Geñay Vaughn and Gino. © 2026 Ken Braddick/DRESSAGE-NEWS.com
Feb 24, 2026
By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
Competition in North America for one of the two available starting places at the World Cup Final has become nail-biting with three Americans and a Canadian vying to go to the championship at home in Fort Worth, Texas in six weeks.
Only Christian Simonson based in Wellington, Florida with three wins on Indian Rock for the maximum of 60 points is assured of an invitation to the lineup of 18 horse and rider combinations from the around the world at the Final April 7-12.
With only two North American qualifying competitions remaining, Geñay Vaughn is favored to ride Gino to victory at the Del Mar, California qualifier this week that would give her 57 points. Geñay of Elk Grove, California and Gino competed in the 2025 Final in Basel, Switzerland.
Canada’s Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu on Jaccardo is currently ranked second behind Christian already with 57 points. If Brittany qualifies, she will be the first Canadian in the annual global championship since 2013.
Kevin Kohmann and Benjamin Ebeling, both of Wellington and both having competed in Finals, plan to compete in the last North American qualifier, at Wellington Mar. 10-15.
Kevin on Dünensee stands third on 54 points and Ben on Bellena in fourth with 52 points, both totals from three results.
If either one wins the Wellington event, the rider would earn 20 points and move to a total of 57.
So three combinations could end up with 57 points to fill two places.
Under the rules, ties “will be broken by the highest CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle to Music score.”
So far, Canada’s Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu has the highest score, 79.250%.
Benjamin Ebeling is on 78.055%, Kevin Kohmann 77.305% and Geñay Vaughn 76.415%, all before the two concluding qualifiers.