Hunter Holloway and Pepita Con Spita Clinch Five-Star Victory

Two-time FEI World Cup™ Finalist Hunter Holloway (USA) made a statement at the American Gold Cup in Traverse City on Thursday, capturing the $32,000 CSI5* Speed with longtime partner Pepita Con Spita. The victory marked a triumphant return for the 14-year-old Westphalian mare, who is back at the top level after nearly two years sidelined by injury.

A Careful Comeback

Owned by Hays Investment Corp., Pepita Con Spita (DSP Con Spirit x Oro Piana Come On) was Holloway’s mount for the 2022 FEI World Cup™ Final in Leipzig and carried her to a third-place overall finish in 2023 at Omaha, NE. Just months later, a check ligament injury forced the mare out of competition, leaving Holloway to carefully rebuild her star partner’s fitness and confidence.

Back in Winning Form

This summer, the pair reappeared on the international stage at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), presented by B&D Builders. They wasted no time returning to form, winning a two-star grand prix before stepping up to a three-star victory during the opening week of Traverse City’s fall series. Now, the five-star success completes their comeback arc.

Victory by a Fraction

The class came down to razor-thin margins. Daniel Coyle (IRL), riding Ariel Grange’s Incredible, held the lead until Holloway shaved just two-hundredths of a second off his time, finishing in 64.16 seconds. Charlotte Jacobs (USA) and Thomascourt Ballypatrick slotted into third with a quick 64.21, making for one of the tightest podiums of the week.

Photo by Stefan Lafrentz