Benjamin Ebeling and his 16-year-old horse Bellena have been added to the World Cup Final dressage lineup in Fort Worth, Texas, as the third U.S. rider after Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin withdrew. Ebeling, 26, who competed in the 2024 Final but initially did not qualify this year, joins fellow Americans Christian Simonson on Indian Rock and Kevin Kohmann on Dünensee, all based in Wellington, Florida. Canada’s Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu on Jaccardo also secured a spot, becoming the first Canadian to compete since 2013. Additionally, Julio Mendoza Loor from Ecuador will make his World Cup Final debut with Jewel’s Goldstrike.
The Final features up to 18 riders selected based on their Freestyle rankings, including top contenders like Becky Moody (GBR) and Patrik Kittel (SWE). Christian Simonson, ranked 12th globally, is making his senior championship debut, while Ebeling and Kohmann are ranked 32nd and 36th, respectively. Horses from Europe and the U.S. are arriving in Fort Worth ahead of the competition, which highlights a diverse international field with riders from North America, Europe, and South America.
