Genay Vaughn Wins First CDI of 2025, World Cup Qualifier in Thermal

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2025 CDI-W Thermal

Genay Vaughn and Gino became the winners of the World Cup qualifier at the Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, California, on 3 - 5 January 2025.

Hosted just days after the New Year, the CDI-W Thermal was the first competition of 2025 and it's early timing could not lure out riders from christmas holiday hibernation. This show also counted as the first qualifier in the 2025 U.S. Equestrian Open series.

Climbing the World Cup Ladder

The 30-year old Vaughn and her 14-year old KWPN gelding Gino (by Bretton Woods x Haarlem) were in charge of a field of four riders, winning the Grand Prix with 71.283% and the Kur to Music with 75.150%.

As the winner of the freestyle she collected the maximum amount of points (20) for the North American League ranking. Vaughn began her World Cup campaign in Thermal in November 2024, where she also scored a double victory in a class of just two riders. She posted 63.978% in the Grand Prix and 72.615% in the Kur then.

"I’m so thrilled with Gino," Genay told Eurodressage. "He really gained his confidence in the ring and was really with me every step of the way. I think we had a huge break through and we were able to show what we are capable of doing inside the ring."

Gino was bought by the Vaughn family in 2017 and two years later put him in training with Holga Finken in Germany to have him produced to Grand Prix level. Holga rode him in the 2020 Louisdor Cup Finals but the horse felt overwhelmed and was withdrawn from the finals test. Gino returned to the USA and Genay debuted with him internationally in January 2023.

“My mom purchased Gino when he was 6 years old,” explained Vaughn. “It’s been a journey getting to grow together and know each other. He’s an amazing, amazing horse, and I feel like each time we come out, we’re just getting more confident at this level and performing at the Big Tour. I’m really excited for what’s to come in the future.”

Basel Bound?

Her two wins this winter have now provisionally ranked her second with 40 points in the North American League ranking for one of three tickets to the 2025 World Cup Finals in Basel (SUI) in April. Kevin Kohmann is currently in the lead with 55 points, while his wife Devon Kane is standing third with 36 points.

The die has not been cast yet on who gets to go to Basel, because there are still four CDI-W qualifiers coming up between January and the end of February. No less than four of them are in Wellington, Florida, and one is in Del Mar, CA.

"I plan on going for the World Cup Finals and also am so excited about trying for the US Equestrian open as well," she said.

The three best results obtained in the NAL CDI-W qualifiers will count for the ranking. 60 is the maximum amount of points that can be earned. Ties in overall point totals at the end of the qualifying season will be broken by the highest CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle to Music score
earned by the tied Athletes.

From Florida Back to California

America's biggest concentration of dressage riders is on the east coast, particularly in Wellington, Florida. Vaughn, who is a California native and daughter of American baseball player Greg Vaughn, has her own farm Starr Vaughn Equestrian in Elk Grove, Sacramento county and is one of the few West Coast based high performance riders, alongside Sabine Schut-Kery, Steffen Peters, Anna Buffini, Guenter Seidel, and a several more.

Genay came through the youth system, riding her first major championship as a junior rider at the 2009 North American Youth Championships aboard Waranja (by Walt Disney x Espri). She returned in 2010 and moved to Young Riders level in 2012 with the same mare as well as with the family's newest acquisition, breeding stallion Donarweiss GGF (by De Niro x Hohenstein), previously shown by Chris Hickey. She trained with her mom Michele and ride clinics with Jan Ebeling at the time. After riding the 2012 North American Young Riders Championships the 17-year old Genay moved up to Under 25 Grand Prix level with Donarweiss. He took her to Europe in 2015 for the CDI-U25 in Rotterdam and Hagen. Vaughn first spent time in Florida in 2017.

After Donarweiss' retirement in 2018 a three-year break from international showing followed. She returned to CDI competition in 2021 at small tour level with Furstin P (by Furst Piccolo x Diamantino). In 2022 she premiered Fleur Noir WSHS (by Furstenball x Weltmeyer), which she bought in 2020, while she made her CDI show debut in the senior Grand Prix tour on Gino in Wellington in 2023 under the supervision of Frederic Wandres. In 2024 she trained in Florida with Debbie McDonald.

The Support Team

Now backhome in California, Vaughn works with her mom Michele as the daily eyes on the ground. She also got some coaching from Kathleen Raine at both Thermal shows and this month. She also apps with Wolfram Wittig for advice.

Genay on 10-yo Oldenburg mare Ember Gold (by
Belissimo M x Rohdiamant) in Wellington 2023

"I’ve done clinics with Kathleen since I was a junior rider and she’s really good at stepping in for the show coaching with us. She is very positive and encouraging. It's kind of a interesting tactic to switch trainers at a show but I plan on continuing that as it works well for us," Genay explained. "I had the pleasure of getting to stay at Wolfram's beautiful farm with three of my horses and train for a few months in the summer of 2023 in Germany. It was an incredible experience. Wolfram always checks in with me via what’s app if I have questions or need advice he’s always there."

Genay and her mom Michele are very hands on in the daily care of the horses, both at home and at shows. They run a well oiled machine.

"I braid and do my own grooming for Gino at home and the shows but my mom does the hauling 12 hours each way, feeding , hand walking, grooming, braiding my other horses so we have a lot going on at shows," said Genay. "By passing the coaching on to Kathleen at the shows it relieves a bit of stress and she knows us really well so it works. Hopefully we will be adding some clinics with Kathleen in between shows as she’s been a great addition to the team."

Runner-up

At the 2025 CDI-W Thermal the double runner-up was Kristina Harrison-Antell with Finley, a 15-year old Dutch warmblood by Don Jovi x Rubels, owned by the rider.

She was second in the Grand Prix with 68.131% and second in the Kur with 72.715%. The pair trains with Button Baker. The Los Angeles based rider imported the Belgian bred and KWPN registered Finley van het Trichelhof as a 3-year old in 2013 and produced him up the levels herself.