Taylor Bradish is a 3* Single Horse Division Winner at Combined Driving at TerraNova

Taylor Bradish, from South Carolina, and the 10-year-old gelding Mister Chip, won the 3* Single Horse division at the Combined Driving Event (CDE3*) at TerraNova, in Myakka City, Florida, over the weekend. Despite knocking down a ball late in the cones course on the final day, Sunday, January 25, Bradish and the Dutch Warmblood Mister Chip took the win in the pair's first 3* together.

NIne drivers started in the competitive 3* division, with eight finishing. Leslie Berndl and Impressive, in first place after dressage, were eliminated in marathon Saturday after an uncorrected course error at obstacle four. Bradish and Mister Chip were fourth after dressage.

It was the second year the event was held at TerraNova.

The future for Taylor Bradish and Mister Chip

It was the Dutch Warmblood's first time competing at the level, abd Bradish was driving for Mister Chip's owners, Tim and Gayle Novak. Tim Novak has competed Mister Chip to the 2* level.

According to a press release by Amber Heintzberger for TerraNova Equestrian Center, Bradish offered the following about Mister Chip.

“I think he’s a really strong three-phase horse. He’s a cones machine!" Bradish said about Mister Chip. "I did one small warm-up show with him, but other than that I hadn’t competed him before this. He’s an experienced horse - not with me and not with this level - but he feels good at this level. There’s a lot of tweaking and things to iron out, but so far so good.” 

Bradish plans to take him to the Live Oak CDE in March and then to Tryon, NC for the Katydid CDE, which will also be the National Championships for 3* Single Horses.  

“We need the three selection events and then I’d like to take him to Europe and get him more experience,” she explained.  

Other division winners include:

Sara Schmitt and FVFP Regal Enforcer won the Prelim Single Horse division.

Denise Hinder and Aelfleah Meingledd won the Intermediate Single Pony division.

Amanda Burcar-Annis and Donnacella PWR won the Training Single Pony division.

Four-in-Hand World Champion Chester Weber puts two new horses to the test

Chester Weber, the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games winner of Team Gold and Individual Silver, was the only competitor in the 3* Horse Team division, gaining valuable experience with two new horses to his team. Weber, whose Live Oak Farm in Ocala is a top U.S. driving destination, has his sights set on competing in the World Championships for Four In Hand Horses in Aachen, Germany, this year.

Weber secured his 22nd USEF Advanced Four-in-Hand Horse Combined Driving National Champion title in 2025.

Bradish's rise in combined driving

Bradish started her partnership with Katydid Duchess in 2016, beginning with training level combined driving events. They gradually moved up the ranks to the advanced and FEI level. They won their first USEF Advanced Single Horse Combined Driving National Championship at Live Oak International in 2020. Later that year, they were selected to represent the U.S. at the 2020 FEI Driving World Championship for Single Horses in Pau, France, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bradish and Katydid Duchess won the 2021 and 2022 USEF Advanced Single Horse Combined Driving National Championships. The pair were named to the U.S. team for the 2022 and 2024 FEI Combined Driving World Championship. Bradish then sold the now 17-year-old mare to Australian Boyd Exell, currently FEI Driving World Cup No. 1. Bradish has trained with Exell.

Photo courtesy of Shannon Brinkman Photography