Ari Lopez, Ravenna N.
Grand Prix classes set a high bar on this first day of the 2026 Great American/USDF Region 7-California Dressage Society Championships. For the second year in a row, Ari Lopez (Vacaville, CA) captured the first Horse of the Year title, in the Open Grand Prix. This year riding her own, Ravenna N. Proving small can be mighty, the 15.1 hand Oldenberg earned a 67.065%. Ari has been riding the 14-year-old bay mare for 10 years and describes her best quality as her eYort. “She just tries so hard. She may be little and unassuming, but she is a little worker bee.” Her 2025 mount, Duarte Monterrey, is, as was the plan, showing later this weekend in the I-2 with its owner, Carolyn McMullen.
Second place in the Grand Prix went to Josh Peter Albrecht (Oroville, CA) on Coalcyn Equestrian, LLC’s Goldenboy Vickenburgh, with a 66.359. Rounding out the top three, was Jackie Ahl-Eckhaus (San Luis Obispo, CA) on her own, Jet MVS, earning a 65.109%.
Jackie returned in the Open Prix St. Georges. This time taking the first-place honors on her News Man MVS (65.735%) Both geldings were bred by Jackie.
The Adult/Amateur Prix St. Goerges was won by Kristin Jorgenson (Healdsburg, CA) on her own 17 hand, Oldenberg/TB cross, Astrid YHF with a 62.206%.
Katrina Lotti (Half Moon Bay, CA) took top honors in the Amateur Grand Prix. She earned a 61.902% on her dark brown, Dutch Warmblood, mare, Gracia VDC.
Other notable wins came from first rounds of the Young Horse Futurity Classes. Carrie O’Neill (Villa Park, CA) rode her own Oldenberg gelding, Dynamic Design to the highscore of the day (75.400%) in the Four-Year-Old Futurity and Willy Arts (Hanford, CA) won the Second Level Test 1 of the two-part CDS 6-Year-Old Futurity. He rode the striking chestnut stallion, Pharaoh DG, owned by DG Bar Ranch to an impressive 73.572%.
Great American/USDF Region 7 competition lead oY today with a host of freestyle rides. The Intermediaire I Freestyle was won by Elena Flatharty earning a 70.963% on her own KWPN mare, Layla-Amandada. The Fourth Level Open Freestyle was one by Christian Hartung on Christiana Noelting’s Hanoverian stallion, Velantis N (69.300%). Catherine Conk earned a 66.113% in the Fourth Level A/A Freestyle on Pairadox Bogart while the Third Level AA Freestyle was won by Samantha Gioia on Sarabell Kleinman’s Arabian mare, CP Witching Hour. The First Level Freestyle earned Gretta Williams a championship ribbon on her Dutch Warmblood mare, Priyanka.
For complete results of the day’s classes click on the link.
Friday classes will include the start of equitation, more freestyles and the second phase of the Young Horse Futurity.
