As Amber Birtcil plans to move up the levels of eventing with Picasso, it’s not only about how the jumps get bigger. With a year-end goal of traveling east for the USEA/USEF Developing Horse National Championships to be held on the undercard of the US Equestrian Open of Eventing Final at Morven Park in Virginia, it’s also a question of how a young horse will handle a big-show atmosphere. That’s why she chose to compete the precocious 6-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding in the Modified Match at the 2026 Woodside Spring Horse Trials held in Woodside, CA from May 22-24, and that’s why The Horse Park at Woodside makes the Modified level the showcase of the first of its three annual USEA-recognized events.
The Modified Match featured Horse and Rider divisions at the Modified level that effectively serves as the base camp for horses and riders to climb from eventing’s lower to upper levels. With the goal of providing a five-star experience to the horses and riders aiming for the sport’s Everest, The Horse Park hosted the competition that started with dressage taking place in a large arena with two judges — something that would typically be seen at championships or FEI levels. It finished with a large crowd gathered around the state-of-the-art Bay Arena for the show jumping finale that coincided with the event’s competitor dinner. There was an opening ceremony, where local rider and trainer Lauren LoPiccolo sang the national anthem and then rode in the Horse division aboard Nacho (Hanley x Fabiola).
In its third year, the Modified Match Horse division went to a young horse, the 6-year-old Picasso (High Shutterfly x Athene HBC) ridden by Birtcil, while the Rider division went to a young rider, 17-year-old Fiona Lempres and Hathaway Royale (Birkhof’s Royaldik x Lady Lissleton).
Birtcil and Picasso led from start to finish, going double clear on Bert Wood’s cross-country course and William Robertson’s show jumping course for a finishing score 31.3.
“I wanted to see him in the bigger atmosphere, and I thought it was so good for him,” Birtcil said. “He’s very unfazed in the best way.”
It’s been a quick rise up the levels for Picasso — coming to California from the Netherlands and making his USEA-recognized eventing debut by winning at the Beginner Novice level at Caber Farm in Washington in August 2025.
Amber Birtcil and Picasso. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.
“He has an incredible brain, so it’s definitely a quick progression for him,” Birtcil said. “He’ll probably go Prelim and rest there. I’m hoping to go to Morven. I have another 6-year-old, Prince of Oolde, and do the 6-year-old class they have out there with them.”
Prince of Oolde (Ibolensky x Aurora J) won the Open Preliminary division at Woodside in a move-up following first-place finishes at the one-star level at Twin Rivers and Galway in California this spring.
The top-three in the Modified Match Horse Division were separated by just 2.4 points, with Birtcil and Picasso finishing on their dressage score of 31.3, followed by Leah Forquer and Favorit Ask (Favorit Ask x Concept) in second with 32.4, and Andrea Baxter and MBF Dig Deep (Golddigger x Amber) in third with 33.7. Three of the top-four horses were just 6-year-olds with Parel Van Der W (Impressive VDL x Kalysha Diola V) in fourth ridden by Audrey Sanborn.
Fiona Lempres and Hathaway Royale. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.
In the Rider division, the big-show atmosphere is what Lempres aspires to ride in at eventing’s upper levels. The 17-year-old high school junior began competing in events in 2023 after previously being a vaulter. She and Hathaway Royale led from start to finish to win the Modified Match Rider division with a score of 34.9.
“‘Lizzy’ just gave me the most amazing ride,” Lempres said. “She can be spooky, so I was proud of how she kept herself calm in the atmosphere.” The 10-year-old grey mare registered with the Anglo European Studbook had previously competed up to the three-star level with Izzy Taylor in Great Britain, highlighted by a win in the CCI3*-S at Alnwick in 2024.
Since their first event together in January 2025, Lempres and Hathaway Royale have now won at the Novice, Training, and now Modified levels. “Riding-wise, she has the most amazing rhythmic energy to everything she does,” Lempres said. “Then, on the ground, she’s so cuddly. She just loves everything. A great personality.”
Then, the next day, Lempres completed her first Preliminary horse trial with MHS Brown Jack (OBOS Quality x Gownran Lady), a former four-star eventer with Tom McEwen in Great Britain.
The Woodside Spring Horse Trials featured levels from Starter up to Advanced. Stephanie Goodman and Elwenda DP won the Advanced level with a score of 52.8, adding 18.4 time penalties on cross-country to their dressage score of 34.4, with zero jumping penalties on Derek di Grazia’s cross-country course and William Robertson’s show jumping course. The 16-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood mare (Westpoint x Wenderola) moved up to eventing’s highest national level in April with a win at the Ocala International in Florida, where she also jumped clear.
Fiona Lempres and Hathaway Royale. Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.
“Having such a neat horse at the top of the sport at my age and her age is pretty remarkable,” Goodman, 48, said. “It takes a great partnership in a fantastic team, and I couldn’t be more pleased with her. She’ll tell us what our next step is, and goal for the future is to enjoy every ride.”
James Alliston and Made By Leontine EB, winners of their first Intermediate at the 2025 Woodside Fall International, won the Intermediate level at the 2026 Woodside Spring Horse Trials. It was their 13th top-two finish in a row dating back to 2025. Following a division-best dressage score of 31.7, they had the fastest cross-country out of the 14 entrants, just two seconds over optimum time. They finished with double-clear show jumping for a score of 32.5.
“I went as fast as I’ve gone on him [on cross-country], so the gallop was good,” Alliston said. “I’ve been working on getting him nice and fit. He’s a warmblood, so he’s not necessarily got Thoroughbred speed, but he was quick. When I asked him to go, he lowered and showed some speed. I got him a little fitter. We have a big jumping arena. I’ve never done this with any other horse, but after I jump him, I keep cantering while he’s relaxed after jumping and work on sprinting and bringing him back in a smooth way.”
Alliston said that taught “Leo” to have “turn-of-foot.” The goal for the 9-year-old grey Dutch Warmblood gelding (Casago x Jackpot E.R.) owned by Arnell Sporthorses will be his first CCI3*-L at The Event at Rebecca Farm in Montana in July.
“He’s getting really good mileage,” Alliston said. “With horses that are that careful, you have to be careful moving them up to any level. The jumps at Advanced obviously are very large and I think it’s in there, but I have to be smart and make sure he’s feeling unbelievable with everything he’s doing beforehand so that hopefully for the transition up he doesn’t realize it’s a whole new level.”
The 2026 Woodside Spring Horse Trials marked the first USEA-recognized event to take place in the recently renovated Grand Arena and Winds Arena at The Horse Park at Woodside. The Winds Arena now utilizes the high-tech Ebb & Flow irrigation system with new footing for upper-level sport. That technology was added to the Bay Arena for 2025.
The next USEA-recognized event at The Horse Park at Woodside will be the Woodside Summer Horse Trials on August 8-9. The featured classes will be the Founders’ Cup Novice Stakes. Another way that The Horse Park will put the spotlight on eventing’s lower levels at the summer horse trials will be hosting its first Intro level. The USEA recently approved the recognition of the Intro level starting on Dec. 1, 2026, with hopes that it can make a positive impact on the sport like the recognition of Modified and Starter have made in the past decade.
Then, the Woodside Fall International from October 2-4 will spotlight eventing’s upper levels with the return of international classes from one-star to four-star. The CCI4*-S will be part of the US Equestrian Open as the final event in the series before the CCI4*-L final at Morven the following week.
