Traverse City, United States – July 29, 2026 – Erynn Ballard (CAN) continued her winning form during week five of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), presented by B&D Builders, capturing Wednesday’s $31,100 Hippodata Welcome Stake CSI 3* aboard Her Game Ball BG.
Facing a 13-horse jump-off over Nick Granat‘s (CAN) course, Ballard relied on the experience of the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare to post the winning time of 34.02 seconds, edging Charlotte Bettendorf (LUX) by less than a tenth of a second.
“This is an experienced horse,” Ballard said. “I went as fast as I could, and that’s her best gear. Today was a really fast class.”
There was one spot on the course where riders were taking risks to save time, however, Ballard knew that wasn’t the best choice for her horse.
“At the beginning of the [jump-off] they were going inside from [fences] two to three,” she explained. “She has her own style of going; there was absolutely no chance I was going to be able to be smooth and go inside, so I needed speed to get around as fast as I could.”
Ultimately, they came home in a time of 34.02 seconds, which was just enough. Charlotte Bettendorf (LUX) claimed second place aboard Kalliope in 34.11 seconds, and Ballard’s own Canadian team member Amy Millar (CAN) took third aboard Christiano in 34.80 seconds.
The camaraderie among friends and teammates is part of what Ballard enjoys most about the sport.
“There’s always motivation to win but I cheer for my teammates whether it’s my teammates from my country or my teammates from the barn,” she shared, with Millar being her teammate for the 2024 Paris Olympics and Bettendorf now basing in Canada as well. “I really believe that all is fair if I had gone as fast as I could go and Charlotte went faster than me, then she deserved to win. That’s the sport.”
Ballard is hyper-focused these days on sharpening her competitive edge. She believes strong competition makes everyone better, including herself.
“The good thing about so many riders going so fast is it does make you faster,” she reflected on how competitive the FEI divisions in Traverse City have become. “It makes you more competitive. Last week in the National Grand Prix I was leading until the end and Taylor Madden’s mom said ‘Taylor’s goal is to go faster than you.’ I take that as a compliment. They look at me as someone who is super fast and they want to beat me. If someone can beat me going as fast as they can go, I made a rider better.”
With the FEI North American Youth Championships taking place at Flintfields Horse Park during week five, Ballard enjoys seeing young athletes experience both a team and a championship format. NAYC provides a unique opportunity for young riders to experience the Table C Speed format, followed by a two-round Nations Cup-style class and a two-round Individual Final, which is precisely what they would see at senior championships down the road one day.
“I was talking to my dad during this class and he said the one thing the kids at this level are missing is team format,” she explained. “I thought it would be cool if horse shows along the way ran championship formats for specific divisions to give kids exposure.”
“I’m always grateful for Ilan [Ferder] and I’m super grateful for Francie and Her Game Ball because Her Game Ball is my warrior,” she concluded her winning interview. “There’s nothing better than going in the ring on her. And my grooms; they’re the last people you talk to before you go in the ring and the first people you see when you come out. They love the sport just as much as anybody else.”
NAYC Children’s and Junior divisions got underway Wednesday with Georgina Jewell taking the top position in the Children’s First Individual Qualifier aboard Conny 424. Violet Tatum and BP Swifty were the top-placing pair in the Junior First Individual Qualifier, the first of five ultimate rounds for the top-performing pairs.
Thursday of GLEF 5 will be a big day for the Children’s and Junior portions of the FEI North American Youth Championships, as they each contend their Team Competitions. The Young Rider division kicks off with the $10,000 Young Rider Individual Qualifier. Fans and competitors can view full schedules, results, and live updates through the Traverse City Horse Shows Mobile App.
Final Results – $31,100 Hippodata Welcome Stake CSI 3*
1) Erynn Ballard (CAN) & Her Game Ball BG – 0 / 0 – 34.02
2) Charlotte Bettendorf (LUX) & Kalliope – 0 / 0 – 34.11
3) Amy Millar (CAN) & Christiano – 0 / 0 – 34.80
Source: Press Release from Great Lakes Equestrian Festival
Photos: © TCHS / Natalie Suto Photography / Megan Giese Media
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