Dressage at Devon 2026: World Cup Grand Prix Results and the Freestyle

Dressage at Devon 2026: Grand Prix results and tonight's freestyle

Update (2026-09-26): At Dressage at Devon 2026, Canada's Camille Carier Bergeron and Finnländerin won Friday night's CDI-W World Cup Grand Prix on 70.565%, ahead of fellow Canadians Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and Jaccardo. The Grand Prix Freestyle, the class that awards World Cup points, runs tonight, Saturday Sept. 26, under the lights in the Dixon Oval.

The show runs Sept. 22–27 at the Devon Show Grounds in Devon, Pennsylvania, and ends with a free-for-kids family day on Sunday. Earlier in the week, Carl Hester taught his Capital Square Masterclass on Thursday, and the breed show crowned the 11-year-old Hanoverian mare Lovely Leni as its Grand Champion, per HorsesDaily.

World Cup Grand Prix results: Canadians go 1-2

Fourteen combinations started Friday night's Grand Prix, the first North American League World Cup qualifier of the 2026/27 season. Only two broke 70%, according to Dressage-News.

Dressage-News reported it was Carier Bergeron and Finnländerin's first win in more than two years. Both Canadian riders were members of their country's World Championship team.

The margins were tight: less than half a percentage point split first and second, and about one point covered the top three.

Why the Grand Prix doesn't settle it

At a World Cup qualifier, the Grand Prix is the qualifying class for the freestyle. The freestyle to music is what earns league points toward the Final.

Freestyle scores add artistic marks for music, choreography and difficulty, so the order can change. We'll leave the predictions alone; tonight's scores will tell the story.

Tonight: the Saturday-night session

Saturday evening is the headline session. Per the official schedule, the evening begins with the FEI Grand Prix Special (CDI3*), sponsored by Iron Spring Farm, and culminates with the Kingsview Partners Grand Prix Freestyle, the CDI-W World Cup qualifier. The schedule also lists a special Braveheart Beasts exhibition in the Dixon Oval on Saturday evening, without a set time.

The grandstand gets dressed up, too. Boxholders compete in a decorating contest themed "The Year of the Fire Horse."

What to watch for:

• Whether the two Canadians who broke 70% in the Grand Prix hold their places once music and choreography count.
• How riders build the tough movements, such as piaffe, passage and pirouettes, into their music.
• The first points on the North American League table for the 2026/27 season.

About the show

The show, officially Kingsview Partners Dressage at Devon, mixes two very different events. The first half is a breed show, where horses from foals to mature stallions and mares are judged mostly on movement and conformation. The second half is the performance division, from 4-year-olds up to Grand Prix.

If dressage is new to you, start with our explainer on how dressage is scored. This guide focuses on what to watch at Devon and how to enjoy a big dressage show, in person or on a screen.

Carl Hester's masterclass: who rode and what to take from it

Hester is a seven-time British Olympian and one of the most influential trainers in the sport. He rode Uthopia on Britain's gold-medal team at the London 2012 Olympics and is known for his work with Valegro, the horse his student Charlotte Dujardin rode to Olympic gold.

According to Nancy Jaffer's preview, Thursday's announced lineup was:

• Chris Hickey, a Grand Prix rider
• Lindsay Kellock, a Grand Prix rider
• Lehua Custer, riding a U.S.-bred Oldenburg
• Kathrin Hain, riding a Clydesdale

Yes, a Clydesdale. That pairing is a reminder that correct training helps any horse, not just the fancy warmbloods.

What actually happens in a masterclass

A masterclass is a public lesson. Each rider warms up, then the trainer, wearing a microphone, works on one or two specific things while the audience listens.

Expect to hear about rhythm, suppleness, straightness and how the horse accepts the contact. The trainer explains why a change works, so you learn as much from the talk as from the riding.

Tips for watching any masterclass:

• Pick one horse and watch its hind legs before and after each correction.
• Listen for the exercise, not just the result: transitions, circles and changes of bend are the tools.
• Take notes. The best masterclass ideas work on a lesson horse at home, too.

Dressage at Devon schedule: day by day

Times below come from the official schedule. Class times shift, so check the day-of order before you drive.

Tuesday to Thursday: the breed show

The breeding division filled the first three days with foals, young stock, mares, stallions and handler classes. Most horses are shown in hand, so you judge the horse, not the rider (the materiale classes for 3- to 5-year-olds are ridden).

HorsesDaily reported that Lovely Leni, an 11-year-old Hanoverian mare, took Grand Champion, and the 2-year-old KWPN stallion Usher ISF was Reserve Grand Champion. A breed show is the best place to learn what a good sport horse looks like; our breeds hub is a handy companion.

Thursday and Friday: young horses

Young-horse classes are for 4-, 5-, 6- and 7-year-olds. The 4-year-olds ride a USEF test; the older groups ride FEI young-horse tests.

Judges score these horses on gaits, submission and future potential, not on perfect Grand Prix movements. It's a preview of who might be in the big ring in a few years.

Sunday: musical freestyles and family day

Sunday brings the Intermediate I, junior, young rider, under-25, pony and amateur freestyles, plus other FEI classes in the Dixon Oval. It's a relaxed day to hear lots of different music choices.

It's also the day to bring kids (see below). A new Dressage4Kids Youth Challenge for riders 14–18 runs at 11 a.m. in the Wheeler Arena.

What is a CDI-W World Cup qualifier?

CDI means an international dressage competition run under FEI rules. The W means it's a qualifier for the FEI Dressage World Cup.

Riders first compete in the Grand Prix, which serves as the qualifying class for the Grand Prix Freestyle to music. The freestyle results earn World Cup league points.

For the 2026/27 season, North America has nine qualifiers, and Devon is the first. According to Dressage-News:

• The other stops include Florida (five events), Mexico City, Toronto and Del Mar, California.
• North America gets three of the 18 starting spots at the Final.
• The Final is in Gothenburg, Sweden, in March 2027.

So tonight's freestyle is the opening move of a long season: riders collect points at qualifiers through February. Show jumping runs a similar system; see our Jumping World Cup guide.

How to watch Dressage at Devon live

The official site links to a live stream on ClipMyHorse.TV, an equestrian streaming platform that also offers replays.

How to set it up:

1. Go to the Dressage at Devon event page on ClipMyHorse.TV.
2. Log in or create an account. Access terms vary by event and some streams need a paid membership, so check what this one requires before the evening session.
3. Test your stream before tonight's session so you don't miss the first freestyle.

Watch like a judge: the show promotes the free HorseFlight app for spectator judging during the Friday and Saturday evening CDI classes. Score a few freestyles tonight, then compare with the official marks.

Going in person: a checklist for any big dressage show

Devon is a classic example of how big dressage shows work, so this list will serve you at any show.

Before you go

• Buy tickets online. At Devon, reserved seats are sold online only, not at the gate.
• Check the day-of ride times; big classes can move.
• Evening sessions get busy, especially Saturday night, so leave extra time for parking and walking.
• Rideshare and train riders can be dropped at the front gates on Lancaster Avenue.

At the show

• Stay quiet while a horse is in the arena. Clap after the final salute, not during the test.
• Never flash-photograph horses, and don't open umbrellas right next to the rail.
• Keep kids and dogs away from the warm-up rings and horse paths. Horses have the right of way.
• Bring layers. Late-September evenings in Pennsylvania cool off fast.

Extras worth your time

• Saturday lectures, noon to 3 p.m. in the Picnic Grove, free with admission.
• Sunday's Musical Freestyles and Mimosas during the morning rides.

Bringing kids: Dressage Explorers on Sunday

On Sunday, Sept. 27, children 12 and under get in free, per the official schedule. Dressage Explorers runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The schedule lists:

• Blessing of the Animals at 10 a.m.
• Stick horse crafts and face painting
• A stick horse parade at noon

It's a gentle first show experience. For kids who want to ride in one someday, read First Horse Show for Kids and our horse safety basics before you go.

What to watch next

• Tonight, Sept. 26: the Grand Prix Special and the World Cup freestyle, where the Grand Prix top three try to turn their scores into league points.
• Sunday, Sept. 27: the junior, young rider, under-25, pony and amateur freestyles, plus Dressage Explorers for kids.
• Next qualifier: Terra Nova in Myakka City, Florida, Oct. 15–18.

Meanwhile, brush up on how equitation is judged or explore more disciplines.