US Equestrian Open Dressage Series winner, Anna Marek, rode Fayvel to the top of the FEI Grand Prix CDI5* ahead of the highly anticipated FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI5* tomorrow, which will crown the inaugural US Equestrian Open Dressage Final champion. The partnership topped the standings with a score of 70.804%, followed by fellow American, Ben Ebeling aboard Bellena who earned a 70.522%. Felicitas Hendricks (GER) and Drombusch OLD rounded out the podium on a 70.500%, with the top three just three-tenths of a percentage of one another, ensuring an exciting finish in tomorrow night’s final.

Photo – (©DevynTrethewey/US Equestrian Open)

“I am so excited for the freestyle tomorrow night,” said Marek after her test. “Fayvel’s freestyle is just so fun, and it always seems to get the crowd excited. I already, clearly, have a very excited Fayvel here for the crowd, so I think the music, as long as I can keep a lid on the energy, is going to be a great dance.”

On the Radar

Marek (Dunnellon, Fla.) put the US Equestrian Open Dressage Final on her radar with Fayvel, a 2010 KWPN gelding (Zizi Top x Houston) owned by Cynthia Davila, at the beginning of the year, targeting the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle in four CDI competitions together to earn their qualification berth. Ultimately, with two mounts competing at Grand Prix, Marek totaled 105 points at the conclusion of the qualifying season to earn the overall Series title and a $12,500 bonus.

“I had a very excited Fayvel to start the test and he started to settle as it went on. After the first extended trot I was like ‘Hey buddy, we need to get it together before this next movement,’ and after that the rest of the test just flowed so well. What I loved about it was the energy I had, and he was so rideable at the same time, which is the goal.”

Hotly Contested

Tomorrow, the duo will go twelfth in the order in a hotly contested FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI5* under the lights at the Desert International Horse Park. Of her freestyle, Marek noted the energy Fayvel brought into the arena this evening fits perfectly into their energetic and modern choreography and musical selection. The pair’s consistency has made them a force at the top of competition, earning scores in the mid to upper 70’s in each of their freestyle appearances so far in 2025, including a personal best score of 78.765% earlier in the season.

“My first impression of the venue, when I checked out the show arena, which wasn’t even completely set up yet, I looked around and just thought it was just one of the most incredible and beautiful venues I’ve ever been to,” she said of the atmosphere and venue of the US Equestrian Open Dressage Final. “Then when the ring was set up with all of the banners and the red, white, and blue flowers – it’s just so incredibly well done.”

Results | Order of Go

USEF Network will feature wall-to-wall coverage of the US Equestrian Open Dressage Final from Desert International Horse Park. Tune in to the action on USEF Network powered by ClipMyHorse.TV. Watch live for free with a USEF Fan account.

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