United States Eventing Association

The Longleaf Pine Pine H.T. kicked off the 2026 USEA Classic Series season on April 3-5 at the Carolina Horse Park (Raeford, North Carolina). This year, the event offered two Classic Series divisions at the Beginner Novice and Novice levels. Get to know the first Classic Series champions of the year a little bit better below.

Novice Three-Day Winners | Morgan Hiller and Silly Wabitt

Morgan Hiller’s (Greensboro, North Carolina) whole life has been horses, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I have been lucky enough to grow up in the horse world, and it’s the only thing I’ve ever known,” she shared. “The pony I had as a kid refused to do cross-country, so I grew up in the jumper ring, but I always knew eventing was where I wanted to be.”

As soon as she was able, Hiller stole the ride on her mother and trainer’s OTTB Silly Wabbit (Close Up x Tweals Princess), and the rest was history. She began eventing “Rocky" in 2011, and the pair rose through the levels together, successfully competing through Preliminary.

“Rocky genuinely made me the rider I am today–and let’s be honest, he’s the reason I made it through high school,” joked Hiller. “Now at 23 years old, he is teaching the next generation to canter and jump. He is fondly known as 'The King' at the barn and on social media.”

Hiller was originally aiming to compete in the three-day division at Longleaf on a young horse in her string, but they tragically lost him in a freak pasture accident in March of this year. She was going to withdraw, and then she thought of Rocky.

“We thought he would be the perfect horse to fill in,” she said, and so the preparation began.

“I honestly think Rocky had such a fun time being back out and running the three-day that his mental health benefited the most,” said Hiller. “It might have also been his stomach that benefited the most since all he did all weekend was eat! Rocky will not stay in a stall at home, so he doesn’t get any extra snacks such as alfalfa, but when he is at a show, he gets anything he could ever want. Rocky wanted to be there as much as I did!”

The pair started their weekend in second place with a score of 29.0, and they remained fault-free through all of the phases to move up to first after cross-country. The win was extra special for Hiller for so many reasons.

“Taking home the win was the cherry on top of the perfect 'Bluey' memorial ride,” she said. “My favorite part of the whole weekend was getting to spend it with my best friend. Riding Rocky has always felt like coming home, and nothing beats the feeling of having that unbeatable bond with 100% trust.”

Beginner Novice Three-Day Winners | Jennifer Patterson and Iron Colony

Dr. Jennifer Patterson, DVM (Apex, North Carolina) grew up in the hunter ring and rode for her college’s IHSA team. It wasn’t until she became a veterinarian that she was introduced to eventing.

“All my clients were always talking about the War Horse Event Series [at the Carolina Horse Park], and I had to check it out,” she reflected. “I went to one show and was absolutely hooked! Learning a new discipline as an adult has been so rewarding.”

Her partner, the now 12-year-old Thoroughbred mare Iron Colony (Iron Social x Baby Chase), was originally purchased by Patterson’s friend, Virginia Brown, as a 5-year-old.

“I worked with ‘Collins’ on basic horsemanship for a few years, and then purchased her in 2021,” she noted. “We started our eventing career shortly after that. I’m very proud that we both did our very first events together, and with excellent coaching from Becca Swann, are working on moving up the levels as a team.”

Just like her introduction to eventing, Patterson heard about the Classic Series from a client who had taken a horse to Waredaca for their long-time three-day event several years ago.

“It seemed like such an epic adventure that I knew it was on my bucket list,” she said.

“When Carolina Horse Park announced they were running one this spring, it was like the stars aligned. I had the horse, and the timing worked out for training, so I set my eyes on it and got to work.”

She felt that the emphasis on conditioning really improved Collins’ strength, stamina, and musculature. The prep work was not only good for the mare’s body, but also for her mind, said Patterson. “She loves to be out of the ring, so she really enjoyed all the hacking in preparation for roads and tracks.”

Like many, it was the atmosphere of the three-day that really stood out to Patterson.

“My favorite part of the competition was the feeling of community and camaraderie that surrounded us the entire weekend. The competitors were all just there to do this really cool thing with our horses! The number of people who volunteered to support us so we could do it was truly incredible.”

Patterson and Collins earned a 35.3 in dressage to sit in fourth at the start of the weekend. They were the only pair in the Beginner Novice field to go clear across the endurance phases and cross-country, which moved them up to first. A double-clear show jumping round saw them secure the win on Sunday.

“It was such a joy to compete this past weekend!” said Patterson.

For full results, click here.