Saturday evening’s Grand Prix Freestyle Open Championship on October 31 closed out the third day of competition at the 2026 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® in style, as Jennifer Truett was victorious with Absolute Dream. Taking place at World Equestrian Center (WEC) in Wilmington, OH, the show runs from October 29 to November 1, with 37 championship awards and more than $100,000 in prize money.
What started as love at first sight for Truett and the then-two-and-a-half-year-old “Dream” turned into exciting young horse development. The pair enjoyed success all the way up the levels to grand prix. Two years ago, however, heartbreak struck as Dream suffered a repeated colic episode that required two surgeries only seven days apart. It was a difficult situation for Truett as she balanced the dire condition of her horse with her responsibilities as a trainer and coach. As if that was not enough, Dream then contracted an infection in his incision, impacting the thickness of his abdominal wall even today.
Fortunately for Truett and Dream, they beat the odds. While he was rehabbing, Truett discovered Dream preferred a barefoot life. Along with an identified muscle disorder (Myofibrillar Myopathy, or MFM), the road back to grand prix was far from easy. Even still, they persevered to win the Open Grand Prix Freestyle and with it the Jazzman Perpetual Trophy, presented by Donna Richardson. Judges Ulf Wadeborn at H, Michael Osinski at C, and Cindi Wylie at B awarded the duo 70.017%. Their test featured an intricate floorplan designed by Karen Robinson that had been upgraded from their Intermediate II days and set to Imagine Dragons cover music by pianist Jennifer Thomas.
“He loves this,” said Truett of her 12-year-old Westphalian gelding by All At Once x Fürst Piccolo. “I’ve never had a horse that lights up so much in front of a crowd. Tonight, the crowd was going wild during his test, and he was just puffing up even more and getting the right kind of energy and passion. This week has been so emotional for me because we didn’t know what was going to be possible with him, but the way it has been going, I’ve really been on a non-stop party.”
Truett is actually a hometown hero, being based only 30 minutes away. In fact, she has been riding and competing at the WEC facility since long before it was known as such. Despite her familiarity, the venue still reflected the prestige of the week’s event.
“I am so happy to be here, and not just because it’s in my backyard, but because the facility is amazing,” said Truett. “The show has gone over the top with the decorations this year. I don’t remember it being this incredible and this luxurious ever. It is definitely a major championship feel here.”
Jessica Tate and Denali Find New Inspiration
Jessica Tate has a long list of accomplishments, but as her top grand prix horse has struggled with some health setbacks, the spotlight has shifted to Denali (by Don Nobless x Scolari). The 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Cackie Vroom is making the most of his stardom, strutting to the top of the Intermediate I Freestyle Open Championship in a Tina Turner-themed freestyle designed by Collier Wimmer of Three Wishes Freestyles. The duo delivered a strong test that started and finished with eights for the halts across the board from judges Ulf Wadeborn at H, Michael Osinski at C, and Cindi Wylie at B, culminating in a 73.025% final score.
“He’s an incredible athlete, but he can get pretty strong and powerful,” said Tate of her mount of six years. “Today, he really knocked it out of the park and was so with me and so powerful. He just lit up. It was a real testament to our newfound trust in each other.”
That trust has come from a little outside inspiration when Tate took Denali to a three-day Buck Brannaman clinic before Regionals a month ago. After practicing with their new approach, the result was a huge step forward for Tate.
“I was excited to come here and work on my new skills that Buck helped me with both on the ground and under saddle,” said Tate, who is based in South Carolina and qualified through Region 3. “I really wanted to feel that harmony, and the more I focused on staying present in every moment and giving him the ride he deserves, he just answered me with more and more athleticism. It’s been a pretty special weekend.
“Everyone is making this a really memorable Finals experience for each other,” she added. “It’s fun to see American dressage have a destination like this, where it’s inclusive, and everyone is supported. Every arena here is amazing. The footing is great. It’s an incredible facility.”
A Meant-To-Be Finish For Lydia Andrews
The stars aligned for Lydia Andrews to get the ride on Fantomas, and they followed that serendipity all the way from Maine to the First Level Adult Amateur Championship. Andrews acquired the 13-year-old Fidertanz x Donnerschlag Hanoverian gelding through the Dressage4Kids network two years ago when he happened to come available at the same time a stall in her trainer, Sarah Bradley’s, farm became open. A not-so-quick trip to Virginia to pick him up followed and, 24 hours later, Andrews and Fantomas began forging their partnership.
“The development that he’s had in the past year alone is incredible to me, because when we got him, he had been in a field for two years and hadn’t done much,” said Andrews. “We were really starting from the beginning. It’s been such a fun journey.”
Despite a bobble in which Fantomas had a little extra excitement in his movement, the pair earned several eights from judge at H Kari McClain, judge at C William McMullin, and judge at B Cindi Wylie on their way to a winning 72.639% out of an incredible 37 starters.
“We have been super consistent in our scores all year — some really good scores,” said Andrews. “It was always the dream, the hope, that we would win here. I wasn’t super sure, because there were some other really nice horses, so this is pretty surreal. It hasn’t sunk in yet.”
Erin Laurent Rocks to the Top
Erin Laurent, who is based in New Jersey and qualified through Region 8, and her own Juglans Y donned the winner’s cooler after earning 68.742% in the Fourth Level Freestyle Adult Amateur Championship from judge at H William Warren, judge at C Heidi Gaian, and judge at B Willette Brown.
“Debbie Marriott helped me design the freestyle, and it’s all 80s music,” detailed Laurent, who has brought along the 11-year-old Johnson x Duino Oldenburg gelding since the end of 2019 after her trainer Sara Schmitt sourced him. “I love 80s music. It’s a really fun test to ride and makes you smile. The second I got on today, I knew I was going to have a good ride if I could just ride clean. He was really with me. He really likes to show, and always steps up for me.”
Young Talent Matches Young Talent
Autumn Vavrick and One de la Fazenda, a seven-year-old KWPN gelding by Valverde x OO Seven owned by Eleonora Frey, were the only combination of 13 starters to break the 70% barrier in the Third Level Junior/Young Rider Championship, finishing on 70.250% from judges Kari McClain at H, William McMullin at C, and Kristi Wysocki at B, for the win.
“Out of all the tests this season, this was the one in which I trusted him the most,” shared Vavrick, 17, who majors in Business Administration at Oakland Community College in Michigan. “He’s so young, and he’s so talented and powerful. He’s a bit of a late bloomer, but he’s just grown in between each ride. When I got on him in the warm-up today, he was so forward and powerful that I wasn’t sure how I was going to manage it in the arena. I just took a breath and focused on riding every stride with the horse that I had in the arena. I decided to give him a little extra trust, and it really paid off.”
Vavrick’s triumph follows hot on the heels of her coach Laurie Moore’s win in the Grand Prix Open Championship on Friday evening.
“I was so excited to see Laurie win last night; it was really inspiring,” expressed Vavrick. “I’m so grateful for Laurie and Ellie, the owner, because this really is a team effort of trainer, owner, and rider; it’s not just one person behind a result like this.”
The Beginnings of a Blossoming Partnership
Victoria Kahn-Sinclair and De la Vie Bang trekked from New Hampshire after qualifying through Region 8 to make their US Dressage Finals debut. Together, they have spent a year and a half getting to know each other after Kahn-Sinclair imported the now seven-year-old Danish Warmblood mare by D’Avie x Blue Hors Zack from Denmark with help from Babsi Neidhardt-Clarke and Martha Thomas. With a more solidified partnership, the pair were ready to tackle the Third Level Adult Amateur Championship. They did so in great style, finishing atop the leaderboard of a whopping 35 combinations with a final score of 68.792% from judge at E Sandra Hotz, judge at C Teresa Stewart, and judge at B Beverly Rogers.
“This week has been a thrill, and it’s really beyond what I could have looked toward,” enthused Kahn-Sinclair, who receives guidance from trainers Jacalyn Smith and Susanne Hamilton. “I am so happy with her; she’s fabulous. She has been so good here. Today, she was relaxed and confident, and I was really proud of that. I would love to try to keep developing her toward grand prix. I’ve never gotten there, so it would be really exciting if I could do it with her.”
Half-Arabian, All Star-Power
The 13-year-old Lucy Dawson, from Indiana in Region 2, and Donna Bella CS have been partnered together for almost three years, but they spent the first two years showing on the Arabian circuit. Now, they are making their mark in the dressage arena with a win in the First Level Junior/Young Rider Championship to close out their time at the level. Their 69.630% test finished on a high note with 7.5s and eights from judges Brian MacMahon at H, Heidi Gaian at C, and Willette Brown at B to best 11 combinations. The pair has already competed in the FEI Children’s division and, with the guidance from trainers Jennifer Kaiser and Fatima Kranz, Dawson has big aspirations to continue their progression.
“She’s really smart, she loves treats and attention, and loves to be loved on — plus she’s a quick learner,” described Dawson of her 10-year-old half-Arabian mare by Don de Marco. “I’ve taught her a few tricks, like how to give fist bumps, hugs, and kisses, and we’re working on bowing.”
Competition concludes on Sunday, November 1, with the final 10 championship titles to be awarded, all of which are livestreamed on USEF Network via ClipMyHorse.TV. Follow all the action via the USDF Facebook page and USDF Instagram page. Full results are published live on HorseShowOffice.com.
Out and About
Photos by Amanda Morse, Kevin Reinig, and the USDF team
Along with presenting sponsor Adequan®, the 2026 US Dressage Finals is supported by SmartPak and Platinum Performance. Contributing sponsors include Premier Equestrian, Sterling Thompson Equine, Schneiders, and Nutrena. Learn more by visiting the US Dressage Finals website.
