Anna Marek Captures Inaugural US Open Dressage Series Title with Fire Fly and Fayvel

Anna Marek captured the inaugural US Open series after the last of 25 qualifying competitions.

Ecuador's Julio Mendoza Loor on Jewel's Goldstrike wrapped up the last event with a victory in the Grand Prix Freestyle at the Tryon, North Carolina CDI3*, and squeaked into the top 18.

Anna of the Ocala area community of Dunnellen earned a total of 105 points based on her six highest scoring freestyles. She competed Fire Fly, which she rode on the U.S. gold medal team at the 2023 Pan American Games, and Fayvel that Anna competed at the 2024 World Cup Final. Both horses are 15-year-old KWPN geldings.

Ebeling, Eckroth, Harrison-Antell and Kohmann

Benjamin Ebeling of Wellington, Florida, on the 15-year-old Hanoverian mare Bellena claimed reserve with 94 points accumulated from five musical performances that included three victories.

Eline Eckroth of Ocala, Katrina Harrison-Antell of Los Angeles, and Kevin Kohmann of Wellington tied for third on 86 points.

The series is part of a US federation program dedicating $1 million for the three Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing, and jumping. Dressage was allocated $250,000 with $50,000 split among the top 18 series placings and $200,000 for the top 18 to be invited to the CDI5* final at Thermal, California Nov. 13-16.

Anna earns $12,500 for taking the series title, Ben gets $7,500, $6,500 goes to third with lesser amounts for the rest of the 18 places.

Anna, Ben, and Katrina confirmed that they intend to compete in the final.

However, Eline Eckroth is staying home to prepare for the competitive Florida winter circuit, while Kevin Kohmann and sixth-placed Evelyn Eger of Germany, who qualified during Wellington's Global Dressage Festival last winter, have entered a €300,000/US$350,000 World Cup event in Mexico the week before the US Open final.

The last event was of only three combinations, won by Julio on Jewel's Goldstrike on 76.190%. He is based in North Carolina and became the first dressage rider from Ecuador to compete in an Olympics which he did at Paris last summer. Laine Ashker of Chesterfield, Virginia on Zeppelin was awarded 72.955% for runner-up.

Series top 18:

1. Anna Marek USA 105 points

2. Benjamin Ebeling USA 94

3. Eline Eckroth USA 86

3. Katrina Harrison-Antell USA 86

3. Kevin Kohmann USA 86

6. Evelyn Eger GER 85

7. Geñay Vaughn USA 80

8. Karen Lipp USA 77

9. Devon Kane USA 74

9. Denielle Gallagher CAN 74

11 Brittney Simpson CAN 66

11 Nadine Schwartzman USA 66

13 Jennifer Williams USA 65

13 Charlotte Jorst USA 65

15 Felicitas Hendricks GER 64

15 Günter Seidel USA 64

15 Camille Carier Bergeron CAN 64

18 Adrienne Lyle USA 57

18 Julio Mendoza Loor ECU 57

Photo: © 2025 Ken Braddick, Anna Marek on Fire Fly at Wellington’s Global Dressage Festival