Ahead of Saturday’s cross-country challenge, dressage wrapped up at the 2026 MARS Bromont CCI Friday afternoon, with some new leaders installed in the clubhouse. Attendees also had the opportunity to meet both the two- and four-legged members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who have members on-site throughout the weekend for meet-and-greets.
It was seven-time Olympian’s Phillip Dutton’s day in the CCI4*-S, taking the early lead with the 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding Denim (owned by Ann Jones, Ann Lapides, Neil Sites and Caroline Moran) with a score of 29.3 from judges Bea di Grazia (USA) and Carola Bierlin (GER).
Denim, who was sixth in the US Equestrian Open of Eventing Final at Morven Park in 2025, comes into the weekend as the second-highest rated horse in the division, according to EquiRatings, with a 27% chance at the win pre-competition. He’s had 10 starts at this CCI4*-S level and today bested his 30.4 six-run average dressage score. Dutton commented that he felt today’s performance was one of the gelding’s best performances to date.
Dutton enjoyed an overall good day at the office, slotting into both second and third place in the CCI2*-L with Caroline Moran’s Darwinn and United Mara, respectively.
Lucienne Bellissimo piloted Horse Scout Eventing’s Kitsch Couture HPK to second place in the CCI4*-S, scoring a 34.1. Sharon White, leader of the CCI4*-L with Claus 63, brought forward Jaguars Duende – the top-ranked horse by EquiRatings, pre-competition – to earn a score of 34.5 for third place following the dressage.
Katie Malensek hasn’t competed here at MARS Bromont since she was a young rider, but this year she made the trek from her home base in Florida and has thus far rewarded her efforts by taking the lead in the CCI3*-L, which was split over Thursday and Friday. She and her own Valeska, a 9-year-old Hanoverian mare, scored a 30.9 from judges Peter Gray (CAN), Carola Bierlin (GER) and Sandy Phillips (GBR) to secure the overnight lead going into cross-country.
“We’ve actually spent an intermittent amount of time at the three-star level over the last few years, but between me sort of taking a little bit of time last year to do some show jumping and brush up on that, she kind of missed a season then,” Malensek commented. “So we just kind of have taken our time getting her a little stronger and finally felt like this was a good weekend to come up and see how she feels around a track like Bromont.”
Malensek works full-time as a veterinarian and competes as an amateur for Canada, so this trip required PTO and a lot of logistical planning, but it’s special for her to be able to return to the beloved Bromont Olympic Equestrian Park. In the dressage today, she said her main priority was to showcase Valeska’s beautiful movement and way of going.
“The last year or so, she’s just really developed her strength and been able to hold her balance better in general, and honestly, she’s just so beautiful!” Malensek laughed. “I just try to stay out of her way and make her job as easy as possible, and be accurate, and honestly, she’s got such a lovely way about her. If I can just showcase that, then I feel like I’ve done a good job.”
Canadian Olympian and local rider Colleen Loach rode into second place in the division with Peter Barry’s Chiaro Z Excalibur, scoring a 32.5. World Championships competitor for the USA Ariel Grald will take third place into cross-country on Annie Eldridge’s Obalix with a score of 33.9.
The leaders of the two CCI2*-L divisions remained unchanged on Friday despite some strong scores from the second day of competition. One rider – Olivia Dutton with Dresden – remained in the U25 CCI2*-L, and they made a solid effort to score a 29.3 for second place behind Janelle Fleming and Global Cassaro 3.
In the senior CCI2*-L, Lucienne Bellissimo remained unchallenged with the experienced Dyri, with Phillip Dutton picked up second and third with Darwinn and United Mara.
With rain in the forecast, officials opted to change the running order of divisions for Saturday’s cross-country to ensure the top levels had the best conditions possible. To that end, the CCI4*-L division will be the first to see beginning at 9 am. This phase always presents a stiff challenge, both in jumping technicality as well as on the clock. The optimum time is notoriously difficult to obtain, with no CCI4*-L riders managing to catch the time since 2019.
Full results here.
A full course preview of the feature CCI4*-L cross-country course, designed by Tokyo Olympic designer Derek di Grazia, can be found on the HERE. Live streaming can be found both on ClipMyHorse.TV as well as free of charge on the Bromont Horse Trials YouTube channel.
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