A multitalented “sweetheart” Iberian stallion new to the level this summer was crowned the Grand Prix Champion under rider Jorge Arauz during Friday night’s gala evening at the 2025 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®. The show takes place from October 30 to November 2, 2025, at its new home, World Equestrian Center (WEC) in Wilmington, OH.

Photo – Jorge Arauz rode the 11-year-old Lusitano London Do Vouga to the Open Grand Prix title at the horse’s fourth show at the level. (Sue Stickle Photography)

Of the 14 starters, Arauz coaxed the winning 65.036% performance in the Open Grand Prix Championship from Dulce Borjas’s charming gray Lusitano stallion, London Do Vouga, despite the 11-year-old’s inexperience. Two mares joined them on the podium: Kristin Wasemiller-Knutson and her 16-year-old Trakehner Vashti slotted into the reserve spot with 65% and Laura Abner finished third with 64.891% on her 11-year-old Danish-bred mare, Bellina.

Amazing Journey

“It has been an amazing journey with this horse,” said Arauz, who works for Borjas at her Los Encinos Equestrian Hacienda in Magnolia, TX. “He came to us from Brazil three or four years ago as a kind of average horse schooling second level for Dulce to ride.”

Arauz soon realized that London Do Vouga had the quality and talent for upper levels, and in a few short years he learned all the grand prix work. Borjas also earned her USDF silver medal on the horse 18 months ago. Finals was the horse’s third show at grand prix level.

“Honestly, we were very happy and humble to be here,” explained Arauz, who is originally from Nicaragua and now rides for the USA. “We are new in this, so we had no big expectations, but we tried our best and the test went really well — his best so far. Obviously, there’s always room for improvement, but from his breed the piaffe/passage are strong exercises for him. He’s a sweetheart.”

Future

For the past six months, while they made the step up to grand prix, Arauz has been London’s sole rider and has benefited from training with Rafael Soto as well as riders from the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art.

“Hopefully we will get him to some CDIs next season in Florida,” he added, “and we would like to get him qualified for the USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championship at WEC – Ocala in May of next year.”

Competition continues on Saturday, November 1, with 14 championship titles to be decided across the day and evening gala sessions. The full digital show program is available here. Follow the action via the USDF Facebook page, USDF Instagram page, and the US Dressage Finals website, plus live online streaming from the Sanctuary Arena on USEF Network with expert commentary from Kathy Connelly.

Check out the latest coverage of the 2025 Finals, including behind-the-scenes photos and daily releases here. Live results and start times can be found here.