn bought “Griffin” with the intention that Sellmer would keep the ride and hopefully, eventually get her first shot at the five-star level.

“I fell in love with him, and one of my clients and really good friends ended up buying him for me to see if we can go up the levels and see how far he’ll go,” Sellmer said. “I was a little heartbroken that I was going to have to say goodbye to him, so Sam and I talked and I said I think Griffin is the real deal. She totally bought in.”

In his first FEI event in the CCI2*-S at Twin Rivers, Griffin won with a dressage score of 31.4, just edging Amber Birtcil and Mississipi (Falaise de Muze x Coniek).

“He’s a really good jumper, and we’ve been working on his fitness,” Sellmer said. “His dressage has come along really quickly. We’ve been down at Galway Downs since January. We winter here from Canada. He’s made huge progress in the last few months.”

Over the next few months, they’ll return to Canada and compete in FEI events in Washington and Montana. Long term, “Ultimately, we’d like to go five-star with him, that’s the plan,” Sellmer said.

“He’s a really good event horse,” she said. “He’s got the gallop. He’s got the jump. He’s got the heart. He can move. He’s really a quiet soul, but when he gets lit up, he can be quite a lot. I think I’ve sort of met my match as far as a horse than can intimidate me a little bit at times. He’s got all the makings of being a top horse.”

CCI1*-L: Amber Birtcil and Prince of Oolde

Amber Birtcil and Prince of Oolde. Photo by Atalya Boytner Photography.

Coming off their reserve championship in the USEA Young Event Horse West Coast 5-Year-Old Championship held at Twin Rivers in 2025, Birtcil debuted Prince of Oolde in FEI competition at the one-star level in 2026. They won the CCI1*-S at Galway at the end of March and followed that up with a win in the CCI1*-L at Twin Rivers, finishing on their dressage score of 25.3.

CCI4*-CT: Tommy Greengard and That’s Me Z

Twin Rivers also held a four-star combined test that featured two veterans at the upper levels. That’s Me Z (Take A Chance On Me Z x Venetia) and Tommy Greengard, the 2025 Advanced national champions at the 2025 American Eventing Championships, had no rails in show jumping and finished first with a score of 31.4. HMR Rolan and Alliston, the 2025 Intermediate national champions and winners of two four-stars, had one rail for a finishing score of 34.8. Both horses are entered in the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S at the Kentucky Horse Park at the end of the month.

What’s Next at Twin Rivers

Audrey Sanborn and Lex D, second in the CCI4*-S. Photo by Tanner Messer for Atalya Boytner Photography/

Twin Rivers Ranch is scheduled to host the Twin Rivers Summer H.T. from June 25-28, the Twin Rivers Fall International from Sept. 17-20, and the USEA YEH West Coast Championships & Last Chance Qualifier from Oct. 22-24.

The full list of winners from the 2026 Twin Rivers Spring International:

CCI4*-S: Karen O’Neal and Clooney 14 (45.6)
CCI3*-L: Mickayla Howard and Miss Tique (41.7)
CCI3*-S: James Alliston and Made by Leontine EB (28.4)
CCI2*-L: Marc Grandia and Imhotep de Kreisker (31.7)
CCI2*-S: Sara Sellmer and Sportsfield Supernatural (31.4)
CCI1*-L: Amber Birtcil and Prince of Oolde (25.3)
CCI4*-CT: Tommy Greengard and That’s Me Z (31.4)
Advanced/Intermediate: Gina Economou and Cooley By Design (150.0)
Open Intermediate: Tommy Greengard and Balladeer Kilbrickens Lad (28.5)
Open Preliminary: Jordan Linstedt and Cooley High Society (29.3)
Open Modified: Sophie Tice and Viva La Vida (30.0)
Modified Rider: Teresa Harcourt and Csongor (30.0)
Open Training: Chloe Smyth and SR Myconos (31.8)
Sr. Training Rider: Lisa Peecook and SZ Raudo (27.0)
Jr. Training Rider: Kennedy Wiklund and Juste Capitaine (30.5)
Sr. Training Amateur: Emily Christen and Orczy (34.5)
Training Horse: Katherine Robinson and Party Favor (27.5)
Open Novice: Mia Brown and Pegasus Le Coq Au Vin (26.1)
Sr. Novice Rider: Dede McCoy and Dune DeHeir (23.9)
Jr. Novice Rider: Samantha Ehrlich and Midnight Endeavour (22.3)
Sr. Novice Amateur: Kayleen Crowley and Just Jam (29.7)
Novice Horse: Amber Birtcil and Red-Rag VDL (36.8)
Open Beginner Novice: Jennifer Plassmeier and RD Smokin Sugarfoot (28.2)
Sr. Beginner Novice Rider A: Jessica Bielenberg and Meant To Bee (23.8)
Sr. Beginner Novice Rider B: Lee Ramensky and Cashelbay Autumn Bloom (34.9)
Jr. Beginner Novice Rider: Kaitlyn Favero and Hallelujah DF (25.6)
Open Starter: Lucinde Van Brakel and Jamaica (25.6)
Sr. Starter Rider: Julie Brookman and Cascorado (35.3)
Jr. Starter Rider: Brynn Miura and Lausbub Z (33.4)

Twin Rivers Spring International (CA, USA): [Website] [Scores] 

Twin Rivers Crowns YEH Champions Bred in America and Imported from Overseas

By on Oct 28, 2025 9:00 am -

O’Malley Van Het Pannehof Z and Nick Cwick win the 2025 USEA YEH West Coast 5-Year-Old Championship. Photo: Tina Fitch Photography

The 4-year-old and 5-year-old that won the 2025 USEA Young Event Horse West Coast Championships came to Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, Calif., with very different backgrounds. Their successes highlighted the scope of horses that take part in the YEH program that has become a stepping stone to the upper levels of eventing.

Nick Cwick sourced O’Malley Van Het Pannehof Z from Belgium. He and the chestnut Zangersheide gelding with proven show jumping breeding lines won the 5-year-old championship with the highest score on either the West or East Coast. That marks the third time in the last four years that the top-scoring 5-year-old in the country has come out of the West Coast championships, and it puts “Z” first in line to be awarded the prestigious Holekamp/Turner YEH Lion d’Angers Grant to travel to Le Lion D’Angers, France, should the horse qualify for the FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championships in 2027 when he is 7 years old.

“I try every once in a while to buy one that I think could potentially be a five-star prospect, but it’s hard at 4 and 5 years old to pick that,” Cwick said. “I saw this one and knew he was special. So, I purchased him. He was a bit quirky when he first came over, but he’s really come into himself in the last six months. From the second he got here, I thought he had the ability to be a really special horse.”

On the other hand, 4-year-old champion Earned Effort would have a “Made in America” stamp. Anna Collier has competed his dam, Katie D, up to the three-star level and bred her to the young Hanoverian stallion Escher, who stands in America, to produce an eventing prospect.

Earned Effort and Anna Collier win the 2025 USEA YEH West Coast 4-Year-Old Championship. Photo: Tina Fitch Photography

“Owning your own farm and breeding your own horses, it’s a challenge for everyone,” Collier said. “So, I’m just so grateful and surprised. He’s such a joy in the barn, and I’m absolutely thrilled.”

The YEH program is described by the USEA as “an eventing talent search” with the goal “to identify young horses that possess the talent and disposition necessary to excel at the four-star and five-star eventing levels.” Following the East Coast championships held at the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, the West Coast championships at Twin Rivers Ranch attracted eventing prospects that came from overseas and that were bred in America. There were seven different breeds represented among the 13 4-year-olds and 12 5-year-olds. Twin Rivers Ranch has hosted the West Coast championships as a standalone event since 2020.

Earned Effort and Anna Collier. Tina Fitch Photography

“Whatever they’re going to do in life, I feel like this is such a great experience for them,” said Amber Birtcil, a YEH West Coast veteran who competed two 4-year-olds and two 5-year-olds in 2025. “It’s so nice because the atmosphere is that of an FEI event, but it’s so calm and quiet. We joke all weekend that this is the best show all year. You get to just come and bring a couple horses and focus on these young horses. You really take your time with them, and you put all your energy and effort into them.”

The horses were scored on their gaits and rideability on the flat in a dressage test judged by Debbie Adams. Then, they were evaluated for conformation by Christel Carlson. The championships ultimately came down to a jumping and galloping test on a course of five show jumps and 10 cross-country fences designed by Adri Doyal that was judged by Adams and Derek di Grazia.

“This was my first year doing it, and I truly enjoyed being on the judging panel for this year’s Young Event Horse finals,” di Grazia said. “It’s always exciting seeing the group of 4- and 5-year-olds that are presented and hopefully one day will be the future stars of the sport. That’s really what it’s about to me—seeing who is going to come through. You see them now, and then you try to follow them along and see where they end up. That’s the exciting part.”

The 4-year-old championship went first.

“The 4-year-olds out here were so well-prepared, so schooled” Adams said. “I was impressed that 4-year-olds could do that much that well. That deserves a definite nod to the quality of the 4-year-olds’ education.”

Earned Effort and Collier moved up from eighth after dressage and conformation to finish first with a score of 83.84, the second-best 4-year-old score in the country behind the 84.31 of MBF Mirror Image and Arielle Aharoni from winning the East Coast championship.

“He got off the ground really quickly and efficiently and landed so soft,” Collier said of the jumping. “He’s never jumped a keyhole or anything like that before. He looked and put his head down a little bit. He’s so smart.”

Earned Effort, who is registered Oldenburg, had the highest marks in the “Jumping Overall Evaluation” for rideability, between fences, and the open gallop at the end of the test. His “General Impression” score as a potential four- or five-star event horse was the highest in the field with a 9.2 out of 10.

“Everybody at the barn absolutely adores him,” Collier said. “The joke is if he lets you measure his ears, you can measure them. They’re over eight and a half inches long, and I think they’ve gotten bigger. I have to have a special bonnet and tie it on. The Germans always say the larger the ears, the smarter the horse.”

Collier has developed a successful eventing breeding program based in Washington, with her current four-star horse, Blue Time, being a homebred. Blue Time is out of three-star eventer Savoy Six, whom she bred to Persiflage, an Anglo-Arab with Thoroughbred and Arabian racing lines. Collier credits Joshua Lacey with starting and John Camlin with helping produce Earned Effort. She said she looks forward to bringing his 10-year-old dam, Katie D, back to competition after she delivers her next foal next year.

MBF Rafelindo and Andrea Baxter. Tina Fitch Photography

MBF Rafeldino, a bay Dutch Warmblood gelding by El Salvador out of Cisijgje V, and Andrea Baxter were 4-year-old West Coast reserve champions with a score of 81.99. The was the third-highest 4-year-old championship score in the country. They had the best dressage evaluation of 17.02 out of 20 for both championships.

“He is a beautiful type; he’s a nice package,” Baxter said. “He’s your classic 16.2 elegant really well-rounded package, and he’s a beautiful mover with great balance. He’s a very talented and scopey jumper. His name is ‘Jamaica’ because he’s very laidback. Hence why I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to show off the jump because he’s just like, ‘Yeah, yeah, been there, done that.’ So, I was really happy with how we went.”

Jamaica was purchased through the Goresbridge Go For Gold Sale in Ireland, and Goresbridge was a prize sponsor for the YEH championships for the first time this year, as was the MBF operations of Meabh Bolger and Brian Flynn in Ireland for the West Coast championships.

Baxter placed three in the top-six with Beachfield Vivaldi, a bay Irish Sport Horse Gelding by Vivant Van De Heffinck out of Cloonacauneen Black Beauty, in fifth and DOS MBF Endeavour, a bay Irish Sport Horse gelding by HHS Cornet out of DOS Kono, in sixth.

“I had three very different horses in the 4-year-olds,” Baxter said. “If you asked me any given day leading up to the championships, every day was throwing darts at a dart board for which one was better or struggling or exceeding. The process of watching them all come along was hilarious, actually. All of them rose to the occasion and put their best foot forward.”

Baxter, who is passionate about the YEH program as a member of USEA’s YEH Committee, won the 4-year-old championship in 2024 with MBF Dig Deep. In 2025, the bay Dutch Warmblood gelding by Golddigger out of Amber, took eighth and has also performed consistently well in horse trials at the Training level this year.

“The 5-year-olds was really stiff competition,” Baxter said. “He was a little flatter across the jumps because he’s so trained.”

O’Malley Van Het Pannehof Z and Nick Cwick. Tina Fitch Photography

For the 5-year-olds, judge Adams said, “I would say the top horses we had in the 5-year-olds on the West Coast, they’re all agile and clever enough that they could handle terrain.”

Ultimately, the 5-year-old West Coast championship went to O’Malley Van Het Pannehof Z, with a nearly foot-perfect jumping and galloping test moving them up from eighth to first on a finishing score of 88.44. That topped the 87.70 of Pine Top Penny Belline and Kylie Cahoon from the East Coast championship. Their “Jumping Overall Evaluation” of 14.15 out of 15 and their “General Impression” of 9.8 out of 10 were highest in the country.

“He gives me that feeling,” Cwick said. “I saw it in him when I bought him in Europe. When he showed up and I sat on him the first time and jumped him, I knew right away. He felt like he had all the right parts to be a top horse. The way he goes, the way he reads the jumps, he’s brave but he’s careful and smart. He feels to me like he would fight for you if you needed him to down the road once he’s more educated. He’s just a cool type, and I feel like he enjoys it. He wants to be out there, and he wants to do the job.”

Although the horse Cwick calls “Z” is first in line for the Holekamp/Turner Grant, if he were to take part in the 7-year-old world championship in France, it would most likely be with a new partner because he is for sale. He said Cwick Eventing’s business model is to import young prospects from overseas and then sell them in America. Cwick also sourced Camelot PJ, Baxter’s 2023 West Coast 5-year-old champion now competing at three-star.

In the case of Z, he is by the 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion Minute Man, the winner of the CSIO5* Falsterbo Nations Cup in Sweden at 1.60 meters in July with Henrik Von Eckermann. Minute Man’s pedigree combines some of the most sought-after sporthorse lines of Quidam de Revel, Contender, and Heartbreaker.

“I think he’s a big dog,” Cwick added about Z. “He’s got a great personality and is easy to be around, which is nice. When you ride him, he’s got all the right stuff to be a top horse. He gives me that feeling, and I really hope that whoever ends up with him can take him to the level that I think he can be.”

Prince of Oolde and Amber Birtcil. Tina Fitch Photography

Birtcil rode 5-year-old West Coast reserve champion Prince of Oolde to a score of 84.97, third-best in the country.

“We call him ‘Noodles’ because ‘Oolde’ looks like ‘Oodles,’” Birtcil said. “He was super. He’s really been great for me all year. The gal that works for me, Fielding [Neale], competed him at the beginning of the year and was very successful introducing him to the sport and taking him around his first couple Novices. Since then, I’ve done several Trainings with him, and he is just lovely. He’s very big, very scopey. He goes in big loose-ring snaffle and a regular cavesson. Just really, really fun to ride.”

The bay Dutch Warmblood gelding by Ibolensky out Aurora J is a half-brother to Magical Touch, an 8-year-old competing at the three-star level in Great Britain and Ireland with Eliza Bell.

The YEH West Coast class of 2025 will now try to follow in the footsteps of their siblings and previous years’ YEH classes that have horses rising up the levels of eventing. That’s Me Z and Tommy Greengard, the 2022 winner of the 5-year-old West Coast championship, placed 16th out of 64 in the 7-year-old world championship at Le Lion in 2024 and have three podium finishes at the four-star level in 2025. Of the 18 horses that competed in the 5-year-old West Coast championship in 2023, 10 have since gone on to complete FEI events at the one-, two-, or three-star levels as 7-year-olds in 2025.

“It is really exciting that we can continue to prove that we are sourcing nice horses here,” Baxter said. “The Young Event Horse program costs a lot of money and takes a lot of effort for us to maintain to the best to our ability equal competition on the East and the West. It’s really exciting to be able to see that it’s worth the effort and that we’ve consistently been able to produce top horses from this coast.”

YEH West Coast Championships & Last Chance Qualifier (CA): [Website] [Scores]

Meet the Field: 2025 USEA Young Event Horse West Coast Championships at Twin Rivers Ranch

By on Oct 24, 2025 12:00 pm -

YEH grad turned 4* eventer That’s Me Z with Tommy Greengard as a 5-year-old. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

The team at Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, Calif., has made a significant commitment to growing eventing programs for young horses on the West Coast and has hosted the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) West Coast Championships as a standalone event each year since 2020. The goal is to create a championship atmosphere just for the 4-year-olds and 5-year-olds that will be competing.

The YEH West Coast Championships have become a stepping stone for top prospects on their journey to the FEI levels of eventing. With their victory in the 2022 5-year-old West Coast championship, That’s Me Z (Take A Chance On Me Z x Venetia) and Tommy Greengard secured the prestigious Holekamp/Turner YEH Lion d’Angers Grant and represented the United States in the 2024 FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championships at Le Lion D’Angers in France. They placed 16th out of 64 in the 7-year-old world championship. In 2025, they have three podium finishes at the four-star level at Galway Downs in California, Rebecca Farm in Montana, and Morven in Virginia.

Camelot PJ (Colman x Hauptstutbuch Evita), the 2023 5-year-old West Coast champion, has moved up to three-star with Andrea Baxter this year and won at Intermediate at Galway in January 2025. Of the 18 horses that competed in the 5-year-old West Coast championship in 2023, 10 have since gone on to complete FEI events at the, one-, two-, or three-star levels as 7-year-olds in 2025. They are:

  • Camelot PJ and Andrea Baxter (1st)
  • LS Crown Royal and Jordan Linstedt (3rd)
  • Monbeg Salt Fever and Ashley Horowitz (4th)
  • New Gailllard AJK and Nadia Vogt (5th, ridden by Amber Birtcil in YEH)
  • The Big Easy and Andrea Baxter (6th, and also won Safe Harbor Award)
  • HSH Cellesto and Anni Grandia-Dodson (7th)
  • Excalibur O’Donoghue and Sabrina Glaser (9th)
  • Chiaro Z Excalibur and Colleen Loach (11th, ridden by Sabrina Glaser in YEH under name of Excalibur Ardeo)
  • MRF Nonchalant and Catie Cejka (14th)
  • Next Generation Especiale and Madison Temkin (17th, ridden by Kendal Smith in YEH)

The 2024 5-year-old class had its first taste of FEI success this year with MBF Braxy V (Renkum Valentino x Roxsette) winning the CCI1*-S at the Twin Rivers Fall International and Fary Prince (The After Party x Farytale Cooley) being reserve champion in the CCI2*-S at the Woodside Fall International in their respective FEI debuts.

One week after the East Coast championship held at the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, Twin Rivers will once again host the West Coast championship classes for 4- and 5-year-olds that culminate the year’s YEH Program on Oct. 24 and 25. In addition, a Last Chance Qualifier for the West Coast is offered at Twin Rivers on Oct. 23. Due to the vast area that the West Coast serves, getting to qualifiers during the year can be difficult. So, Twin offers a completely separate qualifier that doesn’t share any part of the championships’ atmosphere, dressage, or jumping areas. Some horses compete as a confidence-building warm-up round, as it takes place on a softer course than what is expected in the championships. Other horses compete for their last chance to qualify for the prestigious championships.

Andrea Baxter and MBF Dig Deep, 4-year-old West Coast Champions last year. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

Here’s the field:

5-YEAR-OLDS

ESI HARVARD | Bay Irish Sport Horse Gelding (Etoulon VDL x Castellana)

Rider: Bec Braitling Owner: Michlynn Sterling Breeder: Ennisnag Stud

Fifth in the 2024 4-year-old West Coast championship, ESI Harvard’s 2025 campaign has been highlighted by a third-place finish in the Beginner Novice Amateur division of the 2025 American Eventing Championships ridden by owner Michlynn Sterling. Bec Braitling rode the Irish import in his most recent event, a second-place finish at the Novice level in the Woodside Fall International. Sterling said that ESI Harvard is “easygoing, smart, and picks things up so quickly that I sometimes forget he’s only 5.”

EVEREST | Bay Dutch Warmblood Mare (Escher x Zynnia)

Rider: Anna Collier Owner: Anna Collier Breeder: Linda Smyth

Marc Grandia rode Everest’s dam, Zynnia, to a fifth-place finish out of 46 in the CCI1* (now CCI2*-L level) at Galway in 2013. With Anna Collier aboard, Everest moved up to Training at Caber Farm in Washington, placing fourth of 11 on a dressage score of 26.0. Everest’s brother Patriot, also out of Zynnia, has competed in Preliminary level eventing and Prix St. Georges dressage.

GHINO AWH Z | Chestnut Zangersheide Gelding (Gullit HBC x Lowenna)

Rider: Josh Barnacle Owner: Josh Barnacle Breeder: Scholten W

Imported from Germany at the beginning of the year, Ghino AWH Z was first out of 17 in the Open Novice division of the Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials on a dressage score of 26.9. His sire, Gullit HBC, show jumped up to 1.45 meters in Europe.

MBF DIG DEEP | Bay Dutch Warmblood Gelding (Golddigger x Amber)

Rider: Andrea Baxter Owner: Estrella Equestrian Breeder: B.G. Damhuis

MBF Dig Deep and Andrea Baxter won the USEA YEH 4-Year-Old West Coast Championship in 2024. They qualified for the USEA YEH 5-Year-Old West Coast Championship in 2025 with the fourth-highest score in the country of 87.25 achieved at the Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials. Plus, they have completed five horse trials at Training since May, finishing on their dressage score in four of them. Baxter said about the Irish import, “Dig Deep is a very serious guy and loves competing.”

O’MALLEY VAN HET PANNEHOF Z | Chestnut Zangersheide Gelding (unknown x unknown)

Rider: Nick Cwick Owner: Cwick Eventing LLC Breeder n/a

O’Malley Van Het Pannehof Z came to the United States from the Netherlands. The chestnut Zangersheide gelding and Nick Cwick successfully moved up to the Training level with a fifth-place finish out of 17 in the Open Training Division of the Twin Fivers Fall International.

PAREL VAN DER W | Bay Dutch Warmblood Mare (Impressive VDL x Kalysha Diola V)

Rider: Audrey Sanborn Owner: Audrey Sanborn Breeder: J.R. Wanningen

Parel Van Der W and Audrey Sanborn won the Training Horse division of the 2025 American Eventing Championships on a dressage score of 23.2. The Dutch-import is by Impressive VDL, a 12-year-old stallion who has show jumped up to 1.40 meters in Europe.

PENDLETON GB | Bay Dutch Warmblood Gelding (Franklin x Beyoncé)

Rider: Karen O’Neal Owner: Karen O’Neal Breeder: Gwen Blake

Pendleton GB and Karen O’Neal were reserve champions of the Novice Horse division of the 2025 American Eventing Championships and then third in the Area VII Novice Championship at Aspen Farm in Washington. They most recently moved up to Training and won at Spokane in Washington for their fourth blue ribbon of 2025. O’Neal says “Baby P” is “absolutely obsessed with bananas and adores little kids,” and although dressage-bred, he prefers jumping.

PETAR D | Bay Dutch Warmblood Gelding (Qatar Ter Saleghem x Ereda M)

Rider: Mickayla Howard Owner: Mickayla Howard Breeder: n/a

Third in the 2024 4-year-old West Coast championship when ridden by Bec Braitling, Mickayla Howard took over the mount at the beginning of 2025. They won the Novice Three-Day, part of the USEA Classic Series, at Rebecca Farm in Montana in July. Then, they finished third in the Beginner Novice Horse division of the 2025 American Eventing Championships. His sire, Qatar Ter Saleghem, is just 9 years old and is a 1.30-meter show jumper in Europe.

PICASSO | Bay Dutch Warmblood Gelding (High Shutterfly x Athene HBC)

Rider: Amber Birtcil Owner: Cellar Farm Corp. Breeder: G.M. Benschop

Picasso’s 7-year-old full-brother full-brother Nicolai is competing at the three-star level of eventing in Europe with Dutch rider Willemina Van Der Goes-Petter. They took part in the 2025 FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championships at Le Lion D’Angers in France. Picasso came from the Netherlands. He won his USEA eventing debut at the Beginner Novice level at Caber Farm in Washington and has moved up to Novice with Amber Birtcil.

PRINCE OF OOLDE | Bay Dutch Warmblood Gelding (Ibolensky x Aurora J)

Rider: Amber Birtcil Owner: Cellar Farm Corp. Breeder: G.W. Reurslag

The Dutch import Prince of Oolde and Amber Birtcil won at the Training level at Shepherd Ranch in the summer. They’ve completed six events at Training, finishing in the top-three in four of them. His 8-year-old half-brother Magical Touch is competing at the three-star level of eventing in Great Britain and Ireland with Eliza Bell.

SF CINEMATIC | Chestnut Hanoverian Gelding (Chacfly PS x Cassie)

Rider: Sarah Sullivan Owner: Sarah Sullivan Breeder: Felix Geffken

Imported from Germany, SF Cinematic and Sarah Sullivan won at the Novice level at Equestrians’ Institute in Washington at the end of August. They also have experience competing in the Novice Three-Day, part of the USEA Classic Series, at Rebecca Farm in Montana and in the Area VII Novice Championship at Aspen Farm in Washington.

WHADDYA MEAN | Bay Thoroughbred Gelding (Souper Speedy x Get It Straight)

Rider: Sarah Jane Nichols Jolley Owner: Sarah Jane Nichols Jolley Breeder: Gail Wood & Dr. Ruth Barbour

Whaddya Mean and Sarah Jane Nichols Jolley recorded the highest 5-year-old qualifying score in the United States with a 90.2 at Shepherd Ranch in the summer. The bay Thoroughbred gelding was bred in Ontario, Canada, and raced nine times in his home province and in Florida before coming off the track in February 2024.

4-YEAR-OLDS

BEACHFIELD VIVALDI | Bay Irish Sport Horse Gelding (Vivant Van De Heffinck x Cloonacauneen Black Beauty)

Rider: Andrea Baxter Owner: Michlynn Sterling Breeder: Gemma Phelan

The dam of Beachfield Vivaldi, Cloonacauneen Black Beauty, evented up to the four-star level in Ireland with Brian Morrison. His sire, Vivant Van De Heffinck, is also the sire of Shane Rose’s Adelaide five-star winner and Paris Olympic horse Virgil. The Irish import debuted in the United States at the Beginner Novice level at the Twin Rivers Fall International with Andrea Baxter.

CARNUS GIH | Gray Hanoverian Gelding (Cornet de Semilly x St. Pr. Hauptstutbuch Santana)

Rider: Erika Perez Owner: Erika Perez Breeder: Gestuti m Hofbruch

By the sire Cornet de Semilly, Carnus GIH combines the famous jumper lines of Cornet Obolensky and Diamant De Semilly. The gray Hanoverian gelding has done three YEH qualifiers, placing first in two of them at Spokane in Washington, and competed up to the Novice level in horse trials with Erika Perez.

DOS MBF ENDEAVOUR | Bay Irish Sport Horse Gelding (HHS Cornet x DOS Kono)

Rider: Andrea Baxter Owner: Steve Harcourt Breeder: Dennis Sullivan

Baxter refers to DOS MBF Endeavour as her “underdog” of the this year’s string of young horses. He was slow to develop but had a successful first outing at the Twin Rivers’ July qualifier and some jumper shows this fall. He’ll compete again in the Last Chance Qualifier as a final prep run.

EARNED EFFORT | Bay Hanoverian Gelding (Escher x Katie D)

Rider: Anna Collier Owner: Anna Collier Breeder: Anna Collier

Anna Collier competed Katie D up to the Intermediate and three-star levels and bred her to the young Hanoverian stallion Escher to produce Earned Effort. Collier started competing Earned Effort in a YEH qualifier at Spokane in Washington in May and has since done two Novice horse trials, most recently finishing third at Caber Farm in Washington in August.

EXCEL STAR HENRY | Bay Irish Sport Horse Gelding (Kings Cornet x Briarhill Debbie)

Rider: Earl McFall Owner: Heather Bo Breeder: Anne Coyne

One of two horses in the 4-year-old West Coast championship sourced by the Excel Star Sporthorses of Courtney Cooper and sired by Kings Cornet, Excel Star Henry started competing earlier this month at the Beginner Novice level at the Woodside Fall International ridden by Earl McFall.

EXCEL STAR KC REPUTATION | Gray Irish Sport Horse Gelding (Kings Cornet x Ella’s Girl)

Rider: Lauren Jarem Owner: Lauren Jarem Breeder: Martin Curran

One of two horses in the 4-year-old West Coast championship sourced by the Excel Star Sporthorses of Courtney Cooper and sired by Kings Cornet, Excel Star KC Reputation qualified in his debut event at the Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials. He and Lauren Jarem have since finished third at the Starter level at the Woodside Fall International.

LADYBIRD | Bay Oldenburg Mare (WT Leapfrog x Tiana Garbo)

Rider: Anna Collier Owner: Anna Collier Breeder: Colleen Peterson

Ladybird and Anna Collier made their USEA-recognized eventing debut at the Starter level by placing second at the Caber Farm Horse Trials in Washington in August. They are entered in the Last Chance Qualifier to attempt to earn a spot in the championships.

MBF FIRST CLASS | Gray Irish Sport Horse Gelding (Mountross Ernan x Killfeacle Star)

Rider: Maxance McManamy Owner: Charlee Marinovich Breeder: Ciara O’Riordan

MBF First Class placed first in the qualifier at Shepherd Ranch in his first event in August ridden by Maxance McManamy. He most recently finished third at the Starter level at the Twin Rivers Fall International ridden by owner Charlee Marinovich. MBF First Class came from Ireland to the United States.

MBF RAFELINDO | Bay Dutch Warmblood Gelding (El Salvador x Cisijgje V)

Rider: Andrea Baxter Owner: Estrella Equestrian Breeder: P.J.H.M Snelting

Andrea Baxter won the 2024 4-year-old West Coast championship with MBF Dig Deep and will attempt to repeat with another bay Dutch Warmblood named MBF Rafelindo. They had the fourth-highest qualifying score in the country of 83.05, which came at the Twin Rivers Fall International. The Dutch horse from Ireland goes by the barn name of “Jamaica.” He’s been in the top-five in all three Beginner Novice events in which he’s competed in his debut season.

OLYMPIA 21 | Gray Holsteiner Mare (Rip Tide x Austria aka Glamazon)

Rider: Sarah Jane Nichols Jolley Owner: Sarah Jane Nichols Jolley Breeder: Sarah Jane Nichols Jolley

Sarah Jane Nichols Jolley and Olympia 21 have competed in two events at Beginner Novice at Woodside and Shepherd Ranch and a qualifier at Shepherd Ranch. Nichols Jolley also competed Oympia 21’s dam, the Thoroughbred mare Austria, with completions up to Training.  His sire, Rip Tide, stands in Southern California and is by multiple USEF Eventing Sire of the Year Riverman.

RAMINO | Bay Oldenburg Gelding (Comme Il Faut x Texana II)

Rider: Amber Birtcil Owner: Cellar Farm Corp. Breeder: Michael Heitmann

Ramino and Amber Birtcil come into the championships off the highest West Coast qualifying score of 84.2. The 4-year-old with the highest East Coast qualifying score, MBF Mirror Image, won the East Coast championship. Imported from the Netherlands, his dam, Texana II, has two offspring that have competed up to 1.45 meters in show jumping in Italy.

RIVALE.T. | Chestnut Dutch Warmblood Gelding (Kallmar VDL x Lady Olytha)

Rider: Amber Birtcil Owner: Cellar Farm Corp. Breeder: M. Terpstra

Rivale.T. represents new breeding lines. Sire Kallmar VDL is 10 years old and won a 1.40-meter show jumping class at Bedizzole in Italy in June. Dam Lady Olytha is 9 years old and has competed in show jumping, dressage, and eventing. Imported from the Netherlands, Rivale.T. made his American eventing debut at the Beginning Novice level and in a YEH qualifier at the Twin Rivers Fall International with Amber Birtcil.
THUNDERHOOF’S ODIN | Chestnut Warmblood Stallion (Markus Des Jardins x Wandamere Faye)

Rider: Tijon Moore Owner: Tijon Moore Breeder: n/a

Thunderhoof’s Odin, a warmblood-Shire cross, will be making his USEA-recognized eventing debut with Tijon Moore in the Last Chance Qualifier. His sire, Markus Des Jardins, is 8 years old and competed in 4- and 5-year-old jumper classes in the Pacific Northwest. He’s also the sire of Prachtige Schat, who competed in the 2024 4-year-old West Coast championship and 2025 5-year-old East Coast championship with Erin Storey.

The 2025 USEA YEH West Coast Championships will feature significant prizes from: the USEA, Goresbridge, Schneiders, Adequan, ARMA, Bates, Kerrits, FLAIR, Marshall+Sterling, SmartEquine, Standlee, #WeRideTogether, CrossCountry App, and The Jockey Club.

Twin Rivers is proud to offer additional prizes and keepsakes from Twin Rivers’ Young Event Horse sponsors: Fleeceworks, MBF Sport Horses, Vanguard Eventing, Bec Braitling Eventing, Estrella Equestrian, Equimotion Media, Michlynn Sterling, and Cellar Farm.

The competition is scheduled to be livestreamed by EquiMotion Media, with the broadcast sponsored by Fleeceworks and USEA.

‘Rolan’ Out the Red Carpet for the US Equestrian Open at Woodside

By on Oct 6, 2025 1:11 pm -

James Alliston and HMR Rolan. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

The CCI4*-S at the 2025 Woodside Fall International on October 3 and 4 served as the final of 20 qualifiers in the new US Equestrian Open Eventing Series. However, the end of the series really represented the beginning of exciting possibilities ahead for the riders of the top finishers.

James Alliston and HMR Rolan followed up their victory in their four-star debut two weeks prior in the Twin Rivers Fall International with the win in the CCI4*-S at The Horse Park at Woodside. That now has Alliston and owner Anna Nicholas looking ahead to taking on the best on the East Coast in 2026, starting with the CCI4*-S that’s held at the Kentucky Three-Day Event. The long-term dream is the 2028 Olympics. The 9-year-old bay gelding (Tolan R x Aldatus Diamond) registered with the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland shares has the same sire, Tolan R, as 2024 U.S. Olympic horses HSH Blake and Cooley Nutcracker.

“What a bright future he has, so we’re just trying not to get ahead of ourselves and look after him and keep him healthy and pick the right classes for him,” Alliston said. “For all the owners, it’s so exciting to have [the Olympics] as a possibility when you have a horse with a lot of talent and potential.”

Alliston and “Rolan” took the lead with zero jumping penalties on William Robertson’s show jumping course at Woodside and then clinched the victory with the fastest round on Derek di Grazia’s cross-country course. Their final score was 37.2.

“He has that relaxed mind,” Alliston said. “He just has that great show mind where he obviously gets amped up for the jumping and running around, but it doesn’t seem to boil over when he needs to be relaxed in the dressage, which is a huge asset.”

Tamie Smith and Danito finished second, leading Smith to declare that “he’s back.” They turned in the best dressage score of 28.1 before judges Valerie Pride and Helen Christie. They added one rail in show jumping and just time on cross-country for a final a score of 48.1.

Danito was second in the 2022 Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill and has represented the United States on Nations Cup teams in Europe. After missing more than a year of competition from May 2024 to August 2025, Smith is eyeing the summit of the sport again with the now 16-year-old chestnut Hanoverian gelding (Dancier x Wie Musik) owned by Ruth Bley.

“He feels great and so on it; he’s an old pro,” Smith said. “He’s feeling really strong and happy to be back.” They’ll aim for the CCI4*-L at Galway Downs in Temecula, California, at the end of the month, and then “we want to keep trucking along,” she said.

Tamie Smith and Jump Today D. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

Smith was scheduled to hop on a plane immediately after Woodside to be in Virginia for one of the biggest events of the year at Morven Park this coming week. She’ll partner with Kynan (Envoy x Danieta) in the CCI4*-L that will serve as the $200,000 US Equestrian Open Eventing Final. She’ll also ride Sumas Tina Turner (Quantino x Sumas Fanny Brice) in the CCI3*-S.

The Horse Park at Woodside brought the curtain down on the inaugural year of qualifiers for the US Equestrian Open Eventing Series, with executive director Steve Roon saying, “To be part of all the other wonderful events that make up this series that is bringing so much positive recognition to equestrian sports is a tremendous honor.”

Spectators attending a USEF Eventing Pathway Panel led by Tamie Smith, James Alliston, Molly Duda and Ellen Ahearn. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

The teams at The Horse Park and Gray Area Events collaborated with US Equestrian (USEF) and the United States Equestrian Team Foundation (USET) to host a panel about the Eventing Pathway Program featuring Alliston, Smith, Molly Duda, and Ellen Ahearn during a Welcome Social Happy Hour on Thursday. The national team riders led a course walk for owners.

“Having USEF and USET come out and recognize the owners and do a course walk and get the recognition out there for everybody, I think it’s super important, and it’s really refreshing to see the effort they are putting in,” Smith said.

There was a VIP experience available to all that attended show jumping on Friday afternoon in conjunction with the FEI Happy Hour & Appetizers Presented by Harrell Design + Build held in the Bay Arena Viewing Tent.

Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

“We love it; it’s awesome,” Alliston said. “The US Open in its first year, it’s great for the sport. I wish I could do [the finals at] Morven, but I plan to do it next year. It’s really nice that USEF and USET came out for this and made the owners feel special and maybe galvanized some new owners for Californian riders. We love having that presence here.”

Smith also captured the CCI3*-S with Jump To Day D and the CCI2*-S with Solaguayre Cantata. This was the first FEI event together for Smith and Jump To Day D, an 11-year-old grey Dutch Warmblood gelding (Up To Date x Nicola D) owned by Jeanne Shigo. They had zero jumping penalties and finished on a score of 43.2.

“I spent the year getting his strength, and the three-star was very strong,” Smith said. “It was quite difficult—a typical Derek course. It was awesome to be able to have that kind of difficulty of a course and to have the confidence in Derek to know it can be done. You had to fight for it out there, and he was great. He was such an honest horse, and he absolutely loves his job. He was squealing the whole way and happy.”

Lauren Billys Shady and Clearsky were reserve champions, also with zero jumping penalties and finishing with a score of 45.3. This was the first completion in an FEI event for the Puerto Rican Olympian since giving birth to her first son, Ben, in March.

“I have a lot of gratitude when I get to ride,” Billys Shady said. “I feel like having the baby made me more fierce of a competitor, which wasn’t what I expected, but is truly how I feel.”

Billys Shady is hoping to return to the Olympics after representing Puerto Rico at the 2016 and 2020 Games, and Team Latoni’s 10-year-old grey Holsteiner gelding could be the partner to make those dreams come true.

“He’s beautiful to ride,” she said. “He’s so fun to ride because he’s all in. He’s very genuine in his character. He understands something, or he’s always trying to understand something. There’s never a moment when he’s not trying to be a part of the team, and it makes me have a lot of trust and faith in him and the future of our partnership.”

Tamie Smith and Solaguayre Cantata. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

Solaguayre Cantata, an 8-year-old Argentine-bred mare (Canturo x Solaguyare Clarita) owned by Julianne Guariglia, followed up her win in the CCI2*-S at Twin Rivers with another victory at the level, finishing on a dressage score of 28.6 at Woodside. In six FEI events together at the one- and two-star levels, they’ve won three times and finished second three times. Their record is a testament to the partnership they’ve developed since the mare first came to the United States.

“She’s been really difficult,” Smith said, with a laugh. “As a really young horse, she was very difficult. This year she’s kind of come into her own. She’s very opinionated. She’s a ‘Latin Lady.’ I love it because you want them to have a little bit of fight in them, and now she really eats up courses and is really solid.”

Helen Alliston and Fary Prince were reserve champions with a score of 32.6 in the FEI debut for the 6-year-old bay British Sport Horse gelding (The After Party x Farytale Cooley) that was the 5-year-old reserve champion at the Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) West Coast Championships last year.

Stephanie Goodman and Cord Johnson. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

Woodside’s CCI1*-S went to Stephanie Goodman and Cord Johnson with a score of 34.8. The 7-year old bay Hanoverian gelding (Cordess 2 x Canstakkia) is well-traveled, competing in events in Florida, California, Washington, and Montana this year.

The Woodside Fall International was the final of three USEA-recognized events held at The Horse Park at Woodside in 2025.

Woodside Fall International (CA): [Website] [Scores]

Rising Stars Shine at Twin Rivers Fall International

By on Sep 22, 2025 9:00 am -

James Alliston and HMR Rolan. Photo by Atalya Boytner Photography.

HMR Rolan continued his rapid rise to becoming one of eventing’s elite by winning his four-star debut, giving James Alliston his sixth straight victory in CCI4*-S events held at Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, Calif., with five different horses. Tamie Smith won the CCI3*-S with Lillet 3 and the CCI2*-S with Solaguayre Cantata, and Bec Braitling and MBF Braxy V took the CCI1*-S to round out the FEI levels at the 2025 Twin Rivers Fall International.

In less than a year, “Rolan” has won the CCI2*-L at The Eventing Championships at Galway Downs, been reserve champion in his three-star debut in the CCI3*-L at The Event at Rebecca Farm, and won the Intermediate national championship at the American Eventing Championships.
For his first four-star in the Twin Rivers Fall International, the 9-year-old bay gelding (Tolan R x Aldatus Diamond) registered with the Warmblood Studbook of Ireland and owned by Anna Nicholas had the second-best dressage score of 31.6, added one rail and one second of time on William Robertson’s show jumping course, and took the victory by being the only pair to finish inside the optimum time on Morgan Rowsell’s cross-country course.

“I was thrilled,” Alliston said. “The flying changes in the dressage are new to them, but he did two really nice changes. He’s got a really good mind in the dressage—quite relaxed, so that was awesome. He had a pole down in the show jumping, but he jumped well. Then, the cross-country, he was fantastic. He felt confident with the bigger jumps, and the harder technicality didn’t seem to faze him too much. I think it’s a great sign for the future with him. He definitely looks like a really talented upper-level horse.”

James Alliston and HMR Rolan. Photo by Atalya Boytner Photography.

Igor B and Megan McIver took second with clear jumping and just adding time penalties. It was the best finish in five events at the level for the 12-year-old chestnut Dutch Warmblood gelding (Vittorio x Erica B) that have come with McIver in the United States and with Kristina Hall-Jackson in Great Britain.

“‘Rupert’ was just exceptional again,” McIver said. “I feel like our partnership is getting better and better each run we have. It is always a challenge to feel like you can go fast on a horse you don’t entirely know, but it’s starting to feel like he is mine and I was able to cruise along quite a bit faster than usual. I am starting to look for inside lines that I was playing safer before, and he just keeps proving to me that he is ready for more and more.”

Molly Duda and Carlingford Hes A Clover (Polanski x Fourleaf Clover) were third, also with zero jump penalties. The top-three finishers are being pointed to the CCI4*-S at the Woodside Fall International that will serve as the final of 20 qualifiers in the new US Equestrian Open Eventing Series. With the victory, Alliston moved up from fifth to third in the series standings.

Alliston has now swept the two CCI4*-S competitions held annually at Twin Rivers for each year since 2023, with Rolan joining the honor roll that includes Nemesis from the 2023 Twin Rivers Spring International, Karma from 2023 Fall, Paper Jam from 2024 Spring, Cora from 2024 Fall, and Karma from 2025 Spring. When Karma won at the 2023 Fall International, Rolan was competing at the Training level in just his second career USEA-recognized event.

Helen Alliston and Ebay. Photo by Christina Smith for Atalya Boytner Photography.

The 2025 Twin Rivers Fall International featured the return of Ebay, who won the CCI4*-S at Twin Rivers in the spring of 2022, after more than three years away from USEA-recognized competition. The 16-year-old grey Oldenburg gelding (Escudo x Komtessa) and Helen Alliston won the Open Preliminary division on their dressage score of 25.7 as the only pair to finish inside the optimum time on Adri Doyal’s cross-country course.

“It was just fun to have my old friend back out there; it’s cool how they just don’t forget anything, and it’s like no time has passed,” she said. “He’s such a good boy, and he’s so trained and experienced. He’s happy to do whatever. I was nervous about the soundness, but he looked great. I was planning to go slowly, but he kind of just wanted to zip around his usual speed. So, I just kind of let him let him cruise. He’s such a fast horse just in the way he goes.”

Tamie Smith and Lillet 3. Photo by Atalya Boytner Photography.

In the CCI3*-S, Smith was first with Lillet 3 (S.I.E.C. Livello x Princess L) and third with Sumas Tina Turner (Quantino x Sumas Fanny Brice). Both are precocious 9-year-old mares. “Lillet,” a Holsteiner owned by Molly Duda, finished on her dressage score of 30.1. Having won the CCI4*-L at Rebecca Farm this year, she’s entered to return to the four-star level at Woodside next month, with Smith adding that the CCI4*-L at Galway would be the goal after that.

Bon Vivant GWF (Banderas x Power Point) and Erin Kellerhouse, winners of the CCI3*-S at this event in 2023 as well as at the 2025 Twin Rivers Spring International, finished second on their dressage score of 30.8. “Pierre” is entered for his first event on the East Coast in the CCI3*-L at the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill. Kellerhouse also has Ringwood Adios Amigo (Adieu Z x Ringwood Operetta) entered in
Maryland, and they were fifth at Twin Rivers.

“The weekend went really well for both horses,” she said. “Pierre’s dressage overall was strong, but he had a few fussy moments that kept him out of the 20s. ‘Amigo’’s test was hugely improved in the trot work, thanks to Ian Stark’s help last week, but the canter is still a work in progress. Both made easy work of the show jumping and cross-country and felt fit and happy. The cross-country was super fun with a lot of new questions, which were greatly appreciated with going into something completely new at Fair Hill.”

Sumas Tina Turner is also scheduled to return east for the CCI3*-S at the Morven Park International. The well-traveled Irish Sport Horse mare owned by Julianne Guariglia has competed in FEI events in Ireland, Great Britain, France, Italy, and in the United States in California, Montana, South Carolina, and Maryland.

“‘Lillet’ and ‘Tina’ finished first and third, battling each other for top honors,” Smith said. “Tina’s exuberance on cross-country required me to adjust, focusing on relaxation to let her shine.”

Smith has Kynan (Envoy x Danieta) entered in Morven’s CCI4*-L, which will serve as the $200,000 US Equestrian Open Eventing Final.

“Kynan was exceptional,” she said. “Despite a pilot error that resulted in us jumping the wide part of the corner, he showed his professionalism and maturity, and he was quick and rideable.”

Tamie Smith and Solaguayre Cantata. Photo by Atalya Boytner Photography.

The Kentucky five-star heroine also won the CCI2*-S at Twin Rivers with Guariglia’s Solaguayre Cantata (Canturo x Solaguyare Clarita) on their dressage score 29.9. They were reserve champions in their FEI debuts in the CCI1*-S at this event last year.

“Solaguayre Cantata continues to impress,” Smith said. “Having produced her since she was 3, it’s incredibly rewarding to see her maturity and talent now fully aligned.”

The 8-year-old Argentine-bred mare has now been first or second in five FEI events at the one- and two star levels–so another promising mare in Smith’s stable.

“The horses delivered outstanding performances this weekend, and I feel fortunate to be partnered with such incredible athletes,” she said. “It’s the result of many years of hard work, and while the schedule and heat were demanding, our team came home with impressive results. I am grateful to my team, owners, and supporters. Watching these horses learn, grow, and deliver at this level makes the years of dedication truly worthwhile.”

Bec Braitling and MBF Braxy V. Photo by Atalya Boytner Photography.

This year’s CCI1*-S went to MBF Braxy V and Bec Braitling in the FEI debut for the 6-year-old bay gelding registered with the Studbook for Irish and European Sporthorses and owned by Andrea Baxter.

“What a good boy!” Braitling said. “He’s such an exciting 6-year-old. I’ve been working really hard on the show jumping because he can get a bit tight in there in the atmosphere, especially showing at home, so I’m beyond thrilled with the result. He’s super on the flat and fast across the country, too. Very proud to be producing this lovely young horse.”

Amber Birtcil and Ramino. Photo by Atalya Boytner Photography.

Mickayla Howard and Petar D. Photo by Atalya Boytner Photography.

The final USEA-recognized event at Twin Rivers Ranch in 2025 will be the USEA YEH West Coast Championships & Last Chance Qualifier from Oct. 23-25. The YEH qualifiers that Twin Rivers hosted at the Fall International went to Ramino and Amber Birtcil (Comme Il Faut x Texana II) for the 4-year olds and Petar D (Qatar Ter Saleghem x Ereda M) and Mickayla Howard for the 5-year-olds. Then, the Halloween Derby and Combined Test on Oct. 26 will wrap up the year of eventing at Twin Rivers Ranch.

Twin Rivers Fall International (CA): [Website] [Scores]

A Big Atmosphere for One of Eventing’s Lower Levels Makes for a Winning Recipe in Woodside’s Brian Sabo Novice Stakes

By on Aug 12, 2025 12:30 pm -

Samantha Ehrlich and Midnight Endeavour. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

Midnight Endeavour is used to competing in big environments. The Irish Sport Horse mare won the 2023 Young Horse Championship for 7-year-olds at Cornbury House in Great Britain at the three-star level and was fourth in the 2022 World Breeding Championship for 6-year-olds at Le Lion d’Angers in France at the two-star level with British five-star eventer Tom Jackson.

And while her new American rider, 13-year-old Samantha Ehrlich, hopes that FEI events will be in their future, the 2025 Woodside Summer Horse Trials in California gave them a taste of a big atmosphere for their first event together where they won the Junior Rider division of the Brian Sabo Novice Stakes.

This was the second year that organizers made one of eventing’s lower levels the feature of the middle USEA-recognized event of the year at The Horse Park at Woodside. Junior Novice Rider, Senior Novice Rider, and Novice Amateur divisions each offered $2,000 in prize money. A large crowd gathered around Woodside’s Bay Arena—the site of the inaugural Woodside Charity CSI2* FEI jumper show three weeks prior—to enjoy a catered breakfast during the show jumping finale on Sunday morning.

Samantha Ehrlich and Midnight Endeavour. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

This was Ehrlich’s first-ever blue ribbon in eight shows since she started competing in USEA recognized events shortly after her 11th birthday at the 2023 Woodside Summer Horse Trials. She and “Ruby,” a 9-year-old dark bay mare (Future Trend x Annsfort Coole Robin) led after each phase and finished on their dressage score of 24.7. A horse’s transition from winning at three-star (3’9”) to winning at Novice (2’11”) isn’t always that straightforward, though.

“I got in the cross-country warmup arena, and I could definitely tell she wanted to go to the Olympics,” Ehrlich said, with a laugh. “But, once she realized she was going Novice, not three-star, she really calmed down and settled into a rhythm, especially when I was out on cross-country. She wasn’t strong. She was just really tuned in listening, and she was very good.”

Ehrlich was also second with her first-ever competition horse, the 8-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding Maverick (Indoctro x Onlight). None of Ehrlich’s parents ride, but she said she started riding Icelandic ponies as a “covid hobby” and then took to eventing because she describes herself as “an adrenaline person.”

Lauren Hannah and Rocket van Maarle. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

The Senior Novice Rider division of the Brian Sabo Novice Stakes gave winner Lauren Hannah the chance to reminisce about how she used to train with Sabo, a California eventing legend as a rider, coach, area chair, and USEA president.

“I used to ride with Brian in the late 90s and early 2000s,” Hannah said. “I did Young Riders with him on Lisa [Sabo]’s old horse [Caleb Crossing], and we went up through the old one-star, so now two-star level. I then went off, had my life, came back, started having kids about five years ago, and have been doing some lower-level competitions since with a young horse.”

That young horse is Rocket Van Maarle, whom she imported from the Netherlands and started competing with in 2022 when the grey Belgian Warmblood gelding (Cornet Obolensky x Fonka) was 5 years old.

The Brian Sabo Novice Stakes represented their first blue ribbon in 12 events together, as a double clear show jumping round rocketed them from fifth to first with a score of 35.0.

“He is the most amazing adult amateur horse,” said Hannah, the mother a 5-year-old and a 10-month-old and an AI researcher for Apple. “He has the best temperament I think I’ve ever had, and I’ve had some really good ones.”

With this victory in this setting under her belt, Hannah is now looking to compete in an event higher than Novice for the first time since 2003.

“I think it’s great because that is the foundation of the sport,” she said about eventing’s lower levels. “It’s not the tiny, tiny percentage going around doing four-stars. It’s basically people who are doing this
on their weekends just to go have a good, good time, and I think it’s fantastic that that’s getting recognized.”

Carolyn Hoffos and Normandy Kivalo. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

Carolyn Hoffos, whose daughter Taren is competing at the four-star level, won the Brian Sabo Novice Amateur Stakes with Normandy Kivalo, a 13-year-old chestnut Hungarian Sport Horse gelding (Kalaska De Semilly x Carina) that was produced up to the two-star level and won the 2022 Modified national championship with Madison Langerak.

“He’s really a unicorn, a true one,” Hoffos said. “He wants to make you happy. He wants to be a good boy. And so, if you ask him to do something, he’s like, ‘OK.’ And, if you get it wrong, he’s like, ‘Alright.’ He doesn’t care. He’s so willing.”

They led after each phase and won on their dressage score of 21.9. the lowest finishing score across all levels.

“I’m 65, and maybe I can go Prelim—I’ve done Prelim before—but I just don’t have that interest and I just want to have fun,” she said. “In my day, it was always about moving up, and I just think we need to be happy with where we’re comfortable and where our horses are suited best and just having fun. Having things like these championships are a little step up, a little bit more adrenaline for the lower levels. I think it’s really, really helpful.”

Carolyn Hoffos and Normandy Kivalo. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

In addition to the Brian Sabo Novice Stakes, the Woodside Summer Horse Trials offered levels from Starter through Intermediate. At Intermediate, the fastest cross-country round by Megan McIver and Kapitan Sparrow II (Cador 5 x Larena) gave them the victory by one point over Tamie Smith and Carlingfords Hes a Clover (Polanski x Fourleaf Clover), 40.8 to 41.8.

Megan McIver and Kapitan Sparrow. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

“‘Sparrow’ was fantastic all three phases,” said McIver, who credits Erik Duvander’s coaching for improvements in their flat work and who recorded the only clear show jumping round out of 10 at the level. “And today I decided I would go a bit faster [on cross-country] to prep him for the AECs in a few weeks. We are planning on moving him up to the four-star level this fall.”

The Horse Park at Woodside will host FEI eventing levels from one-star through four-star at the Woodside Fall International from October 3-5.

The full list of winners from the 2025 Woodside Summer Horse Trials:

Brian Sabo Junior Novice Rider Stakes: Samantha Ehrlich and Midnight Endeavour (24.7)
Brian Sabo Senior Novice Rider Stakes: Lauren Hannah and Rocket van Maarle (35.0)
Brian Sabo Novice Amateur Stakes: Carolyn Hoffos and Normandy Kivalo (21.9)
Open Intermediate: Megan McIver and Kapitan Sparrow XII (40.8)
Open Preliminary A: James Alliston and Berry (31.7)
Open Preliminary B: Tamra Smith and Solaguayre Cantata (26.8)
Open Modified: Tommy Greengard and Tanqueray (25.0)
Open Training: James Alliston and Diassini (26.1)
Training Rider A: Ella Smith Bittersweet 2 (29.1)
Training Rider B: Keelari Mauzy and West Coast Cooley (26.7)
Open Novice: Tori Traube and A1 (25.0)
Open Beginner Novice A: Lucinde Van Brakel and Lachstone Philae (29.1)
Open Beginner Novice B: Nikki Lloyd and ExcelStarToblerone (27.2)
Jr. Beginner Novice Rider A: Delaney Willardson and Native Heart (30.3)
Jr. Beginner Novice Rider B: Amelia Solivan Busque and Russian Roulette (25.6) Sr. Beginner Novice Rider A: Savannah Galyean and Aces High (30.6)
Sr. Beginner Novice Rider B: Molly Rice and JJ (25.6)
Open Starter: Emma Sobehrad and Frau Blucher (39.3)
Jr. Starter Rider A: Maya Barry and Just You Wait (28.7)
Jr. Starter Rider B: Tivana Garlick and Keepin’ Out of Mischief (26.0)
Sr. Starter Rider: Patricia Cameron and Liberty Song (27.3)

Woodside Spring Horse Trials Were Event to Remember, From Starter to Advanced

By on May 27, 2025 11:38 am -

Tamie Smith and Kynan. Tina Fitch Photography

The 2025 Woodside Spring Horse Trials highlighted accomplishments across a range of experiences for event horses and riders.

For the sport’s elites, Kynan and Tamie Smith followed up their top-10 finish in the CCI4*-S at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event with a win at the Advanced level. That sets them up for some of the country’s top four-stars the rest of the year.

For the up-and-comers, The Horse Park at Woodside created a five-star atmosphere for the Modified Match to spotlight the Modified level that has made a significant impact on the progression of eventing’s rising stars to the upper levels.

For the veterans, 22-year-old horse “C” Taz Go and 78-year-old rider Susan Burwen completed a “Century Ride” at the Starter level.

Smith finished first and second at Advanced with Kynan and Lillet 3. Between Kynan’s top-10 in Kentucky and this win at Woodside, Smith said she’s as confident as she’s ever been with the Kynan Syndicate’s 10-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding (Envoy x Danieta).

“It’s just like one day it just all clicked, and he feels like a grown-up now,” Smith said. “It happened before Kentucky, but I don’t think I really trusted it. So, Kentucky really solidified that, and then coming here after Kentucky, I’m like, ‘OK, was that because Kentucky was big and impressive and on terrain, and was that because of that?’ And no, he was actually even better this weekend. Every time he just gets more with me, and now I feel like we have a real understanding and a real partnership.”

Smith reminisced that “I believed in him from the very beginning” since they started competing together in 2022, and The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer” played during their victory lap at Woodside. She said she will now aim for the top by moving Kynan up to the CCI4*-L at Rebecca Farm in Montana in July and at Morven in Virginia in October. Morven’s four-long will serve as the inaugural $200,000 US Equestrian Open of Eventing Final.

Both Kynan and Lillet 3 had zero jumping penalties, just adding time on Derek di Grazia’s Advanced cross country course and going double clear on William Robertson’s show jumping. Kynan’s final score was 47.3. Lillet 3 was right behind with 47.6.

“It’s such a different ride than Kynan, which is difficult,” Smith said about the 9-year-old dark bay Holsteiner mare (S.I.E.C. Livello x Princess L) that joined her stable less than a year ago after winning a four-star in Europe. “Sometimes you see riders and they have a type of horse, but that’s not really me. I pick a horse based on whether I like their qualities, and it just happens to be that all of them are all so different. At the Intermediate level, she and I just gel, but she’s green at the Advanced level. The course was testing, and she fought for me the whole way. I made mistakes and she still fought for me and got through the flags. I wouldn’t say that I gave her the best ride, but it’s coming, and she show jumped beautifully and had a beautiful dressage. So, it’s just matter of time.”

Saulo Tristao and Cartaleyo JF win the Modified Rider Match at the 2025 Woodside Spring Horse Trials. Tina Fitch Photography

Saulo Tristao and Cartaleyo JF win the Modified Rider Match at the 2025 Woodside Spring Horse Trials. Tina Fitch Photography

The organizers of the Woodside Spring Horse Trials also believe there’s no time like the present to give a five-star experience to the sport’s up-and-comers. The second Modified Match featured Horse and Rider divisions at the level first introduced in 2017 with the purpose of bridging eventing’s lower and upper levels.

Dressage took place in a large arena with two judges—something that would typically be seen at championships or FEI levels. Woodside’s Bay Arena gave off vibes of Rolex Stadium with spectators collectively cheering and holding their breath during the show jumping finale that coincided with the event’s competitor dinner.

Saulo Tristao won the Modified Rider Match division with Cartaleyo JF. They led after a dressage score of 28.7, went double clear on Bert Wood’s cross country course, and added one rail on William Robertson’s challenging show jumping to finish with 32.7. This was just the third USEA-recognized event that Tristao competed the 7-year-old grey Swedish Warmblood gelding (Mr Vain GJ x Cantara).

“It was an incredible atmosphere,” Tristao said. “Of course winning is great, but to share with Chocolate Horse Farm and everyone there made it so special. I am very excited about ‘Leo’ and together with Andrea [Pfeiffer] and Tommy [Greengard], we think he can be my next upper-level horse. He is only 7 but so serious at cross country. Also, he is built nicely for dressage, very uphill, making it easy for me to get him to collect.”

Stephanie Goodman and Diranca win the Modified Horse Match at the 2025 Woodside Spring Horse Trials. Tina Fitch Photography

Stephanie Goodman, who has competed on seven different horses so far in 2025, helped Diranca take a step forward in her career with the mare’s first blue ribbon earned in the Modified Horse Match. Goodman sourced the 8-year-old chestnut mare (Don Fiano x Miranca) registered with the Anglo European Studbook from the Netherlands. Their first event was at Novice in February 2024.

“We fell in love with her canter, and she is brave and a great partner,” she said. She and Diranca were the only ones to finish on their dressage score out of 25 entries in the two Modified Match divisions. “We will run Aspen Farm [in Washington] next moving all the horses up and going FEI, then Rebecca and aiming for East Coast for fall,” she said.

As the Modified Match participants eye higher levels, one decade after “C” Taz Go did his final upper level competition with Bradley Champagne, the now 22-year-old bay Thoroughbred-cross gelding teamed up with 78-year-old Susan Burwen for a Century Ride, where the combined ages of horse and rider add up to 100 or more. They finished third in the Senior Starter Rider division with clear jumping on a score of 31.7.

Celebrating what eventing meant across all levels at the 2025 Woodside Spring Horse Trials with (left) Tamie Smith winning Advanced and saying that Kynan “was actually even better” than his Kentucky four-star top-10 and (right) Susan Burwen achieving a “Century Ride” on “C” Taz Go at Starter. Tina Fitch Photography

“The weekend was a highlight of my life,” Burwen said. “Growing up in New York City as a horse crazy kid, I never expected in my wildest dreams that I would actually ever own a horse, let alone learn to ride as an eventer. I am so deeply grateful that I was lucky to find a horse like ‘Taz,’ a true partner.”

Whether it’s one of the country’s best like Smith solidifying a partnership to take on the best in the country or a rider like Burwen fulfilling “dreams beyond my wildest imagination,” the Woodside Spring Horse Trials became an event to remember.

Looking ahead, The Horse Park at Woodside will next host the Woodside Summer Horse Trials from August 9-10. Then, the Woodside Fall International will take place from October 3-5.

The full list of winners from the 2025 Woodside Spring Horse Trials:

Advanced: Tamie Smith and Kynan (47.3)
Open Intermediate: Tamie Smith and Jutopia (31.0)
Open Preliminary: James Alliston and Made by Leontine EB (25.8)
Preliminary Rider: Olivia Baca and Casskinero (29.0)
Modified Match Horse: Stephanie Goodman and Diranca (30.4)
Modified Match Rider: Saulo Tristao and Cartaleyo JF (32.7)
Open Modified: Tommy Greengard and Cooley Sligo (28.0)
Open Training: Tommy Greengard and EWSZ Java (30.3)
Jr. Training Rider: Zoe Barker and Kontessa M (30.3)
Sr. Training Rider: Nicci Guzzetta and Little Richard (26.6)
Training Amateur: Clara Marks and Crystal Blue Persuasion (26.1)
Open Novice: Tommy Greengard and SD Fort I Valent (23.9)
Jr. Novice Rider: Michaela Smith and Cashmaker (27.2)
Sr. Novice Rider: Lisa Peecook and SZ Raudo (23.6)
Sr. Novice Amateur: Dana Chase and Caradette SZ (28.1)
Open Beginner Novice A: Tommy Greengard and Sailing Time (33.3)
Open Beginner Novice B: Sigourney Jellins and Lausbub Z (28.2)
Jr. Beginner Novice Rider A: Sophia Kuzma and CF Quintano (29.7)
Jr. Beginner Novice Rider B: Emma de Vos Benavente and Cat Ballou (31.8)
Sr. Beginner Novice Rider A: Gretchen Pope and Optimistic Sol (32.0)
Sr. Beginner Novice Rider B: Annie Desmond and Little Elf (20.0)
Open Starter: Ashley Cox and Leilani (28.0)
Jr. Starter Rider: Aliana Reiss and Cre Ard Lady (29.3)
Sr. Starter Rider: Mohamed Mostafa and Rodrigue Du Granit (28.7)

Woodside Spring H.T. (VA): [Website] [Scores]

A Confidence-Boosting Event at the Twin Rivers Spring International

By on Apr 14, 2025 2:39 pm -

James Alliston and Karma in the CCI4*-S at the 2025 Twin Rivers Spring International. Photo: Ataya Boytner Photography

The Twin Rivers Spring International showed that there isn’t just one right answer when preparing your horse.

The CCI4*-S served as a qualifier in the US Equestrian Open of Eventing, but before the $200,000 finals at Morven in Virginia on October 9-12, seven of the 11 horses were competing in their final prep before the approximately 2,300-mile haul to Lexington for the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event in two weeks.

James Alliston swept four of the top-five placings, led by his Kentucky 5* hopeful Karma (Escudo II x Travita), as he went for speed on cross-country.

On the other hand, Bec Braitling chose to complete just part of the final phase of cross-country on Caravaggio II (Vangelis-S x Courtesan) before retiring—“just ran the top field to give him a little sprint and pulled up, so he’s ready to go,” she described.
Both riders were pleased with their plans as they look ahead to a return to Kentucky after both horses made their five-star debuts there last year.

Other highlights in the FEI levels included:
• Marc Grandia and the young 8-year-old Levino (Lint x R-Cora II) had a successful move-up to CCI3*-L and were the only pair at the level to finish on their dressage score.
• Erin Kellerhouse and Bon Vivant GWF (Banderas x Power Point) won the CCI3*-S, returning to glory at the level they won at the 2023 Twin Rivers Fall International.
• LS Crown Royal (Comte x Estefania) made his FEI debut with Jordan Linstedt a winning one in the CCI2*-L.
• Coco Chanel (Cascadello I x U-lotti), who competed up to two-star in Europe, won the CCI2*-S for her third win in three starts since partnering with Kaylawna Smith-Cook in the United States this year. They previously won at Training and in the CCI1*-S at events at Galway in Temecula, California.
• High Five DF (Herald 3 x Columbia BF), who has shown at Twin Rivers since Future Event Horse competitions as a yearling in 2018, won an FEI event for the first time with Jennifer McFall in the CCI1*-L.
• The 70 entries across the CCI4*-S, CCI3*-L, CCI3*-S, CCI2*-L, CCI2*-S, and CCI1*-L levels was a record for an FEI event held at Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California.

Karma was champion in a CCI4*-S at Twin Rivers for the second time, having previously been victorious at the 2023 Twin Rivers Fall International. The 11-year-old bay Oldenburg mare that has represented the United States at Boekelo in the Netherlands and Aachen in Germany was the only horse to finish inside the optimum time on the four-star cross-country track designed by Morgan Rowsell. She added just 0.8 time penalties on William Robertson’s show jumping course to her dressage score of 36.4 for a finishing score of 37.2.

“It felt good,” Alliston said. “I was maybe a little rusty with her. I need to ride her a little better in two weeks, but she’s an awesome horse.”

James Alliston and Cora in the CCI4*-S at the 2025 Twin Rivers Spring International.
Photo: Liz Corkett for Atalya Boytner Photography

Alliston was also second with Cora (Commissario x La-Montana), the winner of the CCI4*-S at the 2024 Twin Rivers Fall International. Plus, he was third Irish Pop (Inliner x Norma Jean) in the horse’s four-star debut and fifth with his previous Kentucky five-star mount Paper Jam (Paparazzo x Reely Jamin).

“It was good to get them in the heat of battle and see what they look like,” Alliston said. “The faster you go, the harder it is, so just making sure I’m sharp and going at a competitive speed and the horses are used to that as well. It’s sort of a toss-up. Obviously, you don’t want to hurt them and take risks, but what I’ve done over the years is don’t go mad but go quick enough so that it’s a fitness run and equivalent to what you’re going to do in two weeks.”

The Twin Rivers Spring International was also the first event in almost two years for Nemesis (Novalis x Sara’s Muse) since the chestnut Canadian Warmblood gelding was the youngest horse in the Kentucky 5* field in 2023 at nine years old. He made his comeback at Intermediate after dealing with foot troubles from a digital flexor tendon.

“I’m excited,” Alliston said. “I wasn’t sure he’d ever return to the level, but now I’m a little bit more optimistic that he can have a future.”

After the weekend, Alliston has chosen Nemesis and Cora as his mounts for the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S.

“It was good to do that to narrow it down,” Alliston said. “For sure, Cora was looking good. Irish Pop is talented but green. Nemesis has had so long off, just making sure he’s sound enough to do it.”

The Twin Rivers Spring International was the first 4* of the season for Alliston’s growing stable of 4* and 5* horses, whereas Braitling had a full run and won the CCI4*-S with “Ernie” at Galway at the end of March.

“I ran Galway pretty quick, so for me, I thought two weeks, two weeks for back-to-back four-stars was probably too much,” Braitling said. “A little gallop before we left [for Kentucky on Tuesday] was needed, so that was my thought process.”

The Australian international rider who’s based at Twin Rivers Ranch was able to fine-tune Ernie’s dressage while balancing the perhaps-ironic challenge of showing him at home, saying, “He’s always going around looking at everything, like, ‘Why is that there?’”

Erin Kellerhouse and Bon Vivant GWF in the CCI3*-S at the 2025 Twin Rivers Spring International. Photo: Atalya Boytner Photography

“Overall his dressage is a lot better; it was definitely his best he’s done here,” Braitling said. “It’s always hard for him to show here, tension-wise. He’s always a little more excitable here. He always overreacts to everything at home, but other than that, he was really good.”

Tamie Smith used a similar strategy with Kynan (Envoy x Danieta) to prepare for the 4* in Kentucky and did an abbreviated cross-country after posting the top dressage score of 32.6 at the level and having a double-clear show jumping round.

“My plan was always to stop midway through, which is hard when you’re winning,” Smith said. “It’s always hard to stop, but producing that horse for the long game is super important. I’m really excited. It’s been a lot of work getting him to not be a big brute, but I think we got it all dialed in.”

Smith said she calls Kynan “Travis Kelce,” comparing the 10-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by the Kynan Syndicate to the Kansas City Chiefs’ all-pro tight end. “He felt like a million bucks, so I’m really excited,” Smith said. “I feel like he has a real solid chance of getting a top result [in Kentucky]. I feel like all three phases are really solid and coming together.”

In the CCI3*-S, Kellerhouse and Bon Vivant GWF finished on their dressage score of 29.0 and followed up on their win at Intermediate at the Twin Rivers Winter H.T. She and “Pierre” started competing together at Beginner Novice when the bay Oldenburg gelding was four years old in 2019.

“Last year was a bummer; it was just one of those seasons,” Kellerhouse said. “I never really had one like that, so I guess I was due. It actually does make everything a little sweeter when you rise up from the ashes a little bit.”

After what she described as “really consistent” dressage and how “he’s an easy horse to go fast on because he doesn’t pull at all” on Adri Doyal’s three-star cross-country course, Kellerhouse said her goals are the CCI3*-L at The Event at Rebecca Farm in Montana in July and the CCI3*-L at the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill in October.

Marc Grandia and Levino in the CCI3*-L at the 2025 Twin Rivers Spring International.
Photo: Atalya Boytner Photography

In the CCI3*-L, Marc Grandia and Levino took the next step in their journey that began when Levino made his USEA-recognized debut at Novice in 2022. Grandia credits Amber Birtcil for bringing the dark bay Holsteiner gelding to the United States and the Full Gallop Syndicate for their support over the past decade.

“He might be our fourth horse we’ve gone through,” Grandia said. “Each time we buy one and we find out what the horse is made of and what it wants to do. We’ve been able to upgrade as we go along.”

Grandia says Levino has been “quite a blast” as “he keeps checking off the boxes.” Levino has been particularly suited to the long FEI levels. He has made time on cross-country in each of his two longs, while not making time in any of his six shorts. He won Twin Rivers’ CCI3*-L on a dressage score of 31.7.

“It’s so nice to have this event for his development and be able to run around past eight minutes on cross country and develop their fitness and training,” Grandia said, noting that Twin Rivers hosts the only CCI3*-L in the spring west of the Mississippi. “The highlight is obviously coming through the end finishing on your dressage score. I’m really happy to have this event to produce our horses on the West Coast.”

Jennifer McFall and High Five DF winning the CCI1*-L. Photo: Elizabeth Ruiz for Atalya Boytner Photography

Jordan Linstedt and LS Crown Royal winning the CCI2*-L. Photo: Sally Spickard for Atalya Boytner Photography

The full list of winners from the 2025 Twin Rivers Spring International:

CCI4*-S: James Alliston and Karma (37.2)
CCI3*-L: Marc Grandia and Levino (31.7)
CCI3*-S: Erin Kellerhouse and Bon Vivant GWF (29.0)
CCI2*-L: Jordan Linstedt and LS Crown Royal (30.2)
CCI2*-S: Kaylawna Smith-Cook and Coco Chanel (30.9)
CCI1*-L: Jennifer McFall and High Five DF (31.3)
Open Intermediate: Tommy Greengard and That’s Me Z (28.6)
Open Preliminary: Tommy Greengard and MBF Google (26.8)
Preliminary Rider: Caterina Ritson and This Lad Is Gold (30.3)
Open Modified: Anna Weston Smith and Kinda B Dazzle (35.0)
Modified Rider: Sophie Stocks and Rosco (33.0)
Open Training: Tommy Greengard and EWSZ Java (28.9)
Sr. Training Rider: Teresa Harcourt and Csongor (26.1)
Jr. Training Rider: Salma Kuhlmann and Rayito de Sol SE (30.8)
Training Amateur: Lorilee Hanson and Mosaïque (28.6)
Training Horse: Amber Birtcil and Newton WW (25.0)
Open Novice: MaryBeth Young and Juliette (27.9)
Sr. Novice Rider: Lindsay Connors and Never Alone (24.8)
Jr. Novice Rider: Olivia Harris and Checker Can (30.6)
Novice Amateur: Valerie Ferraro and Whats That Sportsfield (30.6)
Novice Horse: Greylin Booth and Remonta Fiador (26.5)
Open Beginner Novice A: Chloe Smyth and King Kamehameha (26.8)
Open Beginner Novice B: Leah Yacoub Halperin and Come To Me (25.4)
Sr. Beginner Novice Rider: Annie Desmond and Little Elf (27.7)
Jr. Beginner Novice Rider: Lacey LoPiccolo and Paint Me a Picture (35.8)

Twin Rivers Spring International (CA): [Website] [Scores]

West Coast’s Best Come Together for Twin Rivers Spring International

By on Apr 9, 2025 9:30 am -

Bec Braitling and Caravaggio II winning the CCI4*-S at the 2022 Twin Rivers Fall International. Ride On Photo.

Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, CA, is gearing up for its largest FEI event ever with the 2025 Twin Rivers Spring International taking place April 10-13. There are 73 entries across the CCI4*-S, CCI3*-L, CCI3*-S, CCI2*-L, CCI2*-S, and CCI1*-L levels. National levels will go from Beginner Novice up to Intermediate.

Twin Rivers Ranch has offered the FEI levels of eventing since 2005. The Twin Rivers Spring International has taken on national significance as many of the West Coast’s top riders use it as their final tune-up before traveling to top competitions on the East Coast.

The CCI4*-S at Twin Rivers represents a qualifier in the US Equestrian Open of Eventing leading up to the $200,000 finals at Morven in Virginia on October 9-12. Seven of the 11 horses are entered at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event on April 24-27. Caravaggio II and Bec Braitling and Karma and James Alliston are aiming for the CCI5*-L after both horses made their 5* debuts in Kentucky in 2024.

Braitling, who represents Australia internationally and is based at Twin Rivers, is coming off a victory with Arnell Sporthorses’ 14-year-old black British Sport Horse gelding (Vangelis-S x Courtesan) in the CCI4*-S at the 2025 Galway Downs International H.T. in Temecula, California. She and “Ernie” won the level at the 2022 Twin Rivers Fall International.

“It’s nice to know you’ve done one [five-star] on him, so you know the horse can go jump the fences and go the distance,” Braitling said, looking ahead to a return to Kentucky, where they finished in the top-20 in 2024. “My goal this time would be to go a little quicker. Ultimately, it’s building on every year you hope you do a little better test.”

The popular pair have clicked in the jumping phases ever since their first competition at Training in 2019. They’ve never incurred jumping faults on cross-country in the United States. Their dressage score of 30.4 at Galway was their best in an FEI event in more than five years.

“He’s on the whole a lot better,” Braitling said. “He got a change at Galway, and it’s the best he’s ever felt on the flat for me. So, that’s kinda cool.”

James Alliston and Karma winning the CCI4*-S at the 2023 Twin Rivers Fall International. Ride On Photo.

Alliston and Karma, an 11-year-old bay Oldenburg mare (Escudo II x Travita), have become fixtures at top events and have represented the United States around the world. After 4* wins at The Event at Rebecca Farm in Montana and at the Twin Rivers Fall International in 2023, they were 14th in the CCIO4*-NC-L at Boekelo in the Netherlands at the end of 2023. Then in 2024, they were 12th in their CCI5*-L debut in Kentucky and ninth in the CCIO4*-S at Aachen in Germany. They had zero jumping penalties in cross-country and show jumping in each of these competitions.

“Last year, she tied up at the start of the week in Kentucky, so she really wasn’t feeling fantastic,” Alliston said. “If I get her into cross-country day a little bit healthier, I think she’ll gallop better because she’s such a fast horse and good galloper. She definitely wasn’t feeling great, so I had to go a little slower with her last year, but she still did it very well. I’m hoping if she’s feeling well, we can fly, I hope.”

Alliston has won the last four 4* competitions held at Twin Rivers. In addition to Karma, he has three other mounts at the level—Cora, Irish Pop, and Paper Jam. Among that trio, as well as Nemesis, who is entered at Intermediate at Twin Rivers, Alliston will choose which two horses he will take to the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S.

“It’s always a balance,” Alliston said. “I have a lot of Advanced horses right now, which is amazing, and you want to use them.”

James Alliston and Paper Jam winning the CCI4*-S at the 2024 Twin Rivers Spring International. Ride On Photo.

Paper Jam won the 4* at this event last year, and this will be his first event since. With his age and experience, including competing in the Kentucky 5* in 2022, Alliston said he’s been picking his spots with the 16-year-old chestnut Hanoverian gelding (Paparazzo x Reely Jamin).

Cora, a big 10-year-old bay Oldenburg mare (Commissario x La-Montana), won the CCI4*-S at the 2024 Twin Rivers Fall International. Kentucky would be her first event outside California, and that would also be the case for Irish Pop, a 13-year-old bay Hanoverian gelding (Inliner x Norma Jean), who is making his 4* debut at Twin Rivers.

This will be the first event for Nemesis since the chestnut Canadian Warmblood gelding (Novalis x Sara’s Muse) competed as the youngest horse in the Kentucky 5* field in 2023 at 9 years old. He won the CCI4*-S at the 2023 Twin Rivers Spring International.

As far as how he’ll choose his duo for the Kentucky 4*, Alliston said, “You do what suits the horse. I know sort of which horses are the fastest. For the four-short in Kentucky, the time is very influential, so you need some speed there. I know the ranking of speed of those four horses. Nemesis has a ton of experience and he’s done Kentucky well. If he’s healthy, he’s probably my number one.”

Molly Duda and Disco Traveler. Photo: Ride On Photo

Also aiming for Kentucky in the CCI4*-S are:

• Molly Duda and her 15-year-old bay Oldenburg gelding Disco Traveler (Donatelli x Cadence), winners of two 4* competitions in California in 2024 who also represented the United States overseas as part of the U.S. Eventing European Development Tour
• Tamie Smith, the 2023 Kentucky 5* heroine, and the Kynan Sydicate’s 10-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding Kynan (Envoy x Danieta), two-time 3* winners in 2024 that are now back competing at 4*

The CCI3*-S at the 2025 Twin Rivers Spring International is a who’s who of West Coast eventing prospects.

Tommy Greengard and his 11-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding Joshuay MBF (Foreign Affair x Fernacchy MBF) are using the CCI3*-S at Twin Rivers to prep for the CCI4*-S at Kentucky. They won the CCI4*-S at the 2023 Woodside Fall International in Woodside, California, and are in the midst of a comeback after missing the 2024 competition season.

Greengard also has That’s Me Z, whom he co-owns Andrea Pfeiffer, at Intermediate ahead of the Kentucky 4*. He and the chestnut Zangersheide gelding (Take a Chance On Me Z x Veneita) represented the United States in the 7-year-old world breeding championships at Le Lion in France.

Tommy Greengard and That’s Me Z. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Also in the three-short at Twin Rivers, Gabriella Ringer and Get Wild are back at the venue where they made their debut in 2018 when the rider was 14 and the dark bay Dutch Warmblood gelding (Plot-Blue x Cantana) was 6. They won the CCI2*-L at this event last year and then two more 2*s in 2024.

Andrea Baxter, whose first FEI event at her homebase of Twin Rivers came in 2006, has a pair of 7-year-olds, Camelot PJ and The Big Easy. They both made big impressions at the Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse West Coast Championships held at Twin Rivers in 2023. Camelot PJ (Colman x Hauptstutbuch Evita) won the 5-year-old championship. The Big Easy (Mr Lincoln B x PLS Hippo Q) won the Safe Harbor Award given to the 5-year-old with the most graceful and rider friendly performance throughout the competition.

“I love the personality of all of them so much that I can’t imagine replacing their desire to work and learn and please and their personal interest in the sport,” Baxter said. “Right now, they’re young and still developing, and much as I want them to come home with better ribbons, their performance is so going in the right direction that they’ll be hard to beat in the future. But right now, I’ve got to take my time and not rush them and let them develop in their own time.”

The 2024 5-year-old YEH West Coast champion, Only-Else (Idrigill x Kapry-Else), is entered in the CCI1*-L in the bay Irish Sport Horse mare’s FEI debut.

The 2025 Twin Rivers Spring International will shine a wide spotlight—from young prospects to seasoned veterans.

“That’s just exciting for California to be developing so many nice horses,” Baxter said.

Twin Rivers Spring International (CA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Exciting Finishes at First Horse Trials of the Year at Twin Rivers

By on Mar 3, 2025 12:30 pm -

Taren Hoffos and Regalla. Photo: Ride On Photo

Entering the 25th year that the Baxter family has owned Twin Rivers Ranch, the 2025 eventing season in California’s wine country kicked off with the Twin Rivers Winter Horse Trials from February 28 to March 2 — the first of five USEA-recognized events to be held in Paso Robles, CA this year.

The highest level offered, Advanced, came down to the wire between Regalla, ridden by Taren Hoffos, and Disco Traveler, ridden by Molly Duda. Hoffos and the 2011 bay Oldenburg mare (Sir Donnerhall x Rubiera) came into the final phase of show jumping on Sunday with a lead of just 0.3 — less than a second to spare — after recording the fastest cross country round on Saturday on the course designed by Morgan Rowsell.

Hoffos and “Luna” had zero jumping penalties on the show jumping course designed by William Robertson. They added 1.2 time penalties for victory with a final score of 43.2 after Duda and “Disco” picked up penalties at two fences.

“She is just a beast,” Hoffos said about how cross country propelled Luna and her to victory. “We know each other so well, and if I get her maybe a little too deep, she’s like, ‘No problem.’ She just hunkers down, and she’s so gritty. She’s just so honest and wants to go through the flags for me.”

Duda, the USEA Young Rider of the Year in 2023 and 2024, and her 2010 bay Oldenburg gelding (Donatelli x Cadence) had made their debut at the Advanced level and won at this event last year. They then went east for the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S at the Kentucky Three-Day Event and competed overseas in England and Ireland as part of the U.S. Eventing European Development Tour.

They finished the year winning the CCI4*-S at the Woodside Fall International in Woodside, CA, and the CCI4*-L at The Eventing Championships at Galway Downs in Temecula, CA. For 2025, Duda said she hopes to return to the Lexington 4*-S and U.S. Eventing European Development Tour.

Molly Duda and Disco Traveler. Photo: Ride On Photo

“Disco was excellent this weekend,” Duda said. “He came out for his first event of the season feeling better than ever. I was especially proud of him in the first phase, earning a sub-30 score, which was a personal best for both of us at the Advanced level. We had a steady run on the cross country just to get him back in the groove, and he handled all the technical combinations with ease.”

This was the first Advanced horse trials for Regalla. She made her 4* debut with Hoffos at the 2024 Twin Rivers Fall International, having won twice at 3* at Galway in 2023 and 2024. Hoffos has brought Luna up the levels from Beginner Novice starting in 2018.

“The best thing that I ever did for her was do so much at three-star and Intermediate,” she said about their 17 events before moving up. “She saw everything and all different courses and types of questions. By the time I stepped her up last September, it really didn’t feel like that big of a jump.”

Hoffos said she will point Luna to 4*-S competitions at Galway at the end of March and at Kentucky’s Lexington 4*-S in April. She also credits enrolling in a program called “How to Heal” with mindset coach and sport psychologist Natalie Hummel and 5* rider Hannah Sue Hollberg “about controlling your nervous system and rewriting your patterns, figuring out where your show anxiety and competition hangups and blocks are,” Hoffos said.

“I was feeling, especially after my big fall at Maryland a few years ago, that I needed some help, and it’s been a game changer for me,” Hoffos said. “I’ve been feeling so prepared and really trusting my program and instincts, and it’s really paying off with Luna. I’m seeing such good results and feeling so much better about the riding and the showing.”

Erin Grandia and Hyacinth. Photo: Ride On Photo

Erin Grandia and Hyacinth (Contendro I x Vesper), who won the CCI3*-L at the 2024 Twin Rivers Spring International, finished third in their move-up to the Advanced level. The 10 entries at Advanced represented the most at this event since 2021.

Bon Vivant GWF and Erin Kellerhouse won the Intermediate level. They turned in one of just two double-clear cross country rounds out of 22 at the level on the course designed by Adri Doyal. Then, they were double-clear in show jumping to win with a score of 28.8.

“I loved the courses at Twin because they are so open and gallopy,” Kellerhouse said. “Time wasn’t on my radar and I just looked at my watch coming across the finish. He was super happy and confident — maybe a little too confident at the end of the course — but show jumped like a dream today.”

Kellerhouse and the 2015 Oldenburg gelding (Banderas x Power Point) have quite the partnership. They first competed together at the Beginner Novice level when “Pierre” was four years old in 2019. They won the 3*-S at the 2023 Twin Rivers Fall International.

Erin Kellerhouse and Bon Vivant GWF. Photo: Ride On Photo

“Bon Vivant had a bit of a rough last season and we never quite got our mojo back, but I really felt like it came together this weekend,” she said. “My goal was to just go give him a positive ride and not pick at the gallop fences, which I have a tendency to do on him.”

Megan McIver and Kapitan Sparrow XII (Cador x Stutbuch) were second, and Kellerhouse also rode the third-place finisher, Ringwood Adios Amigo (Ringwood Adieu Z x Ringwood Operetta).

“It’s such a treat to have two great horses at this level that I’m so fond of,” Kellerhouse said. “The two horses couldn’t be more different. Bon Vivant is a true gentleman and will go whatever speed I want him to, and Amigo has his own ideas on things.”

The two divisions at Preliminary — Open Preliminary and Preliminary Rider -— were each decided by less than a point, as were a total of six of the 13 divisions at the 2025 Twin Rivers Winter H.T.

In Open Preliminary, Amber Birtcil and Kingston 60 (Kingsroad x Anka VIII) topped Tamie Smith and Kareena K (Cash and Carry x Namur III) by 0.7—27.4 to 28.1. Birtcil also rode the third- and fourth-place finishers—Clearsky (Clearway x O-Corrado II) and Mississipi (Falaise De Muze x Coniek). Birtcil was competing Kingston 60 and Clearsky in place of Lauren Shady, who is expecting her first child this spring.

In Preliminary Rider, Elsie Patterson and Finnigan R-E (Cardento x Clivia R-E) were one second over the time allowed in show jumping and eked out the win by 0.1 over Olivia Keye and Chromatic Flyer—21.2 to 21.3.
At Modified, Fary Prince (The After Party x Farytale Cooley) and Helen Alliston—the Reserve Champions at the 2024 Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse 5-Year-Old West Coast Championships held at Twin Rivers — won with a score of 28.0. They led after each phase.

Twin Rivers Ranch is scheduled to host the Twin Rivers Spring International from April 10-13, the Twin Rivers Summer H.T. from June 26-29, the Twin Rivers Fall International from Sept. 18-21, and the USEA YEH West Coast Championships & Last Chance Qualifier from Oct. 23-25.

The full list of winners from the 2025 Twin Rivers Winter H.T.:

Advanced: Taren Hoffos and Regalla (43.2)
Open Intermediate: Erin Kellerhouse and Bon Vivant GWF (28.8)
Open Preliminary: Amber Birtcil and Kingston 60 (27.4)
Preliminary Rider: Elsie Patterson and Finnigan R-E (21.2)
Open Modified: Helen Alliston and Fary Prince (28.0)
Open Training: Tommy Greengard and Shannondale Fionn (21.7)
Training Rider: Fiona Lempres and Hathaway Royale (25.6)
Open Novice: Katherine Robinson and Magheraboy (17.5)
Novice Rider: Kris Greenway and Ash B’dash (28.8)
Open Beginner Novice: Gina Miles and Gadget de Baimont (17.1)
Beginner Novice Rider: Elisa Karnavy and Buzz Ryder (34.1)
Open Starter: Elisa Karnavy and Foxens Little Treat (24.0)
Starter Rider: Lotte Merrill and Sunshine Valley’s Maevie (16.5)

Twin Rivers Winter H.T. (CA): [Website] [Scores]

High Hopes Become Reality at 2024 Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse West Coast Championships

By on Oct 28, 2024 12:00 pm -

Only-Else and Kaylawna Smith-Cook win the 2024 USEA YEH West Coast 5-Year-Old Championship. Photo credit: Tina Fitch Photography.

Both Kaylawna Smith-Cook with her 5-year-old Only-Else and Andrea Baxter with her 4-year-old MBF Dig Deep said that their first impression of their young horses less than a year ago was that they would become champions. Those high hopes became reality at the Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) West Coast Championships at Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California, on October 25-26.

For Smith-Cook and the bay Dutch Warmblood mare (Idrigill x Kapry-Else) owned by Bonner Carpenter, that initial moment of championship aspirations came when she first saw “Elsa” at the farm of five-star Australian eventer Sammi Birch in England in December 2023.

“My first impression of her was that she picked up the trot and then she cantered, and I was like, ‘OK, I don’t need to see any more.’ I didn’t even need to see her jump,” Smith-Cook recalled. “She’s just a beautiful mare and she’s a worker, and I love that about her. The more you ask of her, the harder she tries. She’s got a little bit of sass in there, so she’s not just a ‘Yes, ma’am.’ I just appreciate all of her little quirky traits.”

Only-Else and Kaylawna Smith-Cook. Tina Fitch Photography.

The first year of their partnership culminated with earning the highest score out of both the YEH West Coast and East Coast championships. The 90.15 from YEH championship judges Sally Ike of the United States and Christian Schacht of Germany was punctuated by having the best score of 64.60 (out of 70) for their jump test, gallop, and general impression on the course designed by Adri Doyal on Saturday. That followed having the best conformation score of 8.45 (out of 10) and being tied for the best dressage score of 17.10 (out of 20) on Friday.

“As soon as I went into the warmup, it’s like she was excited and knew there was something exciting and worth her while,” Smith-Cook said. “It was very nice to be rewarded and for the judges to really see her potential.”

They are now first in line to be awarded the prestigious Holekamp/Turner YEH Lion d’Angers Grant to represent the United States should they qualify for the FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championships in Le Lion D’Angers, France, in 2026 when the mare is 7 years old. In 2024, the Holekamp/Turner Grant went to That’s Me Z (Take A Chance On Me Z x Venetia) and Tommy Greengard, the 2022 winner of the 5-year-old West Coast championship.

“I’m so thrilled, and I’m so excited for the next few years to develop her and hopefully be able to take advantage of the grant,” Smith-Cook said. “What’s most important to me is that the horse in confident, and if she’s ready, it’s great that we’re in a great place to take her over there. I think she is a very brave horse, and she has all the pieces in a horse that I would think about that in the future.”

The top 5-year-old YEH championship score has now come out of the West Coast for two of the past three years. However, more than just the winner, the quality at the West Coast championships was evident across the board, as 10 of the 13 5-year-old entries had scores of 80.00 or higher, compared to 14 out of the 39 5-year-old entries in the East Coast championships.

The 5-year-old West Coast reserve champion was Fary Prince, a bay British Sport Horse gelding (The After Party x Farytale Cooley) bred and owned by Hulme Equestrian and ridden Helen Alliston, with a score of 87.85. That is the fourth-best out of both 5-year-old championships in 2024.

“The main thing with him is that he’s very competitive because of his vibe—so relaxed and just a cool customer,” said Alliston, who was competing in her first YEH West Coast Championships. “The cross country was awesome. It was a great course—challenging but fun and educational. It was fun to feel him gallop a little bit at the end because you don’t get to go that speed at Training level, which he does now.”

The Safe Harbor Award for the most rider-friendly mount went to the gray Zangersheide gelding Cupido Van de Hoge Dijken Z (Campino Gold x Cendrillon de L’herse) ridden by Allyson Hartenburg.

MBF Dig Deep and Andrea Baxter win the 2024 USEA YEH West Coast 4-Year-Old Championship. Photo credit: Tina Fitch Photography

Following her win in the 2023 5-year-old West Coast championship with Camelot PJ (Colman x Hauptstutbuch Evita), Baxter won the 2024 4-year-old West Coast championship with MBF Dig Deep (Golddigger x Amber). She acquired MBF Dig Deep from the Goresbridge Go For Gold auction in Ireland in November 2023, and he came to the United States in February 2024.

“I felt like he was a clear winner from the minute he landed here,” Baxter said. “I didn’t really know he was that nice when I bought him. I bought him as a resale project, but the minute he landed here, I was immediately impressed with him, and he instantly got taken off the roster of for sale.”

However, Baxter said that she didn’t fully start training and competing the bay Dutch Warmblood gelding until August after her five-star mare Indy 500 (Cromwell x Tensofthousands) passed away.

“After ‘Indy’ died, I needed a distraction,” she said. “So, I dragged the feral 4-year-old out of the field to sort of scare some new adrenaline out of me.”
Referred to in the barn as “Dig Deep”—with Baxter explaining that “he’s doesn’t really have a nickname because he’s kind of a serious guy”—he showed how serious he is about eventing.

“He takes on challenges with a positive, forward aggression and doesn’t have a backward bone in his body,” Baxter said.

Their final score of 86.30, third-best out of both 4-year-old championships, included the top jump test and potential score of 61.65 and dressage score of 16.90.
“He is beautiful,” Baxter said. “His conformation is beautiful. He’s a beautiful mover. He’s super, super careful in the show jumping and absolutely brave cross-country. As we all know, that’s what we’re looking for in an event horse, so I’m just really excited.”

MBF Dig Deep and Andrea Baxter. Tina Fitch Photography.

It’s been a banner year for Bryan Flynn’s MBF Sporthorses, who also sourced the winner of the USEF/USEA Developing Horse National Championship in the CCI2*YH-S division for 6-year-olds at Morven in Virginia in Starburst (Sligo Candy Boy x Monalease) ridden by Alexandra Knowles.

The 4-year-old West Coast reserve champion was Markonix, a bay Irish Sport Horse gelding (Echonix x High Offley Miss Arko) ridden by Michlynn Sterling and sourced from Gemma Phelan of Beechfield Stables Sport Horses in Ireland.

Three out of the five in the 4-year-old West Coast championship had scores better than 80.00 compared to six out of the 30 in the 4-year-old East Coast championship.
“The quality this year was amazing; it was crazy,” Sterling said. “They’re such better horses for this. I could just feel them growing—the atmosphere and getting in the big arena with the flags and banners and everything, to Adri built a serious test to show their scope and what they can do.”

Sterling rode the most entries in the YEH West Coast Championships with four. She has now competed in four of the five YEH West Coast Championships since they became a standalone event at Twin Rivers starting in 2020 but said this year was particularly meaningful because she has come back from a broken neck sustained in January.
“I ended up with a T1 compression fracture and a brachial plexus injury, so I couldn’t move my left arm,” she said. “To be able to come back, I had to take a deep breath and decided to focus on the young horses this year, as you can see from my record. My goal was to learn how to show them off better and just be better. Andrea Baxter has been a saint in helping me learn how to do that. One thing is having quality horses, but the other is being able to show them off. I really feel like this year I learned how to do that, and they all benefited.”

Sterling echoed the sentiments of those that left Twin Rivers excited about the future eventing prospects of their young horses. “I love this program, and it’s amazing,” she said. “It just teaches the horses and as a rider to go forward and be positive.”

YEH West Coast Championships at Twin Rivers (CA): [Website] [Scores]

2024 Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse West Coast Championships To Bring Together Fascinating Eventing Prospects

By on Oct 22, 2024 10:00 am -

Andrea Baxter and Camelot PJ. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography

From a warmblood bred by an animal science program at a junior college that usually breeds Quarter Horses to a sibling of a top-three finisher at Badminton in England to the oldest son out of a mare that died in a trailer accident that made international news, it will be a unique, talented, and special group of horses at the 2024 Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) West Coast Championships.

One week after That’s Me Z and Tommy Greengard, the 2022 winner of the 5-year-old championship, represented the United States in the FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championships at Le Lion D’Angers in France, Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California, will once again host the West Coast’s championship classes for 4- and 5-year-olds that culminate the year’s YEH Program on October 25-26, along with a Last Chance Qualifier on October 24.

The YEH championships have become a significant step on the ladder that some of the top American eventing prospects are climbing on their way to the highest levels of the sport. With their victory in 2022, “Z” (Take A Chance On Me Z x Venetia) and Greengard secured the prestigious Holekamp/Turner YEH Lion d’Angers Grant as the highest-scoring 5-year-old out of both the East Coast and West Coast championships.

“Both personally as a rider and as a member of the YEH committee, I’ve seen the incredible value that being part of the YEH championships means for their development, and I’m talking about all horses in the standings, not just the ones that place high,” said Andrea Baxter, who has competed in YEH competitions since 2007. “Getting the young horses on a stage that they don’t otherwise get to do and putting the limelight on them, they get such a good experience out of it. It gives everybody a focused goal. It’s teaching the horses to stay in a nice, forward rhythm and pick off the jumps in a confident, rhythmical style that will set them up for future success.”

The Baxter family that has owned and operated Twin Rivers since 2001 has made a significant commitment to growing eventing programs for young horses on the West Coast, including hosting the West Coast championships as a standalone event starting in 2020.

Andrea won the 5-year-old West Coast championship in 2023 with Camelot PJ (Colman x Hauptstutbuch Evita), and she is currently campaigning him, as well as another of her 2023 YEH horses in The Big Easy (Mr Lincoln B x PLS Hippo Q), to top-10 finishes at the two-star level.

Andrea Baxter and MBF Dig Deep. Ride On Photo.

Others from the 2023 5-year-old West Coast championship are also making their mark as 6-year-olds in 2024. Third-place finisher LS Crown Royal (by Comte) was a recent winner at the Preliminary level at Spokane in Washington with Jordan Linstedt. Fourth-place finisher Monbeg Salt Fever (Womanizer x Eden Breeze) won at Preliminary at Archer in Wyoming and competed in the USEF/USEA Developing Horse National Championship in the CCI2*YH-S division for 6-year-olds at Morven in Virginia. Seventh-place finisher HSH Cellesto (Cellestial x Lotte) won the CCI1*-S at Spokane.

Baxter will seek to repeat in the 2024 5-year-old West Coast championship with MBF Insta and will have MBF Dig Deep in the 4-year-old championship.

MBF Dig Deep (Golddigger x Amber) posted the best 4-year-old qualifying score in the country with 88.15 in winning the qualifier at the Twin Rivers Fall International, according to the USEA’s list of horses qualified for the Dutta Corp. USEA YEH Championships.

“I’ve never been so excited about a horse as I am for Dig Deep,” Baxter said afterward. “He’s a super athlete with all the qualities to be a top horse. I bought him as another ‘easy button’ accident, but this horse is the real deal. I’m so excited.”

MBF Insta (Upsilon x Adora Silvi Mia) is one of four 2024 5-year-old West Coast championship entrants that competed in the 2023 4-year-old championship, along with Cobain PJ (Carridam PJ x Evian) ridden by Sigourney Jellins, Cupido Van de Hoge Dijken Z (Campino Gold x Cendrillon de L’herse) ridden by Allyson Hartenburg, and Crockanboy Dancer (Echonix x Ardragh Dancing Queen) ridden by Michlynn Sterling.

In addition to MBF Dig Deep coming into the USEA YEH West Coast Championships with the highest 4-year-old qualifying score, FE Kyoto (Karajan x Zara XXVI) achieved the highest 5-year-old qualifying score of 89.75 in 2024 ridden by Elsa Warble at Shepherd Ranch in California.

Helen Alliston and Fary Prince. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

Helen and James Alliston will be competing in the West Coast championships at Twin Rivers for the first time.

“We haven’t had a lot of time to show these 5-year-olds, to be honest, and it’s a nice way to expose them to a big show environment, but it’s in a friendly place that they’ve all schooled at and been to,” Helen said.

Helen will ride Fary Prince (The After Party x Farytale Cooley), who is coming off a win at the Training level at Woodside in California.

“He’s the easiest, most lovely young horse that James or I have ever worked with,” Helen said. “Everything you ask him to do he says yes with a smile on his face. He’s good at everything. We’re all kind of waiting to see a dark side because he’s too perfect right now. We’re really, really excited about him.”

For Fary Prince to be competing in California with Helen is both sentimental and full-circle because he is the oldest son of the his Farytale Cooley (Ustinov Van Elsenham x Bulana) that was ridden in England by Sophie Hulme. Hulme is originally from California and trained with the Allistons before moving to England. Hulme lost “Feyre” and two of her other horses in a tragic trailer accident on the way to their first FEI event together in Scotland in 2021.

“I am so thankful we took embryos off her and I hope that her babies and myself can make her proud and show the world what they missed,” Hulme wrote in a blog post for Glaze & Gordon.
Hulme started Fary Prince before the bay British Sport Horse gelding came from England to the United States as a 4-year-old.

“This is her oldest son, so it’s really cool that this horse is so amazing because it can carry on what could have been his mom’s legacy,” Helen Alliston said.
James’ three entries, the most in the 5-year-old championship, are Balief MBF, Berry, and Konditori. All three have different backgrounds.

Balief MBF (HHS Cornet x Lazio) was the fifth-highest-priced of 64 3-year-olds at the 2023 Goresbridge Go For Gold auction in Ireland, and James acquired the bay Irish Sport Horse mare from her previous owner after she came to the United States.

Sigourney Jellins and Cobain PJ. Ride On Photo.

James acquired Berry (Crelido x Quazimodo VD) via an Internet post by Modesto Junior College, located about an hour’s drive from the Allistons. Modesto Junior College’s animal science program has a breeding program for students. James said that Berry’s dam was a Grand Prix show jumper that was donated to the college as a broodmare after an injury ended her competitive career.

“They breed a few foals for the students to learn about reproduction in horses and looking after the foals, and then they sell the foals on,” James said. “So, that’s how I came about him, and it’s kind of a cool story. They normally breed Quarter Horses and just do one a year, I think, or something like that, but they got donated this really amazing broodmare. They got donated some semen to a 1.60-meter stallion as well, so it’s really nicely bred for show jumping.”

Berry’s name was bestowed on him by the college because his dam was called “Kiwi.”

Konditori (Womanizer x Ruby Roller) shares the same dam as the 2024 third-place finisher at Badminton, Quindiva (by Quintender) ridden by Alexander Bragg. Konditori’s sire is the sire of five-star eventers Cooley Quicksilver ridden by Liz Halliday and CHF Cooliser ridden by Tom McEwen.

Returning to judge the YEH West Coast Championships as he did in 2023 is Christian Schact from Germany, a world-renowned expert on conformation and pedigree. He will be joined in 2024 by Sally Ike from the United States, a member of the 1968 U.S. Olympic team and a licensed judge and course designer for more than 30 years.

On Thursday will be the Last Chance Qualifier judged by Wendy Wergeles. Dressage and conformation evaluations for the championships will take place on Friday, with the jumping tests on the course designed by Adri Doyal on Saturday. On Sunday, Twin Rivers will host the popular and spirited Halloween One Day H.T. and C.T. to culminate the year of eventing at Twin Rivers Ranch.

Full entries for the Dutta Corp. West Coast USEA YEH Championships can be found here.

Milestone Results for Top West Coast Horses and Riders at Woodside

By on Oct 7, 2024 12:00 pm -

The FEI competition at the 2024 Woodside Fall International on October 4-5 produced the first-ever win by Molly Duda and Disco Traveler at four-star, cemented the comeback by Tamie Smith and Kynan with their second victory in a month at three-star, and represented the third two-star win in a row by Gabriella Ringer and Get Wild as well as the fourth blue ribbon this season at either one-star or Modified by Amber Birtcil and Milagro.

Offering the final short-format FEI competition of the year in California in its final USEA-recognized event of the season with a 25 percent increase in FEI entries from 2023, The Horse Park at Woodside was the stage for moments that the eventing world may look back upon as having a significant impact on the future of some of the top West Coast horses and riders.

CCI4*-S: Duda and Disco Boogie to Four-Star Success

Molly Duda and Disco Traveler. Tina Fitch Photography

It’s been quite a journey for Duda and “Disco” to their first four-star victory. The 20-year-old rider and her 14-year-old bay Oldenburg gelding (Donatelli x Cadence) were in elite company when they made their CCI4*-S debut at Galway in Temecula, California, in March and finished second to Smith and Mai Baum (Loredano x Ramira), the previous year’s winner of the CCI5*-L in Kentucky. They then traveled to Kentucky to compete in the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S, followed by a stint overseas as part of the U.S. Eventing European Development Tour.

“Just getting the opportunity to be overseas and experience everything over there was invaluable,” Duda said. “Having the guidance from Tamie, too, over the past few months has been influential, and I just can’t wait to continue to grow and improve.”

The Horse Park at Woodside was the site of the first event Duda and Disco did together in May 2022 when they won at the Training level. On Saturday, they came into cross-country 0.1 points behind Sophia Click and Tarantino 54 (Quattro 7 x Los Argentina), and a quicker round with clear jumping gave them the four-star win with a finishing score of 57.6.

“It feels really good to see the results this weekend,” Duda said. “I think we’ve been working really hard this summer, and it’s always great to see the pieces come together. It also is incredible to think two years ago at Woodside we did our first ever event together at Training level, so it’s pretty unbelievable to be standing here today after winning the four-star.”

Their next target will be their first CCI4*-L at Galway starting on October 31.

CCI3*-S: Smith Keen on Kynan’s Future

Tamie Smith and Kynan. Tina Fitch Photography.

Smith and Kynan followed up their win in the CCI3*-S at the Twin Rivers Fall International in Paso Robles, California, last month with another victory at the level. The five-star-winning rider and the 9-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding (Envoy x Danieta) led after each phase and produced one of just two double-clear cross-country rounds on the course designed by Derek di Grazia. They finished on their dressage score of 27.4.

“He’s been running at four-star level, but we took a step back and reevaluated everything, and sometimes you need to pump the breaks a little bit and figure out,” Smith said. “He’s come out this fall and feels like a different horse. He feels really confident, so I’m really excited to get moving. I did the three-star at Twin, thinking I was going to do the four-star here, and I said I don’t need to push him. I already know he can do it. I just want to see where I’m at. Derek designs both tracks [the CCI3*-S and CCI4*-S at Woodside], and they’re very challenging all the way through.”

Kynan has previously finished in the top-five in three four-stars—at Rebecca Farm in Montana, Twin Rivers, and Galway. Their win in the CCI3*-S at the Twin Rivers Fall International was their first competition in more than four months. Smith said Kynan will move back up to CCI4*-L at Galway where their competition will include Duda and Disco. Duda has been based with Smith in Temecula since returning from Europe.

“I’m coming in the latter of the development; Mickayla Howard really deserves the credit because she’s put all the foundation on Molly, but it’s been fun to be a part of the progression this last year,” Smith said. “It’s been awesome, and she rode fantastic, like it was a picture-perfect round. So, I was really proud of her.”
The other double-clear cross-country in Woodside’s CCI3*-S came from Smith’s other mount at the level, Lillet 3, the four-star-winning 8-year-old dark bay Holsteiner mare (S.I.E.C. Livello x Princess L) on whom Smith began competing this summer.

“It’s been really fun riding her and getting to know her,” Smith said. “She and I are still figuring each other out on the flat and in the show jumping, but on the cross-country, it’s just so right there. We’re both a hand in a glove on cross-country.”

Megan McIver, who rode three horses in the CCI3*-S at Woodside, finished second with the 12-year old grey Holsteiner mare Elle (Con Caletto). They won the CCI3*-L at Rebecca Farm in July.

CCI2*-S: Ringer Can ‘Get Wild’ about Get Wild’s Future

Gabriella Ringer and Get Wild. Tina Fitch Photography.

Ringer, who, like Duda, is 20 years old and a rising star in West Coast eventing, won her third two-star event in a row with Get Wild by leading after each phase and finishing on their dressage score of 23.4. That’s their best finishing score in their nine two-star competitions since March 2023. That was also the best across all of Woodside’s FEI levels.

“This was a great test for us with the terrain here at Woodside, and they provided a really nice big track,” Ringer said. “He went so well in all three phases producing one of the best scores we’ve had at the level and held it all the way to the end for the wire-to-wire win.”

The 12-year-old dark bay Dutch Warmblood gelding (Plot Blue x Cantana) and Ringer were the only pair out of 23 entries, the largest of Woodside’s FEI classes, to finish on their dressage score. There were just five double-clear rounds on William Robertson’s show jumping course and seven on Bert Wood’s two-star cross-country.
“Ace” and Ringer previously won the CCI2*-S at the Twin Rivers Fall International and the CCI2*-L at the Twin Rivers Spring International in 2024.

“He is the horse of a lifetime,” Ringer said. “Moving ahead to the rest of the season, I am looking forward to stepping him up to the Intermediate level at Ram Tap [in Fresno] and ending his season there, giving him some much-deserved time off.”

CCI1*-S: Milagro is Magnificent Again

Amber Birtcil and Milagro. Tina Fitch Photography.

Birtcil has developed a herd of promising young horses from the Netherlands through her Cellar Farm in Petaluma, California, and Milagro is proving to be a standout.
“He’s a little unassuming, like he’s a plain brown horse that doesn’t carry a lot of energy at home, but you take him to a show and he just has such a work ethic and way about him,” Birtcil said. “He really likes to go in and show. He knows the difference between ‘we’re showing’ and ‘we’re schooling.’ He just totally gets the sport, and it makes sense to him. He’s really fun to ride.”

Birtcil debuted the 7-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding (Good Fellow VDL x Easter Uno M) at the Novice level in February. They’ve now collected five total blue ribbons in nine events. They won the Open Modified division at the Woodside Spring Horse Trials when The Horse Park hosted the Laughing Monk Modified Match to spotlight the level that has made a significant impact on the development of event horses and riders.

The Horse Park introduced one-star competition at last year’s Woodside Fall International. This year’s CCI1*-S represented Milagro’s first FEI win, as well as Birtcil’s first since the CCI4*-L at the 2021 Twin Rivers Spring International with Cinzano (Classe VDL x Walta). They were the only pair out of 11 entries to finish on their dressage score, winning with 26.5.

Notable National Results:

Stephanie Goodman and Elwenda DP (Westpoint x Wenderola), the winners of the CCI2*-S at the 2023 Woodside Fall International and victorious in the CCI2*-L at Rebecca Farm in 2024, won for the first time at the Intermediate level, the highest national level offered at the 2024 Woodside Fall International.

Jillian Mader finished first and second at the Preliminary level with Coolrock Wacko Jacko (Jacomar x Lux D) and Cooley Neptune (Beach Ball x Annaghmore Temptress).

The lowest finishing score of the weekend was 11.4 by MaryBeth Young and Juliette, an 11-year-old buckskin mare that is a Morgan and Dutch Harness Horse cross, to win the Senior Novice Rider division. Their dressage test included two 10.0 marks, as well as a 10.0 for their collective marks.

In 2025, The Horse Park at Woodside is scheduled to host the Woodside Spring Horse Trials from May 23-25, the Woodside Summer Horse Trials from August 9-10, and the Woodside Fall International from October 3-5.

Woodside Fall International (CA): [Website] [Results]

Bert Wood Novice Stakes Celebrates ‘Foundational Level of the Sport’

By on Aug 13, 2024 9:30 am -

Ashley McCaughan and Diassini. Tina Fitch Photography.

The Bert Wood Novice Stakes at the 2024 Woodside Summer Horse Trials brought out what the Novice level of eventing is all about—showcasing promising new horses in the sport, providing young riders with an opportunity to gain foundational experience, and celebrating the adult amateur riders that are an integral part of hosting successful events.

Organizers chose to make one of eventing’s lower levels the marquee of the middle USEA-recognized event of the year at The Horse Park at Woodside. A member of The Horse Park’s board donated $6,000 in prize money to be divided among the Junior Novice Rider, Senior Novice Rider, and Novice Amateur division top finishers, prize money usually associated with eventing’s upper levels. There was a breakfast of bagels, lox, and mimosas served during the show jumping finale in the Laughing Monk Grand Prix Arena on Sunday.

Bert Wood rides Helen Alliston’s four-star horse Ebay in the dressage test ride for the
Bert Wood Novice Stakes at the 2024 Woodside Summer H.T. Tina Fitch Photography.

The showcase level was named after Bert Wood because of the commitment the West Coast-based cross country builder and designer of more than 30 years has made to the lower levels that serve as the foundation of eventing. Plus, the event raised money and awareness for a charity founded by Bert and his wife, Kris—the Cowboy And Rousseau Animal Assistance Fund (CARAAF) that offers financial assistance for families with rescue dogs that have medical needs.

First, it was 16-year-old Ava Eschelman that clinched her first ever blue ribbon in a recognized event in the Junior Novice Rider division aboard Rochambeau after a clear show jumping round moved them into first place to finish on their dressage score of 30.0. The 16-year-old bay Thoroughbred gelding, whose first USEA-recognized event came at the Beginner Novice level at The Spring Event at Woodside in 2014, has previously competed up to the two-star level with Ashley Long. Eschelman started leasing “Bo” in April. This was her first recognized event at the Novice level with jumps up to a height 2 feet 11 inches after six previous events at the Beginner Novice level of 2 feet 7 inches dating back to 2021.

Ava Eschelman and Rochambeau. Tina Fitch Photography.

“He’s such a beautiful and amazing horse, and he’s taught me so much already,” Eschelman said. “I’m so excited for our partnership together. He’s good in every way. He’s such a fantastic jumper and competitor. He’s definitely quirky in his own ways. He’s just the best.”

Then, Ashley McCaughan won the Senior Novice Rider division in the first recognized event for the well bred Diassini after a clear show jumping round moved them up from third to first to win on their dressage score of 30.0. The 9-year-old bay Holsteiner gelding is by Diarado, the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horse’s leading eventing sire in the world for past two years. He was bred by Georg Schrankl, the same breeder as Helen Alliston’s three-star eventer Call Me Rudi, and the Allistons sourced Diassini for McCaughan from Germany, where he was a show jumper.

“He didn’t know what cross country was until [this weekend], so it was a lot of fun,” McCaughan said. “And, he’s the sweetest piece of sugar in the world—unbelievable. So, this will be really fun.”

Jeanne Carley and Shannondale Fionn. Tina Fitch Photography.

The Bert Wood Novice Stakes concluded with Jeanne Carley capturing the Novice Amateur division with her longtime partner Shannondale Fionn on their dressage score of 30.6.

Carley’s first recognized event came at the Woodside Summer Horse Trials in 2007. “Dale,” a 13-year old bay Irish Sport Horse gelding (Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan x Shannondale Sacha), was originally produced by five-star eventer Daniel Clasing to a win at the Preliminary level in 2016.

“He took him Prelim in his 5-year-old year—four Prelims first through fourth in every one—he knew he had a brave horse,” Carley said. “I love Daniel. He’s very nice. Tell him if you see him how much I love this horse.”

Starting their partnership in 2017, Carley and Dale won the USEA Classic Series Novice Three-Day at The Event at Rebecca Farm in 2018. The Bert Wood Novice Stakes marked their first blue ribbon since, and Carley drew comparisons between it and the USEA Classic Series in terms of the experience lower-level riders get.

“I picked this sport up in my fifties,” Carley said. “So, just to get a feel of what it’s like to ride upper-level, which I would never do, to do a Three-Day was great. Everybody I meet, I encourage them to do a Three-Day. It gets the horse thinking forward. You get in-barn [exams], you get jogs, you get roads and tracks.”

She said that the Bert Wood Novice Stakes was about “celebrating the level where you’re at and being happy with that,” and added, “I just love the people in eventing, the whole crew. People congratulate you that are in your division but not even at your barn. The whole eventing world is wonderful, really supportive.”

There were 70 entries at the Novice level, making up the largest level and approximately 25 percent of the 271 entries at the 2024 Woodside Summer Horse Trials.

“Novice is really a foundational level of the sport,” Victoria Klein, a member of the Board of Governors of The Horse Park at Woodside, said at Saturday night’s competitor dinner. “We have so many entries, and it’s their participation that allows us to continue year in and year out. So, we wanted to do something to say thank you to the Novice riders.”

Tamie Smith and Lillet 3. Tina Fitch Photography.

Added Steve Roon, Executive Director of The Horse Park: “We’re just so lucky to have this community, and in our minds, it’s just so special. It takes an enormous amount of work to pull off a horse trial, and anyone who participates is generally appreciative. They know what it takes, and nobody assumes or takes it for granted. There’s this marvelous upswelling of appreciation from everybody in what they’ve experienced being able to compete here at The Horse Park.”

As part of the festivities, Wood rode a dressage test ride for the Novice level aboard Ebay, a winner at the four-star level and the Advanced champion at the 2022 American Eventing Championships with Helen Alliston.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever really had fun riding in a dressage test,” Wood joked. They scored 32.0, which would have put them in third in the Novice Amateur division.

“That’s my favorite level,” Wood said about Novice. “That’s where everyone starts out. That’s where everyone has the most fun.”

There was also a five-star connection with the Novice level at the 2024 Woodside Summer Horse Trials. As soon as she finished cross-country to win the Intermediate level with Lillet 3, Tamie Smith, the CCI5*-L champion at the 2023 Kentucky Three-Day Event, hopped on Kareena K to win the Open Novice division.

“Lillet” won the CCI4*-S at Kristianstad in Sweden with German Olympian Andreas Dibowski this spring before being purchased by Molly Duda, the 2023 USEA Young Rider of the Year, for Smith to ride. Smith and the 8-year-old dark bay Holsteiner mare (S.I.E.C. Livello x Princess L) have now won their first two events together, debuting with a victory at the Preliminary level at Rebecca.

“I feel very fortunate to have [the Dudas] part of the team and equally having found a horse like Lillet is even more exciting,” Smith said. “I will plan to spend the rest of the season at three-star level and aim for a long format this fall. This is my second show on her. We are still getting to know each other, but I will say she already feels like my partner.”

Smith said that “Kareena” (Cash and Carry x Namur III) reminds her of Solaguayre California (Casparo x Solaguayre Calandria), with whom Smith won the robust CCI4*-L at the 2022 Morven Park Fall International. Both mares are owned by Julianne Guariglia.

Tamie Smith and Kareena K. Tina Fitch Photography.

“She is a spitting image of her and has so many traits that ‘California’ had,” Smith said. “So, it’s a bittersweet feeling to be able to ride another special mare.”

Smith also praised Wood at the competitor dinner, saying, “I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to ride so many courses all throughout the world, and there’s nobody like Bert Wood who builds these tracks.”

At the same time, Wood makes sure to credit his dedicated team of cross-country builders, which included David Cathcart, Dwight Weinberg, and Glen Wood at Woodside.

“There’s no one person in this sport,” he said. “You’ve got to have opportunities and a team. They’re awesome. I can’t do it without them.” Following the Woodside Summer Horse Trials, the Woodside Fall International will take place from October 4-6 with short-format FEI levels offered up to four-star, along with national levels from Starter through Intermediate.

“One of the great things as I reflect back on these two days of competition at The Horse Park is all of the marvelous people that have worked so hard with their horses to be here and be able to compete, and it’s the joy you see in their faces as they finish their rounds,” Roon said. “It was the same for the people in Starter as it was for Intermediate. Eventing is very special in the equine disciplines, not only because of the versatility of the horse and rider to deal with the three different phases, but it puts a huge premium on the relationship between horse and rider as well.”

To view full results from Woodside’s Summer H.T., click here.

Bert Wood Novice Stakes To Be Featured at 2024 Woodside Summer Horse Trials

By on Jul 2, 2024 12:30 pm -

A Novice rider on the cross-country course at the 2023 Woodside Spring H.T.
The Bert Wood Novice Stakes will spotlight the level at the 2024 Woodside Summer H.T. Tina Fitch Photography.

The Bert Wood Novice Stakes will bring FEI-level prize money and a big-event atmosphere to eventing’s Novice level, as well as honor the extensive contributions that cross-country builder and designer Bert Wood has made on the sport, at the Woodside Summer Horse Trials from August 9-11.
Entries opened on June 25 and will close on July 23 for the second of three USEA-recognized events that will take place at The Horse Park at Woodside in California in 2024.

“The Horse Park has always been committed to the ongoing development of horse and rider in the sport of eventing,” said Steve Roon, Executive Director of The Horse Park at Woodside. “Each level has its own unique set of challenges that are a step-up from the previous level in terms of the height of jumps and complexity and precision of movements, and we want to honor how proud we at The Horse Park are of the dedication of riders and horses at each level of eventing. It doesn’t just magically happen, so we need to celebrate the work that got them there.”

The first event of the year at The Horse Park, the Woodside Spring Horse Trials from May 24-26, was highlighted by the inaugural Laughing Monk Modified Match. Modified Horse and Modified Rider divisions served as the event’s showcase classes, putting the spotlight on the Modified level that serves as a key stepping stone for horses and riders moving from eventing’s lower to upper levels.

Bert Wood. Victoria Klein photo.

The Horse Park’s final event of the year, the Woodside Fall International from October 4-6, will feature FEI competition up to the four-star level.

Organizers decided to make Novice the showcase level of the Woodside Summer Horse Trials to celebrate one of the lower levels of eventing that serves as a backbone for the sport. And, naming the Novice Stakes after Wood was a natural fit for the team at The Horse Park.

“What I appreciate is that he cares as much about the lower levels as the upper level,” said Victoria Klein, who serves on the Board of Governors of The Horse Park at Woodside. “He knows that the upper levels get taken care of, and he recognizes that it’s the lower levels that really support this whole sport. There are a multitude of entries that make it work, and he really wants to always give to them in the design and the interest of the jumps as best he can.”

The Bert Wood Novice Stakes will feature a total purse of $6,000 divided among the Amateur and Junior and Senior Novice Rider divisions. There will be a breakfast of bagels, lox, and mimosas served during show jumping in the Laughing Monk Grand Prix Arena on the Sunday of the competition. The event will also bring awareness to a charity founded by Bert and his wife, Kris—the Cowboy And Rousseau Animal Assistance Fund (CARAAF) that offers financial assistance for families with rescue dogs that have medical needs.

Victoria Klein (left) and Steve Roon of The Horse Park at Woodside honor the
contributions of Woodside’s cross-country building crew led by Bert Wood.
Tina Fitch Photography.

The knowledge Wood has brought to cross-country building and design over three decades in the sport is rooted in working with some of the giants of eventing: from Pete Costello, the first four-star (now five-star) builder at the Kentucky Three-Day Event; to apprenticing in England with Mike Etheringon-Smith, the cross-country designer for multiple five-stars and Olympics; to working alongside David Evans, Derek di Grazia, Captain Mark Phillips, Ian Stark, and more.

“We’re at 30 years of Bert building and designing on the West Coast,” Klein said. “I’m really happy to recognize this landmark and show him some well-deserved appreciation for what he’s done for eventing in the West. I’m not sure how many people know that he has built and designed at every venue in California and many beyond. He started many of the courses from dirt, such as Rebecca Farm, Twin Rivers, and Copper Meadows. When The Horse Park at Woodside reopened in 2005, he was starting the cross-country courses again from scratch for us. I’m also excited about celebrating and recognizing the true foundation of our competitions—the Novice level. I think the two recognitions are perfectly suited for each other. And who doesn’t like money purses, bagels, lox, and mimosas?”

The Woodside Summer Horse Trials will offer competition from Starter through Intermediate. There will also be team challenges for adult, intercollegiate, and interscholastic eventers.

Alliston’s Busy Weekend, Braitling’s Return with 5* Mount, and Kalkman’s Advanced Victory Highlight Twin Rivers Summer H.T.

By on Jul 1, 2024 9:30 am -

James Alliston and Addyson. Photo by Ride On Photo.

As he was finishing tacking up his horse in preparation to navigate the cross country course at the 2024 Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials, James Alliston expressed concern about navigating the 101 Freeway. That’s because as soon as he crossed the finish line aboard Intermediate level winner Addyson (Ampere x Nickerbocker) at 10:38 a.m. on Saturday—his fifth cross-country round of the morning with three at Preliminary and two at Intermediate—the West Coast-based CCI5* rider had to drive 185 miles on the 101 Freeway from Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, CA, to San Francisco International Airport to catch a 4:35 p.m. flight to Frankfurt, Germany.

“One thing at a time,” Alliston said.

In Germany, Alliston is scheduled to reunite with Karma (Escudo II x Travita), with whom he won the U.S. Olympic Team’s mandatory outing at the Stable View Summer H.T. in South Carolina one week prior, to be part of the Defender U.S. Eventing Team at the CHIO Aachen CCIO4*-S to be held from July 1-7.

“It’s exciting, and I’m really looking forward to it,” Alliston said. “I’ve not done that show, but everyone says it’s an incredible show. Cross country is very hard, I think, but the mandatory outing was a nice preparation.”

It’s certainly a robust time for Alliston, and the team at Twin Rivers ensured that it could be a productive event for him to ride five of his up-and-comers during a quick return to his home state before going back on the road.

“We created this weekend’s schedule to allow James to compete his five horses before flying to Germany,” Twin Rivers secretary Christina Gray of Gray Area Events said. “As a rider that is always so supportive of this venue, it was important for us to support him in keeping his horses and business going while chasing his team goals. We wish him the best of luck in Aachen.”

James Alliston and Addyson. Photo by Ride On Photo.

The Intermediate level won by Alliston and Addyson, a 13-year-old bay Oldenburg mare, with the quickest cross country round at the level was a who’s who of the best West Coast eventers. In second place were Twin Rivers-based Australian international rider Bec Braitling aboard Caravaggio II (Vangelis-S x Courtesan) in their first event since completing their first 5* together and Braitling’s first five-star in more than two decades at the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event.

“I thought that would be nice for him after Kentucky,” Braitling said about the first Intermediate that she and “Ernie” have done since 2022. “And at home, he’s always relaxed running here, so I thought that would be kind of fun. He felt just as fun as ever. After how nervous you get at the big ones, then this just felt so relaxed. I was like, ‘Don’t be too relaxed. You still got to ride around, you know.’ So, that was a good reminder. It was a great gallop. The ground was great. The course was really
educational. So, it was actually a really good run.”

Braitling said that she and Arnell Sporthorses’13-year-old black British Sport Horse gelding will next compete in the CCI4*-S at The Event at Rebecca Farm in Montana and aim for the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill in October.

Bec Braitling and Caravaggio II. Photo by Ride On Photo.

“So, this was a good ‘welcome back from Kentucky’ but also ‘get ready for Rebecca,’” Braitling said.

Finishing third at Intermediate was 2023 Kentucky 5* winner Tamie Smith aboard Sumas Tina Turner (Quantino x Sumas Fanny Brice). Smith took over the mount on “Tina” this year after Julianne Guariglia’s 8-year-old chestnut Irish Sport Horse mare was previously campaigned at the two- and three-star levels in Europe by Australian riders Isabel English and Kevin McNab.

“It takes a good solid 12 months to get a really good partnership with them,” said Smith, who also rode Pierre’s Farceur du Bochard (Con Air x Ariane du Bochard) at Intermediate as part of their first year competing together. “The horses I feel like gain confidence when they have a partnership with the rider, and it just takes time. Tina had done quite a bit in her early stage, Pierre not so much, and so I’ve just decided to keep them both at the level. I feel like I’ll be at that level for a bit until I have the partnership with them where they’re not asking questions so much.”

The highest level offered at the Twin Rivers Summer H.T. was Advanced, and Renee Kalkman, who came to Paso Robles from British Columbia, Canada, won with her 13-year-old chestnut Thoroughbred gelding Flame Eternal (Flammabull x Silmarillion).

Renee Kalkman and Flame Eternal. Photo by Ride On Photo.

Kalkman started eventing with “Charlie” after he finished a six-race career with one win in British Columbia, Canada, in 2015.

“Honestly, I kind of bought him sight unseen,” she said. “I had purchased his half-brother, and when I went to pick up his half-brother, I noticed Charlie taking a nap in the stall next to him. I just took a liking to him. I liked his personality and said, ‘If you ever decide to sell this horse, I’ll come back and I’d like to buy him.’ Then, I got notified that he was for sale because, honestly, none of the jockeys could ride him. They told me he wanted to buck and play more on the track than run.”
They quickly progressed to compete in their first FEI event in 2018 and moved up to three-star in 2019. They stepped away from competition when Covid hit until returning in 2023.

“He’s been amazing,” Kalkman said. “He’s never had a cross-country jump fault his whole career. That’s totally his game. He participates. He looks for the flags. It’s his game all day long. He loves it. He’s easy to go quick on because he keeps his balance all the way around the course.”

Renee Kalkman and Flame Eternal. Photo by Ride On Photo.

Twin Rivers’ first USEA Young Event Horse qualifier of the year took place with Brackenspa Valens (Renkum Valentino x Roxsette) and Braitling topping the 5-year-old division. The reigning 5-year-old West Coast champion, Camelot PJ (Colman x Hauptstutbuch Evita), and Andrea Baxter were fifth in the Open Preliminary division won by Get Wild (Plot-Blue x Cantana) and Gabriella Ringer, the winners of the CCI2*-L at this year’s Twin Rivers Spring International.

“This was a pretty serious Prelim course, and they handled it like they’ve done it a million times,” said Baxter, who also rode youngsters The Big Easy (Mr Lincoln B x PLS Hippo Q) and Adventure (Avos Jordan Z x Rockmount Lillie) to top-10 finishes out of 19 in the Open Preliminary division.

Twin Rivers Ranch will next host the Twin Rivers Fall International from September 19-22. Then, the Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse West Coast Championships will take place on October 25-26.

Twin Rivers Summer H.T. (Paso Robles, CA): [Website] [Results]

Woodside Spring Horse Trials Spotlight Development of Eventing’s Future Stars

By on May 29, 2024 10:00 am -

Patrons take in the Modified Match competition put on by Laughing Monk Brewery. Photo credit: Tina Fitch Photography

The Horse Park at Woodside created a five-star atmosphere for the inaugural Laughing Monk Modified Match that took place at the 2024 Woodside Spring Horse Trials. The goal of the Modified Match was to spotlight the Modified level that was introduced to competition at The Horse Park in 2023 and has made a significant impact on the progression of eventing’s rising stars since the level was introduced to the sport in 2017.

Amber Birtcil and Milagro (Good Fellow VDL x Easter) won the Modified Match Horse Challenge (31.6 finishing score) for their fourth blue ribbon in a row in the horse’s first year of eventing, and Sophie Tice and Viva La Vida (Versache x Daydream) captured the Modified Match Rider Challenge (26.0) after finishing second in The Horse Park’s inaugural Modified level held at the 2023 Woodside Summer Horse Trials. Approximately 450 spectators enjoyed Saturday night’s competitor dinner that took place in conjunction with the show jumping rounds that decided the Modified Match.

In addition, Taren Hoffos and Master Class (Cree x Night Destiny) captured the challenging Advanced level (71.0) in a victory that Hoffos said she hopes will be a stepping stone to future success at the four and five-star levels. Elsa Warble and FE Unlimited (Uriko x Viona III) followed up their success in the CCI3*-S at the Twin Rivers Spring International with a win in Woodside’s Intermediate level (35.6).

Stephanie Goodman and Elwenda DP (Westpoint x Wenderola P), the CCI2*-S winners at the 2023 Woodside Fall International, won the Open Preliminary division (22.5), and Whitney Tucker Billeter and NC Sky High (Afellay Z x Fandawest Titans Sky), a new partnership in 2024, won the Preliminary Rider division (24.9).
There were a total of 347 competitors across 22 divisions from Starter to Advanced, and a waitlist was needed for the first time in many years, according to organizers.

FROM THE WINNERS

Laughing Monk Modified Match Horse winner Amber Birtcil and Milagro with, from right to left, Victoria Klein and
Steve Roon from The Horse Park at Woodside and Sam Ghadiri from Laughing Monk Brewing. Photo credit: Tina Fitch Photography

MODIFIED MATCH HORSE – Amber Birtcil about Milagro, a 7-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding:
“The Modified Match is such a fun showcase for bringing horses up the levels. As it is, the Modified has been such a fantastic addition to our sport. Being able to showcase young horses in a feature class like this really helps with their education.
“I imported Milagro from Holland last fall where he had done the 1.10-meter jumpers previously. I didn’t start eventing him until this spring where he has really thrived. This will be his fourth win in a row, as he is turning into quite the competitor. ‘Mike,’ as we call him, has really been a joy to work with. I truly love
getting to ride and develop him and am planning a move up to Prelim later this year with hopes of keeping him for a bit for myself to ride.
“Woodside does such a superb job of putting on a well-run and beautiful event. I look forward to returning this fall to hopefully add another ribbon to Mike’s winning record.”

Laughing Monk Modified Match Rider winner Sophie Tice and Viva La Vida.
Photo credit: Tina Fitch Photography

MODIFIED MATCH RIDER – Sophie Tice about Viva La Vida, a 7-year-old Oldenburg mare:
“The Modified Match at Woodside was an incredible experience for Viva La Vida and me. Having a competition that is willing to hold a division that creates this kind of atmosphere is so beneficial to both the riders and the horses competing. This division was a big test to see how my young horse would handle such a huge atmosphere and the fatigue of stadium jumping after cross country, but I felt that she rose to the occasion in every way possible. ‘Viva’ gave me a very rideable dressage test, brave cross country, and super careful stadium round. I couldn’t be happier with how she performed and the professionalism she displayed on a bigger stage.

“Helen and James Alliston helped me acquire Viva in June of 2020 from Garyn Heidemann in Washington. She was turning 3 and just broke, but Garyn described her as one of the best-minded young horses she had come across. I had never personally trained a young horse from scratch and was very anxious to see if I had the knowledge and ability to do so successfully. Prior to Viva, I had only ridden a very experienced horse at the upper levels [Mojo]. With the incredible guidance from the Allistons, Viva is now successfully competing at the Modified level. She is incredibly smart, trainable, and, as red-headed mares can be, passionate about her job. I’m so grateful to have found a young horse that has made this development process so fun and educational. When it comes to the future with Viva, I plan on taking our time, listening to her, and enjoying the journey of progressing a young horse up the levels of eventing. Maintaining her confidence and joy for the sport is the most important goal for me.”

Taren Hoffos and Master Class. Photo credit: Tina Fitch Photography

ADVANCED – Taren Hoffos about Master Class, a 15-year-old Canadian Warmblood gelding:
“‘Chester’ was a true champion. I’m so proud of him. We’ve been working hard on our dressage, which he finds hard, so I was pleased with a sub-40 score to start off the show. His canter work was better than his trot work for the first time ever, which gives me a lot of hope for the future. Credit for the gentle upswing in our scores goes to my dressage coach at home, Tiffany Silverman, who has given me lots of great insight into how to ride the big, sensitive guy.

“Cross-country was truly the best thing. I walked the course and was pretty intimidated with the size and questions out there. I’ve never ridden a tougher track. Luckily, he’s as brave as they come and very honest, so I know that if I do my job, he’ll do his. I felt like I rode decisively and bravely, and he answered all the questions just as he should have. I’m still riding the high of that round!

“Show jumping was fun, another super tough track, but I feel so confident riding him. He makes the jumps feel easy. He was quite rideable but definitely a little tired; I think one rail was mine and two were his. He doesn’t have the most conventional style, so a lot of the show jumping is keeping the rideability,
which was a little hard with him feeling the task from the day before.

“Overall, I’m thrilled. This is our fourth Advanced together and certainly the hardest challenge we’ve had. I feel so confident for my future plan of running the CCI4*-S at Rebecca Farm this July, and the CCI-4*L at Galway Downs in the fall. Plan A looks like a trip to Kentucky for the CCI4*-S next April, the CCI4*L- at Rebecca Farm 2025, and then the CCI5*-L at Maryland next October. Fingers, eyes, and toes all crossed for the big guy to stay happy and healthy!”

Elsa Warble and FE Unlimited. Tina Fitch Photography

INTERMEDIATE – Elsa Warble about FE Unlimited, a 10-year-old bay Holsteiner gelding:
“Thrilling to win at our home event, one exit down the highway. I’m so proud of ‘Axel’ and all the work we’ve put in to get here. I’m so glad he got the recognition he deserves; he’s my horse of a lifetime. Of course, there are things to improve on, especially in dressage, but it was exactly what we hoped for—a confidence-building weekend and the win was the cherry on top. A big thank you to everyone who supports us, especially my coach Mickayla Howard, and my parents who make all of this possible. And also The Horse Park for putting on such a great event. We are looking forward to Aspen indditio a couple weeks, and if everything goes to plan, perhaps a trip to the East Coast in the fall!”

FROM THE ORGANIZERS

Steve Roon, Executive Director of The Horse Park at Woodside:
“The inaugural Laughing Monk Modified Match represents the growing commitment The Horse Park at Woodside has to the level we introduced last year, along with the addition of a CCI1*-S we ran for the first time at the Woodside Fall International. It represents a stepping stone between the lower and upper levels of eventing that’s approachable for a lot more members of our sport. Plus, we place a huge emphasis on the experience horses and riders can take away from our events, so our goal was to highlight the level as our signature show jumping class with a five-star presentation for horses, riders, and spectators is a way we felt we could make a positive impact for the sport. We’re so pleased with the execution and response. This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Laughing Monk Brewing and the dedication of all involved.

“In addition, we appreciate the turnout across all levels for a capacity show. It’s the first time in years that we’ve had a waitlist at one of our shows or seen a waitlist for a show in Area VI. We also appreciate that the USEA sent Margaret Marcus so that we could test their ShowConnect event management system at our event and provide feedback that will be helpful in enhancing the platform developed by the sport’s governing body. As a facility, The Horse Park at Woodside could not operate without Fernando Ramirez and his marvelous crew. They once again showed their dedication and commitment during this very busy weekend.”
Victoria Klein, Board of Governors of The Horse Park at Woodside:

“Eventing at The Horse Park at Woodside wouldn’t be possible without the local eventing community, and we pride ourselves on the fact that the events we host are truly community events. Because of the community support, we’ve been able to build new show jumps and cross-country fences. We’re committed to presenting them in the most effective way for the growth of our horses and riders thanks to expertise of cross-country designers Derek di Grazia and Bert Wood, along with their team of builders, and show jump designer William Robertson. Plus, Christina Gray and her team from Gray Area Events are essential to our success with all they do to run our horse trials that continue to get bigger and bigger. We’re grateful to play a significant role in how important the West Coast is to the sport of eventing as a whole in the United States.”

Amber Birtcil and Milagro. Tina Fitch Photography

THE MODIFIED LEVEL

After approval of what would become eventing’s seventh recognized level by the USEA Board of Governors in 2016, the first Modified competitions with jumps at the height of 3 feet, 5 inches were held in 2017, attracting a total of 28 starters. According to a study by the publication Eventing Nation, the number of Modified starters increased tenfold to 321 in 2018 and was 1,555 in 2022 when the level celebrated its five-year anniversary.

Four eventing venues in California now offer Modified, with The Horse Park at Woodside introducing the level at the 2023 Woodside Summer Horse Trials. Nadia Vogt and Castle Larchfield Purdy (Karistos x Hallo Purdy) won, a stepping stone for a new partnership at the time made up of a 17-year-old rider that had previously competed up to Training and a 21-year-old horse that had represented Puerto Rico at two Olympics with Lauren Billys Shady

LOOKING AHEAD

The Horse Park will next host the Woodside Summer Horse Trials from August 9-11. In addition to national levels offered from Starter through Advanced-Intermediate, there will be team challenges for adult, intercollegiate, and interscholastic eventers.

Then, the Woodside Fall International will take place from October 4-6 with short-format FEI levels offered from one-star through four-star, along with national levels from Starter through Intermediate. The CCI3*-S and CCI4*-S will be part of the 2024 USEF Futures Team Challenge, matching Team Bobby, led by U.S. Chef d’Equipe/Technical Advisor Bobby Costello, against Team Leslie, led by U.S. Emerging and Development Coach Leslie Law. The goal of the USEF Futures Team Challenge is to provide riders with an experience through education and competition that will prepare them to represent America on senior national teams.

Woodside Spring H.T. (Woodside, CA) [Website] [Results]

The full list of winners from the 2024 Woodside Spring Horse Trials:

Laughing Monk Modified Match Horse: Amber Birtcil and Milagro (31.6)
Laughing Monk Modified Match Rider: Sophie Tice and Viva La Vida (26.0)
Advanced: Taren Hoffos and Master Class (71.0)
Open Intermediate: Elsa Warble and FE Unlimited (35.6)
Open Preliminary: Stephanie Goodman and Elwenda DP (22.5)
Preliminary Rider: Whitney Tucker Billeter and NC Sky High (24.9)
Open Modified: Lauren Burnell and Freedom Hill (28.3)
Open Training: Megan McIver and Patito (27.8)
Training Rider: Paige Beauchamp Crandon and Fyfin Ramiro (28.6)
Training Amateur: Ruth Bley and Claas (23.6)
Open Novice: Elsa Warble and FE Kyoto (22.8)
Jr. Novice Rider: Sophie McCanna and Fernhill Vanguard (25.8)
Sr. Novice Rider: Karen Horn and My Mitch (26.9)
Novice Amateur: Nicci Guzzetta and Little Richard (29.4)
Open Beginner Novice: Tommy Greengard and Optimistic Sol (22.8)
Jr. Beginner Novice Rider A: Emma De Vos Benavente and Cat Ballou (25.6)
Jr. Beginner Novice Rider B: Lauren Kingel and When Starz Align (26.7)
Sr. Beginner Novice Rider A: Keri Simpson and Rocket Man (30.6)
Sr. Beginner Novice Rider B: Richene Havrilla and Razzmatazz (28.7)
Open Starter A: Sophia Kuzma and Valentine (20.3)
Open Starter B: Chloe Kischuk and Take That (21.7)
Open Starter C: Charlisse Weintraub and Tango Kitten (30.0)

Modified Match To Be Introduced at 2024 Woodside Spring Horse Trials

By on May 7, 2024 9:30 am -

Nadia Vogt and Castle Larchfield Purdy. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

After the first competition at Modified was held at The Horse Park at Woodside in California in 2023, the level will be under an even bigger spotlight with the Modified Match that will be offered at the 2024 Woodside Spring Horse Trials that will take place from May 24-26.

The Modified Match will bring additional prestige, as well as prize money, to the level that is making a positive difference on the development of event horses and riders.

“The Modified is a really important level because it allows horse-and-rider combinations to make a more gradual transition from the lower to the upper levels of the sport in a much more predictable and safer way,” said Steve Roon, Executive Director of The Horse Park at Woodside.

The Modified Match will offer Horse and Rider divisions. Dressage will take place on Friday, May 24, in a large dressage ring with two judges—something that would typically be seen at championships or FEI levels. Cross-country will be on Saturday morning, May 25, and then show jumping will conclude the level later that night in conjunction with the Modified Match Dinner next to the Laughing Monk Arena. In addition to FEI-style ribbons and prizes, there will be prize money that starts at $1,000 per division with an additional $100 per rider added to make up the total amount. (There will also be “regular” Modified competition offered at the Woodside Spring Horse Trials.)

“For The Horse Park, we feel that the level is important enough that it should be highlighted in a special way during our May horse trials and doing it late in the afternoon as our signature show jumping class as we’re also having an arena-side reception to really enhance the spectator experience for both spectators and riders as well,” Roon said.

After approval of what would become eventing’s seventh recognized level by the USEA Board of Governors in 2016, the first Modified competitions with jumps at the height of 3 feet 5 inches were held in 2017, attracting a total of 28 starters. The number of Modified starters increased tenfold to 321 in 2018 and was 1,555 in 2022 when the level celebrated its five-year anniversary.

“Historically, the gap between Training (3 feet 3 inches) and Prelim (3 feet 7 inches) was significant and caused issues for horse-and-rider combinations as they tried to leap that gap,” Roon said. “The other great thing about Modified is that it’s a level that’s approachable for a lot more members of the sport.”
Four eventing venues in California now offer Modified, with The Horse Park at Woodside introducing the level at the 2023 Woodside Summer Horse Trials. Nadia Vogt and Castle Larchfield Purdy (Karistos x Hallo Purdy) won, a stepping stone for a new partnership at the time made up of a 17-year-old rider that had previously competed up to Training and a 21-year-old horse that had represented Puerto Rico at two Olympics with Lauren Billys Shady.

“The cross-country was great,” Vogt said after the victory on her dressage score of 29.5. “I’ve never done Prelim, but I thought it was a very good step-up for Prelim. I like that it followed the Preliminary track, and the course rode really nicely. There were a lot of open spots to gallop. The jumps were really nice, big, and bold.”

Vogt’s observations were what the team at The Horse Park at Woodside had in mind when tasking Bert Wood to design and build a Modified cross-country course.
“It rode beautifully; people said it looked ominous, but then afterward they came off satisfied and had a great sense of accomplishment because it rode well and was so aligned with the Preliminary course that it was a good test to get them ready for that,” said Victoria Klein, who serves on the Board of Governors of The Horse Park at Woodside.

After winning Woodside’s inaugural Modified in what was their second event together, Vogt and “Purdy” did their first FEI competitions at the one-star level that complements Modified to conclude their first season together. They have moved up to Preliminary in 2024, a testament to the role the Modified level plays in the progression through eventing’s levels. With the eventing community’s support, the Modified and one-star levels have become a significant part of the vision for the sport at The Horse Park at Woodside.

“Building the Modified course was only possible through the donations of many of our riders,” Klein said. “I enjoy seeing the many jump plaques that acknowledge their commitment to our sport.”

Entries for the Woodside Spring Horse Trials close TODAY, May 7. In addition, The Horse Park will also host the Woodside Summer Horse Trials from August 9-11 and the Woodside Fall International with FEI levels offered from October 4-6. For more information, visit the Woodside website here.

First FEI Victories and Final Preps for 5* Hopefuls Highlight 2024 Twin Rivers Spring International

By on Apr 15, 2024 12:30 pm -

James Alliston and Paper Jam. Photo by Ride On Photo.

Veterans and young riders shined at the 2024 Twin Rivers Spring International in Paso Robles, California, during the event from April 11-14.

As they look ahead to five-star competition in the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event in two weeks, James Alliston won the CCI4*-S with Paper Jam and the Advanced level with Karma, and Bec Braitling and Caravaggio II had their prep as the only competitors in a special five-star combined test that was offered during the first of the two international events to be held at Twin Rivers Ranch in 2024.

Young riders Elsa Warble, Gabriella Ringer, and Mackenzie Davison won their first FEI events. Warble, 16, captured the CCI3*-S with FE Unlimited. Ringer, 20, won the CCI2*-L with Get Wild. Davison, 21, captured the CCI1*-L in her FEI debut with Lockdown JPL.

In addition, the CCI3*-L victory by Erin Grandia and Hyacinth marked the first victory in an FEI level for Grandia, who made her international debut in 2007. Megan McIver and Igor B won their second CCI2*-S in a row following victory at the Galway Downs International Horse Trials in Temecula, California.

THE VETERANS

James Alliston and Paper Jam. Photo by Ride On Photo.

The victory by Paper Jam in the CCI4*-S represented the first win for the 15-year-old chestnut Hanoverian gelding out of a Thoroughbred dam (Paparazzo x Reely Jamin) since the CCI4*-L at Galway in November 2022. After not competing in 2023 because of an injury, Alliston is now eyeing a return to the five-star in Lexington following the four-star victory at Twin Rivers on a final score 43.7 that saw them add just one rail in show jumping and time penalties to their dressage score. Alliston will also point the 10-year-old bay Oldenburg mare Karma (Escudo II x Travita) to her first CCI5*-L in Kentucky following a win at Advanced at Twin Rivers that saw them jump clear and add just one second of time in show jumping for a finishing score 35.0.

“They were both really good,” Alliston said. “It was a great course for a final Kentucky prep, and I was happy with how they felt.”

Because of heavy rain on Saturday, organizers moved the FEI cross-country rounds up to Friday, and all FEI show jumping rounds took place on Saturday.

“Conditions were tough today in the show jumping with all the rain, but they performed real well and I was very happy,” Alliston said. “Many thanks to the Baxter family and Twin Rivers for changing the schedule around to give the horses the best conditions possible and avoid doing [cross-country] in the worst weather.”

Paper Jam and Karma will be joined in Lexington by Caravaggio II and Bec Braitling, who did the five star combined test at Twin Rivers with a dressage score of 45.4 and had one rail and three seconds of time penalties in show jumping. Braitling and Arnell Sporthorses’ 13-year-old black British Sport Horse gelding (Vangelis-S x Courtesan) also did the dressage test ride for the four-star competition. Braitling said she approached the weekend from a strategic standpoint.

Bec Braitling and Caravaggio. Photo by Ride On Photo.

“All systems go!” she said. “My score on the flat wasn’t amazing as I decided to school some canter walks in the test instead of the four changes. It was great to get in the ring and ride the test in a show setting. Also the XC was about to start, so he was for sure conflicted which phase he was REALLY supposed to be doing! He jumped SUPER in the very wet conditions. I’m excited!”

In the CCI3*-L, Hyacinth and Grandia relished the move-up in level for their first win as a pair and her first victory in her 19th FEI event dating back to 2007. (Hyacinth’s previous victory in a USEA recognized event came at the Preliminary level at Aspen in Washington in 2021 with Erin’s husband, Marc.)

“Winning at Twin Rivers was extra special because my husband, Marc, and I base our business here for two months every spring, so it really feels like a win on home turf,” Erin said.

Erin Grandia and Hyacinth. Photo by Ride On Photo.

Hyacinth was second after a dressage score of 31.3, jumped clear with eight seconds of time penalties to move into the lead after cross-country, and added one rail in show jumping to finish with a winning score of 38.5.

“Hyacinth is really a long format type horse,” she said. “She is a strong galloper, so having that extra time and space to let her go a bit more was a great feeling. She’s so brave on cross-country and she makes it feel like she’ll jump anything she’s pointed at. The show jumping has always been our hardest phase and we’ve worked really hard on strategies to keep the rails up, so I was really happy with how she jumped today, too.”

Grandia, who took over ownership of Hyacinth in 2024, said she will point the gray Dutch Warmblood mare (Contendro I x Vesper) to the CCI3*-S at Aspen in June.
“I want to give a special thank you to her breeder, Jessica Rosch, who was a great supporter and owner for me for several years before allowing me the opportunity to take over ownership of Hyacinth this year,” she said.

Two weeks after winning the CCI2*-S at Galway, McIver and Igor B won the same level at Twin, finishing on their dressage score of 30.6. The 11-year-old chestnut Dutch Warmblood gelding (Vittorio x Erica B) is now based in California after competing up to the four-star level with Kristina Hall Jackson in Great Britain.
“One of my amazing owners, Leo Wang, purchased him for me as a next step for my career goals,” McIver said. “It feels as if the sky is the limit with him, and he has made quite the impression so far Stateside with back-to-back two-star wins at Galway and now Twin.”

McIver said she will move up “Rupert” to Intermediate and then three-star at Rebecca Farm in Montana.

“He is quite an exciting horse for the future,” she said. “Our partnership is relatively new. I’ve only had him here in the U.S. for two months. But, we seem to just be cracking on as a team.”

THE YOUNG RIDERS

Elsa Warble and FE Unlimited. Photo by Ride On Photo.

In the CCI3*-S, Warble and FE Unlimited were second after a dressage score of 32.0 behind the 2022 USEA Young Event Horse 5-year-old West Coast champion That’s Me Z (Take A Chance On Me Z x Venetia).

“Coming out of the court after our dressage test was a really special moment because it was one of our best tests yet, and I know there is still a lot of room to grow,” Warble said.

Then, the 16-year-old rider and 10-year-old bay Holsteiner gelding (Uriko x Viona III) moved into the lead by jumping clear on cross-country with the second-fastest round, adding just two seconds of time penalties. They were double clear in show jumping to win with a score of 32.8. McIver and Elle (Con Caletto x Vamp’s Tude) were second after also finishing second in the CCI3*-S at Galway.

“It means the world to me to win on ‘Axel,’” Warble said. “He truly is my horse of a lifetime. It’s been a couple of years in the making and to have all the pieces come together at Twin with all the people who have been there supporting me along the way—Mickayla Howard, Bec Braitling, and Tamie Smith just to name a few—along with the whole West Coast eventing community was really special.”

Gabriella Ringer and Get Wild. Photo by Ride On Photo.

This same event in 2018—then known as the Twin Rivers CCI, CIC & H.T.—marked the first competition together for Ringer and Get Wild. They were 14 years old and 6 years old, respectively, at the time. The dark bay Dutch Warmblood gelding (Plot-Blue x Cantana) was coming off a third-place finish in the 2017 USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships with Matthew Flynn as part of a promising 5-year-old class that also included future five-star horses Chin Tonic HS (Chin Champ x Wildera), Ferrie’s Cello (Chello III VDL x Karelza), and Miks Master C (Mighty Magic x Qui Luma CBF).

Ringer and Get Wild won their first event together at the Novice level. Almost six years later to the day, the 20-year-old rider and 12-year-old horse celebrated their first FEI victory in the CCI2*-L. They led after each phase and finished with a score of 27.4, adding just one second of time penalties in show jumping to the only sub-30 dressage score at the level.

“I am beyond proud of Get Wild this weekend and feel grateful to be his partner,” Ringer said. “He is such a special horse, and this win makes me excited about what we’re going to accomplish together. I was particularly happy with how we performed on a challenging cross-country track. He had plenty of run and felt really good out there. We have been working so hard on our partnership, and I am thrilled to have it come together in all three phases this weekend.”

Mackenzie Davison and Lockdown JPL. Photo by Ride On Photo.

On the other hand, Davison’s first event with Lockdown JPL at the final USEA-recognized horse trials held at Copper Meadows in Ramona, California, in September 2021 was not as auspicious. They had two jump penalties on cross-country at the Beginner Novice level. But, less than three years later, the 21-year-old rider and 8-year-old bay Irish Sport Horse gelding (KEC Maximum Joe x KEC Kingston) made their FEI debut a winning one, finishing on their dressage score of 26.2 in Twin Rivers’ CCI1*-L.
They also won at the Modified level at the Galway two weeks earlier, and it’s been a quick rise up the levels for the young rider and horse.

“I really came into this event just hoping to have a positive experience and ride my best,” Davison said. “My horse is still green and can get a bit overwhelmed, so at every show my only goal is to give him confident rides. We’ve had struggles in all the phases at some point over our time together, but this weekend I could really feel all the work we’ve been doing come together.”

LOOKING AHEAD

Megan McIver and Igor B. Photo by Ride On Photo.

Following the Twin Rivers Spring International, Twin Rivers Ranch will next host the Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials from June 27-30. The second FEI event in Paso Robles in 2024 will be the Twin Rivers Fall International from September 19-22. Then, USEA-recognized competition for the year will conclude with the Young Event Horse West Coast Championships on October 25-26.

The 2024 Twin Rivers Spring International marked the FEI debut for 2023 YEH 5-year-old West Coast champion Camelot PJ (Colman x Hauptstutbuch Evita), who finished third on his dressage score of 29.0 in the CCI1*-L with Andrea Baxter. Baxter was also 12th in the CCI2*-S with YEH alumnus The Big Easy (Mr Lincoln B x PLS Hippo Q) in the FEI debut for the horse she affectionately refers to as “Caesar” and “Yoda.”

“It’s been so fun to continue producing my two 5-year-olds,” Baxter said. “Caesar/Yoda/The Big Easy won the Safe Harbor Award at the championships. He woke up this spring so trained and cottoned onto the job. He has effortlessly stepped up to Prelim and stepped around the two-star with his eyes closed. He is so cool. PJ is a totally different type, more of a Ferrari and has become a little more careful as the jumps got bigger, so I opted to keep him at one-star for a little longer. I’ve never done a new style one-star, so that was a lot of fun and such a useful new level for developing future upper-level horses.”

The full list of winners from the 2024 Twin Rivers Spring International:

CCI4*-S: James Alliston and Paper Jam (43.7)
CCI3*-L: Erin Grandia and Hyacinth (38.5)
CCI3*-S: Elsa Warble and FE Unlimited (32.8)
CCI2*-L: Gabriella Ringer and Get Wild (27.4)
CCI2*-S: Megan McIver and Igor B (30.6)
CCI1*-L: Mackenzie Davison and Lockdown JPL (26.2)
5* CT: Bec Braitling and Caravaggio II (50.6)
Advanced: James Alliston and Karma (35.0)
Open Intermediate: Hanni Sreenan and Ebenholtz (42.6)
Open Preliminary: Rachel Brickman and Finally DG (24.9)
Preliminary Rider: Mickayla Howard and Miss Tique (32.1)
Open Modified: Tommy Greengard and I’m All In (26.5)
Modified Rider: Saulo Tristao and Kremer VD Falieberg (26.8)
Open Training: Amber Birtcil and Milagro (23.9)
Sr. Training Rider: Lauren Henry and Carel Cruiser (30.0)
Jr. Training Rider: Anya Ostrovsky and Coco Cassana (32.1)
Training Amateur: Reese Blinks and I’M Jaguar (22.9)
Open Novice: Tommy Greengard and Casa de Prestige (24.7)
Sr. Novice Rider: Christine Murphy and Made You Look (32.8)
Jr. Novice Rider: Josephine Clark and Cinzano (22.8)
Novice Amateur: Bari Boersma and Reverie GWF (26.4)
Novice Horse: Nicholas Cwick and O’Malley (29.7)
Open Beginner Novice A: Kaylawna Smith-Cook and Only-Else (29.4)
Open Beginner Novice B: Tommy Greengard and Optimistic Sol (22.9)
Sr. Beginner Novice Rider: Molly Johnson and Lexicon (27.1)
Jr. Beginner Novice Rider: Michaela Smith and Cashmaker (25.9)

Twin Rivers Spring International (Paso Robles, CA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring] [Live Stream]