<p><strong id="docs-internal-guid-b8bb9733-7fff-630c-d655-da1cff833c75"><em><strong id="docs-internal-guid-12747b8c-7fff-7b91-998d-f8cd336edba2">"Trust the process."</strong></em><br></strong></p>
<p>You've heard it countless times. Coaches say it. Athletes repeat it. Teams build their culture around it. But here's the question that should keep every high-performance director awake at night:</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>How can you trust a process you can't actually measure?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><strong id="docs-internal-guid-dc608938-7fff-0f61-106c-6c02c30f9ab5"></strong><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/6926bc8f-fba8-4353-9cb4-d4d1455bca38.png?width=1080&amp;height=1080" alt="5 (1)"><br></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">At EquiRatings, this question isn't philosophical&mdash;it's personal. Our entire company was born from a moment of frustration that every athlete, coach, and performance director has experienced: standing at a major championship, facing a disappointing result, and wondering, "Have I achieved nothing? Are we still the same team that we were four years ago?"</p>
<p dir="ltr">The truth is brutal and simple: If you want to manage performance, you need to be able to measure it.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Problem Nobody Talks About</h2>
<p dir="ltr">For ten years, we've worked with high-performance teams across the globe, and we've discovered something that challenges conventional wisdom:</p>
<p dir="ltr">Most countries don't have a selection problem. They have a performance problem.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Think about how many times have you heard qualitative, subjective language used to assess talent? Horses described as "reliable" or "consistent" or "able to handle the big stage." Athletes praised for their "mental toughness" or being "able to deliver when it matters." These assessments aren't wrong&mdash;but they are incomplete.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Without an objective measurement, you're flying blind. What were the big days? How big were they? How many times have they delivered on these days? Is it even the same horse? A manager or a rider might know internally that improvement has occurred, but if you can't quantify it, how do you prove it? How do you replicate it? How do you trust that your process is actually working?</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/afa22147-5f5b-43f2-860d-e554595ed1cd.png?width=773&amp;height=530" alt="Morven Templates Onsite"></p>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Power of Measurement: A Personal Story</h2>
<p dir="ltr">The drive to found EquiRatings came from me experiencing similar disappointing outcomes at the World Championships in 2010 and 2014. Four years of work. Four years of training. And on paper, nothing to show for it.</p>
<p dir="ltr">That lack of measurables meant the process couldn't be trusted. EquiRatings was born from a desire to create a process. A system that could be tested, replicated and adapted.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/f0a3629d-15fc-4b85-9e6f-e265fc91348d.png?width=1080&amp;height=1080" alt="4 (1)"></p>
<p dir="ltr">By quantifying progress through metrics that actually mean something, I moved from the bottom 10% of global performers in show jumping to one of the best within two years. This wasn't luck or sudden talent&mdash;it was clarity. Clarity of purpose. Clarity of planning. Clarity about what needed to improve and by how much. My dressage could improve, cross-country requires constant practice but my biggest gains were clearly going to come by improving my jumping. Of course, I needed a training plan and exercises but to test if they were actually improving, I needed something to measure it against - I needed to stand on the scales.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">The personal progress was so tangible, so undeniable, that it solidified our mission: to give every high-performance team the tools to measure what matters most&mdash;their chance of success. If medals are the goal, do you know your likelihood of winning one, and how its measured or are you just hoping?&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">What Actually Matters: The Metrics That Drive Performance</h2>
<p dir="ltr">We've spent a decade solving a problem that has existed in sport for generations. Results have always been data, but the manual computation and disparity between competitions made meaningful comparison nearly impossible.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Our solution? Put a number on the quality of every performance. But not just any number&mdash;metrics that actually predict future success.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">HPR: Your Performance Stopwatch</h3>
<p dir="ltr">The High Performance Rating is a single-performance measurement, like a runner's Personal Best. But it does something traditional measures can't: it accounts for the variables that actually matter.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/af107451-1b96-4893-9e29-0b1a20ddefd1.png?width=1920&amp;height=1080" alt="Badminton Winners With High Performance Rating"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Not all top-level competitions are equivalent. Winning at Aachen is different from winning elsewhere. Winning Badminton one year is not the same as winning it another year. Course difficulty varies. Field Strength changes. The quality of your opponents matters. The HPR factors in all of this to give you an objective measure of your performance quality.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Think about runners for a moment. If they didn't have a stopwatch, they wouldn't know why they need to run faster. The HPR is that stopwatch for equestrian sport. It shows athletes the "why" behind their results and gives them the feedback they need to improve.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">These metrics help the best become better.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">ELO: The Consistency Factor</h3>
<p dir="ltr">While HPR measures individual performances, the ELO rating captures something equally crucial: long-term consistency. Lots of horses will have a good day. This is an objective horse rating (adapted from the Elo system originally developed for chess). It is a measure of how competitively you are performing and the quality of opponents you are beating. The rating works like a trading system: at every competition, a horse gives Elo points to the horses who finish ahead of it while also taking Elo points from the horses it beats.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">In Eventing, it helps identify horses who may not be winning but are consistently performing well against good opponents. In Jumping, it does the same but given the frequency at which the horses compete, and the varying competitions and series, it creates a great list. <br><br>It is specifically optimized for predictive performance. It's highly correlated with the probability of future success, which means it doesn't just tell you where you've been&mdash;it tells you where you're going. In Jumping, horses with higher Elo ratings tend to jump more clears. In Eventing, if you haven't reached a certain Elo threshold by a certain age, we can say with a good degree of confidence that it's against the odds that you will.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/f341c30a-05d2-423b-bc52-07993db904ad.png?width=1816&amp;height=1341" alt="Top 10 Jumpers by Elo 1 October 2025"></p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/c8f4cacf-b021-4227-94d9-74f9d67c76c3.png?width=1861&amp;height=1021" alt="Top 10 Eventers in World by Elo 1 October 2025"></p>
<h2 dir="ltr">From Management to Improvement</h2>
<p dir="ltr">When we started EquiRatings, the value proposition for a federation was clear: better selection decisions, improved funding applications, objective dispute resolution, enhanced sponsorship opportunities.</p>
<p dir="ltr">These benefits remain, but our message includes athletes. We've seen this work. We've tracked the athletes. We've witnessed the transformation that happens when people receive objective feedback on their performance.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Now we have the confidence to say something bolder:</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>This is going to help you improve.</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/c3dda482-aee4-47cf-be9c-695b0a6eb26f.png?width=1080&amp;height=1080" alt="3 (2)"></p>
<p dir="ltr">When you can see your position objectively, track 12-month trends, identify specific strengths and weaknesses, and know exactly where you need to get to&mdash;you gain the power to make targeted, actionable changes.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This applies across contexts. In sport. In business. In any competitive environment. When you raise the bar and give ambitious people a target, something they can see and aim for, they will jump over it.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">Even the Best Need Feedback</h2>
<p dir="ltr">Here's something most people don't talk about: even the most focused, talented athletes can lose their edge without metrics.</p>
<p dir="ltr">During a period of professional growth and family commitment, performance on one particular horse definitely slid for me. Why? Because the metrics weren't being checked. The moment those numbers were reviewed again&mdash;seeing a ranking in the 40th percentile in certain areas&mdash;it served as both a wake-up call and a source of motivation.</p>
<p dir="ltr">That data led to actionable changes: entering extra training shows, focusing on specific weaknesses, tracking progress month over month. The improvement was measurable, quantifiable, and repeatable.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This is the power of objective feedback. It keeps you honest. It keeps you focused. It gives you clarity about where you are and where you need to go.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Accountability Advantage</h2>
<p dir="ltr">When people see objective data&mdash;whether it's tracking steps, monitoring sleep, or analyzing sales metrics&mdash;it impacts their behavior. This isn't about negative accountability or pressure. It's about creating clarity and maintaining focus.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In high-performance sport, this clarity is the difference between hoping you're improving and knowing you're improving. It's the difference between trusting the process blindly and trusting it because you can see it working.</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">The Bottom Line</h2>
<p dir="ltr">After ten years of working with high-performance teams, we've learned that the fundamental truth hasn't changed:</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>You can't manage what you can't measure.</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/e5ae5725-625a-442c-b9d1-d8043dd6b472.png?width=1080&amp;height=1080" alt="2 (2)"></p>
<p dir="ltr">But we've also learned something more profound: measurement doesn't just help you manage performance&mdash;it helps you transform it.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The question isn't whether you should measure your performance. The question is whether you can afford not to.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Because somewhere out there, your competitors are looking at their numbers. They're identifying their weaknesses. They're tracking their progress. They're raising the bar.</p>
<p dir="ltr">And they're jumping over it.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

Why You Can't Trust the Process Unless You Measure It

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Main

<h2>A Year of Shifting Power</h2>
<p>The 2025 Nations season has been defined by both dominance and unpredictability. Team USA set the pace early, notching up three victories, the most of any nation this year, while Belgium showed unmatched consistency with eight podium finishes across the season. Great Britain endured a slow start but rallied impressively in the latter half of the campaign, underlining their strength as the season gathered momentum.</p>
<p><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/f097a85a-90bf-42a0-98bf-79f499605153.png?width=1080&amp;height=1350" alt="2025 Nations Cup Review   Lln Final"></p>
<p>The spread of results highlights the depth of competition: Ireland scored notable wins in Abu Dhabi and La Baule, while Germany and France remained constant podium threats. With no single nation able to fully control the leaderboard, the stage is perfectly set for a dramatic conclusion in Barcelona.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Riders and Horses Who Made Their Mark</h2>
<p>While team results shape the headlines, the season also shone a spotlight on outstanding individual performances. Sophie Hinners (GER) and Lillie Keenan (USA) were the standout riders, each producing four double clears, a feat no other competitor managed. Both achieved this on multiple horses, demonstrating remarkable versatility under pressure.</p>
<p><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/5d1a8fdf-a4a0-4bd7-beca-184c04935b22.png?width=844&amp;height=1084" alt="Bw Uyw All Riders With 2 or More Double Clears in Five Star Team Competitions in 2025"></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>On the horse front, three standouts: Highland President (Trevor Breen, IRL), Iron Dames Singclair (Sophie Hinners, GER), and Argan de Beliard (Lillie Keenan, USA), each delivered three double clears, proving themselves as some of the most reliable campaigners of the year. With Iron Dames Singclair set to line up again in Barcelona, there&rsquo;s still potential for one more chapter in that story.</p>
<p><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/269aad84-048a-4945-b544-8452d30da361.png?width=862&amp;height=1016" alt="Ri Lnr All Horses With 2 or More Double Clears in Five Star Team Competitions in 2025 Copy "></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>All Double Clears of the Season</h2>
<p><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/256fad81-b203-4eb3-8cb5-e6ae48de9620.png?width=2020&amp;height=4242" alt="0 B J4 F All Double Clears in Csio5 Team Competitions in 2025"></p>
<h2>&nbsp;</h2>
<h2>Barcelona Awaits</h2>
<p>The Longines League of Nations Final in Barcelona will bring together the strongest squads of the season. With 9 nations set to line up this weekend, the event promises to be a battle of consistency versus momentum. Belgium will aim to convert their run of podiums into a decisive win, while the USA and Germany look to underline their dominance with a statement finish. Meanwhile, the home crowd will hope Spain can deliver a standout performance on home soil.</p>
<p>The stakes couldn&rsquo;t be higher. A season of fine margins and fierce rivalries is about to reach its ultimate test.</p>

A Season of High Stakes: Five-Star Team Jumping Heads to the Barcelona Finale

<p>Morven Park's CCI4*-L has been running since 2021. Since then the venue has gained a fantastic reputation for being a strong competition which rewards excellence across all three phases. As we count down to this year's US Equestrian Open Final, here's how the last four winners claimed their place in the venue's hall of fame.</p>
<p><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/0169a811-35c5-48e3-ab10-24d3bd19b033.png?width=511&amp;height=313" alt="Screenshot 2025 10 01 170446"></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h2 class="text-xl font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-0.5">&nbsp;</h2>
<h3 class="text-xl font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-0.5">2021: Phillip Dutton &amp; Quasi Cool - The Triple Crown Year</h3>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">For Phillip Dutton and Quasi Cool, 2021 was <em>the</em> year. The pair had three wins together - their only three career wins as a combination: a CCI3*-S, a CC14*-S, ending with the pinnacle: their win at Morven Park&rsquo;s four-star long.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">They sat joint-second after dressage on 29.8, behind Buck Davidson and Cooley Candyman, who also return this year. But with Dutton's masterful cross-country riding, he added less time than Buck edging them ahead to victory with a final score of 34.2.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">Dutton returns with Denim and Possante, ready to add another chapter (and potentially even win) to his Morven Park story.</p>
<h3 class="text-xl font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-0.5">2022: Tamra Smith &amp; Solaguayre California - The Seven Year Wait</h3>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">The chestnut mare California was just 11 years old and tackling only her second CCI4*-L when she and Tamra Smith produced a near-perfect performance. Sitting second after dressage on 29.3, they added just 0.4 time penalties (one second) across the jumping phases to win on a score of 29.7.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">The win was Smith's second at the four-star long level - a seven-year wait after her first, which came at Fair Hill with Mai Baum. The overnight leaders, Sharon White and Claus 63, were eliminated on cross-country, opening the door for California's triumph. Sharon White and Claus 63 are entered again this year.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">Smith will returns to Morven Park this year with Kynan, a horse who has never finished outside the top 10 in his three runs at the CCI4*-L level.</p>
<h3 class="text-xl font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-0.5">2023: Boyd Martin &amp; Commando 3 - Winning from the Front</h3>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">In 2023, Boyd became the only winner of Morven to win from the front after dressage. Commando 3, one of Boyd's biggest stars, laid down a 26.2 dressage test and never looked back, adding just 3.2 cross-country time penalties to finish on final score of 29.4.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">The win was Martin's 9th at the CCI4*-L level since 2008, adding his 10th earlier this year. <a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/stories/boyd-martin-is-one-of-the-most-successful-4-l-riders-and-hes-entered-for-the-final" target="_blank" rel="noopener">No rider in the world has tallied more wins at this level </a>- he shares the record of 10 with Australia's Shane Rose, but nobody beats him.</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">Commando 3 went on to finish 2nd at Kentucky CCI5* this year and returns to Maryland 5* in a few weeks. Boyd will return to Morven Park as the series winner and with two strong contenders: Miks Master C and Shanroe Cooley, both sitting high on the <a href="https://prediction-centre.equiratings.com/competitions/morvenpark_4l_2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prediction center.</a></p>
<h3 class="text-xl font-bold text-text-100 mt-1 -mb-0.5">2024: Julie Wolfert &amp; SSH Playboy - The Comeback Queen</h3>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">Julie Wolfert pulled off the biggest winning climb of this competition, moving from 6th after dressage to claim victory by finishing on their dressage score - only the fifth combination to achieve this at the venue. Starting on 34.5, Wolfert and Ssh Playboy jumped double clear across both phases to move into the top spot.&nbsp;The victory marked Wolfert's third CCI4*-L start - all with SSH Playboy - and her first win at the level.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="whitespace-normal break-words">&nbsp;</p>
<p>In 10 days, we'll have another name to add to this prestigious list. Who will join Morven Park's hall of fame?</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3><strong>Don't Miss Out on Bragging Rights</strong></h3>
<p>With the US Eq. Open and Boekelo on the same weekend - it's the first double header weekend of <a href="https://manager.equiratings.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eventing Manager 2.0</a>. To celebrate, YETI are gifting the overall combined winner a prize - read more <a href="https://manager.equiratings.com/articles/win-big-yeti-backpack-drinkware-up-for-grabs-in-our-first-double-header-weekend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here.</a></p>
<p>Play Eventing Manager 2.0&nbsp;<a href="https://news.equiratings.com/stories/manager.equiratings.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here.</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>Stay Connected with the US Equestrian Open</h3>
<p>The final of the US Equestrian Open is running at Morven Park in Leesburg, Virginia from the 9th-12th of October. It is the culmination of the series that has been running at CCI4*-S competitions in the US over the past year. With $200,000 on the line in prize money, it is going to be an exciting and competitive competition.</p>
<p><strong>If you want to know more about the US Equestrian Open:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Follow the Instagram page:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@usequestrianopen</a></li>
<li>Listen to the podcast:&nbsp;<a href="https://podfollow.com/the-us-equestrian-open-podcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The US Equestrian Open Podcast</a></li>
<li>Check out the website:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">usequestrianopen.org</a></li>
</ul>

Morven Park’s Champions: A Look at the Hall of Fame

<p>Returning for the third year in a row for the CCI4*-L, <strong>Lucienne Bellissimo </strong>and&nbsp;the 13-year-old gelding <strong>Dyri</strong> have proven that they can perform at this venue. Last year, they led the CCI4*-L after dressage (30.7) only to drop to second with 4.8 cross-country time penalties. The year before, they finished 4th.</p>
<blockquote>
<p class="cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body"><span class="a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">"He's done the four-star long at Morven twice now. </span><span class="a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">He sadly didn't win it last year. He finished up second... He deserved to win it. </span><span class="a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">I found a gallop that suited him and I left him alone and it was the right choice by the horse. </span><span class="a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">But I will definitely be aiming him for the four long </span><span class="a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">there again."</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p class="cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body"><span class="a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">In fact, this will be their 5th year in a row at this venue and their track record speaks for itself. With results like this, <strong>Bellissimo </strong>and <strong>Dyri </strong>are a serious threat even though they may not instantly make the headlines or top the <a href="https://prediction-centre.equiratings.com/competitions/morvenpark_4l_2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EquiRatings Prediction Center.</a></span></p>
<p class="cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body"><span class="a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none"><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/cd6d5514-f751-4dca-8c76-bff2f8ee20e0.png?width=1880&amp;height=666" alt="Rrj Rz "></span></p>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>Their 2025 Season</h3>
<p>The season started brilliantly with two top-five finishes at CCI4*-S but then came challenges. At Kentucky, their first attempt at five-star, Bellissimo made a tough call:&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"I could feel him saying, I'm not enjoying this. So I put my hand up and did the walk of shame and brought him home, but it was the right choice because he doesn't deserve to get spooked."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A few weeks later, what should have been a confidence-building run at Tryon's four-star long turned into an unlucky fall at a double of corners when Dyri hit the back rail after an open distance.&nbsp;<br><br><em>"Horses, it's a humbling sport,"</em> Bellissimo admits. Two difficult outings in a row for a usually reliable partnership.</p>
<h3>The Rebuild</h3>
<p>Rather than push through, Bellissimo took the approach of stepping back a few levels and giving Dyri a spin around some smaller events. The strategy worked - winning their last two events, albeit at the CCI2*-S level. With two FODs, it seems the partnership is clicking again - just in time for Morven Park 2025.</p>
<p><img src="https://admin.equiratings.com/assets/675a19f1-9540-44f8-a0df-4bdbcb2fb263.png?width=1676&amp;height=422" alt="Ff L77 "></p>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>The Morven Threat</h3>
<p>Because of this inconsistent start to the season, Dyri doesn't feature high on the Prediction Center. But knowing the full story, the rebuild, and the track record - this combination could be a real threat.<br><br>In the dressage, you can expect this pair to score around the 30 mark - which was enough to lead this exact competition last year. As long as their cross country stays back on track, they are in with a good chance. Dyri's showjumping record is excellent - having only had one pole across their last 8 international runs.</p>
<p>Bellissimo discussed how the US Equestrian Open adds extra pressure: <em>"It does suddenly make you think, maybe I should go a bit quicker today," </em>and with time penalties being the only thing that cost them victory at Morven last year? The pressure may benefit this pair this time around.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3><em>Listen to&nbsp;<strong>Lucienne </strong>Bellissimo on the US Equestrian Open Podcast now.</em></h3>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/37875415/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/4c414c/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3><strong>Don't Miss Out on Bragging Rights</strong></h3>
<p>With the US Eq. Open, Boekelo, Maryland, and Pau all packed into October, it&rsquo;s the biggest month yet on&nbsp;<a href="https://manager.equiratings.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eventing Manager 2.0</a>. Four big events and four massive chances to score points - but only one can take the crown. Can you rise above the rest and be crowned&nbsp;<strong data-start="342" data-end="366">Manager of the Month</strong>?</p>
<p>Play Eventing Manager 2.0&nbsp;<a href="https://news.equiratings.com/stories/manager.equiratings.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here.</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>Stay Connected with the US Equestrian Open</h3>
<p>The final of the US Equestrian Open is running at Morven Park in Leesburg, Virginia from the 9th-12th of October. It is the culmination of the series that has been running at CCI4*-S competitions in the US over the past year. With $200,000 on the line in prize money, it is going to be an exciting and competitive competition.</p>
<p><strong>If you want to know more about the US Equestrian Open:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Follow the Instagram page:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@usequestrianopen</a></li>
<li>Listen to the podcast:&nbsp;<a href="https://podfollow.com/the-us-equestrian-open-podcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The US Equestrian Open Podcast</a></li>
<li>Check out the website:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">usequestrianopen.org</a></li>
</ul>

The Morven Specialists: Lucienne Bellissimo and Dyri

<p dir="ltr">With just days remaining until the US Open Final at Morven Park, course designer <strong>Derek di Grazia </strong>is putting the finishing touches on what promises to be another challenging test for the 38 horse-and-rider combinations entered in the competition.</p>
<p dir="ltr">For di Grazia, whose courses are consistently praised by riders for bringing out the best in their horses, the journey to Morven Park represents both a return to his roots and a showcase of one of America's most spectacular venues.</p>
<p><em><strong>Listen to Derek di Grazia on the US Equestrian Open Podcast now.</strong></em></p>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/38394845/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/4c414c/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 dir="ltr">Early Inspiration at Pebble Beach</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Di Grazia's love affair with eventing began at the <strong>1969 US Open at Pebble Beach, California.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">"The biggest thing that really impressed me was just watching what these horses did because I had just never seen anything like it.&rdquo;</p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">That competition, featuring legendary names like <strong>the</strong> <strong>Woffords, the Plumbs,</strong> and<strong> Kevin Freeman,</strong> showcased the sport at its highest level on the West Coast. The young di Grazia was hooked, drawn to the stories of how "rugged and difficult&rdquo; the sport was.</p>
<p dir="ltr">His early riding education was comprehensive, encompassing not just eventing but polo, fox hunting, and show jumping. The transition from West to East Coast came during his college years at Georgetown University, where he began training with the legendary<strong> Jimmy Wofford. </strong>His breakthrough moment came at <strong>Ledyard Farm in 1977, </strong>competing in poor conditions against top European riders.</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">"It was pouring rain and very, very wet for the cross country, but we were one of the few that made it inside the time on the cross country and we ended up actually in fourth place at the end."</p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">That result gave him confidence that he could make it in this sport - setting the stage for a successful competitive career that would eventually inform his approach to course design.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">A Horse-First Philosophy</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Going back to his years in the saddle, Di Grazia understands firsthand the immense work required to bring a horse to top-level competition and he's acutely aware of how vulnerable these horses are to injury. Because of this, horse welfare remains at the forefront of every decision he makes when designing his cross-country courses.&nbsp;This philosophy drives every decision he makes:&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">"In the end for me, it's about making these courses so that they are fair for the horses and that as much as possible trying to make the ground conditions - the wear and tear on the horses - as minimal as possible."</p>
</blockquote>
<h3 dir="ltr">The Art and Science of Design</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Each venue presents unique challenges and opportunities, something that keeps di Grazia passionate about his craft.</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">"Every venue is different. We all know that. And so they all sort of require different things. And to me, that's what makes course design actually exciting for me, because there's new things you can do in different places and just the way you use the ground."</p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">Derek also emphasizes that course design is far from a solo effort, highlighting the builders and decorators who bring his vision to life and ultimately make the course look its best.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Discovering Morven Park's Potential</h3>
<p dir="ltr">When di Grazia first visited Morven Park as a course designer, he was immediately struck by the venue's possibilities.</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">&ldquo;It was so wonderful to be able to come and see this place and see the venue. But you know, I just start thinking about,&nbsp; four longs and, and, know, even five star, I mean, just like you start looking at this ground and you start drooling because it's just such an amazing place&rdquo;</p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">The venue's placement in the calendar had historically limited its exposure, often conflicting with other major competitions. But since the introduction of the CCI4*-L format in 2021, di Grazia has seen riders rediscover this historic venue and watched the quality of the entries improving year on year.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3 dir="ltr">&nbsp;</h3>
<h3 dir="ltr">What to Expect at Morven Park</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Derek has proven he can build tough time tests, most recently having only one rider making the time over his track at Burghley. Historically, Morven Park sees an average of <strong>10% of starters</strong> finish inside the optimum time. With a field of 38 competitors, we can expect<strong> 3 to 4 riders </strong>inside the time. However, it has varied from year-to-year, with<strong> 25%</strong> making the time last year.</p>
<p dir="ltr">With Morven Park hosting the inaugural US Equestrian Open of Eventing, we can expect that the challenge is set to be anything but easy - a true test across all three phases designed to ensure the strongest combination is crowned the champion.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3><em>Listen to Derek di Grazia on the US Equestrian Open Podcast now.</em></h3>
<p><iframe style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/38394845/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/4c414c/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/download/yes/font-color/ffffff" width="100%" height="192" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3><strong>Don't Miss Out on Bragging Rights</strong></h3>
<p>With the US Eq. Open, Boekelo, Maryland, and Pau all packed into October, it&rsquo;s the biggest month yet on&nbsp;<a href="https://manager.equiratings.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eventing Manager 2.0</a>. Four big events and four massive chances to score points - but only one can take the crown. Can you rise above the rest and be crowned&nbsp;<strong data-start="342" data-end="366">Manager of the Month</strong>?</p>
<p>Play Eventing Manager 2.0&nbsp;<a href="https://news.equiratings.com/stories/manager.equiratings.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here.</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr>
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>Stay Connected with the US Equestrian Open</h3>
<p>The final of the US Equestrian Open is running at Morven Park in Leesburg, Virginia from the 9th-12th of October. It is the culmination of the series that has been running at CCI4*-S competitions in the US over the past year. With $200,000 on the line in prize money, it is going to be an exciting and competitive competition.</p>
<p><strong>If you want to know more about the US Equestrian Open:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Follow the Instagram page:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/usequestrianopen?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@usequestrianopen</a></li>
<li>Listen to the podcast:&nbsp;<a href="https://podfollow.com/the-us-equestrian-open-podcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The US Equestrian Open Podcast</a></li>
<li>Check out the website:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usequestrianopen.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">usequestrianopen.org</a></li>
</ul>

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