August/Septemer 2026 Issue

August/September 2026 | EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN 42 33 rd annual C apital C hallenge h orse s how SHOW PLACE ARENA | UPPER MARLBORO, MD September 23–27, 2026 USEF Regional Channel 2 Show Equitation Showcase presented by BIGEQ.COM September 28–October 4, 2026 USEF Premier Rated Hunters USEF 4* Jumpers CapitalChallenge.org This issue of The Feed looks back at the late-June, July and early August developments that are still shaping the rest of the season. Summer Heat Changes Everything Heat became an operational story, not just a weather complaint. In late June, New York reminded tracks and horsemen of its heat-management protocol, and Meadowlands canceled live racing on July 3. The same deci- sions are playing out at home barns and showgrounds, where horse people are adjusting shipping times, school- ing windows, turnout schedules and recovery routines. The old answer of simply pushing through no longer fits. ### Upperville Gives Virginia Its June Hunter Moment Upperville gave Virginia horse coun- try one of its signature June mo- ments under the oaks, with the 173rd Upperville Colt & Horse Show. The hunter ring carried some of the week’s strongest storylines: Sue Lyman and Kensington Court won the inaugural $25,000 Upperville Thoroughbred Hunter Derby, Amanda Steege and Lafitte de Muze captured the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby for the third consecutive year, and Scott Stewart rode Dr. Betsee Parker’s California Love to the Grand Hunter Championship. ### Lake Placid Carries The Northeast Into July Lake Placid again gave the Northeast summer circuit one of its clearest handoffs, with the Lake Placid Horse Show running June 23-28 and the I Love New York Horse Show following June 30-July 5. The two weeks remain a defining stop for hunters, jumpers and equitation riders, pairing FEI competition with the Adirondack setting that makes Lake Placid feel like more than another horse show. ### Colonial Downs Gives Virginia Rac- ing More Summer Weight Virginia racing is building a stronger summer profile. Colonial Downs opened its 2026 meet June 25 and runs through Sept. 7, with 35 stakes worthmore than $6.5million, an Aug. 1 Festival of Racing and steeplechase dates integrated into the meet. The NewKent track is becoming a broader platform for Virginia racing, Virgin- ia-breds, horsemen and fans. ### LochMoy Puts Young Riders InThe Spotlight The USEF Eventing Young Rider Championships at theMaryland Inter- national and Horse Trials at LochMoy Farmgave the East Coast ameaningful late-June eventing story. Held June 25-28 in Adamstown, Maryland, the championships brought young riders into a national-title environment across CCIJ1*, CCIYJ2*-S and CCIU25 3*-S levels. Individual gold went to Kennedy Langmo and Knock Out in the CCIJ1*-S, Lauren Crabtree and Derroon Diamond in the CCIYJ2*-S, and Sterling Pollard and Tinto in the CCIU25 3*-S. ### Maryland Adds An Aftercare Back- stop Maryland also added a welfare and aftercare piece. On July 1, the state’s new prohibition on the commercial slaughter of racehorses took effect, barring the slaughter, transport, sale or transfer of racehorses when a per- son knows or should know the horse is bound for slaughter, giving Maryland a stronger legal backstop as racing states are increasingly judged by their exit plans for horses. ### Saugerties Takes The Jumper Baton As Lake Placid wound down, HITS Hudson Valley kept the Northeast jumper season moving at Saugerties. July brought CSI competition, major grand prix opportunities and the weekly rhythm that turns a venue into a summer base. Daniel Bluman and Gemma W opened the Jumping Tour with a win in the $62,480 CSI3* Welcome Stake, while Roberto Teran started the tour with back-to-back victories. With FEI weeks stacked into late summer, Saugerties remains a serious proving ground. ### Tryon Turns July Into A Champion- ship Classroom Tryon International’s July strength showed through the Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Team Championships the feed AUG/SEPT 2026 Continued on page 54