The first real marker of the 2026 season has been laid down.

The Setters' Run Farm Carolina International always brings a good field, but this year it was stacked. Margins tight from the first phase, no one making the time, and a track that kept shifting the leaderboard right to the end.

Tamie Smith and Lillet 3 didn't lead it from the front, but when it mattered, they were the ones who delivered. Fastest cross-country round of the day, the only sub-30 finish, and suddenly a horse a lot of people hadn't seen much of is right in the conversation.

Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake put down a serious marker. Jennie Brannigan's FE Lifestyle does what he always does at Carolina. And further down, horses like Diabolo and Miks Master C ran exactly the rounds they needed to, with bigger plans clearly in mind.

Highlights

• Tamie Smith and Lillet 3 take the four-star win with the fastest cross-country round
• Margins tight after dressage, the top five separated by less than a penalty
• No one makes the time, across both jumping phases
• Caroline Pamukcu moves to the top of the US Open standings
• FE Lifestyle delivers again at Carolina
• Big names execute controlled runs with Kentucky in mind

Guests

• Holly Hudspeth

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