United States Eventing Association

The traditional long-format experience took center stage at the Hagyard MidSouth Three-Day Event in Lextington, Kentucky, held October 14-18, 2026. Emma McHugh and Zara Bewley took home USEA Classic Series victories in the Training and Novice Three-Day divisions, respectively.

For both champions, the competition offered an opportunity to strengthen partnerships with relatively new mounts while experiencing the unique challenges of the Classic format. From roads and tracks and steeplechase to the veterinary inspections and endurance demands of the Three-Day, the weekend provided valuable lessons that extended well beyond the final leaderboard.

Read on to learn more about the two champions and their experiences at the Hagyard MidSouth Classic.

Training Three-Day | Emma McHugh and Dafni CS | 33.1

For Emma McHugh, the Hagyard MidSouth Classic Series marked a weekend of firsts. Not only was it her first experience competing in the traditional long format, but it was also her first event with her new partner, 7-year-old Westphalian mare Dafni CS. The pair made their competitive debut together a memorable one, taking home the Training Three-Day victory.

McHugh began riding at 8 years old after convincing her parents to sign her up for lessons. She spent her early years at a hunter-jumper barn before discovering eventing and making the switch in 2014.

Her winning partner, Dafni CS, known as "Yara" in the barn, was previously developed by fellow eventer Danielle Poulsen.

"She has been beautifully produced over the past couple of years by my friend Danielle Poulsen, and I feel incredibly lucky to call her mine now," McHugh said. "The Three-Day at Hagyard was our very first event together and to end the weekend in a win was an amazing feeling."

Although the pair had yet to compete together, McHugh saw the Classic Series as an opportunity to lay the groundwork for their future partnership.

"I decided to compete in the Three-Day because I had never experienced the traditional long-format before, and it was something I had always wanted to try," she said. "With Yara being a new partner, I thought it would be a great opportunity to get to know her better and build our partnership. Not many venues offer the Classic format anymore, so I was excited to take advantage of the opportunity and experience a different side of the sport."

McHugh and Yara began their weekend with a dressage score of 30.7. They added just 2.4 time penalties on cross-country, moving into the lead ahead of the final phase. A double-clear show jumping round secured the victory on a final score of 33.1, just 0.8 penalties ahead of the second-place combination.

With their first FEI competition together scheduled for November, the weekend also provided valuable insight into Yara's fitness and recovery.

"The Three-Day was a great fitness test and educational experience for Yara," McHugh said. "It gave me the opportunity to really get to know her, learn how she handles the different demands of the sport, and see how she manages her energy and recovers throughout the weekend. Testing her endurance and fitness in this format was especially valuable, and I feel that we both came away from the experience having learned a lot. With our first FEI competition together coming up next month, I feel even more prepared and confident in our partnership moving forward."

Of all the experiences the weekend offered, the steeplechase phase stood out as her favorite.

"I loved being able to open Yara up, test her gears and rideability, and feel her gallop," she said. "The jumps are beautifully designed and forgiving, which makes them so nice for the horses. It was also a great opportunity for me to work on my galloping position and learning to find a good distance to a fence out of a forward gallop."

For other riders considering adding a Classic Series event to their competition schedule, McHugh hopes they'll take advantage of the opportunity.

"I would absolutely encourage people to give it a try!" she said. "It’s such a valuable experience for both horse and rider, especially if you’re looking to build your partnership and develop your horse’s fitness, confidence, and experience. I think you need to go into it with an open mind, trust your preparation, and have fun learning something new. I believe everyone who does eventing needs to do a long format at some point, it really gave me a new perspective on the fitness demands for the horses!"

Novice Three-Day | Zara Bewley and Ballyfore Oh Man | 29.9

Zara Bewley's journey to winning the Novice Three-Day at Hagyard MidSouth began on the other side of the world, and her earliest experiences with eventing were far from successful.

Originally from Australia, Bewley grew up competing with the Australian Stock Horse Society, participating in campdrafting, and riding in Pony Club competitions. Her first attempts at horse trials, however, didn't exactly inspire a love for the sport.

"I did three horse trials in Australia, only because they were run by the Pony Club I was a member of, and I was eliminated at all three," she recalled. "It wasn’t something I enjoyed at the time."

At around 15, Bewley became involved in the racing industry, eventually earning her owner-trainer's license at 18 and training several runners between 2001 and 2005. In 2006, she traveled to Lexington, Kentucky, on an exchange program, spending a year working at a breeding farm before accepting a grooming position at an eventing and foxhunting barn. It was there that her perspective on eventing changed.

"The people I worked for had a 'been there, done that' horse that had stepped down from eventing to foxhunting," she said. "They took me cross-country schooling one day, and I was on such a high after my first real cross-country lesson that I was hooked. They were gracious enough to let me compete him for a few seasons locally, and that was how I got into eventing."

Nearly two decades later, Bewley is no stranger to the sport's traditional long format. This year's competition at Hagyard marked her sixth Classic Three-Day, but it was her first with her new partner, the 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Ballyfore Oh Man (Omar x Complicated), whom she purchased at the end of March.

"My partnership with 'Ozzie' is very new," she said. "We are still working on becoming a team and figuring each other out. He has a lot of buttons and is the complete opposite of my last horse, so there’s a lot of learning going on. A good partnership isn’t built overnight."

Bewley first experienced the Classic format in 2023 with her previous horse, Blue Wallaby, and the experience left a lasting impression.

"We both came away from that first long-format as a better horse, rider, and team. Our cross-country was so much stronger, and I noticed the benefits for both of us," she said.

With plans to move Ozzie up to Training level, Bewley had been eyeing the Hagyard competition since shortly after purchasing him.

"Entering this year with a new horse was something I had planned since mid-April, and this was the one event I really wanted to do with him," she said. "The preparation leading up to it really helped me get to know him better, including the fitness work and the time spent in a large ring this summer. With a move up to the Training level on the schedule, this was the perfect event to see where we were."

A 29.2 on the flat slotted them in second place after dressage, which is where they remained after fault-free performances in all of the endurance phases. It all came down to show jumping to determine the winner and a double-clear round moved them up to the top spot to earn the title of champion.

While Bewley enjoys the challenge of the long-format, some of her favorite aspects of the experience extend beyond the competition itself.

"I really enjoy Roads and Tracks to Steeplechase, and the Steeplechase itself; it’s so different and such an adrenaline rush," she said. "I also enjoy the sportsmanship and friendships that the long format brings between riders."

Having completed six Classic Three-Days, Bewley encourages other riders to consider how the format can help them assess their readiness for the next level or simply offer a new challenge at their current level.

"If you want to move up a level and there is a long-format in your area, go do it at the level you are at," she advised. "If you can get around with ease and confidence and still have energy in the tank, then you are ready for the move up. If you have no desire to move up a level but would like a challenge at the level you’re riding, enter a long format. The cross-country is longer, with questions you don’t usually see on a course. This year’s cross-country at Hagyard’s was a perfect example. It had some really great questions and some solid-sized fences."

Bewley also highlighted a resource that helped make her own Classic Series experience possible. In 2025, she received the Jimmy Wofford Legacy Fund Scholarship, which provided an entry to the Indiana Eventing Association Three-Day Event and $1,000 toward training expenses.

"This in itself was a huge financial help," she said, encouraging other riders interested in the long format to apply for the scholarship.

About the USEA Classic Series

The USEA Classic Series keeps the spirit of the classic long ­format three­-day events alive for Beginner Novice through the Preliminary levels. Competitors can experience the rush of endurance day, including roads and tracks, steeplechase, the vet box, and cross­-country, as well as participate in formal veterinary inspections and educational activities with experts on the ins and outs of competing in a long ­format three-­day event. Riders who compete in a USEA Classic Three-Day Event during the year will have the chance to win a variety of prizes at the events from USEA sponsors and earn leaderboard points. Click here to learn more about the USEA Classic Series.

The USEA would like to thank bronze sponsors D.G. Stackhouse & Ellis Saddles, Gallagher’s Water, PulseVet, and SmartEquine, contributing sponsors Bates Saddles and Schneiders Saddlery, and prize sponsor 100xEquine for supporting the USEA Classic Series.