The US Equestrian Open Podcast

Fresh off Mars Badminton Horse Trials, the focus shifts across the Atlantic, and the road to Aachen is starting to take shape.

On this week's U.S. Equestrian Open Podcast, Annie Bishop and Diarmuid Byrne look back at a huge weekend for the U.S. eventing scene, as Will Coleman and Off The Record remind everyone exactly why great horses never go out of style, while Tamie Smith and Danito deliver a statement win at Tryon that could shape the rest of the Open season.

There's also a look at the current series leaderboard, why Tamie may already hold the winning hand, and what the next few months could mean for the race to the final.

Plus, in jumping, Kent Farrington is back at world number one, new nine-year-old stars are emerging, and with Rome, Aachen, and championship selections on the horizon, the summer is starting to get very interesting.

Highlights

• Will Coleman and Off The Record return in style
• Tamie Smith and Danito lay down a serious marker at Tryon
• Why Diarm thinks Tamie wins the Open from here
• The next generation of U.S. jumping stars starts to emerge
• Kent Farrington back to world number one
• Aachen storylines building across eventing, jumping, and dressage

A busy stretch across the US Equestrian Open, and the picture is starting to take shape.

In jumping, Kent Farrington's run continues, building momentum through the Major League season and bringing new horses into the spotlight alongside proven ones. The depth is growing, and so is the pressure around team selection heading into a championship summer.

In eventing, Tryon delivers another strong four-star field, with established names, emerging combinations, and real questions around tactics, fitness, and timing as riders look ahead to what comes next.

And in dressage, a shifting leaderboard after TerraNova sees new combinations stepping forward, with limited qualifiers left and every result starting to matter.

Across all three disciplines, the same theme is emerging. Depth, momentum, and decisions that will shape the rest of the season.

Highlights

• Kent Farrington's form and the emergence of new jumping stars
• Major League momentum and the race toward team selection
• Strong, competitive fields continuing at four-star level in eventing
• Tryon as a key checkpoint for horses and riders building toward summer goals
• A tightening dressage leaderboard with fewer chances to qualify
• The growing importance of each result across all disciplines

Kentucky reshapes the US Equestrian Open.

Annie Bishop and Diarmuid Byrne break down a weekend that delivered across all fronts, with Tamie Smith and Lillet 3 taking the four-star win and making a major move in the standings as the series passes halfway.

From a dressage phase that ran higher than expected, to a cross-country test where time became decisive, to a final day that proved costly, this was a competition that kept building. Lillet answers the biggest questions, while others show both promise and pressure at the level.

Beyond eventing, the weekend also delivered in jumping and dressage, with Kent Farrington taking a major win in a stacked field, and Ashley Holzer moving into the lead in the dressage standings.

• Tamie Smith and Lillet 3 take the four-star win and maximum Open points
• How Kentucky reshapes the Open leaderboard
• Dressage trends, scoring higher than expected
• Cross-country time as the key influence on the result
• Standout performances from rising combinations
• Kent Farrington wins in a top-level jumping field
• Ashley Holzer moves into the lead in the dressage standings

From Greya rising to the top of the Elo rankings to a wide-open Kentucky ahead, this is the moment the U.S. Equestrian Open starts to take shape.

The four-star short takes centre stage as one of the most competitive qualifiers of the series, while the five-star arrives without its usual repeat winners, leaving the door open for a new name to step forward. Across dressage and jumping, recent results continue to shift the leaderboard and build momentum toward the final.

Highlights

• Greya becomes the highest-rated horse on Elo in the U.S.
• Why Kentucky is a defining week in the Open calendar
• A deep, unpredictable four-star short field
• A five-star set for a new winner
• Leaderboard movement across all three disciplines

A World Cup final on home soil, and Kent Farrington gets it done with Greya the Great.

They lead from day one and see it through, while Katie Dinan works her way onto the podium and the US field shows just how much depth there is right now.

From there, attention turns to Kentucky, with final prep runs at Ocala and Fair Hill and plenty still to take shape.

Highlights

• Kent Farrington and Greya win the World Cup Final
• Why leading after day one continues to matter
• Katie Dinan's podium finish
• Strength in depth across the US field
• Kentucky prep runs at Ocala and Fair Hill

It's been one of those weekends where the leaderboard didn't just hold… it shifted.

At Stable View, Lucienne Bellissimo went out and did exactly what she said she would, win. A finish on her dressage score, which we know is very hard to do in this series, and suddenly the gap at the top feels a lot tighter.

Now the focus turns to Fort Worth and the World Cup Finals. A different kind of pressure, a championship format, and a chance to see how some familiar Open names stack up on a bigger stage.

Plus, we chat with Tommy Greengard, who's season is off to a strong start. From time spent in the UK to the way he's producing his horses now, this is a conversation about building confidence, gaining experience, and putting the pieces in place for what comes next.

Highlights

• Lucienne Bellissimo wins at Stable View, finishing on her dressage score in a rare FOD
• Major leaderboard shake-up as the Open race tightens heading into spring
• World Cup Finals preview, format, key contenders, and what to expect in Fort Worth
• Tommy Greengard on his early-season form, UK experience, and producing horses for the top level

Guests

• Charlotte Smet - EquiRatings Jumping Analyst & Podcast Host
• Ali Barrett - EquiRatings AI & Sports Media Analyst
• Tommy Greengard - West Coast event rider producing top-level horses

It came down to the final fence.

The U.S. Equestrian Open Final delivered exactly what the sport hopes for, a packed crowd, real atmosphere, and a finish that could have gone either way. In the end, it stayed at home, with Kent Farrington and Greya taking the title in front of a crowd that felt every stride.

This episode looks back at what made Wellington work, from fan engagement to the feeling of a true showpiece event, and why moments like this matter for the sport. There's also a look ahead, following the key combinations as the season builds towards Aachen, and checking in on the Open standings across eventing and dressage.

Highlights

• Kent Farrington and Greya's win under pressure
• The jump-off that came down to one moment
• Why Wellington feels different and why it works
• The next challengers, and where the season goes from here
• Updates from eventing and dressage Open divisions

The US Equestrian Open Final in Wellington is upon us.

We break down the contenders, where the US challenge really sits on home soil, and which combinations come in with the kind of form that usually wins a class like this. There's a close look at the jump-off picture too, and how the order of go could shape the result before a fence is even jumped.

Highlights:

• The depth of this Wellington field
• The main contenders and current form
• The US challenge on home soil
• The jump-off picture and order of go
• Podium predictions

The final week in Wellington has arrived, and with it, the US Equestrian Open Jumping Final. A field building towards something potentially historic, where strength, depth and strategy all collide.

This episode sets the stage. From how the qualifiers will shape the final field, to the riders and horses already circling this as a target, it's a look at what makes this week different, and why it matters.

Beyond Wellington, there's a standout weekend across the other Open disciplines. Carolina delivered one of the strongest four-star fields seen in the US, with Tamie Smith and Lillet 3 stepping forward in a big way, while the leaderboard begins to take shape. In dressage, momentum continues to build, with new names rising and combinations improving week by week. Read about Wellington's field strength: https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/stand-by-for-the-strongest-ever-wellington-grand-prix

Read The Open Weekly: https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/the-open-weekly-grand-prix-arrives-new-series-leaders

• What defines the Wellington final and why this week stands apart
• How qualifiers and rider strategy will shape Saturday night
• Key contenders, storylines and horses to watch
• Tamie Smith and Lillet 3 win a stacked Carolina four-star
• Frederic Wandres leads dressage after back-to-back wins

Follow the US Equestrian Open coverage: https://www.usequestrianopen.org

The final is nearly here.

After weeks of five-star form, big moments, and small clues, everything now points to Wellington. The Rolex US Equestrian Open Jumping Final is just around the corner, and the field is starting to take shape.

In this episode, the focus is on what we've seen so far, the horses building momentum, and the riders who could be peaking at exactly the right time. From standout form across the Atlantic to the names consistently delivering in Wellington, the picture is becoming clearer.

Alongside that, attention turns to Carolina International, where a stacked four-star field brings together returning winners, rising combinations, and key Kentucky contenders in one of the most competitive early-season tests.

Highlights

• The form lines shaping the Jumping Final
• Horses and riders building momentum at the right time
• What to watch in the final weeks before Wellington
• A deep dive into the Carolina International field

Guests

• Annie Bishop – US Equestrian Open host
• Diarmuid Byrne – EquiRatings co-founder