Title: James Alliston Receives 2025 Jacqueline B. Mars National Competition and Training Grant
James Alliston and Karma. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation announced that the 2025 Jacqueline B. Mars National Competition and Training Grant was awarded to eventer James Alliston of San Ramon, California. The national grants are provided by the USET Foundation through the generosity of USET Foundation Honorary Trustee Jacqueline B. Mars, with the aim of supporting preparation and attendance at a competition located more than 1,500 miles from the athlete’s home base.
The grant is designed to assist athlete-and-horse combinations’ progression to the Pre-Elite or Elite Program. The goal of the grant is to provide training and competition resources for athletes who have never competed on an Olympic or FEI World Championship eventing senior team.
The grant was awarded to Alliston with Karma, an 11-year-old North American-bred Oldenburg mare (by Escudo II x Lavita) owned by Alliston Equestrian and Ric Plummer, for the 2025 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian CCI5*-L, in which they placed ninth.
“It was a very challenging course, and the galloping was challenging too,” said Alliston of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. “It was a true five-star test. I was really, really happy with Karma, and finishing in the top 10 was great.”
They also received the Mars National Competition and Training Grant in 2023 when they traveled to The Netherlands as part of the U.S. Eventing team for the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Netherlands CCIO4-NC-L, where the team placed fourth. In 2024, the pair finished 12th at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian CCI5-L and ninth in the CCIO4*-S in Aachen, Germany, where they helped the U.S. team win the silver medal in the SAP Cup.
Alliston began riding Karma as a five-year-old when her previous owner, Andrea Pfeiffer, asked for his help in getting her started. Although she was difficult, it was clear that she had plenty of jumping talent. Instead of selling the horse, Pfeiffer kept Karma with Alliston until he bought her in partnership with Ric Plummer.
“It was clear she had something different,” remembered Alliston. “The first time I did a cross-country school, she was incredible. I want to give the horse a chance and hopefully fulfill its potential.”
A short-term goal for Alliston is competing at CHIO Aachen in Germany this summer in preparation for his longer-term goal of representing the U.S. on the team at the FEI World Championships for Eventing in Aachen, Germany, in 2026.
“I need to show good form and that we’re improving and can be a competitive score for the team, but that would be a dream,” he said.
Alliston has lived in California for 15 years, so traveling to Kentucky, the East Coast, and Europe for events requires considerable planning and financial backing. He is grateful for the assistance provided by the Jacqueline B. Mars National Competition and Training Grants.
“It falls on me to fund trips across the country,” he acknowledged. “It’s expensive for me to leave my teaching business at home, fuel up the truck, and handle all of the expenses that come with traveling. To get the grant is massive; it makes it possible.
“I have to say a big thank you to Mrs. Mars and the USET Foundation, and I’m extremely grateful and really appreciate being chosen for this grant,” he continued. “It’s an honor, and I love riding for the USA.”
Find out more about the criteria for the Jacqueline B. Mars National Competition and Training Grants here.
