November/December 2026 Issue

November/December 2026 | EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN 42 Phone: 607-375-9962 | Email: service@equi-analytical.com Colder weather is coming, but hay testing is all year long. Balance your horse’s diet correctly, catch problems that can affect your Cushing’s horse, or check hay quality. All of this is possible by sending a sample to Equi-Analytical for testing! Scan the QR code to learn more. Hay, It’s Not Too Late! Devon Belongs To Kohmann And Sonata MF Kevin Kohmann and Sonata MF won Dressage at Devon’s World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle, leading a weekend that also celebrated Erin Nichols, Silva Martin and an impressive group of de- veloping horses. Carl Hester’s well-de- livered masterclass completed a Devon program that looked equally toward today’s winners and tomorrow’s stars. ### ScrewwormReaches AmericanHorses Confirmed New World screwworm cases in horses in Texas and New Mex- ico moved the threat from warning to reality. Owners nationwide are being urged to inspect horses closely, treat wounds promptly, strengthen fly control and follow official movement guidance. Good barn practice has become front- line biosecurity. ### Greenwich Strengthens Its Place On The Calendar Daniel Bluman and Corbie V.V. won the CSI Greenwich Grand Prix at Connecti- cut’s Greenwich Polo Club. With inter- national sport, strong hospitality and proximity to the region’s largest eques- trian markets, Greenwich continues to establish itself as an important autumn stop before the winter circuits begin. ### Equitation Takes Center Stage In Maryland Natalie Wheeler and Quintago won the North American Adult Amateur Equi- tation Championships, while Caroline Schuttemeyer and CC Umami topped the North American Junior Equitation Championships. Their victories helped open another busy Capital Challenge, where precision and preparation re- main the currency of the ring. ### Spencer And Valkyrie Deliver At Plantation New Zealand Olympian Monica Spen- cer and Valkyrie won the CCI4*-S at Plantation Field International in Union- ville, Pennsylvania. The pair’s victory came as leading combinations used the influential autumn fixture to test their preparation ahead of the season’s remaining long-format championships. ### Driving Claims The Spotlight At Tryon Tryon International hosted the USEF Combined Driving National Champi- onships for ponies and para driving in September. The North Carolina fixture awarded national titles while giving two demanding disciplines something they rarely receive: a major venue, a cham- pionship setting and wider attention. ### Eventing Builds A More Affordable Entry Point USEA and US Equestrian introduced USEF Endorsed competition levels designed to reduce costs and make rec- ognized eventing more accessible. The structure offers organizers and com- petitors a lower-cost pathway into the sport without immediately assuming every expense attached to traditional licensed competition. ### Mars Puts $500,000 Behind Event- ing’s Future Jacqueline Mars pledged $500,000 in matching funds to grow the USEA Foundation’s unrestricted endowment. The campaign will support the less visible architecture of the sport—edu- cation, safety, grants and development programs that must remain strong long after any single competition season ends. ### Darwinn Earns A Path To Le Lion Darwinn, owned by Caroline Moran and ridden by Phillip Dutton, is the likely recipient of the Holekamp/Turner Grant and Dutta Corp. prize. The sup- port will help send the seven-year-old to France for the FEI World Breeding Eventing Championships at Le Lion d’Angers. ### Chattahoochee Hills Invests In Un- der-25 Riders Bouckaert Farm in Georgia is adding dedicated U25 divisions at the one-, two- and three-star levels, beginning with its October international horse trials. Continuing through the venue’s 2027 FEI calendar, the program gives developing riders a clearer bridge into upper-level sport. ### USHJACreates ANewGathering Place USHJA will hold its inaugural Sport & Education Conference December 7–10 in Orlando. Combining education, fo- rums, rule discussions, networking and association business, the conference is designed to bring riders, trainers, officials, owners and competition managers into the same conversation. ### the feed Nov/Dec 2026 Continued on page 44