Both Emily O’Neill and Katrina Heilbroner came hot off Second Level Regional Championship wins in their respective regions and repeated the feat at the 2025 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®.

Heilbroner rode Odanse GS, her own six-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare to the top of the leaderboard with 72.842% in the Second Level AA Freestyle. The private chef edited her Adele and Madonna music together herself. Heilbroner, who trains with Jannike Gray and Heather Mason, won the AA Training Level Championship in 2024 on the Franklin x Vivaldi mare.

Photo – Katrina Heilbroner’s Franklin mare Odanse GS, who won the AA Training Level Championship in 2024, topped the Second Level AA Freestyle this year with 72.842%. (Sue Stickle Photography)

Emily O’Neill rode two horses into the top 10 in the Second Level Open Freestyle, claiming the winner’s sash on MW Empire (pictured) and fifth place on the 13hh Fiddlemaker’s Line Drive. (Photo: Sue Stickle Photography)

O’Neill captured both the blue ribbon in the Second Level Open Freestyle and fifth place on Lory Eighme’s 13hh Dartmoor pony stallion, Fiddlemaker’s Line Drive. Her winning ride came on Johanna Walters’ six-year-old MW Empire, with 75.798%. She has ridden the Escamillo x San Amour gelding since finding him as a just-backed three-year-old at his breeder Jen Vanover’s Maplewood Warmbloods.

“The test felt great, and I knew he could do it,” said the Elverson, PA-based rider, who also runs marathons. “To have it all come together in the right moment was really cool. It can be stressful, but I love riding freestyles,” said O’Neill, who was one of the dozens of combinations her trainer Heather Mason has a hand in helping at the 2025 Finals.

All Grown Up

“Empire came to Finals as a four-year-old at training level, and he’s really grown up since then,” added O’Neill, who rode to music from Imagine Dragons made by Terri Gallo. “He’s done really well with this freestyle all year. The floaty music suits him and brings out his special gaits.”

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.