Ellesse Gundersen and Quintessential 4 Crowned Winners of 2026 USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championship
Ellesse Gundersen and Quintessential 4 were crowned national champions under the lights at World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC) on Saturday, May 17, 2026, after finishing atop the overall leaderboard of the US Equestrian (USEF) Grand Prix Dressage National Championship following three days of competition. The pair concluded their week with a score of 76.055% in the Grand Prix Freestyle to secure their title on a final combined championship score of 71.082%. Ashley Holzer and Hawtins San Floriana finished as Reserve National Champions with an overall total of 70.350%, while Meagan Davis and Toronto Lightfoot rounded out the podium with overall third place. Christian Simonson and Fleau de Baian led the class in the Grand Prix Freestyle with an impressive score of 76.240%.
The 2026 USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championship saw 16 total combinations start at the beginning of the week, with the overall champion determined by a calculation of their scores throughout the week, with the Grand Prix counting for 45% of their overall total, 40% for the Grand Prix Special, and the Grand Prix Freestyle earning them the final 15% of their score.
Ellesse Gundersen (Wellington, Fla.) and Quintessential 4 have marked a career-defining week at WEC during these championships, securing three consecutive podium finishes, including two wins across the three days of competition. Gundersen, who developed “Q” herself, was thrilled with the duo’s ability to produce consistency and precision throughout the week, which resulted in three personal best scores at the level.
“He showed, again, that he was reliable, and he was meant to be here,” said Gundersen of the 2014 Hanoverian gelding (Quaterback x Cordoba) owned by Ellesse Gundersen, Marcia Radosevich, and Henrik Gundersen and cared for by Kelsi O’Hara. “I’m really over the moon about it. He really deserves it, and my entire team the last couple years deserves this more than anything as well, because they’ve been a huge part of it. I think we’re going to enjoy it now, and then we are going to make smart decisions and look to the future for this horse.”
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