Erynn Ballard & New Star vd Berghoeve, winners of the INEOS 1.40m. Photo © Shannon Brinkman
Amenia, N.Y. – October 1, 2026—Canadian Olympian Erynn Ballard turned up the heat on an already hot hand by jumping to her third win in two days in the Evergate Stables 3* Speed on Thursday at the 2026 Discovery Land Company Masters. The victory came aboard Gaby de Courcel, owned by Old Oak Horses, during opening week of the Autumn Invitational at Highlands.
With only fractions of a second separating the top two, Ballard and the 10-year-old chestnut mare (Type Top du Monteil x Lamm de Fetan) crossed the timers in 56.46 seconds, pipping Stella Wasserman (ISR) riding her own Hanoverian mare, Myjorka. They finished with 56.60 seconds on the clock over the course designed by Nick Granat (USA).
Fellow Israeli rider Kaitlin Campbell rounded out the podium in third aboard Cloud, owned by SWS Training & Sales, in 58.11 seconds.
“It’s been a great start—this show has a good vibe for me,” said Ballard about her win streak. “We did well here last year, and came in with high hopes and big expectations. She’s brand new; this is the third class I’ve jumped her in, but it’s her only class of the week, and we went in to win.
“My strategy was to do one less from two to three—everybody did six slowing down, and I knew when I walked that was a place to win the class. She did everything else the way a horse needed to in order to win the class.”
Complete results from the $31,300 Evergate Stables 3* Speed can be found HERE.
Earlier in the day, Ballard rode New Star vd Berghoeve, owned by Ilan Ferder, to a back-to-back win in the INEOS 1.40m.
Competition during the Discovery Land Company Masters features exceptional offerings for amateur athletes in a breathtaking setting, as well as three-star FEI competition culminating in Sunday’s featured Discovery Land Company 3* Grand Prix. General admission is free all week, and streaming is available at ClipMyHorse.Tv. For more information on ticketing, special events and schedules, visit www.highlandshudsonvalley.com.
Jorge H. Gomez Leads Off in Curamia Tequila 1.20m Junior/Amateur Speed
Kicking off an exhilarating national schedule for junior and amateur athletes, Jorge H. Gomez of Loxahatchee, Fla., rode Nuqui to win the Curamia Tequila 1.20m Junior/Amateur Speed. He crossed the timers in 50.942 seconds to best Beth Franco of Mattapoisett, Mass., aboard Havanna in 52.318 seconds.
Coming off a podium finish a day earlier, Lillie Keenan of New York, N.Y., opened the day with a win in the Maarten Huygens Horse Sales 1.30m aboard Bella Blue 8 for owner Chansonette Farm.
Competition at Highlands continues on Friday with juniors and amateurs taking to the ring at 1.0m, 1.10m and 1.20m heights, as well as the Stoneleaf 3* Jumper Classic. Complete results from Highlands Hudson Valley can be found HERE.
About Highlands Hudson Valley
Highlands is a 1,000-acre destination in New York’s Hudson Valley where world-class equestrian competition, luxury hospitality, automotive culture, art, and philanthropy come together. Home to The Autumn Invitational—a collection of signature events including the Discovery Land Company Masters, Highlands Cup, and Bridlemont Concours—it creates immersive experiences that celebrate sport while supporting meaningful community impact throughout the Hudson Valley. Highlands activations include The Gallery Experience, curated by acclaimed artist Brendan Murphy, as well as a Kid Zone, Fan Zone, The Shops at Highlands, and more. Highlands Horse Show Inc. is a New York 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. To learn more, visit www.highlandshudsonvalley.com.