Jan. 3, 2025
By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
Geñay Vaughn and Gino claimed the World Cup Grand Prix on a personal best score Friday to launch the newly created $250,000 United States Open dressage series at Thermal, California, the same show grounds where the 2025 final will be staged in December and just 100 miles from the proposed 2028 Olympic equestrian events site.
Geñay of Elk Grove, California and the KWPN gelding that had its 14th birthday three days ago, the official birthday for all Northern Hemisphere horses, were awarded 71.283%, the duo’s first Big Tour score above 70% to continue the pair’s success with a double victory in Thermal almost two months ago.
Kristina Harrison-Antell of Los Angeles and Finley, 15-year-old KWPN gelding, was runner-up on 68.131% with only four entries in the class.
The Freestyle scheduled for Saturday will determine both points toward qualifying for the World Cup Final in Basel, Switzerland in April where three of the 18 starting places are assigned to North America plus qualifying marks for the US Open final that was created by the US federation to promote equestrian sports for LA28.
Florida’s intensive winter circuit begins next week with a World Cup scheduled for the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington that has 10 rider and horse entries from six nations, including three-time Olympian Adrienne Lyle on her Paris Games mount Helix. The pair won their initial World Cup outing in Ocala, Florida last month.
All competitors–both United States and foreigners–can compete in as many of the 25 CDI3 and higher dressage events within the U.S. with the best six Grand Prix Freestyle results counting to be among the 18 finalists at the top rated CDI5* final in Thermal, California.
The series has been organized by U.S. Equestrian to create what the federation describes as “a commercially significant and identifiable championship model” for the three Olympic equestrian disciplines of dressage, eventing and jumping ahead of the 2028 Games.
The aim is to focus on growth in fans and followers and increased viewership across ESPN and the USEF Network.
Throughout 2025, Florida has 16 qualifiers–Wellington’s Global Dressage Festival with seven, Ocala’s World Equestrian Center with five, TerraNova in Myakka City 3 and one in West Palm Beach.
California has five–two qualifiers at Thermal plus the final and three at Del Mar.
Two are in Pennsylvania, at Quakertown and Devon. Lexington, Virginia and Sherwood, Oregon each has one to bring the total to 25.
Placings in CDI3* or higher Grand Prix Freestyle–1st 20 points; 2nd and 3rd places 17 points; 4th and 5th places 15 points, and 6th through 10th 10 points.
A score of at least 67% in the Grand Prix Freestyle is required to count for qualifying points.
The top 18 (19 if a tie) will be invited to the dressage final in Thermal Dec. 18-21 to compete for a minimum of $200,000 in prize money.
The schedule of 2025 qualifiers:
Jan. 2-5 DESERT DRESSAGE IV Thermal, California CDI-W & CDI3*
Jan. 8-12 GLOBAL DRESSAGE FESTIVAL I Wellington CDI-W & CDI3*
Jan. 16-19 GOLD COAST OPENER West Palm Beach CDI3*
Jan. 22-26 GLOBAL DRESSAGE FESTIVAL 3 Wellington CDI4* & CDI3*
Jan. 29-Feb. 2 WORLD EQUESTRIAN CENTER DRESSAGE VIII Ocala CDI3*
Feb. 5-9 GLOBAL DRESSAGE FESTIVAL 5 Wellington CDI-W & CDI3*
Feb. 12-16 WORLD EQUESTRIAN CENTER FEBRUARY DRESSAGE Ocala CDI3*
Feb. 13-16 DEL MAR DRESSAGE OPENER Del Mar, California CDI-W & CDI3*
Feb. 19-23 GLOBAL DRESSAGE FESTIVAL 7 Wellington CDI3*
Feb. 26-Mar. 2 PALM BEACH DRESSAGE DERBY Wellington CDI-W & CDI3*
Mar. 11-16 GLOBAL DRESSAGE FESTIVAL 10 Wellington CDI5* & CDI3*
Mar. 20-23 DEL MAR DRESSAGE AFFAIRE Del Mar CDI3*
Mar. 26-30 GLOBAL DRESSAGE FESTIVAL 12 Wellington CDI4* & CDI3*
April 3-6 TERRANOVA DRESSAGE I Myakka City, Florida CDI4* & CDI3*
April 9-13 WORLD EQUESTRIAN CENTER APRIL DRESSAGE Ocala CDI4* & CDI3*
April 10-13 DEL MAR NATIONAL HORSE SHOW Del Mar CDI4* & CDI3*
May 1-4 TERRANOVA DRESSAGE 3 Myakka City CDI3*
May 15-18 MID-ATLANTIC DRESSAGE FESTIVAL Lexington, Virginia CDI3*
May 21-25 WORLD EQUESTRIAN CENTER MAY DRESSAGE Ocala CDI3*
May 31-June 1 GINNY RATTNER MEMORIAL DRESSAGE Sherwood, Oregon CDI3*
June 19-22 DRESSAGE AT RHYTHM & BLUES CDI Quakertown, Pennsylvania CDI3*
Sept. 23-28 DRESSAGE AT DEVON Devon, Pennsylvania [CDI-W] & CDI3*
Oct. 16-19 TERRANOVA DRESSAGE II Myakka City [CDI-W] & CDI3*
Nov. 12-16 WORLD EQUESTRIAN CENTER NOVEMBER DRESSAGE Ocala [CDI-W] & CDI3*
Nov. 13-16 DESERT DRESSAGE II Thermal [CDI-W] & CDI3*
FINAL
Dec. 18-21 DESERT INTERNATIONAL HORSE PARK Thermal CDI5*
