Benjamin Ebeling on Bellena US Open Champion with Victory in California Freestyle

Benjamin Ebeling on Bellena US Open Champion with Victory in Grand Prix Freestyle to Decide $250,000 Event

Benjamin Ebeling on Bellena became the first US Open champion with victory Saturday night in the Grand Prix Freestyle at Thermal, California that decided the $250,000 event and just a week after the rider's 26th birthday.

Ben and the 15-year-old mare that he has been competing since the beginning of the year scored a personal best 79.930% for the win after placing second in the Grand Prix for the final of the year-long qualifying event at the Desert International Horse Park. Two of the five judges awarded the combination more than 80%.

Ben, based in Wellington, Florida, took over the ride on Bellena from his U.S. Olympic team rider father. Jan, who placed fifth in this final competition of musical performances.

Felicitas Hendricks, who flew from Germany with her Drombusch OLD to compete here for the first time, placed second on 78.260%. Felicitas and her 14-year-old gelding won team gold and Freestyle bronze at the European Under-25 Championships two months ago. At the 2023 U-25 Europeans she and Drombusch took team and individual golds and freestyle silver. She is a regular competitor on Wellington's Global Dressage Festival since her first participation on Faible AS as a junior rider in 2015.

Anna Marek of the Ocala area community of Dunnellen who had won the Grand Prix Friday rode Fayvel to third place on 77.830%. Anna was reserve for the U.S. team at the Paris Olympics.

Both Ben and Felicitas are coached by Christoph Koschel, a former German team rider.

The US Open series was created by the U.S. federation to further develop the three Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing and jumping ahead of the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

"This has been incredible to watch unfold all year long," Ben said after his victory. "I really do feel like this series has opened dressage and especially the freestyle to a wider range of audience that can appreciate horse dancing. I mean, who the heck doesn't like that?

"This final has meant so much to both me and my family and my fellow competitors. I'm really, really happy to be back in in my home state (California) and the first five star on the West Coast."

Bellena, he said of the horse he rode, is "spectacular. I'm really happy that the judges agreed today. And every time I've asked her to come into the clutch, she always comes through for me. She's a pretty special mare."

The top 18 qualifiers in dressage already split $50,000 of the overall purse of $250,000, leaving $200,000 for this weekend's final.

The Grand Prix was intended to be the top 18 combinations, but the final was down to 12 riders and horses.

Results:

1.Benjamin Ebeling (USA) Bellena 79.930%

2.Felicitas Hendricks (GER) Drombusch OLD 78.260%

3.Anna Marek (USA) Fayvel 77.830%

4.Kristina Harrison-Antell (USA) Finley 75.470%

5.Jan Ebeling (USA) Jubi's Tenacity 75.445%

6.Geñay Vaughn (USA) Gino 74.890%

7.Charlotte Jorst (USA) Zhaplin Langholt 73.305%

8.Laura De Cesari (USA) Rossi 70.915%

9.Nadine Schwartsman (USA) Royal Flash R 70.775%

10.Karen Lipp (USA) Infinity 70.420%

11.Brittney Simpson (CAN) Kartsevo Goldfinch 69.965%

12.Laine Ashker (USA) Zeppelin 66.260%

Photo: Benjamin Ebeling on Bellena in US Open final Grand Prix Frestyle