There are sporting traditions that feel staged, and then there are traditions that feel inherited. The Upperville Colt & Horse Show belongs firmly in the second category.
Held beneath the famous oaks of Grafton Farm in Upperville, Virginia, the 173rd edition of the Upperville Colt & Horse Show brought together world-ranked show jumpers, elegant hunters, young riders, breeding classes, families, vendors, spectators, and a Sunday car show that turned the grounds into a full Virginia horse country scene. Presented by MARS EQUESTRIAN™, the 2026 show ran June 1–7 and carried forward a legacy that began in 1853 as a one-day event designed to encourage better breeding and care of horses.
By the final afternoon, all eyes turned toward the B&D Builders Grand Prix Ring for the week’s marquee event: the $200,000 FEI CSI4* Upperville Jumper Classic. The class had everything a great finale needs — a large crowd, international talent, a jump-off with pressure in every stride, and a winner who understood exactly what it meant to add his name to Upperville’s long list of champions.
That winner was Daniel Bluman of Israel, riding Hummer Z, a 12-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by Abigail Wexner. With quick turns, controlled risk, and a horse that answered every question late in the course, Bluman claimed the title in the final major class of the week. Chloe Reid of the United States finished second aboard Crossover 4, while Sloane Coles of the United States took third with Ninja JW Van De Moerhoeve.
It was a fitting finish for a week that blended elite equestrian sport with the unmistakable character of Upperville: polished but not sterile, historic but still alive, grand but close enough that spectators could feel the energy of the ring.
The Final-Day Spotlight: A $200,000 Classic with Real Pressure
The $200,000 FEI CSI4* Upperville Jumper Classic is not just another grand prix. It is the Sunday centerpiece, the final statement, and the class that draws the casual spectator and the devoted horseman into the same shared anticipation.
Bluman and Hummer Z entered the jump-off against a select group of contenders after completing the first round among 19 other combinations. The class came down to efficiency: how much ground could be covered, how tight the turns could become, and how much trust a rider could place in a horse while still leaving every rail in place.
Bluman’s ride was not simply fast. It was decisive. In a sport where fractions of a second separate the top riders, his performance showed the difference between speed that looks reckless and speed that is built on timing, instinct, and partnership. Hummer Z, by Harley VDL out of Tulana, gave him the scope and adjustability needed to solve the track when the pressure was highest.
The victory also carried personal weight. Bluman reflected after the class that his first experience at Upperville came 18 years earlier, when he showed in the High Juniors and had a very different result. That kind of full-circle moment is part of why Upperville matters. Riders do not simply pass through it. They remember it.
The Podium: First, Second, and Third
The 2026 Upperville Jumper Classic podium reflected the depth of the field and the international standard of the week’s FEI competition.
First place went to Daniel Bluman and Hummer Z. Bluman, representing Israel, delivered the winning jump-off aboard Abigail Wexner’s 12-year-old Zangersheide gelding. The pair’s round combined speed with enough composure to keep the class under control when others still had a chance to catch them.
Second place went to Chloe Reid and Crossover 4. Reid, an accomplished American rider, put in a strong jump-off aboard Crossover 4, a talented horse that showed great potential throughout the week. Their performance was fast and clean, but just a fraction behind Bluman’s winning time.
Third place went to Sloane Coles and Ninja JW Van De Moerhoeve. Coles, also representing the United States, rode Ninja JW Van De Moerhoeve to a solid third-place finish. Their round was competitive and showcased the skill of both rider and horse, but they ultimately fell just short of the top two in terms of time.
This was not a ceremonial podium. It was earned through a week of serious sport and a final class where the margins were tight enough to punish hesitation.
A Week Built Around Major Money Classes
Upperville’s final Sunday may carry the biggest headline, but the show’s competitive weight was visible throughout the week. The 2026 prize list featured several major classes that gave the event its national and international pull.
The $62,500 FEI CSI4* Upperville Welcome Stakes delivered one of the week’s tightest finishes. Ireland’s Philip McGuane, riding Evergate Stables’ Crislin van den Bosrand Z, edged Sloane Coles and Ninja JW Van De Moerhoeve by just 0.01 seconds. Daniel Bluman and Hummer Z finished third in that class, just days before their Jumper Classic victory.
That Welcome Stakes result gave the week an early jolt of drama. It also created a storyline that carried into Sunday: the same names kept appearing near the top, and the final class became a true test of whether consistency could become victory.
Another important jumper highlight came in the $30,000 Salamander Collection Upperville American Standard Grand Prix. McLain Ward, one of the most accomplished American riders in the sport, won aboard Supersox ter Ledonck, owned by Michael A. Smith. Ward finished just ahead of Campbell Brown and Messini LTD, with Devin Ryan and Novick W in third. Only nine of 36 starters advanced to the jump-off, a clear sign that the course demanded careful execution rather than simple speed.
The hunter side also had significant prize-money moments. Amanda Steege and Lafitte de Muze won the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby for the third consecutive year, adding another chapter to their Upperville legacy. Evan Coluccio and Dorian Grey finished second, while Kate Conover and Proud to Be took third. The win mattered because Upperville is not only a jumper destination; it is also one of the places where hunter tradition still feels central rather than secondary.
The $10,000 Paul and Eve Go As You Please Handy Hunter brought another local-history layer to the week. Chad Keenum and C’est La Vie, owned by Ocean’s Edge Farm, won the class with a score of 88. Faith Schuttemeyer and Atlas were second with an 87.5, while Holly Shepherd and Sidenote finished third. The class is unique to Upperville and is judged on performance, manners, way of going, and handiness — exactly the kind of old-school horsemanship standard that gives the show its identity.
More Than the Ring: Horses & Horsepower
On the final Sunday, Upperville’s focus extends beyond the horses in the ring. It is also about the horses on the grounds — the cars, that is. The show’s annual car show, held on the final day, turned part of the venue into a display of classic, rare, and vintage vehicles, as well as modern vehicles that added a layer of spectacle to the event.
The car show has become one of Upperville’s most popular crossover attractions because it fits the setting. Polished cars, tailored spectators, horses in motion, and the old trees of Grafton Farm create a visual language that feels distinctly Virginia: heritage, horsepower, craftsmanship, and a little bit of Sunday theater. Attendees can vote for their favorite car in the “People’s Choice” award.
Why Upperville Still Matters
The Upperville Colt & Horse Show is the oldest horse show in the United States, but age alone does not make an event important. Plenty of old traditions survive only as nostalgia. Upperville survives because it still functions.
It still draws serious riders. It still produces meaningful wins. It still attracts spectators who may know very little about the sport but understand when something beautiful and difficult is happening in front of them. It still gives children a reason to look toward the ring. It still gives horse people a reason to return.
The 173rd edition proved that Upperville’s strength is not just its past. It is the way the show allows history and modern sport to occupy the same ground. One hour, a spectator can watch a child in a Leadline class; later, they can watch an international rider attack a CSI4* jump-off track for a $200,000 prize. That range is rare.
Final Word
The 173rd Upperville Colt & Horse Show closed with the kind of finish that makes a historic event feel current. Daniel Bluman and Hummer Z gave the final Sunday its winning headline, but the larger story was the show itself — a week where elite riders, young competitors, families, vendors, car collectors, and spectators all moved through the same landscape of sport and tradition.
Upperville does not need to chase relevance. It has something stronger: identity.
Under the oaks, the past is not decoration. It is the foundation. And in 2026, with a $200,000 Jumper Classic, a packed final Sunday, and a champion who understood the weight of the win, Upperville once again proved that America’s oldest horse show still knows how to deliver a modern sporting moment.
