Photo by Jessica Buehler Photography
Myakka City, FL – October 17, 2026 – It was an All-American affair in the B&D Builders FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix Freestyle at TerraNova Equestrian Center in Myakka City, Florida, on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Devon Kane and Vamos recorded back-to-back wins for the first time in their three-year FEI grand prix career, pulling out all the stops with a personal best. There was much at stake in the class, which took place under wet and blustery conditions in contrast to Friday’s scorcher.
Kane rode Diamante Farms’ 14-year-old Westphalian gelding Vamos (by Vivaldi x Insterburg) to 75.505%, including a high score of 76.75% from the C judge, Cesar Torrente (COL). In a carbon copy of the previous day’s placings, Christian Simonson snagged second place with 73.67% on Fleau De Baian, Heidi Humphries’ 16-year-old stallion. The Jazz x Ulft son — a full-brother to the Dutch Olympic horse Parzival — has been competing internationally at the level for six years and, with Simonson, was the top finisher for the U.S. at this summer’s 2026 FEI World Championships.
James Koford’s high degree of difficulty test on Janet Simile’s prolific 16-year-old gelding Fire Fly, by Briar Junior, was rewarded with 72.91% and the yellow ribbon. Their bold floorplan included piaffe into a canter pirouette and back into piaffe on the final centerline.
This was the second of nine North American qualifiers for the 2027 FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final, which takes place in Gothenburg, Sweden, in late March. Kane’s result meant she took over the top spot on the FEI North American league FEI World Cup™ standings, toppling her husband, Kevin Kohmann.
However, in the US Open leaderboard standings, Kohmann could not be caught in this the last of the qualifiers, and he sits atop the leaderboard ahead of November’s $200,000 final. Kane will head into the final in third place, and Simonson in fifth.
Kane started her test with intent, garnering eights across the board from the five judges for her confident entry and halt. What followed was a harmonious and athletic performance set to a Latin compilation including “Bailamos” by Enrique Iglesias and “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi that included lofty two-time changes on a 20-meter circle.
Photo by Jessica Buehler Photography
“The floor plan is a pretty high degree of difficulty, going up to a 10 at times,” said Kane, whose mother Terri was at the show as both owner and groom. “I love the music. We both get into a groove, and I’m smiling and I sing along the entire time. It’s fun and we really do get to dance together to it.
“I wasn’t expecting yesterday’s win at all,” she continued. “I was completely flabbergasted because the whole weekend I expected Christian to win. There was pressure after winning yesterday, I didn’t put that pressure on myself because it’s ridiculous to. This show was my last in preparation for the US Open final, so I wanted to make sure that we were set up for the show there.
“Today’s weather was very different to yesterday’s and I was completely soaked inside and out but for a different reason — the rain rather than the sweat,” continued Kane, whose advice to anyone faced with a rainy ride is to bring many more pairs of gloves than you think you may need. “I gave myself a bit longer warm up today and that worked well.
“Kevin doesn’t show in the freestyle [World Cup qualifier] in Mexico until next Sunday, so I get to sit on top of the North American World Cup standings for eight days and I’m going to own that. I’ll be screenshotting it every morning!” she beamed.
Photo by Jessica Buehler Photography
Kane will travel to Mexico to support her husband in the coming days, while Vamos will head home to Diamante Farms in Wellington for some down time before gearing up to head to California in November.
“Day to day, the training on the horse is done. He knows his job and he doesn’t need to do movements every day. I have to keep him healthy and happy. That’s my job as his rider and his person,” she concluded.
Photo by Jessica Buehler Photography
King of the Small Tour
U.S. rider Ben Ebeling and King Of Dale topped the CDI1* Intermediate I, handing the duo their fourth blue FEI ribbon at their third international together. The 26-year-old, who is now based in Florida after moving from his native California, is the reigning US Open champion with his top horse, Bellena.
His test at TerraNova on Alexandria Bryan’s 11-year-old gelding King Of Dale (by Lord Leatherdale x Negro) was rewarded with a winning 68.147%. They vaulted up the leaderboard after finishing fourth in the previous day’s Prix St. Georges class.
Brian Hafner (USA) and his own Bon Bravour 13-year-old gelding I Crack De La Vigne picked up second place on 66.853%. An error of course brought the Ocala, Florida-based pair’s score down slightly on what was their FEI show debut. Nora Batchelder (USA) from Williston, Florida, again placed third riding her own and Andrea Whitcomb’s seven-year-old Twan Vita Nova, by Secret, to 65.265%.
Click here for full results from TerraNova’s October CDI.
Click here for full results from TerraNova’s rated national show.
The show at TerraNova concludes on Sunday, October 18. The day’s feature class, the Akerman LLP CDI3* Grand Prix Special, begins just after midday local time, with para freestyle action in three CPEDI3* grades in the morning. Watch it all on the free TerraNova live stream, also sponsored by B&D Builders, at https://www.terranovaequestrian.com/streaming.
Dressage competition at TerraNova returns October 29-November 1 with a United Dressage & Jumping Club show before the finals at the venue in December. The next USDF rated show at TerraNova takes place January 22-24, 2027. International dressage returns to the venue in April 2027. View the full events calendar here.
Words by Alice Collins for TerraNova Equestrian Center
