The US Equestrian Open Podcast

Personal bests in Dressage, a returning star in Eventing, and early clues from Wellington as Jumping inches toward its first five-star week. Susan Pape resets the Open benchmark, Jaguars Duende reminds everyone she's still here, and Lillie Keenan's depth becomes impossible to ignore nine weeks from the Final.
Highlights
Giulilanta goes top of the Open leaderboard
Jaguar Duende returns with a win
The 3* pipeline: why it keeps predicting future 5* horses
Week 5 WEF preview: who arrives and why it matter
Guests
Diarm Byrne, EquiRatings co-founder
Hosted by Annie Bishop

The new season is taking shape. With dressage already scoring, nine weeks to the first jumping final, and six weeks to the first four-star short, Annie Bishop and Diarm Byrne break down the early movers, the storyline shifts and the names establishing momentum across the Open's three Olympic disciplines.
From new partnerships winning straight out of the gate to returning eventers and a strengthening dressage field, it's the first real read on 2026 form and how the year may unfold.
Highlights
Lillie Keenan & Highway make an immediate statement in Florida
Scott Brash vs Kent Farrington vs string strength
Eventing entries resurface: Jaguars Duende, Possante, Cooley Candyman
Boyd Martin named International Rider of the Year and what that signals for 2026
Dressage heats up: Marek & Fayvel debut, leaderboard context, scheduling dynamics
The Open ecosystem: points, invitations, depth, and how pathways evolve
Guests
Diarm Byrne, EquiRatings co-founder
Hosted by Annie Bishop

The US Equestrian Open is back for 2026. With the new season underway and ten weeks to the first jumping final, Annie Bishop catches up with Diarm Byrne to unpack where the Open stands one year on, how the mission is evolving, and why the off-season thinking matters just as much as in-season competition. From unified storytelling across dressage, jumping and eventing to the early movers, breakout names and pathway shifts already shaping the year ahead, it's a state-of-play conversation to kick off the season.
Highlights
A 2025 debrief and what the Open learned in year one
The calendar: ten weeks to the Jumping Final, dressage wall-to-wall, and eventing six weeks out
Early jumping storylines: Lilli Keenan's string, Richard Vogel's choices, Vogel vs Farrington vs Brash
Dressage shake-ups: Indian Rock's record run, scoring changes, and Genay Vaughn's coast-to-coast trip
Eventing preview: Lucienne Bellissimo out early, Coleman's depth, and a rising U25 generation
What fans should watch next and why the season starts now
Guests • Diarm Byrne, EquiRatings co-founder • Hosted by Annie Bishop

There is something special about talking to a rider who has brought a horse all the way up the levels. The patience, the instinct, the thousand quiet decisions that shape a partnership long before the big results ever appear on a scoreboard. And for Kate Sand, 2024 was the year all those years came into focus.
From the three-year-old off the track with no real record to speak of, to a second place finish at Bouckaert, and a rise into the top four of the US Equestrian Open standings. This is a story built on feel, faith, and a horse who keeps proving he is more than anyone expected. A once in a lifetime type, even if he has not quite figured that out himself.
Highlights
The Facebook ad that started it all 
How a self described kick ride rewrote Kate's idea of what she wanted in a horse
Training with Ali Knowles and the early hints from Karen O'Connor that this might be a top level horse
The first step up to four star, what went wrong, and how the pair rebuilt with more confidence
Bouckaert, the test tweaks, the show jumping accuracy, and the cross country run that put them second fastest of the day
The plan for 2025, intermediate to advanced in Aiken, a likely return to Carolina, aiming at long formats, and why Morven, Bromont, and Rebecca Farm are each on the table
A look at Kate's small Kentucky program, her love of developing horses, and why keeping it manageable matters
Guests Kate Sand, US Equestrian Open rider, joined by host Annie Bishop.
Stay Connected
For the most up-to-date series calendar and latest standings, visit the official US Equestrian Open Series hub at usequestrianopen.org.
Engage with us on Instagram and Facebook — and use #USEquestrianOpen to join the conversation.

It's Thanksgiving Eve and we've dragged Jon Holling away from his turkeys, his Packers jersey and his very detailed holiday schedule. Between Bloody Mary debates, and the yearly "do we have enough food" panic, we get a real glimpse into Jon's world.
We talk horses stepping up, young ones learning the ropes, the long road to making them competitive, and what it actually feels like to build your own string from the ground up. 
A Thanksgiving special with all the good bits.
Highlights
Thanksgiving in the Holling house, from two turkeys to 25 guests
Why Zelda feels like the horse who changes everything
Producing horses from scratch and the long game behind it
The emotional whiplash between "I love this" and "why do I do this"
Friends, loyalty, and the people who keep you sane in this sport
What Jon would be doing if he hadn't ended up an eventer
Guests
Jon Holling - rider, coach, host of the John & Rick Show, professional Thanksgiving over-caterer and currently two horses deep into building his next top string.
 
Stay Connected
For the most up-to-date series calendar and latest standings, visit the official US Equestrian Open Series hub at usequestrianopen.org.
Engage with us on Instagram and Facebook — and use #USEquestrianOpen to join the conversation.