Lauren Nicholson and How Easy GG Lead the Advanced Division at Millbrook Horse Trials after Dressage

July 24, 2026

Lauren Nicholson and How Easy GG. Photo by Amber Heintzberger.

A highlight of the summer eventing and social season in the Hudson Valley of New York, the Millbrook Horse Trials started yesterday with Beginner Novice through Training level dressage. The competition continued today with Modified through Advanced level dressage, while the lower levels headed out on cross country. The event also features a trade fair, marketplace, food trucks and a number of social events.

Lauren Nicholson of The Plains, Virginia finished the day in the Advanced division lead on a score of 28.0 with How Easy GG, a 2017 grey Selle Francais gelding (Upsilon x So Easy) owned by Jacqueline Mars and Christa Schmidt. Nicholson is also placed 13th on I’ll Have Another, a 2013 bay Latvian Warmblood gelding (Gaultjers x Kameja) owned by Brandye Randermann.

Nicholson found How Easy GG a couple of years ago in England when she was based at Mike and Emma Winter’s farm to train and compete for the summer. “Mike told me about him and said that he’d only been eventing for a couple of years and was qualified for Le Lion d’Angers, which is crazy, but I had to sit on him and I loved him. He was actually intended for [a client] and I was going to give him some more miles.”

Ariel Grald and Diara are third on a 29.8. Photo by Amber Heintzberger.

Nicholson quickly realized that the little horse, nicknamed “Georgie Porgie” in the barn, may be unassuming and look like a pony, but has the talent for the upper levels. “You pick him up and he’s very proper, he always surprises people,” she said. “I was super pleased with him today, he’s a wicked character and has a sense of humor, but he’s actually very workmanlike doing his job. This is his first time at the level. He’s a wicked good jumper and for how small he is he actually has a huge stride; early on I struggled to have rideability, but I’ve been riding him in a hackamore and hopefully that will still work well tomorrow.”

Nicholson said that she hasn’t competed at Millbrook in years and is glad to be back. “I intentionally brought him back for his move-up, and it’s I’ll Have Another’s first Advanced after having three neck surgeries to correct impingements in his spine last year. It’s a very new surgery and it’s been performed successfully on several upper-level event horses. It’s made a huge difference for him. Luckily our friend Jen Holling in Ocala does an amazing job with rehab and he’s come along quite quickly.”

“I intentionally brought both horses here because I like Morgan’s courses,” she continued. “He designs great tracks that are horse-friendly and he asks the questions without hammering at them the whole time. I’m glad to come up here for that, plus New York in the summer is generally a little more pleasant that Virginia in the summer! We got all that rain and the footing is great. The new footing in the dressage ring was lovely, too.”

Kiersten Miller and Mama Mia are second in the Advanced on a score of 28.4. Photo by Amber Heintzberger.

Fifteen horses are entered in the Advanced division. Kiersten Miller and her own Dutch Warmblood mare Mama Mia (Indoctro x Lysienne II) are second after dressage (28.8) with Ariel Grald and Diaram, a grey Dutch Warmblood mare (Diacontinus x Lady Reven) owned by Annie Eldridge, rounding out the top three (29.8).

Anyone who is not able to attend the event in person can tune in to the new livestream, available thanks to a generous donation from Taylor Harris Insurance Services, with video by RNS appearing on ClipMyHorse.TV.