November 12, 2026, Myakka City, FL— International competition officially began today at The Event at TerraNova, with competitors in the CCI4*-L, CCI3*-L, CCI2*-L, and CCI1*-L making their way down centerline for the first phase: dressage.
All four long-format divisions will resume and conclude their dressage phases Friday, leaving plenty of opportunity for new leaders to emerge before Saturday’s cross-country competition. Friday will also feature dressage for the national-level horse trials along with dressage and show jumping for the Leibold Irrigation CCI4*-S.
Saturday brings one of the weekend’s most anticipated phases: cross-country. Alec Lochore, who will design the cross-country course for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, designed the three- and four-star tracks, while Mogie Bearden-Muller oversees the CCI2*-L, CCI1*-L and national-level courses, from Preliminary down to Starter.
The long-format competitors will return Sunday morning for the final horse inspection before tackling the concluding show jumping phase, where the winners of The Event at TerraNova’s international divisions will be crowned.
Brown and Garrybritt Rupert Deliver the Day’s Best Dressage Score in Their FEI Debut
The lowest dressage score across all divisions competing today at The Event at TerraNova came out of the STX USA CCI1*-L, where Rebecca Brown and her seven-year-old Garrybritt Rupert delivered an impressive score of 24.1.
Claiming the day’s best dressage score was especially meaningful for Brown, as this weekend marks Rupert’s FEI debut.
The Texas-based professional event rider has owned the Ramiro B gelding since he was four, when she purchased him from longtime friend and breeder Terry White in Ireland.
“I’ve always had a bit of a crush on Ramiro B offspring, but they’ve always been a little out of my price range,” Brown says. “Then, funny enough, I found out that Terry, who’s a good friend of mine, had bred Rupert himself. He’s my own personal horse, so I’ve just been enjoying taking my time with him—and I guess that shows on days like today.”
Although Rupert moved up to Modified at the end of last year, his competition schedule this season has been relatively light. While Brown spent the summer in England competing with two of her upper-level horses, Rupert enjoyed taking Brown’s mother on bareback trail rides.
“I was hoping he might be going Preliminary by now, but I went to England this summer with two of my upper-level horses, so he was having fun with my mom instead,” Brown says. “I came back in August and said, ‘All right, time to get going again.’ He needed to get fit first, so we decided to aim for TerraNova as his first FEI event.”
While today’s score was particularly impressive, Brown says Rupert has scored in the 24s before. His natural rideability, steady temperament and willingness to please have made dressage a consistent strength for the pair.
“He’s beautiful on the flat, he enjoys it, and the judges love him,” Brown says. “It’s funny because I wouldn’t say he’s the most talented horse in my barn, but he’s also the horse I’ve won the most on so far. He’s just got a heart of gold, and he tries so hard. He is such a joy to work with—I really adore him.”
Having competed at TerraNova regularly since the venue began hosting events, she felt it was the ideal setting to introduce Rupert to international competition.
“I think it’s such a great facility for introducing them to some big-time competition and atmosphere, and yet it still has a nice, relaxed vibe at the same time,” Brown says. “I feel like the horses have a good experience here and get educated at the same time. I’ve been here enough that I’m familiar with how the courses go in the spring and fall events, and it’s a really good one, especially for the young horses you’re developing for the future.”
Looking ahead to the remaining two phases, Brown is hopeful that Rupert can carry his dressage score through to the finish.
“Rupert’s a total blast, and I’m hoping to be really competitive,” Brown says. “He has all the capabilities to finish on that dressage score. When you’re doing a long, there’s a bit of pressure on you to finish strong, so I’m cautiously optimistic. But no matter what happens, I’m still going to think he’s the most perfect horse ever.”
Goldfarb and Ridgetop Pirate Blue Take on Another Milestone at TerraNova
For amateur event rider Margo Goldfarb, this weekend’s B&D Builders CCI4*-L marks another exciting milestone in a particularly special partnership.
Bred by her grandparents, Ridgetop Pirate Blue is a 10-year-old Connemara-Thoroughbred gelding whom Goldfarb started under saddle as a three-year-old and developed through the levels of eventing. After they both made their four-star debut at Fair Hill this spring, the pair now takes on their biggest challenge yet—The Event at TerraNova.
“I’ve done everything with him since he was a baby,” Goldfarb says. “I think the foundation of trust that we’ve built over so many years has played a huge part in our success. He’s just impressed me so much with his heart and his athleticism. Even stepping up to the four-star level, he’s so game.”
TerraNova is a familiar venue for the pair, as they competed in their first CCI3*-S here a couple of years ago. However, this marks Goldfarb’s first time competing at the venue’s fall event, and she is particularly excited to tackle Alec Lochore’s four-star cross-country track on Saturday.
“We actually did our first three-star short here in the spring a couple of years ago, but I’ve never been here in the fall or at the four-star level,” Goldfarb says. “It’s such an exceptional venue. The paths and the way everything is laid out—it’s so well-planned and horse-friendly. He loved the cross-country here when he did the three-star short, so I’m really excited to compete here at this level, too.”
Standing at just 15.2 hands, Pirate may be one of the smaller horses in the four-star field, but his rider has plenty of confidence in his ability to tackle the demanding course.
“This will be the biggest test either of us has seen, and it’s a little over 10 minutes on course,” Goldfarb says. “But I have a lot of confidence in him—he will just gallop and jump all day. I’m very lucky to have a horse like him to be learning this level with.”
More Than a Clinic: Tik Maynard Returns to TerraNova for an Immersive Equestrian Retreat
While Tik Maynard is at The Event at TerraNova this week, competing aboard Desiderata in the CCI3*-L, he will return in a few weeks for an entirely different experience.
The clinic is designed to help horsemen deepen their understanding of their horses in a more intimate, personalized setting.
Taking place December 3–6, 2026, at TerraNova Equestrian Center, the immersive retreat will combine riding instruction, groundwork, liberty work, and horsemanship education with wellness, trail exploration, and opportunities to connect with fellow horse enthusiasts.
“What makes this really special is that it’s almost more than a clinic—it’s like a camp or a retreat,” Maynard says. “It’s going to be really personalized for everybody who’s here. We’re limiting the participants, so everyone is going to get private attention. We’re going to work on whatever it is you want to work on—jumping, trail riding, liberty or groundwork.”
Beyond developing practical skills, Maynard hopes participants will leave with a deeper understanding of what motivates their horses and how to build a stronger partnership with them.
“We’re going to talk about the theory and philosophy behind horsemanship and riding,” Maynard says. “We’ll also talk about four pillars of the relationship we want to have with our horses: observation, communication, motivation and play.”
During a visit to TerraNova’s Equilibrium Barn this week, Maynard also highlighted the versatility of the horsemanship principles he teaches, no matter the horse.
“It doesn’t matter if you’ve got a big horse, a smaller horse or a mini horse,” he says.
The retreat will offer riding and non-riding options, including private and small-group instruction, equine-assisted wellness experiences, sports psychology, shared meals, and on-site cabin-style accommodations. The setting will allow participants to step away from the demands of everyday life and spend several days immersed in learning with horses.
To learn more about the upcoming retreat or to register, visit TerraNova Equestrian Center’s Tik Maynard Retreat page. This retreat will be followed by the Boyd Martin Equestrian Retreat, January 1-3, 2027. Learn more about it here.
Words by Sarah Welk Baynum for TerraNova Equestrian Center
Photos by Shannon Brinkman
