On Friday, USA’s Charlotte Jacobs and the 13-year-old gelding Rincoola Milsean (Aldatus Z x Cruising) took a home win in the second of the two qualifiers for Saturday night’s Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix at the Winter Equestrian Festival - Rolex Finale Week held at Wellington International in Wellington, Florida, USA. 

The $1,000,000 CSI5* 1.60m Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix marks the start of the Rolex Series 2026, and takes place on Saturday, March 28, at 8.00 PM local time – under the floodlights of Wellington International’s magnificent main arena. 

While the thirty best from Thursday’s CSI5* 1.55m competition had already secured their qualification for the Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix, another ten tickets were available on Friday in the CSI5* 1.50m Table A over one round against the clock. A total of 67 horse-and-rider combinations lined up, and with the final qualification spots for the Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix on offer, the pressure piled as the competition unfolded. 

In the end, it was Charlotte Jacobs on Rincoola Milsean that clocked the winning time of 66.88 seconds – taking the win ahead of her compatriot Marilyn Little (USA) and Narado (Grandorado TN N.O.P. x Purioso) who placed second only 0.64 short of the winner. Jordan Coyle (IRL) and Ariso (Casall x Contender) slotted into third.

“I feel amazing,” Jacobs said afterwards. “I knew this class was important for tomorrow. I also knew I had a good chance to win with him, so I stuck to my plan and really rode my numbers. I’m thrilled with the outcome.” 

“I feel extremely lucky,” 31-year-old Jacobs said about her winning ride Rincoola Milsean. “You don’t really come across these horses so often, he is a once-in-a-life-time horse for me. Every time I go to the ring with him, I have a chance to win or to be competitive.”

Current world no. 2 Kent Farrington has been helping Jacobs in her gear-up towards the Rolex Finale Week at Wellington International. “Kent is incredible. He has been amazing for me mentally, getting me to stick to my plan and trust myself and my horses. This horse specifically; I have a lot of belief in him, but Kent has given me even more belief in him. I have been working with Kent for almost a year now, he is an amazing mentor,” Jacos said.